Simplify the Web

Lots of bloggers like to add video to their websites. Most of the time, those videos come from sites like YouTube, Google Video, and the rest.

Lots of blog readers like to read the blogs they've subscribed to in feed reader programs. Some popular feed readers include Bloglines, Google Reader, Newsgator, and the rest.

I recently noticed something interesting: Newsgator shows Google videos in their feeds. They do not show YouTube videos in their feeds.

What does that mean? Simple: those who like to read your blog in their feedreader might not experience it in the way you expect. I use Newsgator, and have recommended it for several years. I really like the fact that I can view somone's blogged video in Newsgator, rather than seeing a blank spot and having to click through to their website to see it.

Why should this matter to you? Because, as bloggers, you're trying to get and keep readers. If you make reading easy, your dropout rate will be low. I'm not sure which feed readers show or don't show which kinds of videos. If you use a feedreader other than Newsgator, we'd love to hear from you: which videos show up in your reader?