How to Read a Blog

For some, reading a blog can be a whole new world.

What is a blog? A blog or webblog is a website usually maintained by an individual by posting regular entries. Entries, or posts, are listed by the date they are entered, by also sorted by categories or labels. Navigating a blog can be a bit difficult at first, but here are some tips to get you started.

READ

Depending on how you are viewing or subscribing to the blog, how you read it will be different. However, from the main page, you'll see the most recent entries first. As entries are posted, they will appear at the top of the page.

If you are looking for information on a specific topic, you can either search using the search box found on the sidebar or utilize the topics list also found on the sidebar. The search box will pull up entries based on the keywords you select. The topics list is categorized by me as entries are are posted and will pull up the most recent entry in the topic first.

INTERACT
Bloggers blog, because they love interacting with others on their favorite topics. When you are reading a blog, make sure to interact by leaving comments on posts for not only the blogger to read, but also for other readers to enjoy. Bloggers absolutely love comments, even just a simple "thank you". Keep in mind, the comments on this blog are moderated and must be approved, so it may take some time for your comment to appear. Please be patient.

IN Good 'Cents' is designed to share great deals. Why I wish I could find them all myself, I can't and need your help. Also interact by sharing deals you find and I'll give you a special "thank you" in the post! You can e-mail deals to me or leave a comment on a relevant post. I also appreciate receiving guest blogger requests or articles, comments or thoughts on the blog, frugal tips, recipes, and other relevant information.

SHARE
Blogs also thrive better if they grow, so make sure to utilize the "Tell A Friend" at the bottom of each post to share entries with your friends via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and more. If you are a Fan of IN Good 'Cents' on Facebook, you can also "like" and share posts via Facebook to let others know about your favorite deals.

You are more than welcome to post information on my blog on your own blog. However, I do request that you not only note that you found the information on my blog, but to also link back to the blog or relevant post. Thank you!

SUBSCRIBE
If never want to miss a deal on IN Good 'Cents' consider subscribing. You have a few options on how to subscribe depending on your preferences. You can find out the different ways to subscribe below along with the benefits or cons of each method.

by RSS or Feed Reader

An RSS or feed reader allows you to view multiple blogs at once on a single page. In this day and age, you have many options, depending on what type of feed reader you'd like to use. My favorite is Feed Demon, but you can also use My Yahoo!, Google Reader, or many others!

The benefit of viewing a blog through a feed reader is that you get automatic and almost immediate updates as the blogger updates his or her blog throughout the day. Plus if you like to read many blogs, you don't have to visit many different pages or receive many different e-mails each day. You can also search through entries and sort your blogs into categories or however you prefer.

by e-Mail

If you subscribe to a blog via e-mail, you'll get a daily update directly to your inbox if entries have been posted. IN Good 'Cents' e-mails are sent daily between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM and include all deals posted within the past 24 hours. When you subscribe by e-mail, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and must complete the steps to finalize and start your subscription. If you don't see it, check your spam or junk folder. The downside of subscribing by e-mail is that if a deal is time sensitive, you may receive it too late to take advantage of it.

by Mobile Phone

You can also receive posts straight to your mobile phone, assuming your phone has the capabilities. Like an RSS or Feed Reader, you will be updated throughout the day as entries are posted. The benefit is that you can check blog entries from your mobile phone while you're in the store to confirm deals and see update. On the other hand, it can be annoying if too many posts are made in a single day or if you subscribe to multiple blogs.

by Facebook

Facebook is becoming increasingly popular everyday. You can subscribe to IN Good 'Cents' on Facebook by becoming a Fan. Like with an RSS or Feed Reader, you will be updated throughout the day as entries are posted. The benefit of Facebook is that you can easily share your favorite posts with friends or family. You can also see them on your mobile phone, if you utilize this option on Facebook. On the other hand, posts are automatically sent from the blog to the Facebook page, but not all posts selected to be listed. Approximately 90% of posts will be viewable from Facebook, but you may miss a great deal if this is the only way you view the blog.

Keep in mind, I do sometimes post links to other great blog articles, early entries for giveaways, and more exclusive information on Facebook and Twitter.