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RSS - The Making of a Feed
Everyday more and more websites, news services and blogs are adding RSS content. RSS is a method of syndicating content.The concept of aggregating content in one central location or repository is very appealing. Consumers have become tired of push technology, RSS allows users the flexibility to regain control of their content. RSS feed creators provide content without forcing it on consumers. In fact with RSS consumers are able to choose the content they wish to view. How to Make an RSS Feed RSS feeds contain what are referred to as "items". The items are usually connected in some way and contain a common theme or other similarity. The following feed http://www.notepage.net/feed.xml contains eight items. The items are all SMS and paging related news articles that would likely benefit someone interested in the wireless market. Each item contains: title description link The title and description should be written to describe the content and the link should reference the webpage that contains that actual content. Like html, the xml file uses open and close tags to designate the title, description and link. Tags are enclosed in brackets , like standard html and the close tag contains a forward slash /. The following is what an item in a xml file looks like: The Title Goes Here The description goes here http://www.linkgoeshere.com As I mentioned earlier, an RSS feeds contains items and like the tags above, an open and close tag is used to distinguish between items. The Title Goes Here The description goes here http://www.linkgoeshere.com Another Title Goes Here Another description goes here http://www.anotherlinkgoeshere.com Now an RSS Feed is a series of items, these items are chained together to create what is called a "Channel". The Channel appears at the top of the file and tells people how the items relate to each other. Like items channels use title, description and link tags to describe its content. The open channel tag occurs before the first item and the close tag occurs after the last item. The Channel Title Goes Here The explanation of how the items are related goes here http://www.directoryoflinksgohere The Title Goes Here The description goes here http://www.linkgoeshere.com Another Title Goes Here Another description goes here http://www.anotherlinkgoeshere.com Finally you will need to designate the file by indicating it is an XML file by inserting xml and rss defining tags at the beginning and at the very end. The Channel Title Goes Here The explanation of how the items are related goes here http://www.directoryoflinksgohere The Title Goes Here The description goes here http://www.linkgoeshere.com Another Title Goes Here Another description goes here http://www.anotherlinkgoeshere.com When you save the file be sure to save it as an xml file. Warning If you create the file using Dreamweaver or a similar tool becareful that it does not strip out tags it feels are redundant. In order to be be an RSS feed your file needs at bare minimum that tags that were discussed above, and the file will not be valid if tags are stripped out. I found a cool little free program that helped in xml file creation called First Object Editor http://www.firstobject.com/ Validation As my math teacher use to say, check your work! Once your file is complete and uploaded einter it into the feed validator at http://feedvalidator.org Syndication / Submission If you've made it this far you are in good shape it is time to "syndicate" your content! Submit your RSS feed (the xml file you created) to sites just like you would submit a web page. Some of the more popular sites that accept RSS files can be found under "Post RSS Feed" About The Author Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software solutions. Other sites by Sharon can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com , and http://www.small-business-software.net
MORE RESOURCES:
Blogging-RSS - Google News |
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Benefits to RSS RSS streamlines communication between publishers and readers. Since RSS has had a popularity surge, webmasters have been experimenting and using RSS feeds to deliver content in new and innovative ways. Do You Know The 3 Key Ways to Blog to Promote Your Online Home Based Business? Most People who Blog and Ping only use 1 Method to promote there online Home Based Business. Their are actually 3 Keys ways a Blog can help you promote your Online Home based Business for little or no cost to you. You Are Losing Money If Youre Not Using RSS Feeds On Your Website! (An RSS primer can be found near the bottom of the article)A commercial website in 2005 is really costing itself money if it does not utilize the myriad advantages of implementing RSS feeds. RSS provides near real-time delivery of information your website visitors are interested in, it provides constantly updated content that search engines crave, and it is quite simple to implement. How to Make Money from Your Blog Content Writing a blog can be fun and exciting, but it can also be rewarding. If you do not know how to make money from your blog content then you need to consider implementing the following suggestions in your blog. Learn how to Create a RSS Feed Creating an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed is really quite a simple process. RSS is a lightweight XML design that is really easy to setup and implement. What Is A Blog? Blogs can be described in many definitions and they are all correct.Blogs are instant publishing. What is a Blog? In Plain English Please If you are fairly new to the Internet, you have probably heard the word "Blog" flying around. But what is a blog? How does it work? And how can I use it on my website? These are all good questions, which I hope to answer for you. The 7-Step RSS Marketing Plan If you're wondering how to get started with RSS marketing, here's a basic 7-step plan that should provide some needed guidance. Use these steps as your personal RSS marketing checklist to get your started and help you see whether you're on the right track. Web Blogs, Defined, Explained and Understood What are Blogs?Having heard the term previously but not having paid much attention most are just to afraid to show their ignorance and ask the question, what is a blog? Lets face it; the term blog does not conjure pleasant images.Blogs are web logs that are updated regularly, usually on a daily basis. RSS for Bloggers While syndication has many applications, we will deal specifically with its use for blog content and some technical information will be included at the end of this article.If you have any interest in blogs or weblogs as a publishing format, then you have undoubtedly come across the term R. The Art of Business Blog Writing "It is precisely minds of the first order that will never be specialists. For their very nature is to make the whole of existence their problem; and this is a subject upon which they will every one of them in some form provide mankind with a new revelation. Brief History of Blogs So where did all these blogs come from? How did they get from an underground geek toy to a mainstream tool that has revolutionized politics, journalism, marketing and the media?I always find that when I learn about a new technology or way of doing something online, the geeks have already been there (and I say the word 'geek' with complete affection - I'm one too!). Before business became inseparable from the computer, email or the internet, the academics and tinkerers were there first, kicking the tires and playing with the technology. Its A Blog, Not A Sales Letter The recent spurt of interest in blogging has begun to ignite the hope that people can make a full-time income from blogging. Although there are a few people actually doing this, there aren't too many business models yet that can support someone making a full-time income from their blogs. Marketing With Blogs - Part 3 In part 1 and part 2 of this article series on marketing with blogs, I discussed the reasons why blogs are excellent tools for marketing, and provided some tips on using your blog to sell your products and services online.This article continues with more tips on using your blog to brand yourself and boost your reputation online. What is an RSS Aggregator or RSS Reader? I keep hearing about RSS, XML and RSS feeds. I just barely have a clue what they are, but when people then start talking about RSS aggregators, what are they talking about and why would I want one? Do you use an aggregator, and if so, which one?Ain't jargon fun? RSS is Really Simple Syndication and it's a simple data-only version of a Web page or, in the case of a weblog, Web site. Blogs As A Marketing Tool Blogs are the biggest things to happen to the Internet since personal home pages. Blogging software has made it easy for the average Joe to create his own blog,and the thriving community of bloggers have spurred designers to release completely free, and professionally looking templates. Marketers Still Dont Get RSS Metrics - How We Really Can Measure RSS Even after all that's been written and explained, even reputable online marketing publications such as ClickZ still don't get RSS metrics.In an otherwise good RSS marketing article, Add RSS to Your Marketing Mix, Heidi Cohen has this to say about RSS metrics:"From a marketing perspective, RSS's measurability is still evolving and therefore limited. Blogs and RSS - Why Do I Need This Stuff? If you've been under a rock for the last year or so it'spossible you might not have heard about blogs and RSS feeds.If you're like most of us, you've heard the buzz but mightnot've known what to make of it or what to do with it. Comparing Free Blogging Software With the increased interest in Blogging (web Logging), many web hosting providers now provide an assortment of free usage, open source blogging software packages. Among the most popular of these blogging tools are B2evolution, WordPress and Nucleus. Displaying RSS Feeds on Websites Displaying RSSRSS offers webmasters a unique opportunity to display fresh content on websites. While publishing an RSS feed is a great way to generate site interest and increase communication, syndicating and displaying feeds from related relevant sources can also generate interest, increase traffic and improve search engine ranking.
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