The Best Way To Read RSS Feeds
This is a topic I seem to find myself discussing 2-3 times per week with colleagues and clients. Web Worker Daily has a good open thread on RSS reading tips and tools, and I thought I’d share my own approach.
First, I use Bloglines. I also have my feeds set up on Google Blog Reader and from time to time I check out the new features, but I just find Bloglines meets my needs well and Google has not motivated me to change. I tried Newsgator’s Outlook tool and absolutely hated it — I don’t want RSS feeds mixed with my already over flowing e-mail.
Today I read 97 feeds. I try to keep it under 100 feeds. I have found that I can’t deal with more than 100. It’s too much information.
I organize the feeds into “folders” for topics in which I am interested: Research, Marketing & Communications, Search Engine Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Virtual Worlds, Dell, Nike, Cooking, Longhorn Sports, etc. I put the most important folders at the top of my RSS feed list.
Importantly, I have an A-List folder front and center. These are my “top 10″ feeds that I read 2-3 times daily, morning, afternoon and night. I do my best to keep my A-list to 10 feeds. A blogger has to be really good to stay on this list.
When I am on the run (or in a boring meeting), I’ll read the A-List feeds with my Blackberry 8600. This works really well, and I’d encourage Blackberry and smart phone users to try it.
I do my best to read the other 90 or so feeds once a day. If I don’t get to them I mark them “all read” and move on.
If you are consuming more than 25 feeds, an RSS reader is the right way to go. If you are reading less than 25 feeds, Netvibes, Pageflakes or even Google Home Page are more visually appealing tools.
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