RSS - The Really Simple Guide

RSS Readers - Aggregators - Feeds
How to Get the Most from RSS

If you've been cruising around the web lately you may have come across a little icon like this and wondered...

• what does RSS stand for, and
• what does it mean?

If you clicked on that icon you might have been presented with a page full of code and dismissed it as technical stuff you don't want to know about. You may have also heard a lot of talk about RSS but had no idea how it would benefit you.

Well, now's the time to grab the bull by the horns because RSS is going to continue to grow and you NEED to be in on it. RSS provides big benefits if you are someone who...

• subscribes to various newsletters and courses but are fed up with sorting the email you want from the spam
• reads blogs (web logs) and like to know when they are updated
• publishes a newsletter but finds it harder and harder to get your mail read
• publishes a blog
• needs fresh content for your website to keep the search engines coming back
• needs better search engine rankings

So, What is RSS?

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, or Rich Site Summary, depending on which source you believe (I prefer the former). It's basically a way to share content (newsletters, blogs, site updates etc) across the Web. It is predicted by many that in the future RSS will replace email as the preferred method of distributing information on the Web, while email will only be used for personal communications. Simply put, RSS does not suffer the problems that spammers have caused for email.

Let's look at how RSS can benefit each category of person mentioned above:

For e-Mail and Blog Consumers

You've probably seen that little orange icon on some newsletter publisher's sites. This means that the newsletter (or whatever is being published) is available as a "feed". So, rather than have that newsletter delivered to you via e-mail (if it makes it through the spam filters) you "subscribe" to the RSS feed.

UPDATE:

The RSS icon is gradually being replaced by the "feed" icon which looks like this:

This is intended to become a universally accepted standard and signifies that a feed is available.

How do you Subscribe to an RSS Feed?

There are a number of ways you can have RSS content delivered to your desktop.

1. Download an RSS Reader, also known as an Aggregator
2. Integrate with your browser
3. Use an online RSS Reader

Download an RSS Reader

This is the best option in my opinion. Yes, yo do have to download and install software on your computer and some people aren't comfortable with that. But it really is quite easy and gives you a high degree of flexibility. There are lots of free RSS Readers available. Just do a search at Google. I use RSS Reader.

Once you have downloaded and installed your reader it's just a matter of adding, also known as subscribing, to your favorite feeds. To add a feed to RSS Reader right-click on the orange RSS icon and select "Copy Shortcut". Then click on the Add button (green +) in the RSS Reader menu.

Or, if you know the RSS url - e.g. http://www.aweber.com/z/rss/?stevepronger - click the Add button, copy and paste the url into the box.

That's it. You're subscribed. Simple! Now whenever you see an RSS Feed that you want to subscribe to just add it to RSS Reader.

Use an Online RSS Reader

The best example of this is Yahoo's "My Yahoo". Just click on the "Add Content" button. You can search for RSS feeds or just copy and paste the RSS or blog's feed url. MSN also have a similar feature in their "My MSN". Google now allow you to add an RSS feed via the "Add Content" link in your personalized home page.

For Newsletter & Blog Publishers

If you publish a newsletter or a blog then you absolutely MUST get on the RSS Express NOW! If you sit back your competitors will get the jump on you and you'll be left behind.

Now, you might have been led to believe that publishing an RSS feed is too technical or difficult. It's not. If fact you can do it without writing any code or learning new software.

If you publish a newsletter then you most likely use a service such as AWeber (my choice) to mail to your list. AWeber can automatically generate an RSS feed of your newsletter archive. No heavy lifting required at all! Just get your RSS url from AWeber (it's listed at the bottom of your broadcast messages). Then go to your "My Yahoo" and click on Add Content. By adding your RSS Feed to your My Yahoo you will be including your feed in Yahoo's RSS directory.

If you don't use AWeber ask your mail service provider if they provide an RSS feed for your newsletter. If they don't, ask them why not!

For Bloggers, when you create a Blog on Blogger.com (free) you will automatically be assigned a site feed url (click on the link under Settings). Once you have your site feed url you can submit it to Yahoo, MSN and many other RSS submission sites. You can find an RSS multi-submission tool here.

For Webmasters

RSS is a great way to have fresh content delivered directly to your website. And we all know that search engines LOVE fresh, constantly updated content!

How do you get RSS Feeds on your Website?

You can use JavaScript, but JS is inherently search engine unfriendly. I use RSS Equalizer because your pages remain in HTML, which means the search engines will have no trouble reading your new content.

Once you've set up RSS Equalizer you can display feeds that are relevant to the theme of your site. Good for visitors. Good for search engines. However you do need to be aware that the links generated are links off your site, so I wouldn't be putting them on sales pages. But for content sites, especially ones that generate income with AdSense, this will bring you targeted visitors.

UPDATE

Internet Explorer 7 is now available and features integrated support for RSS feeds. For more info and download link go the Internet Explorer 7 home page.

What does this mean? RSS is about to go mainstream! If you've downloaded IE7 and visit my site you will notice an icon that looks like this on the top right of the browser window. This means that IE has identified that a feed is available. Click on that icon and you'll see headlines from my blog displayed in your browser window. No more clicking on an icon only to get a page full of code. You can also subscribe to my feed by clicking on a simple link. No e-mail address required. No confirmation required. Give it a try! You can manage your feeds in the same way you manage your bookmarks.

If you're a webmaster, and have been sitting on the sidelines with RSS, I hope you see the opportunities which are being presented here. If you don't have a blog and feed you're missing out on an opportunity to secure repeat visitors to your site.

Recommended RSS Resources

Now that you have a basic understanding of RSS and the benefits it holds for consumers, publishers and webmasters, my advice is to build on that knowledge and become a power RSS marketer. I've just finished reading a new publication called Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS.

This is a very comprehensive guide - maybe too much so if you're already a little RSS savvy - but every aspect of RSS is covered in great detail. There's also detailed instructions on how to create your own RSS file. Highly recommended!

Another book which will open your eyes to the huge potential of RSS is Marketing Success with RSS by Tinu Abayomi-Paul. Tinu has achieved remarkable success with her feeds and steps you though the whole process with tutorials, tips, resources and advice. If the technical aspects of RSS scare you a little this is the better book.