Bloglines is a hosted service that allows you to read and share any updates from your favorite blogs or news feeds and it works on both PCs and Macs. Whether you want to subscribe to your first newsfeed or begin writing a blog, Bloglines provides the tools to get started. I’ve found it the easiest and most convenient way to subscribe to and read feeds from my favorite blogs.

Blogs and some websites use RSS feeds to push content to your desktop. Instead of providing an email address to subscribe to a newsletter or update notice, receive notification on your desktop whenever a new feed has been published via an icon in the bottom right tray. Bloglines icon is a blue capital “B” on a white background. If you have new unread feeds, the icon has a red dot in the upper right corner.

Get started with these easy steps:

1. Go to www.Bloglines.com
2. Register for a free Bloglines account. In the middle of the page is a “Click here to sign up” link. Enter your email address and a password. Bloglines will send you an email to validate your email address.
3. Subscribe to a feed. Blogs have a website address and feed addresses. With Bloglines you really don’t need to know the difference. Go to www.bloglines.com and login. Find the “My Feeds” tab in the left frame under their logo and click on the “Add” link. In the frame on the right the Subscribe page displays. Type the URL of the blog that you want to subscribe to in the text box labeled “Blog or Feed URL” and click Subscribe.The next screen presents options. Choose top level for now. Then click Subscribe to complete your subscription. Note: If you don’t click the Subscribe button the process hasn’t been completed and you won’t receive the feed.

   If you would like to create folders to sort your feeds, choose the [ Edit ] link at the top of the left frame. Highlight the feed name and choose “Move to: New Folder.” [ Reorder/Sort ] lets you change the order in which they display. Options, let you select how you want your feeds displayed, e.g. summaries or full articles.

4. Try it out by subscribing to the BIZGeorgia.com feed via RSS. Click Add, type http://www.bizgeorgia.com in the Blog or Feed URL text box and click Subscribe.
   
   
5. Reading a Feed. Go to Bloglines.com or click the blue and white Bloglines icon in the tray on the bottom right of your screen (it’s the blue Capital B on a white background). Click on “My Feeds” in the frame on the left. Blog names that are bolded have new posts. Now just click on the feed that you want to read.

There you have it – the easy way to get started with RSS feeds. And with Bloglines you can write your own blog and start publishing your own feeds. But that’s a topic for another day!

Ruth Rainey, CEO of eBIZability, Inc. and publisher BIZ Georgia.com.  eBIZability helps companies and associations create online and website strategies that attract new prospects and convert them into customers. Get your Georgia company or business-association noticed in the BIZ Georgia online Business Directory at www.BIZGeorgia.com.