14 DAY TRIAL // Google Reader is at this time one of the most popular feed readers on the Internet because it is accessible using a Google account and stores all the information directly on the company's servers. Why is Reader so special and much better than our RSS clients? Well, the most important aspect of the service is represented by the ease of use and access because you can read the feeds stored in the solution from multiple locations without having to download any application. The second advantage is the freeware license that helps you use it without having to pay a fee while several downloadable RSS feeds are distributed among with a shareware license.
As you can see, Google Reader is an application addressed especially to readers that are looking for information provided by multiple sources. There is also a hidden part of the service that concerns the publishers and the content they offer because it is difficult to provide useful information for all types of users. Today, the company announces a feature designed especially for publishers to help them view the number of the subscribers to their feeds. The new function is currently compatible only with Google Reader and Google Personalized Homepage but the company plans to make it available for multiple services.
"If you have access to your server logs, you can see the count directly in the HTTP header of our requests (read more in our FAQ). For an easier solution, you can use a web analytics service such as FeedBurner to get a detailed breakdown of your subscribers from a variety of feed readers (it may take a day or two for our stats to show up in their interface, so don't worry if they're not there yet)," Justin Haugh sustained in a blog post published on the official page of the company.
Google also revealed a brand new Reader Page for Publishers that provides useful information about feeds and other functions such as auto-discovery, clips and the latest improvement, the number of the subscribers. You can find the page on this link.