Blog Spotted! v1.2

This is the second entry in a new series, "Blog Spotted!". To find out more information about "Blog Spotted!", please view my introductory entry.

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The second website I'm going to introduce is, well, technically not a website per se. Instead, it is a online application that allows you for read numerous websites with just 1 click, aka Google Reader.

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You must be wondering, why feature Google Reader? It's not quirky, it's not funny, and most of all, it's not related to beauty and cosmetics.

You're right, but Google Reader is so useful to blogging, I have to highlight its usefulness!

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Google Reader is fantastic at collating all the sites you read. You can subscribe to as many websites you like. You can manage them and organize them into folders, like I did. You can either read all of them at one go, or read individual blogs at a time. You don't have to keep checking back on a website, wondering when the next update will be. Everything will be updated and refreshed. All you need is a Gmail account, and websites to read!

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Now, you're asking, is that it? Hmm, I'm coming to the most exciting tip ever!

If you own a Gmail account, sign in, and subscribe to your own blog NOW. Of course, I'm mad, why do I need to subscribe to my own blog when all I have to do is click on a bookmark, and open my blog?

Because, Google Reader can do this.

Do you already know the significance of this? This means that Google, through subscription to your site, is helping you maintain a backup of those entries! Of course, Google Reader will work best on websites and blogs that don't require you to read the entire entry on the original source (hmm, thin line between copyright infringement and merely convenience?). Also, entries that show up in Google Reader must be public entries. Drafts and private entries will not be reflected in Google Reader.

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While the second website introduced in "Blog Spotted!" is unlike the previous website, PSD: Photoshop Disasters, Google Reader is by far more useful to fellow bloggers. The incidental ability to maintain fuss-free backups of your entries is reassuring to all bloggers. I mean, what happens if Blogspot/Livejournal/Onsugar crashes, and all your hard work disappeared into the virtual world? That is a massive heartache, but through Google Reader, you get an additional backup with Google. It's not foolproof, but it's reassuring nonetheless knowing that I don't only depend on Onsugar to be reliable! Alternatively, I believe other readers (Bloglines etc) should work the same way, although I haven't really used them.

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Do you have other tips and tricks for Google Reader? Please feel free to share in the comments below!