In this world of informational overload, how can you possibly keep up? Especially in the field of SEO, following along with industry changes is critical. I am a big nerd when it comes to RSS feeds. Not only do I subscribe to them on my PC but on my Blackberry as well. Although I know I could never get through every single article/post – sometimes picking up snippets of information, following new links or hearing about different techniques is all I need to keep up with the jones.
I’ve seen those little orange buttons, but what the heck is RSS? RSS or Rich Site Summary is a method to publish your current content in a stream of information. Originated in 1999 for netscape.com, it has gained widespread use in news related websites and web blogs. Created using XML coding, RSS gives users the ability to publish ongoing content which in turn can build loyalty. 
So how do I manage all these feeds? There are many different software applications called RSS readers. An RSS reader is a method you can use to subscribe and orgnize your RSS feeds. I’m a big fan of FeedDemon for the ease of management and functionality.
Pros:
- PC based application that will give me notifications of new feeds in a small pop up box.
- Internet browser contained in the application is the best. I can comment on blogs, reply to comments, check out new links all within the application.
- Real Time Watches to keep informed of different keyword type topics. For example, I have several watches in the areas of design, SEO, social media and of course my favorite gardening. I find this function really helpful to discover what people are saying on the web.
- In Feed Demon 3.0, there is an ability to configure your twitter account to keep informed of your friends postings. You can also reply using Feed Demon.
- I use the clipping folder often to save specific articles I want to research, comment, or blog about. This saves me lots of time as i am able to check my feeds and file them when the time is right.
- New Integration with Google Reader: Since I’m not always at home to read my feeds, I like the fact I can also log into Google Reader, check my feeds and it still be updated in FeedDemon.
Cons:
- I have not found many cons about FeedDemon. The free version of 3.0 does have annoying ads. But for $10.00 I could remove them. Right now they haven’t bothered me enough to make me want to purchase a licensed.
So who’s on my list? Here’s a list of some of my all time favorites.
Blogging:
SEO
Google – I follow all the google blogs as who better to go to then the source!
- Google Analytics Blog
- Google Chrome
- Google Code
- Google Webmasters Central
- Google Website Optimizer
- The Official Google Blog
Social Media
Design
So get subscribing and follow along with your favorite industry trends.
Kimberly at www.greenseedwebdesign.com