ARTICLES FOR WEBMASTERS 
 RSS for Website and Blog Promotion
By David Morgan
Most regular Internet users and publishers are familiar with the term
RSS (most commonly expanded as "Really Simple Syndication") and the
concept of RSS feeds. However, few people realise how
powerful RSS can be as a promotional and content management tool, and
even fewer are using it to its full potential. Search engines are
trying their best to produce relevant search results for the end user,
but the shear amount of information online often makes it hard for
people to keep track of their favourite websites. RSS feeds offer
one solution to this problem, by allowing users to subscribe to and
receive summarised information about any online resource, through
specialised web-based or desktop-based software.
RSS feeds were initially developed as a way for Internet users to deal
with information overload; however, the technology involved can
also assist bloggers and other publishers with the way they send and
receive online content. RSS technology enables people to keep
updated with their favourite websites without actually having to visit
them, and can also be used as a powerful way to streamline the delivery
and distribution of web content. There are two primary ways that
RSS can be used by people who are building and promoting a blog or
website. The first way relates to receiving a feed as a way to
keep updated with new content, and the second relates to community
building and promotion through the production and distribution of your
own dedicated feed.
Receiving Feeds
RSS feeds are one of the most effective and efficient ways for web
publishers to keep up-to-date with the latest information being
published in their niche. While access to new information and
community interaction is integral to a number of different styles of
publication, the medium of blogging in particular is heavily reliant on
fresh, continual content updates. RSS technology makes it easier
than ever before for bloggers to stay in touch with new ideas and
engage with other websites in their niche.
While online searching and bookmarking still have an important role to
play, RSS feeds are a great way to improve work flow and eliminate the
tedium of manual searching and filtering. People who have
subscribed to RSS feeds no longer have to waste their time and energy
manually visiting websites, and can instead sit back and receive
regularly updated feeds in a predefined and easy to digest
fashion. There are two main types of software applications that
are used with RSS technology, both of which perform a similar job in a
slightly different manner.
Firstly, there are the web-based software programs called feed
aggregators, programs that read and accumulate different feeds and
deliver them directly to your virtual door. Secondly, there are
desktop programs called feed readers, which read feeds at regular
intervals and highlight new items to bring them to your
attention. Both of these tools produce identical results, and the
only real difference is whether they are running from your personal
computer or via an anonymous web-based server. Two of the most
popular RSS programs are those that come with the Firefox browser and
the Google search engine, although there are a number of other great
aggregator and reader applications on the market.
Receiving RSS in Three Easy Steps
- Choose an RSS reader or aggregator to use, either as a desktop
application or an online resource.
- Read the documentation that comes with the application, especially
those sections that show you how to subscribe to a new site.
- When you visit a website that you want to subscribe to, look for the
universal RSS icon, and if available, add the site to your RSS software.
Producing Feeds
RSS has become an increasingly important part of the online publication
and promotion cycle, as more and more Internet users start to rely on
feeds as a way to control their access to content. Producing an
RSS feed is a fairly simple process, and can be achieved using a number
of freely available software solutions. Wordpress and most other
popular blogging platforms come equipped with dedicated RSS feed
generators, which can produce feeds at predefined intervals from a
selection of your website content. If you are using more
traditional HTML-based software, it is important to find the
appropriate RSS code or plug-in solution to work with your existing
development environment.
Producing an RSS feed is vital for anyone who wants to engage with
their existing audience, and a great way to develop and maintain online
loyalty patterns within a community. While people who read an RSS
feed may not visit your website every time they read your content, they
will read a higher percentage of your posts and are more likely to
develop a long term relationship with your website. From the
perspective of a user, RSS is similar in many ways to a print magazine
or journal subscription, which makes it an ideal way to develop,
promote, and brand your website on a long term basis.
RSS feeds can easily be converted into standard email format, which is
a good option for less tech-savvy users who are not interested in using
dedicated RSS readers or aggregators. Software such as the
popular FeedBurner application make this conversion process easy, with
some software even offering their users a choice of distribution
methods. A well positioned RSS icon and a feed solution that
works with all popular RSS software is important for any website that
wants to engage with their users on an ongoing basis.
Producing an RSS feed provides your audience with a simple and elegant
solution to the increasing problem of information overload experienced
by the online community.
Producing RSS in Three Easy Steps
- Decide on the RSS distribution method that is right for your
website, based mainly on the technical ability of your audience.
- If you want to distribute over email, sign up to FeedBurner or a
similar service. If you want to distribute via an RSS reader or
aggregator, check the documentation provided by your blogging platform.
- Put the universal RSS available icon in a prominent position on your
home page, and subscribe to your own feed in order to test it out.
RSS has become a very important part of website distribution and
promotion, and anyone who is serious about the long term engagement of
their audience should think hard about the integration of RSS
technology. Receiving RSS feeds is a great way to stay updated
and connected with your community, a vital aspect in the development of
any online business. Producing your own RSS feed is equally
important in many situations, as it is one of the best ways to develop
a loyal following and maintain a visible and ongoing online presence.
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