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What Are RSS Feeds

What Are RSS Feeds

RSS Feeds.

RSS also known as rich site summary or real simply syndication, arrived on the scene a number of years ago, but was only recently embraced by webmasters as a means to effectively syndicate content. RSS Feeds provide webmasters and content providers an avenue to provide concise summaries to prospective readers. Thousands of commercial web sites and blogs now publish content summaries in an RSS feed. Each item in the feed typically contains a headline; article summary and link back to the online article.

Benefit to the Webmaster: As the web has become more crowded webmasters have been striving to provide fresh and up to date content for their website visitors. Many webmasters have discovered they can easily utilize the information in RSS feeds to provide fresh web content.

RSS feeds are composed in XML, which is a very simple markup language. Similar to HTML, XML uses tags to identify fields. Webmasters can easily parse the RSS feed and dynamically create web pages that contain headlines and summaries. The feeds will continuously update, supplying a steady stream of automatically generated fresh content.

RSS allows webmasters to:

1.) Provide fresh and relevant content on their website, which encourages users to return.

2.) Constantly changing content means that search engine spiders will visit more frequently.

3.) Automate content delivery.

The benefits of RSS feeds are not limited to webmasters, surfers too benefit from the technology as well.

Benefit to Web Surfers: The beauty of RSS is that readers can quickly scan headlines (titles) and read articles of interest. Because the information is condensed and provided in a single location users can generally review more information in a shorter time frame. Additional information is only a click away. Best of all readers choose the feeds they wish to see, there is no spam with RSS. If you are not completely thrilled with the content appearing in a feed simply remove it from the newsreader. The technology is a pull technology rather than push technology, meaning the content is not forced on the consumers, who pull the content they want to see.

RSS allows for users to: 1.) Easily locate information.

2.) Read condensced information or 'soundbytes' with clearly marked and dated topic material.

3.) Classify and categorize information in an easy to navigate manner.

4.) Maximize their time without having to deal with spam.

RSS feeds can be viewed in a news aggregator or reader, which constantly updates and shows unread feeds. I found the functionality of the newsreaders to be similar to a simple email client. Consumers generally enter the URL of any RSS feeds that interest them. Topics with a common theme can be segregated into related groups.

I highly recommend FeedDemon http://www.feeddemon.com by BradSoft as a newsreader. FeedDemon is extremely easy to use and allows for quick scanning and indexing of topics. FeedDemon allows users to quickly scan, sort and scroll through headline and article summaries, while viewing the actual content in a split screen web browser.

Finding Topic Specific Relevant Feeds In order to find feeds that provide niche information users can search Feedster. Feedster http://www.feedster.com is a rapidly growing news search engine that indexes information contained within RSS feeds. Searches for topic specific feeds can be conducted and feeds can be retrieved for syndication.

Benefit to Content Developer While the benefits to users and webmasters are clear the distribution opportunities made available to content developers should not be overlooked. Information contained in the RSS feed can be easily syndicated, increasing content distribution and reach.

RSS allows for content developers to:

1.) Increase exposure in niche markets.

2.) Communicate with user bases and reach potential customers via an alternate communication method.

3.) Disseminate relevant information.

4.) Define themselves as an industry expert.

5.) Automate content delivery.

RSS has effectively standardized the format for content delivery and has effectively defined the accepted standard for content distribution and syndication. RSS will likely rival email as a means of content distribution in another few years. The shear simplicity makes the technology very appealing.

The distribution potential, while albeit difficult to measure, is still attractive to all parties making the likelihood that RSS popularity will only continue to grow.

RSS Feeds to Try Feeds exist for almost any topic consider trying these feeds out by entering the url in your feed reader:

Small Business Feed - small business tips and news http://www.small-business-software.net/blog-feed.xml

Software Marketing Blog Summary - software marketing and online news http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/blog-feed.xml

SMS, Wireless Messaging Related News. - news related to telecom, wireless industry and NotePage's software http://www.notepage.net/blog-feed.xml

Free Content Articles - collection of free content articles, updates when new article is released. http://www.small-business-software.net/article-feed.xml

Software Marketing News - news related to software conferences, awards, software development and marketing http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/feed.xml

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

In The News:

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.localnewswatch.com/benton/stories1/index.php%3Faction%3Dfullnews%26id%3D48965cid=1272695573ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNFDSnvPCoa0JhuOqOKcAk6Ch6-JDAFlorida teen commits suicide in front of webcam/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Benton Crier,nbsp;IAnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1appendChild(div); } } })(); More on bBlogging/b amp; bRSS/b Fake Steve Jobsâ€˜ stops bblogging/b as the â€˜Real Danâ€˜ AP More... Video: Cyber Attack Video: FOX News Flash: b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.powerhomebiz.com/News/112008/marketing-techniques.htmcid=0ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNFLA-Lltc4_EuEQEMvtnyWUqHmhlgOnline Home Business Marketing: Five Newer Marketing Tactics and b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPowerHomeBiz.com (press release)nbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b the BusinessResourcesPodcastDirectory.com bRSS/b Feeds â€“ bRSS/b meaning Really Simple Syndication is an easy way for you to distribute your articles, bblogs/b, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://prmac.com/release-id-3467.htmcid=0ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNEOYjZZJ1Kz0QbnWphKnh-KS84cAQMyAppleSpace announces quot;The New bBlog/bquot;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fprMac (press release),nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The perfect place to test your bblogging/b talent. My Apple Space gathers every members bblog/b posts into one collective bRSS/b feed and presents them into one b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blog.spout.com/2008/11/20/participation-by-the-few-but-for-the-many/cid=0ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNEgD0crkaK5sn3rUfOsZ5jFQvoz0wParticipation by the few, but for the many/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSpoutBlog,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1But if youâ€™re already creating content in the form of movie reviews on your own bblog/b you can easily import them via bRSS/b into a filmblog on Spout, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blogs.timesunion.com/classconflict/%3Fp%3D1730cid=0ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNG4SM79fWmtnq9vhoHz8--gpEsEQg7 Steps To Profit From bBlogging/b Without Spending Money/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAlbany Times Union,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Provide an bRSS/b feed (stock for wordpress and blogger.com) that other sites can pull and have your headlines on their pages. Track that feed with Feedburner. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.promotionworld.com/articles/blog/081117diversemeritsof.htmlcid=1271479248ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNHpG3HS_4KtwmYCXdV51YJ-4NoPnADiverse Merits of bBlogs/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPromotion World (press release),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 17, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1There are also bRSS blog/b directory that allows readers who like your bblog/b to subscribe with your bblog/b feed and receive an update whenever a new post has been b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Twingrcom-Offers-Micro-Blogging-Communities/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B6C68C7A5-7E5B-4492-9F82-E5681B70A737%257Dcid=1269909395ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNEp_zawTTugziaN0eVKb93TPjYuVATwingr.com Offers Micro bBlogging/b Communities/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrNov 13, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;Twingr.com is a very easy-to-use web application that will let anyone create a micro bblogging/b group, community, or network,quot; said Pepe Amorin, VP Marketing b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://it.tmcnet.com/topics/it/articles/46005-cloud-computing-will-revolutionize-customer-relationship-management-salesforce.htmcid=0ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNFDcSwFMuDsSPdiDsQ3ZPP0KKaedwCloud Computing Will Revolutionize Customer Relationship b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTMCnetnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Social Computing encompasses fast-growing peer-to-peer (P2P) activities like bblogging/b, bRSS/b, file sharing, podcasting, and user-generated content. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/insideguardian/2008/nov/18/r2-article-editorcid=0ei=IlInSaeHL6CQ6APU-6hBusg=AFQjCNF2WO9FHlz-vatXBKEjfd_IeOZOvgAn ABC of R2: A is for article editor/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fguardian.co.uk,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b which is more or less the only page that people will be watching if not the bRSS/b feeds. Furthermore, a bblog/b is really just a single stream of articles. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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