Goodbye Google Reader – what next?

So it’ll come as no surprise to most of you that Google Reader is no more. This has been a long time in the making and as of today Google Reader has finally gone for good.

When I first found Google Reader I thought it was the best invention in the world!!! So when I was looking for a replacement for it I had a really hard time.

There are a number of different alternatives out there and it really depends how you like to access the blogs you read and whether you’re willing to pay to get the service you want.

After spending ALOT of time trying out what’s on offer this is what I’ve found.

The most like Google Reader

If, like me, you don’t do change then inoreader.com is for you! It has been designed so that its layout is almost identical to Google Reader and it works in pretty much the same way. Simply type in the URL of the blog to which you want to subscribe and there you go, all the updates on that blog will appear just like they did on Google Reader.

Here’s what my inoreader.com looks like –

 

 

Good for gadgets

I always access my blog subscriptions when I’m comfortably sat on the sofa with my laptop and cup of tea in hand. This really made a difference to which blog reader I chose.

If however you like to access yours on the go (perhaps on your tablet or smartphone) then Feedly is definitely a contender! It doesn’t matter whether you’re and Android or an Apple either. Feedly is available for everyone and for free!

It’s got a really smooth interface and is pretty cool to look at. It’s really easy to customize so you can make it exactly how you want it!

But best of all? To have all of your current blog subscriptions transported onto Feedly all you need to do is sign in with your Good Reader account. Simple or what!

 

 

For blog lovers

I almost exclusively follow food blogs, but if you follow a whole variety of different blogs then Bloglovin will probably be good for you. It’s also great for finding new blogs to follow.

One of my favourite features is the ability to “like” a blog post which will help the blog gain popularity.

 

 The others

There are even more out there though! With just a quick Google search you can find loads of alternatives.

·         AOLReader is the brand spanking new RSS Feed reader from AOL. They’ve pretty much just seen a gap in the Google Reader market and dived straight in but it’s got its fans.

·         DiggReader is always getting quite popular so may be worth exploring

·         Newsblur is dubbed the alternative to Feedly. So if you don’t quite get on with Feedly Newsblur is probably the platform to try next.

·         Flipboard is a magazine style news reader so offers a bit of a change

 

Given up?

Now...for those of you who have just given up on all this RSS reader nonsense there is a slightly less conventional alternative...

Many of your favourite blogs will have either Twitter Feeds or Facebook Pages where you will be able to not only get updates to the latest posts, but you will also be able to chat with your favourite bloggers!

So, if none of these Google Reader replacements sounds like they’re for you why not just make the most of social media.

To follow the Kitchen Goddess (in training!) blog via social media like my Facebook Page or follow @KitchenGoddess3 on twitter!

 

So there you have it...there are plenty of ways you can keep following the Kitchen Goddess (in training!) blog as well as all of your other favourites.