Blog Aggregators: An Easier Way to Read All of Your Blogs?

There are several blog aggregators out there. Some are easier to use than others. My favorite is Bloglines. Bloglines.com is a place you can manage all your blogs with ease. It updates me whenever any blog I subcribe to has a new post. Well, it doesn't 'update me' in real time, it downloads the new content into "My Feeds" so that, at my convenience, I can read all my new posts, if I keep a constant internet connection. The updates are downloaded as linkable headlines. But, since I have a constant connection, it saves me a lot of time, in that I don't spend all my time visiting each blog's net address individually.

For instance, you can subscribe to my blog and my newest posts will be waiting for you when you have a chance to read them. The service relies on an RSS feed, which is an XML file delivered directly to Bloglines. You really don't have to know any of this, but if you're interested, you can learn more about RSS by googling "rss wiki" or "bloglines."

If you don't really want to know about all the technical junk, but do want to speed up your blog reading, I've condensed the experience for you.

Step 1:

Register at www.bloglines.com

-You'll create a user name and password. The software you download will put the bloglines reader in your taskbar, and a red dot on it will signify new posts.

Step 2:

Pick your blogs

-Of course, you'll want to list athomemama.blogspot.com but after that, I could recommend several for you. My blogroll can be found at www.bloglines.com/blog/athomemama and can give you some ideas on what's out there. Plus on the main home page for bloglines, you will find a large assortment of blogs, arranged by type.

Step 3:

Read your blogs

-This part is easy too. The service will notify you when your blogs have new posts. Upon opening the software, you can view all your feeds' newest posts. In fact, you can choose to clip the posts if they are really good or even post them to your bloglines blog.

This blog is not a real blog, as you wouldn't really use it to add original text, but to post different things you've read you really like. Also, as a neat addition, your blogroll (all the feeds you subscribe to) runs down the side of this faux blog. I LOVE this feature. It's like the clippings tab holds your private saved posts and the 'blog' showcases your public saved posts.

In addition, I use Bloglines to capture my podcasts so I can download them to my mp3 player and listen to them wherever I go (car, gym, park, walking around my house, etc.). There is some really neat free audio out there. You can find anything from sermons, to free spanish classes, to comedy shows, and political commentary. Our town has a weekly podcast, as does Sean Hannity, tons of pastors, garage bands, and loads of geeks like Kevin Rose, microsoft higher-ups, and
gaming gurus. Podcasting is all the rage.

I hope you will check out a blog aggregator. These services are free, easy, and will really open your eyes to the great net world out there. The internet is so cool!