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RSS The Basics All Bloggers Should Know
logs are making it RSS stands for RDF Site Summary,
possible for all of the Rich Site Summary or Really
world’s information to be Simple Syndication. The latter is
accessible. But keeping the most popular descriptive
up-to-date with the multitude of definition. RSS is a feed format
information you are interested in that allows blog publishers to
can be overwhelming. Wouldn’t it share and distribute content to
be nice to have the freshest news other blogs or individual web
and content delivered directly to surfers. Bloggers use RSS to
you without having to surf from provide updates in the form of
one blog to another? RSS informs blog posts. If a blog publishes
you when blogs have added new RSS content commonly known as RSS
content. You can get the latest feed, this feed will include
headlines and blog entries be summaries of all the entries
they text, audio files, posted on that blog. RSS is
photographs or video in one written in the Internet coding
screen as soon as they are language XML, thus some buttons
published. are labeled as such.
Figuring Out RSS The first part of an RSS feed is
a descriptive detail about the
You must have noticed the little “channel” or the source that is
orange buttons with the icons publishing the content. The
XML, RSS, Subscribe, and “channel” may include the title
Syndicate This Site when you of the source, a short
visit blogs. Clicking on the description, its blog address,
button, all you will see is a date the information was last
heap of computer codes. This is updated, name and e-mail address
an RSS feed. of the blog author. The second
part is the list of items. Each
“item” represents one published the feed reader collect from
piece of content. Each “item” different blogs and organize them
includes the headline of the in a convenient place for you to
entry (title), a two to three read rather than you visiting
sentence summary of the entry individual blogs looking for new
(description) and the URL address content. Whenever new content is
to read the full entry. posted from one of the feeds you
are subscribed to, the feed
RSS feeds are meant to be read by reader displays the new
a software or web-based headlines. You can go over the
application known as a feed headlines and if one is
reader. Feed readers understand particularly interesting, you can
the data contained in RSS feeds click the headline and you will
and translates these data and be brought to the original source
make available to Internet users where you can read the entire
or customized blogs, content.
Subscribing to RSS Feeds There are primarily two versions
of feed readers – web-based and
To receive updates or view RSS stand-alone applications.
feeds, you will need a feed Web-based or online feed readers
reader. A feed reader is an provide a quick start for RSS
application that allows you to subscriptions. They let you read
subscribe (add a feed) to a blog your RSS feeds from any computer.
and receive quick summaries when Some of these readers are free
that blog is updated. This while others with advanced
application is also referred to features are offered at a cost.
as RSS reader, news aggregator, Some examples of web-based feed
news reader or feed aggregator. readers are Google Reader, My
When you subscribe to RSS feeds, Yahoo and Bloglines. Stand-alone
or downloadable feed readers are You can also create you own
applications that you install on feeds. It is a pretty easy task.
your main computer just like the The hard part is creating the
Microsoft Outlook e-mail program. content itself. The feed part is
These feed readers are usually usually just using the standard
run in the background. A sound or RSS format that notifies the feed
pop-up window notifies you of any reader which sections of your
updates. SharpReader is a free blog entry relates to the RSS
feed reader for Windows. For Mac title, description, date, link
users, a preferred feed reader is and other pertinent data. This is
NetNewsWire. done using XML format, the
standard method of surrounding
Once you have a feed reader, you the significant parts of the
can choose what you want to content with tags that the feed
receive in your feed reader. You reader understands. Once content
can also add feeds through the has been set up with an RSS feed,
RSS buttons of your favorite then it is ready for the reading
blogs. Clicking on the RSS orange public.
icon, you can subscribe to the
feed by dragging the URL of the Publishing an RSS Feed
RSS feed into your feed reader or
by cutting and pasting the same You can add RSS syndication as a
URL into a new feed in your feed publishing option in your blog.
reader. Most blogs offer RSS In some cases, this is done
feeds using the orange RSS, XML automatically, without you having
button. Conversely, you can also to set up anything. If you are
create your own RSS feed. using a blogging tool software
like Blogger, TypePad or
Creating an RSS Feed WordPress, publishing a feed is
one of their built-in features
plus some other feed-related done anytime and there is no need
options. Other types of feed to give any contact information
readers may require programming to subscribe to a feed. An
skills to add RSS syndication. individual user can also
Once you have created an RSS feed customize content that comes to
with your blogging software, pipe him and ignore blog entries that
it through your feed reader and are of no interest to him. There
voila, a whole stream of benefits is absolutely no need to check
awaits you. back for new postings as the feed
reader delivers content to him.
Benefiting from RSS
For blog publishers, RSS permits
The most compelling use of RSS is quick distribution of new blog
that it lets you take hold of entries to individual users in a
information you are interested in convenient way. RSS feeds when
and have it updated for you in incorporated into a blog offers a
one place where you can read it more personalized and interactive
within the shortest possible user experience, strengthening
time. RSS has been embraced by blog presence and maximizing
individual users, blog publishers revenue opportunities.
and businesses as well.
For businesses, RSS feeds enable
For individual users, RSS feeds them to do without regularly
keep them updated on news, checking blogs for important
information and blog posts. There updates or plowing through a pile
is no need to visit numerous of e-mail distribution lists. RSS
blogs. There is no deluge of provides businesses with
e-mail newsletters that clutter much-needed fresh information.
the mailbox. Unlike e-mail, there RSS feeds are extremely helpful
is no spam. Opting out can be for brand marketing, customer
service, internal and external answer.
communications and competitive
awareness. Hopefully, these basics can help
you get started with RSS. It may
In a nutshell, if you want to be be difficult to understand at
informed of the latest news and first, but once you get the gist
happenings around the world and of it, surfing the web will be
is having a hard time managing effortless with RSS.
information overload, RSS is the
About the Author:
http://www.theinternetone.net
Read more articles by: Danny Wirken
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