How to Syndicate Your Web Articles 
with RSS Feeds

by Angela M. Kaelin

You have probably seen this three-letter acronym in the course of your internet surfing. "RSS" stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary.  Syndication is to republish an article that comes from another source. 

An RSS feed is an online means of automatically publishing information about new articles at a website.

An RSS feed will contain a title and a link back to the source.  It may or may not include a summary and photos of the latest posting.  But, those that do allow users to learn more about the article so they can determine if they want to read the rest.  An RSS feed allows the user to immediately link to the website that is the original source for the article. 

Both readers and publisher benefit from RSS.

1.  Readers have the latest information.  It might be weather, a new book release, a software upgrade, news or a new post from a favorite website or blog.

2.  Readers don't have to search to find the information.
The RSS feed updates automatically and allows the reader to access the source website without surfing.

3.  The user can choose to subscribe or not.
Readers can opt-in or out at will.  This is another form of permission marketing.

4.  Reduces the clutter in reader's e-mail boxes.
RSS feeds provide immediate access and do not end up sitting in an e-mail box unread.  There is never a question about spam.

5.  An unwanted RSS feed can simply be deleted. 
There is no need to un-subscribe.

6.  RSS feeds are an excellent marketing tool. 
Since subscribers opt-in, it is an excellent targeted marketing tool.  Websites can keep potential customers advised of new products or services easily.  The feed is automated making it easy and cost effective to use.

Disadvantages of RSS

1.  RSS feeds are so new that some users don't know much about them.

2.  Graphics and photos do not appear in all RSS feeds.

3.  The identity of the source website can be confusing.
Since RSS feeds do not display the actual URL or name of the website, it can sometimes get confusing on what feed a user is actually reading.

4.  It is difficult to track the numer of users.  
Publishers cannot determine how many users are subscribed to their feed and the frequency of their visits.

5.    RSS feeds create higher traffic and demands on the server.

6.    Some sites still do not support RSS because it is such a new technology.

How to Start Using RSS:

You will need an RSS Feeder and an RSS Aggregator or Reader.

The RSS feed comes from an RSS-supported website. There are also websites that provide a list of RSS feeds of different websites. An RSS aggregator is used to read the RSS feed from the source website. It scans and collects data on latest RSS feeds from the worldwide web.

An aggregator comes in two forms: a downloadable program also known as desktop aggregator and an online or web-based aggregator.

Downloadable aggregators may require payment before they can be acquired, while internet-based aggregators are usually free of charge.

Create and account to use their services.

 Both versions allow you to customize or choose which RSS feeds to enter.  Paid RSS aggregators usually allow more freedom in customizing feeds.

1.    Web-based aggregators are more user-friendly.

2.    Scan the homepage of your target website for the RSS or XML button. It contains the RSS code you need to enter in the aggregator. Copy this code. Syndic8 provides a directory of websites that support RSS.

3.    Paste the code (which contains the URL of the website) in your aggregator. There is a space provided for pasting the code.

Now, you can start reading the RSS feeds coming from the website. New posts appear as they are published in real time at the source website.

Clearly, RSS is an innovation in information management in the worldwide web as well as online marketing. RSS technology will surely improve in the near future as its popularity increases among users and website owners alike.