This walkthrough will help you get started reading RSS feeds through Google Reader. The steps for setting up other popular RSS readers such as NewsGator are very similar to those outlined here.
Step 1: Setup a Google Reader Account
Go to reader.google.com and either login under an existing Google account or set up a new one. If you’ve used other applications in the Google universe such as Gmail, Google Docs, or Google News, you should already have a Google account. If not, the setup is straightforward and only requires an existing email address.
Step 2: Start Subscribing to Feeds
If you are new to Google Reader, you should see a blank reader that is not displaying any feeds when you login. You’ll have to begin by subscribing to different websites. Google Reader gives you a couple of options for doing that. When you click on “Add Subscription” you are given the option to type in a search term or paste a URL. The search feature works pretty well, so you may want to start with that.
To paste a URL, go to the webpage which hosts the feed you want to subscribe to and right click on the RSS Symbol. Then choose “Copy Link Location” in Firefox or “Copy Shortcut” in Internet Explorer. Return to Google Reader and Paste that URL in the “Add Subscription” field.
NTAP has an extensive list of legal services RSS feeds targeted to both advocates and techies. This is an excellent place to start looking for feeds:
Google Reader also has a nifty shortcut for easily adding feeds to your reader. Simply go to “Manage Subscriptions” from the main page of Google Reader.
Then under “Settings” choose “Goodies” and scroll to the bottom to “Subscribe as You Surf.” Either drag the subscribe link into the favorites section of your browser or right click on it and choose “Bookmark this Link” (in Firefox) or “Add to Favorites” (in Internet Explorer).
Now, whenever you see a webpage that has an RSS feed to which you would like to subscribe, just go to the favorites section of your browser and choose “Subscribe…” Google Reader will locate the feed and confirm that you want to add it to your RSS list.
Step 3: Organize Your Feeds
Google Reader allows you to group feeds into one folder so that updates from multiple sources can be viewed together. This is an excellent way to consolidate feeds similar feeds into a more accessible format. Simple go to “Manage Subscriptions” – to the right of your available feeds you will have the option to create a new folder. Once that folder is created, you can drag and drop your other feeds from your main reader screen.
Want to get more out of Google Reader? Mashable.com's How to Use Google Reader like a Rockstar features more advanced tips and tricks.
