This document explains the concepts of blogs and RSS, highlighting their benefits for social networking, personal expression, and efficient information delivery. It provides guidance on setting up an RSS reader and managing subscriptions to receive blog updates easily. The author encourages originality and creativity in blogging while ensuring copyright compliance.

1. How to tailor your information needs
BLOGS AND RSS IN 2009

2. WHAT IS A BLOG?

3. Blog is short for
“weblog”

4. It is a free
online tool

5. It is an
online journal

6. It is great for
social
networking

7. It is a website

8. You do the
writing and
publishing

9. It is NOT a good
place for your
personal diary

10. Nor for “stream of
consciousness”
writing

11. WHY BLOG?

12. It is a perfect
place to create
your profile

13. Join the
conversation

14. Market yourself

15. Chronicle a
project

16. Express your
ideas

17. Express your
creativity

18. Share stuff

19. For education
and professional
development

20. For fun

21. WHAT IS RSS?

22. RSS is the vehicle
for delivering
blog posts

23. Really Simple
Syndication

24. See online
definitions –
try Wikipedia

25. No need to visit
individual blogs
and websites

26. Blog updates sent
directly to you

27. Web surfing
made easy

28. Absolute control
of filtering
to suit you

29. WHY RSS?

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

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

32. You the
RSS is learn
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

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

34. You develop
RSS is the
professionally
vehicle for
delivering blog
posts

35. You tune in to the
conversation

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

37. WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

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

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

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

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

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

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

44. THINGS TO LEARN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

54. 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

55. 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

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

57. 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/

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

60. Familiarise yourself
with the layout and
navigation

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

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

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

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

66. Manage the feeds using
the functions offered

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

68. 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