Ben Stroup

[Note: I'm continuing a series on Saturdays called "The Toolbox." My intent is to highlight some of the software, products, and services that have become invaluable to me in my work. I think they will be helpful to you, too. I'd welcome your suggestions on what to review. You should know that these are not sponsored posts, and I'm not acting as an affiliate or receiving any funds for this series.]

I use Google Reader as my RSS aggregator. RSS means “really simple syndication.” It’s been around for some time and a few have even questioned if it has out lived its necessity. I hope not because my RSS reader helps me:

1. Avoid having to visit every site that may contain or produce helpful, thoughtful, or strategic information.
2. Sort through more than 200 blogs in minutes.
3. Drill down quickly to see if the headline leads to equally helpful or interesting content.
4. Quickly send and share my thoughts with others via social networks and email.
5. Integrate with other tools like Instapaper and Evernote to read at a later date or for future use.

It’s really easy to get started with Google Reader. And there are certainly other options, too. If you’re looking for an efficient, convenient, and systematic way to sort through Web content, then RSS aggregators or readers may just be what you’ve been missing.

What RSS reader do you use? Has RSS been helpful to you in your work?

Ben Stroup is a content activist in a post-paragraph world. He is chief broker of opportunity at Ben Stroup Enterprises. Connect with Ben via email, Twitter, and Google+. Subscribe via email to learn how to use content to move people to action.