Hi Barbara -

I, too, track over 300+ feeds (using Google Reader, which I switched to from Bloglines a few months ago) and absolutely rely on scanning to get through them.

Part of what I like about Google Reader is that it has a “List View” function that allows one to see the blog name, title and snippet of the opening paragraph along with the date/time stamp. It allows me to scan the title and snippet to see if it’s something I want to fully read or not.

Of course, there are a few blogs I read regardless of the title and snippet simply because I know there’s going to be something good there. And not all of the blogs I read are professionally related, though a large number of them are. Many are just moms or others that I can feel a connection to.

I typically will subscribe to a blog that either makes me laugh, makes me think or provides info I’m interested in.

And I find it entirely useless to have an RSS feed if you’re not going to allow the full feed. Why make it convenient for people to read your blog through an RSS and then defeat the purpose by only providing an excerpt? That’s one sure-fire way to get me to unsubscribe immediately. Unless your blog is just *so* good that I will deal with hassle (which, honestly, doesn’t happen much).

I’ve heard the argument that it makes people comment more often or something along those lines, but you know what? If your blog has something so good that it makes me want to share my thoughts, I *will* click through to do so from my RSS reader.

Anyway, that’s my .02¢ worth ! I’ve enjoyed reading this series of articles. Keep it up! (And you’ve gotten me to come out of the woodwork - I don’t typically respond or comment on any blog - just lurk.)

~ Annie

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This is truly an issue that I am still finding my feet with, Barbara.

I am beginning to follow loads of interesting blogs and - to be truthful- sometimes it feels like I’m being a little swamped!

So many of these blogs are brilliant, and I don’t want to miss out on the excellent content.

These tips from Lorelle are amazing… I’m off to research further, and to organize my “bloginfo” overload- and yes, that is a new word I’ve coined!

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Hi Barbara,

There are just too many good blogs out there, and so little time! Scanning is definitely necessary for me, else I’ll never get a life. My Google reader has such a long list … it’s beginning to take forever to scroll up and down. I do, however, make it a point to get back to the posts I’ve missed out though, at a later time.

Irene | Light Beckons’s last blog post..Ask Why

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I’m with Scott on this one. I’m starting to follow so many blogs (no where near 300) that it feels like a task I can never complete - and it sure would help if I could read faster.

I rarely scan, though I may need to start.

I’m curious, for those of you who read a huge number of blogs (or scan), how many do you comment on? And for the ones you do scan, do you comment on those? I mean, what if your comment “adds” something to the article but oops, the author mentioned that in the post but you scanned over it (or a similar comment).

What determines which blogs make it into your feed reader?

Blogs that I find informative in my fields of interest for the most part.

How do you manage your feed reading time?

Probably pretty poorly. I need to get organized better. Sometimes I use Google Air FeedReader and other times I use Firefox’s RSS feeds to go directly to the author’s website.

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Right before I came over here I noticed that I’m up to 100 feeds. It’s tough. What’s happening now is that many blogs will accumulate 10+ posts before I get to them. I just look at the list, maybe read one, then click “mark all as read.” Not sure what to do, but I feel guilty about not reading everything.

Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post..Bloggers Must Have These 3 Ducks In A Row

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I have subscribed to 130+ feeds. I follow a letter system. Those which I want to read regularly, go in A, the next batch in E etc. Left some letters in between just in case I want to put some blogs in between :). I usually make my unread count to zero everyday. The only problem is, when I miss out on a day or two. The number of unread posts then lok so huge that I end up marking all of them read and read none.

@John : I usually don’t comment unless I find some value in the article and have something to add. And if I do find value, I stop scanning and start reading it word by word. I scan to find out which articles / parts of article would I like to read word-by-word.

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My Google feed reader is growing in size, especially since Liz Strauss’s Blog Showcase! I pick a lot of personal development blogs because that is my niche and blogs on blogs because I’m still very new to this. I also enjoy Savage Chickens cartoons.

As for reading through them all, I scan for two things in a personal development post: a unique perspective that helps me see things from another angle or an insight or question that helps me see the world or myself anew. Those section slow me down to fully absorb them, and then I’m off again. In blogs on blogs sites, I scan for the missing pieces in my blog knowledge.

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Wow…I thought I was bad with my 150 or so feeds that I read. Of course, I also go through my feed list about once a month to weed out those that I find I scan all the time without ever actually reading.

I do scan a lot of posts. I figure I read the full text of maybe one in 10 posts in my feeder. I probably end up commenting on maybe 1/4 of those, more if I’m feeling chatty.

When I’m scanning (I also use google reader) I usually glance at the headline and the first paragraph of the feed. If it doesn’t catch my attention, I’m off to the next one. Just because I subscribe to a feed doesn’t mean that every post that person makes is of interest to me. I look for the ones I find interesting and leave the rest. There are a few that I always read, either because I always find them interesting, or because they are personal blogs of people I know.

Whether to place full text in feed or a snippet is difficult to decide. Most of the time, if someone just uses a snippet, unless I really, really like the blog, I rarely click through to read the full thing unless a topic really catches my attention. However, I know some bloggers have had issues with their posts being lifted in their entirety from their feeds and reprinted elsewhere. That doesn’t mean they can’t click through to steal your content, though. It just adds another step to whatever program they are using to steal your content.

I publish the full feed because I know from my own habits that I seldom click through to those that don’t. I’m more likely to click through to those that publish full feeds because I’m more likely to comment on those posts.

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Liz’s blog showcase gave me some more cool blogs to follow. I’m approaching 200 blogs with Google Reader.

I actually use NetVibes as my first line of blog reading. The ability to have tabs and to have a multi-column display is pretty helpful.

My “essentials” blogs are on NetVibes which I check most regularly, and my Google Reader has all blogs, but I only get to that when I’m done with my NetVibes reader.

Al at 7P’s last blog post..Jump Right In!

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To be honest, I basically always read a post in its entirety. It’s just how I go about it. It’s my way.

Since this is the case, I am not subscribed to zillions of blogs. And if I do not feel like reading a blog, I will not compromise and scan it. I either read it in its entirety, or not at all.

There’s nothing wrong with scanning - and it would certainly make it easier to comment on many many blogs… It’s just not my cup of tea is all.

For me to subscribe to a blog, I need to find it valuable. This can come in the form of wisdom, entertainment, or even just writing style! You can learn a lot about writing by merely reading the writing of others.

And, if someone regularly comments on my blog, I will often reciprocate and comment on theirs. And this also encourages me to subscribe.

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I just counted them and I’m subscribed to 57 blogs. I’m thinking of breaking them down into two piles: I’ll read the blogs in one pile on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the blogs in the second pile on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

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Hi Irene,

There are a lot of good blogs out there, aren’t there? If we want to read every one, scanning becomes necessary.

Hi Natural,

Like you, I want blogs that will teach me, make me laugh, or inspire me. Keeping blogs (in our reader) that are good for reference is a great way to stay on top of the latest news.

Hi John,

In response to your question, I respond to all of my NBOTWers, and then about 20 more. Sometimes I will comment on the bigger blogs if I have something to say or ask.

When scanning a post, it’s best to be careful before leaving a comment, as sometimes it’s obvious the post wasn’t read. That could result in a bad reflection on the commenter.

Hi Wendi,

It sounds like you have your feed reader well organized. That can make a big difference, plus save time.

I do see some blogs where the conversation keeps “running” in the comment section. It reminds me of a forum.

Hi Hunter,

We’re on the same track (with 100). It is tough to try and read them all. I look at the titles and snippets and decide if they’re worth reading. Often the subject doesn’t apply to me (at this time), so they get marked all as read.

Hi Linda,

You’re welcome.

You’re right, there aren’t many who don’t scan, but by reading the comments here, there are a few exceptions.

Hi Avani,

That’s a great way to organize you reader. And yes, if we aren’t tending to our reader on a daily basis, they can pile up FAST.

Hi Rita,

Thank you for your very kind words.

I like your story of how you met me through Catherine. Catherine and I go way back, and I can say this, she is a dear person (we’ve never met). Finding blogs through comment sections is a great way to meet like minded people. Comments often say more about a person than their post, as a post is often written for informational purposes.

You’re on the right track Rita. You’re pacing yourself, and not getting too overwhelmed. Finding three posts on a blog you can relate to, is a great way to determine if you want to subscribe.

Hi SpaceAgeSage,

Welcome to the BWAB community!

I like how you put that, …I scan…”that helps me see the world or myself anew”, and “missing pieces in my blog knowledge”. That’s a great way to pull value from blogs that apply to each of us, and saves reading time, too.

Hi Linda Abbit,

You bring up a good point. Often email subscriptions are the preferred method of delivery, however, having said that, an inbox can easily get as crowded as a feed reader. I like the fact we do have choices.

Hi Jodith,

It’s great to see you here again.

You, too, have a sizable collection going in your reader.

With regard to the full feeds, for some blogs, I prefer to read some of the posts in my reader, especially if the blog uses a tiny font. Like you, at that point, I will click through and if I want to leave a comment.

Hi Vered,

I commend you for your discipline.

Yes, blogs that make us think and feel, often hold as much value as an info blog. I love all the choices we have.

Hi Al,

Yes, Liz’s blog show did showcase a lot of great blogs. It sounds like your reading time has hugely increased. Following 200 blogs is a lot of work.

Hi Ann,

I give you mommy bloggers so much credit. You all have little ones to tend to, but still find time to produce value based posts. How do you do it?

Hi Bamboo,

You bring a great point. If someone visits and comments, it’s like an unspoken rule (or blog etiquette) that we should visit their blog too, (to say “Hi” and thank you). It’s through comments we often find other well written blogs worth subscribing to.

Hi Maddy,

Welcome to the BWAB community.

Yes, I know what you’re saying about those “geeky” blogs. Often they are written in a language I don’t understand either.

Photography blogs are great ones to follow too. They can take us to far off lands or tranquil settings. They do create a great escape, don’t they?

Hi Marelisa,

You have your blogs/feeds well organized. If you’re using Google Reader, they would be easy to put into folders.

Hi Urban Panther,

I’m happy to hear I always get a “c”. Plus, you know I always answer all of the comments, so you’ll find my response.

BTW: I read all of my comments word for word. I address each one individually and often read them more than once.

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Oh, I forgot that I wanted to say something about the full or experts issue on feeds. Honestly, I’ve never been a fan of full feeds, both as a blogger and feed reading fan. There are important points from each perspective.

As a reader, I only want to see what I want to see. I don’t want to plow through tons and tons of junk to find what I need. That’s one of the reasons I finally switched over the Google Reader.

I like skimming down the blog post titles to see if keywords jump out at me. If they do, I click open the post feed and look. If it doesn’t catch me in the first 200 words or less, I’m onto the next thing. If it really grabs me, I’ll open it in a tab so I can really experience the full read from a web page and respond through comments - though this new Preview Greasemonkey script may change that habit.

So excerpts versus full feeds don’t bother me. If you don’t have my attention right off the bat, you never will.

As a blogger and business person, I worry and fuss about how easy it is to rip off my blog content, words I agonize over every day. They are mine. I want to make money with my words through my reputation, reprint/sale value, and syndication rights. Doctors don’t give away their work, nor do electricians, plumbers, lawyers, ditch diggers, and the rest. Why should I? Restricting the content to partial excerpts restricts what scrapers can steal.

I write a lot - I also write long posts. I feel uncomfortable clogging up feed readers with 4-12 screenfuls of content - stuff they might not even be interested in. I want to help my readers pick and choose what they want to read and how much. I like to structure things that give the readers as much control as possible - in the most simple way possible.

From a business perspective, clickthrough rates and ads are still major sources of income, though they are falling as the market is evolving and shifting. I have no ads on Lorelle on WordPress as WordPress.com does not allow it, which is fine for me, but many are dependent upon traffic on the site not just through the feed reader.

Look at CNN, BBC, and other news sources. They barely showcase a sentence in their feeds, yet people flock to their news reports all the time. Onsite traffic is critical to their marketing and advertising strategies. Using short, heavy keyword based titles and excerpts helps people get the point and be encouraged to click through. It works for them, and it can work for others - though I don’t recommend restricting feeds to one sentence for bloggers. One sentence sells are VERY hard and a skill few have.

What you choose to release from your blogs via feeds is up to you, but think about how you use feeds and how your readers use feeds. I’ve found that the most vocal minority are those who scream “I will unsubscribe if you don’t offer full feeds” and not representative of the majority. Many pro bloggers are switching to excerpts happily, especially to protect their content.

This issue of full or excerpts is a whole blog post topic, but the answer is that one size does not fit all. Luckily, you have a choice - so says she so excited to be commenting straight from her feed reader!!!!

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To me it doesn’t really matter whether your blog is personal, niche, techy, or what ever. As long as I’m learning something, being entertained and being challenged, I will follow you religiously.

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Hi Barbara,

I know people scan my blog and it bothers me. But I do it too, so I guess it shouldn’t.
The thing that matters to me is that I like what I write, and therefore I will spend time on it. If others have an interest in it, that’s all the better. I hope I can say something that interests my readers.
I have around 100 blogs in my reader right now, and I try to keep up with them all. It’s impossible for me to comment on bloggers who post daily, and most people (like you I think!) understand that.
I’m pretty eclectic and follow quite a few topic blogs. I like to learn new things. I also like to help people out that are just starting blogging, because I know how hard it is.

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I’m going to have to switch to a reader at some point. I’m having too many email messages to clear. It’s becoming an uphill task everyday. Oh…but your site still remains as one of my favorite!

Evelyn

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I think you hit on this before recently because I reordered my reader after that. I have categories for different types of blogs and then I have a few in my Must Read category. I read these first an usually comment on them. All others I read as best I can. Some days I have more time than others so sometimes I comment more and sometimes I just mark all as read. I can’t stand for it to get too full. I feel overwhelmed. I’m beginning to think it is time for housekeeping again and get rid of some. Blogs usually get the boot when they stop commenting on mine. I have gotten quite a few new readers and I like to try to support those who support me.

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Hi Debbie,

That’s a great point. When another blogger visits and comments, we do want to show them support, as well. Building community is a two way street.

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Hi Barbara,

Lots of great additional tips and stuff in the comments here. I’ve really enjoyed this series and this one in particular.

@Lorelle - thanks for your thoughts on the full vs partial feeds issue. I can see one not wanting their content stolen - makes sense. My thought is, though, that if someone wants to steal it badly enough, they’ll do it regardless.

I also use the userscripts/greasemonkey extension and love that preview aspect! Isn’t it great? I often do comment directly from within Google Reader now. So easy! It also helps with the full/partial issue.

~ Annie

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Hi Annie,

Great to see you back. The comments do hold a lot of value, don’t they?

Hi Sara with an “h”,

It’s so easy to get behind in our readers, isn’t it? Using the script and extension is a great way to save time. (see Lorelle’s comment)

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Im a bit late with all this considering my job but ive ot to get stuck in and help like this is always good.

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