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feedreaders


About a year ago, I started reading my blogroll via Google Reader. Before that, I had an idea of what RSS Feeds were but I thought they were just for super-geeks and I wasn’t quite sure how to use them. Then I discovered the beauty of being able to zip through my favorite reads so quickly, without having to wade through un-updated blogs. Talk about saving time! The only downside is, Google Reader is kinda boring, unlike all of our much more attractive blog designs and templates. Plus, if I want to comment on a post, I have to click through to the actual site which kind of makes the whole process feel a little disconnected. Or maybe I’m just thinking to much about reading blog posts!

So it got me thinking: how many of my readers actually visit my site to read my posts, and how many read them through a feed reader? I’m really just curious. I have a site tracker, and I also have my Wordpress feeds going through Feedburner with a plugin I installed, so I have a general idea but I thought I’d ask for more ‘real’ responses. If you use a feedreader, which one to you use?

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23 Comments


  1. Allison

    Oct 21 at 11:06 am

    I use Google Reader to read everything. Even your website.



  2. Laura

    Oct 21 at 11:38 am

    I do both – when I have time, I visit every updated site at their actual site. If for some reason I’m more rushed and still want to read updates, I’ll skim first in reader and then visit to comment if I want. And I use Bloglines. :)



  3. Shana

    Oct 21 at 12:34 pm

    I use a feedreader to read all the blogs I follow, including yours. I use Bloglines. :)



  4. Alicia

    Oct 21 at 12:38 pm

    I read through Bloglines. I agree, I wish I could see all the pretty layouts through it and it is a bit of a pain to click through to comment. But still much easier than checking each blog manually!



  5. Katie

    Oct 21 at 1:53 pm

    I use Google homepage to keep track of when sites I like have updated. If I see that one of the sites updated, I’ll normally go read the entry at their website unless I am in a hurry. I prefer reading blogs at the websites because Google homepage is kind of cramped, and the websites are a lot more aesthetically pleasing :)



  6. Maura

    Oct 21 at 3:59 pm

    I also use Google Reader to read everything. Even your website. It’s impossible to keep up with 100+ blogs otherwise.



  7. Rhona

    Oct 21 at 4:38 pm

    I come to your site, but Google Reader seems like a good idea.



  8. Jane

    Oct 21 at 9:42 pm

    I keep track of blogs at Google Homepage. I have them sorted out among different tabs. And I probably “clean house” every 3 months or so.



  9. Jennifer

    Oct 21 at 10:59 pm

    I come to your site. I don’t read so many blogs that I need a feed reader.



  10. janet

    Oct 21 at 11:52 pm

    I read all my blogs via Safari’s built in RSS feeder, but if I decide to comment I click thru to your page. I comment enough throughout the blogosphere that I see a lot of templates, I think…



  11. Melissa

    Oct 22 at 12:26 am

    I use Bloglines also, but for my favorite blogs (about 5 or 6) I usually click through to the website anyway. I really like your new design, by the way! :)



  12. Kristine

    Oct 22 at 12:59 am

    I use Google Reader religiously. It’s a sickness but boy does it save me LOTS of time.



  13. Allura

    Oct 22 at 9:20 am

    I use Bloglines, but more out of habit than anything. I mix in work-related RSS feeds too so I can keep up with my favorite blogs and pretend I’m working at the same time. :)



  14. julie

    Oct 22 at 11:59 am

    I come to the site to read.



  15. Sara

    Oct 23 at 5:20 am

    I read through Google Reader 99% of the time. I only come to the site to comment. :) Hey, hi, hello, how are you?



  16. Stefanie

    Oct 23 at 10:03 am

    I come to your site. :) I have never used a feedreader.



  17. manda

    Oct 23 at 10:53 am

    I’m not a feedreader. I am an old school bookmarks kind of gal.



  18. Priscilla

    Oct 23 at 12:10 pm

    I now use Google Reader since reading this post! I might save some time now!



  19. mel

    Oct 23 at 12:39 pm

    I haven’t used a feedreader ever. I think I set up the Google one once, but have still been visiting my bookmarks. :) I like visiting the pages itself…



  20. Ci

    Oct 24 at 9:58 am

    I use a feedreader, and read your site in Vienna :)



  21. megan

    Oct 24 at 5:33 pm

    I come directly to your site :-)



  22. Rayne

    Oct 26 at 2:00 pm

    I visit the blogs. I’ve tried to use Google Reader, but I find that a lot of my blog reads still only publish excerpts (mainly because it’s the default and they aren’t web-savy enough to change it) to the feed instead of the full article. So what’s the point when I can’t read the whole post. It’s really annoying, so instead of wasting my time, I just use bookmarks and go directly to the site.



  23. Joan

    Nov 12 at 3:13 am

    I come to your site. I like to look at web layouts and I find that feed reader kills the joy in appreciating websites’ designs.