How to tailor your information needs
BLOGS AND RSS IN 2009

WHAT IS A BLOG?

Blog is short for
“weblog”

It is a free
online tool

It is an
online journal

It is great for
social
networking

It is a website

You do the
writing and
publishing

It is NOT a good
place for your
personal diary

Nor for “stream of
consciousness”
writing

WHY BLOG?

It is a perfect
place to create
your profile

Join the
conversation

Market yourself

Chronicle a
project

Express your
ideas

Express your
creativity

Share stuff

For education
and professional
development

For fun

WHAT IS RSS?

RSS is the vehicle
for delivering
blog posts

Really Simple
Syndication

See online
definitions –
try Wikipedia

No need to visit
individual blogs
and websites

Blog updates sent
directly to you

Web surfing
made easy

Absolute control
of filtering
to suit you

WHY RSS?

This is the key to
RSS is the your
tailoring
vehicle for
information
delivering blog
posts

You read
RSS is the
and listen
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

You the
RSS is learn
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

You become more
RSS is the
aware
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

You develop
RSS is the
professionally
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

You tune in to the
conversation

It is easy and
RSSefficient
is the
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

Don’t dive
It is easy and
straight into
efficient
creating your
own blog

Learn about
It is easy and
the power of
efficient
RSS first

Set up an
It is easy and
account with a
efficient
free RSS reader

It looks like
It is easy and
email but it’s
efficient
very different

Blogs are
It is easy and
updated and
efficient
delivered
directly to you

No need to
It is easy and
search or visit
efficient
blog sites

THINGS TO LEARN

Social –
RSS is the
how to
vehicle for
converse
delivering blog
posts

Etiquette –
RSS is the
what is
vehicle for
acceptable
delivering blog
posts

Technical –
RSS is the
how to drive
vehicle for
the blog tools
delivering blog
posts

Technology –
RSS is the date
keep up to
vehicle latest
with for
delivering blog
developments
posts

Literary –
RSS is the
improve your
vehicle for
own writing
delivering blog
skills
posts

Originality –
RSSyour own
use is the
vehicle for an
ideas, text,
delivering blog
d images
posts

Hear what
RSS is the
the world
vehicle for
is saying
delivering blog
posts

Set it up using
RSS is Reader
Google the
vehicle for
or Bloglines
delivering blog
or others
posts

Art Art
Literature Gardening
Art
Web design
Art
Travel
Other cultures
Social networking
Art
Art
News and Technology
current affairs
WHAT INTERESTS YOU?

Skim – no Follow
need to read Art
links
everything Read in depth if
Art it interests you
Star items for Mark items
later reference
Art as read
Visit blog sites
occasionally
Regularly open your reader
READ REGULARLY

What do you Use images
Join the to illustrate
want to say? Find a focus
conversation
for your blog
Get consent
to use Use images
the work to illustrate
Be original
of others
Wordpress in every way
is a great tool
for blogs
FIND YOUR VOICE

Credibility grows
because originality
is obvious
It’s fun to be creative Obey copyright
BE ORIGINAL

How to set up a blog reader
Follow the steps in the next slides to set up
your own blog reader with
Google Reader
http://www.google.com/reader/

Create an account with
Google – if you already
have a Gmail account
then just sign in using
those details

Familiarise yourself
with the layout and
navigation

Visit your favourite
websites to see if they
offer an RSS feed

Find the RSS URL or
link and copy it.
Notice that it is NOT the
same as the URL of the
website

Paste the RSS URL into
the Add subscription
box in the Reader

The RSS feed is
automatically added to
your list of feeds and
you will automatically
receive updates

Manage the feeds using
the functions offered

Use Google Blogsearch
to find blogs in your area
of interest then add them
to your Google Reader

This presentation created by
Susan Bentley©2009
http://suesbent.wordpress.com/
http://frenchaccent.wordpress.com/
Permission granted to use this presentation freely but please
cite the creator Susan Bentley – thank you and good luck