New RSS reader feature in Canuck PR Toolbar
January 5, 2007
Users of the Canuck PR toolbar may have wondered about the new button called “RSS - All Feeds” that has popped up out of nowhere. In addition to the existing directory of Canadian PR, marketing and media bloggers and the news ticker, I’ve now also included an RSS reader with all the feeds from the listed Canadian PR and marketing bloggers.
People who subscribe to all these blogs in their own RSS readers, either as part of their browser or in readers like Bloglines or Live.com, may not be interested in this new feature. If you don’t like it, it is easy to turn the RSS reader off by clicking on Toolbar Options (in the Canuck PR menu on the left of the toolbar), selecting “predefined components” and de-selecting “RSS All Feeds”.
The PR and marketing blogger list keeps growing. The following blogs are currently included in the RSS reader (click image to enlarge):
I will update the directory, newsticker and RSS reader with more Canadian PR and marketing blogs as soon as I come across new ones or get a heads up from other people in the comment section.
In other toolbar news: The resources directory has been updated with a link to David Jones’ excellent Social Media Toolbox for PR People in Squidoo.
BTW - if anybody is looking for a list of PR blog feeds that isn’t limited to Canada, I recommend the Public Relations Feedburner Network.
And finally, a quick note on RSS feeds: special kudos to Marc Snyder for having the biggest RSS icon this side of the 49th parallel. It doesn’t have to be that big but it helps to have the RSS icon in an easy to find location, preferably near the top of the page. When I went through all the blogs in the directory to find the RSS feeds, it was interesting to see where some bloggers had placed the links. In two cases, I couldn’t find a link to an RSS feed at all. So one blog isn’t included in the RSS reader and with the other I was lucky to guess the feed URL.
P.S.: If you don’t have the Canuck PR Toolbar installed yet, you can download it here.
I noticed the new sizzle this morning. It is pretty cool. I like it because my RSS feeds have become a tad unwieldy. The Canuck PR toolbar continues to be a favourite timesink. Thanks Martin.
It’s mostly that size because I really suck at coding
But thanks for the “kind” words.
MS
I’m with Leona…I use the toolbar almost as a quick shortcut to my fave bloggers. The new RSS function is just plain cool.
Thanks for the shout-out on the Squidoo Lens. As I wrote on my post about it, it ain’t exhaustive, but it includes the tools I enjoy using.
Hi Martin,
Have just downloaded the toolbar and overall it’s a great tool.
The only thing I can’t find is a setting that allows you to open links in a new window. For example, I may be listening to InsidePR and wanting to surf someother posts, but when I click on a post from the RSS reader, it opens in the current window.
I realize with Firefox’s tabbed browsing you can just open a new window and go from there, but I don’t always remember to do that. A feature that sets opening a new tab as a setting (default or otherwise) could be useful.
If its already there and I just can’t find it, can you point me in the right direction?
Thanks for the feedback everyone!
Jonathan, only the links in the Blog directory open in a new window. The links in the RSS Reader don’t, and I can’t change that. The Canuck PR Toolbar is based on a free service by a great little company called Conduit. Because it is a free service I can’t control every feature. But I will submit your idea to Conduit support as a suggestion for future updates. Thanks!
I’ve also added your blog and feed to the toolbar.
Best,
Martin
I just discovered this! Love it, Martin. Great resource. As Leona says, I look forward to this becoming my favourite timesink. I blogged about it here: http://www.mynameiskate.ca/2007/01/feedblendr_lets.html