RSS: How to set up an RSS reader (and how RSS can supercharge your life, save you time, and how to get started)
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What exactly is RSS...?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication.
Notice how it has the word 'simple' in it's name? That's there for a reason!
RSS simply means this: Content posted on a blog or news site can be pushed to you, instead of you going to look for it.
A bit like subscribing to a newsletter, but you get the fresh content in an 'RSS Reader' (not your inbox), and you can subscribe to anything where you see the orange RSS logo on the left. So you're not confined to just newsletter subscriptions. You can subscribe to almost anything.
Step 1.
So here is a very handy video explaining it in plain English.
Step 2.
I use and recommend 'Google Reader'. It's easy to use and understand, and you can customise your Google homepage to display the latest items on your reading list. So it's very useful because of that.
So go to google.com/reader and sign up (if you don't already have a google account, register for one). Once you've signed up for google reader you will be taken to a page that looks like this:
This is what Google Reader will look like when you first get there. With a nice welcome video too.
Step 3.
First, click here to open SquidooCool in a new window/tab. This is just the example, but you can use any blog you can think of.
See the address bar?
What you need to do is copy the web address to your clipboard. So hightlight the web address, right click it, and click 'Copy'.
It's shown in the picture below.
Hightlight the web address, right click it, and click 'Copy'.
Step 4.
Almost subscribed
You need to look on the left hand side of the google reader page and look for the link I've highlighted in the image below. Click 'Add Subscription', right click in the box that pops up, and Paste the blog link into the box. Now click save.
Congratulations. You have just subscribed to your first blog using RSS! :)
Look for this on the left of the Google reader page!
Step 5.
Getting your feeds on your homepage:
The link is here:
iGoogle is your personalised homepage
Step 6.
Now to add the Google Reader Widget to your iGoogle page
You can do this by clicking on the link shown in the picture below (make sure you're signed into Google first):
This is where you click to add widgets to your homepage
Step 7.
Now add the Reader widget
1. Type 'reader' into the search box.
2. Add the widget titled "Google Reader (labs)"
3. Click Back to iGoogle homepage.
These 3 steps are shown here:
Follow the 3 steps above, and you will have your feeds on your iGoogle homepage!
And you're done!
You can now subscribe to as many blogs as you like, and when a blog is updated... it will show on your Google homepage! So every time you open your web browser or visit your homepage you will be able to see at a glance if any of your favourite blogs have been updated.
So go wild, subscribe to cool stuff, and post a comment below if this has helped you!
Thanks :)
P.S.
A google homepage, with a little box which functions as your inbox to the WEB.
Just like the pictures below.
This is what your reader widget will look like, listing your new posts
And when you click one of the latest posts open, it pops up in a nice big speech bubble right there on your homepage!
Reader Feedback

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Travis Key
Nov 13, 2011 @ 11:56 pm | delete
- Thank you man this is truly incredible
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crosscreations
Oct 17, 2011 @ 2:31 pm | delete
- Thanks MUCHO for creating this. You've explained google reader and rss feeds very well
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AdaptiveConcierge
Oct 16, 2011 @ 12:39 pm | delete
- Great place to point my clients and my lens readers. There seem to be two types of people: Those that get RSS and those that don't. Thanks for helping to bridge the gap!
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worldrevival
Sep 6, 2011 @ 6:05 pm | delete
- thanks a bunch!
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Pukeko
Aug 16, 2011 @ 3:24 am | delete
- I wish I had read this months ago when I set up my RSS reader. This would have made it so easy. Blessed
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gunsock
Jul 30, 2011 @ 6:37 pm | delete
- Nice and simple. Thanks!
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MomwithAHook
May 13, 2011 @ 11:05 pm | delete
- excellent tutorial on how to set up rss feed. It was only 5 years that I was clueless on this stuff.
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IASEAYAM
May 12, 2011 @ 7:26 am | delete
- thanx
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RamblingRosy
May 11, 2011 @ 1:15 pm | delete
- Thanks for the tour and visual in plain English - much appreciated!
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fantasticallyfictional
May 9, 2011 @ 4:15 pm | delete
- Massively practical and useful! Thank you so much!
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BunnyFabulous Apr 9, 2011 @ 6:41 am | delete
- This is a great step-by-step guide. I'm putting a link to it on my Learning How to Coupon lens so that people can learn how to easily follow couponing blogs.
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PatStanford
Mar 29, 2011 @ 5:18 pm | delete
- Thanks..........now I get it!
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The-Java-Gal Oct 3, 2010 @ 9:03 pm | delete
- Nice job keeping it simple and understandable.
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crazzykindachick
Jan 8, 2010 @ 6:55 pm | delete
- i am very new to squidoo and just want to say thank you so much for an easy to follow "how to" lense. this was so easily explained that there was no way of going wrong. i look forward to reading your other lenses once again thankyou x x
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happy-jack Nov 22, 2009 @ 11:25 am | delete
- Yes you are right, good stuff love it thank you for the tip Lewis.
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littlesunflowers_com
Feb 8, 2009 @ 3:24 am | delete
- That's excellent, just what I was looking for - thanks so much
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twodogs2
Feb 1, 2009 @ 1:23 pm | delete
- Thanks for breaking it down into steps I could understand.
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MarcoG
Sep 25, 2008 @ 11:01 am | delete
- Blummin great lens! 5* and a favourite from me! And that first video is AWESOME!
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motorpurrr May 5, 2008 @ 11:48 pm | delete
- Oh my gosh! Thank you soo much! I had no idea that existed. Oh man that's cool! I always wondered how to work those symbols. I thought they were like Digg or something. You are great and explain the things that people need to know.
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Wanderingsalsero May 4, 2008 @ 12:09 pm | delete
- Great! Now I finally know what to do with that intimidating looking pageful of code I see sometimes see when I click on an RSS subscribe button. Thnaks.
Art
the Wanderingsalsero
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titanium_knights Apr 30, 2008 @ 9:58 am | delete
- Thank you Thank you!
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CherylK
Apr 23, 2008 @ 5:03 am | delete
- Very well put and easy to understand. I'm going to work on this right now! Thanks!
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ms-giggles
Apr 18, 2008 @ 5:58 pm | delete
- I had know idea what a RSS was! I'm going to set mine up write now. They say there's know stupid questions, so here goes..How does this help my lens.
Thanks Beth
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happy-jack Nov 22, 2009 @ 11:28 am | delete
- you can load straight into your lens which is a good idea, be sure to foot note who and where you picked up the info. When you work this way you build up your work and empower your reader to do more and learn all they can.
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LaraineRose Apr 17, 2008 @ 12:47 am | delete
- Thank you for your help once again. 5 stars and favr'd.
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Gizelle Apr 2, 2008 @ 2:42 pm | delete
- Great teaching! You really are a wonderful teacher. Thank-you for another lesson well laid out, great content and guaranteed to expand my knowledge of Squidoo!
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FoxMusic
Mar 24, 2008 @ 8:59 am | delete
- Thanks for breaking it down to the nuts and bolts, Great Lens
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kiwisoutback
Mar 10, 2008 @ 7:55 pm | delete
- Thanks for explaining this in plain english!
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CarlaClayton
Mar 9, 2008 @ 6:09 pm | delete
- Thanks, that was exactly what I was looking for.
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The_Book_Garden
Mar 9, 2008 @ 5:37 am | delete
- Great tutorial! Will be using it very shortly!
I'm loving finding out about RSS and using it on my lenses!
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writertiff Mar 7, 2008 @ 8:55 pm | delete
- Ah, so THAT'S what it's all about. Okay! Gotcha. All set up and done. Thanks, Lewis! You rule, you know that?
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