More tips for using Google Reader as a blogging machine
I meant to post these extra Google Reader tips and tricks a while back but didn't get round to it. Some of these came from questions raised in the previous 2 threads and some are just ideas I meant to share.
Keeping track of what you've read and not read:
The default setup of Google Reader will be that as you view each item, it marks it as read. (You can change that behaviour from the 'Settings' tab).
At the top of the window displying all the feed item, it says:
'Show: xx New Items - All Items'
If you click on 'New Items' it will only display the new items, not the ones you have read.
Unfortunately there is no way to actually delete items you don't want in your reader.
You can also (once you have everything you want from the feed) 'Mark all as read', then use the above tactic to just view the new stuff (useful for when you first subscribe to a feed).
You can also, if you're not sure whether or not you will use an item, select 'Keep as unread' (on the menu along the bottom of the item) so that it will still show up in your 'unread' item list.
Another way to mark items to look at later is to use the 'Star' option (clicking the little start next to the item), then you can find it easily later on by going to 'Starred items' on the left hand menu. You can 'un-star' these as well once you're finished with them.
A better Google Reader experience:
I'm afraid this one is only for FireFox users.
There is a FireFox add-in that in my opinion improves the Google Reader interface tremendously.
Colour coded feeds, better use of space, improved auto add to Reader, different skins and more. Find it here:
Exclusive Lifehacker Download: Trick out Google Reader with Better GReader
Changing your profile name:
You may of noticed that when you add a note to an item and you then publish that through your feed to your blog, you get a 'Shared by xxx' message which is fine, but you may want to change that to say 'Shared by Admin' or 'Shared by Editor'.
Here's what you do. Select 'My Account' at the top right of the Google Reader window.
At the top of the left hand column is your profile information, click on 'Edit your personal info' (assuming you haven't created a Google profile) and then change the 'Nickname' to be Admin, Editor or whatever.
Then save it and you're done. I don't create a Google profile but if you do, I think you would just change the nickname on that as well for the same effect.
A quick way to add in your own items:
Click on 'Your stuff' in the left hand menu.
There is a box that appears on the right with the words 'Have some thoughts to share?' in it. This is where you can add your own stuff and you can use HTML tags in there as well.
Also, click on 'Show options' just underneath it to display a title box and a box to add your Google Reader tags in.
When you've added this, it will appear as a regular item in the RSS feed for the tag you gave it.
Hope you find these extras useful. Happy Google Reader blogging!
Tim
Keeping track of what you've read and not read:
The default setup of Google Reader will be that as you view each item, it marks it as read. (You can change that behaviour from the 'Settings' tab).
At the top of the window displying all the feed item, it says:
'Show: xx New Items - All Items'
If you click on 'New Items' it will only display the new items, not the ones you have read.
Unfortunately there is no way to actually delete items you don't want in your reader.
You can also (once you have everything you want from the feed) 'Mark all as read', then use the above tactic to just view the new stuff (useful for when you first subscribe to a feed).
You can also, if you're not sure whether or not you will use an item, select 'Keep as unread' (on the menu along the bottom of the item) so that it will still show up in your 'unread' item list.
Another way to mark items to look at later is to use the 'Star' option (clicking the little start next to the item), then you can find it easily later on by going to 'Starred items' on the left hand menu. You can 'un-star' these as well once you're finished with them.
A better Google Reader experience:
I'm afraid this one is only for FireFox users.
There is a FireFox add-in that in my opinion improves the Google Reader interface tremendously.
Colour coded feeds, better use of space, improved auto add to Reader, different skins and more. Find it here:
Exclusive Lifehacker Download: Trick out Google Reader with Better GReader
Changing your profile name:
You may of noticed that when you add a note to an item and you then publish that through your feed to your blog, you get a 'Shared by xxx' message which is fine, but you may want to change that to say 'Shared by Admin' or 'Shared by Editor'.
Here's what you do. Select 'My Account' at the top right of the Google Reader window.
At the top of the left hand column is your profile information, click on 'Edit your personal info' (assuming you haven't created a Google profile) and then change the 'Nickname' to be Admin, Editor or whatever.
Then save it and you're done. I don't create a Google profile but if you do, I think you would just change the nickname on that as well for the same effect.
A quick way to add in your own items:
Click on 'Your stuff' in the left hand menu.
There is a box that appears on the right with the words 'Have some thoughts to share?' in it. This is where you can add your own stuff and you can use HTML tags in there as well.
Also, click on 'Show options' just underneath it to display a title box and a box to add your Google Reader tags in.
When you've added this, it will appear as a regular item in the RSS feed for the tag you gave it.
Hope you find these extras useful. Happy Google Reader blogging!
Tim
Have a great day