Learning
the Basics of RSS
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What is RSS?
You
probably have seen this three-letter acronym in the course of your
internet surfing. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site
Summary; syndicating means republishing an article that comes from
another source such as a website.
An RSS is a
means of
publicizing updates about websites. It may or may not include a summary
and photos of the latest posting. But those that provide summaries
(thus Rich Site Summary) allow users to skim through the article so
that they could decide later on if they want to access the website
source. The RSS feed usually contains the title of the update
originating from the website. It is also usually the link to the
website source.
What
are the benefits of RSS?
RSS gives benefits to
both readers (users) and web publishers.
- It gives you
the latest updates. Whether it is about the weather, new
music, software
upgrade, local news, or a new
posting from a rarely-updates site learn about the latest as soon as
it comes out.
- It saves on
surfing time. Since an RSS feed provides a summary of
the related
article, it saves the user?s time by
helping s/he decide on which items to prioritize when reading
or browsing
the net.
- It gives
the power of subscription to the user. Users are given a
free-hand on which
websites to
subscribe in their RSS aggregators which
they can change at any time they decide differently.
- It
lessens the clutter in your inbox. Although your email address
will be
required to enjoy
the services of online RSS
aggregators, RSS does not use
your email address to send the updates.
- It
is spam free. Unlike email subscriptions, RSS does not
make use of
your email address to send updates thus your privacy is kept
safe from spam
mails.
- Unsubscribing is hassle-free.
Unlike email subscriptions where the user
is asked
questions on why s/he is unsubscribing and then the user would be
asked to
confirm unsubscribing, all you
have to do is to delete the RSS feed from your aggregator.
- It
can be used as an advertising or marketing tool. Users who subscribe or
syndicate product
websites
receive the latest news on products and services without the
website
sending
spam mail. This is advantageous to both the web user and the
website
owner since advertising becomes targeted; those who are
actually
interested
in their products are kept posted.
What
are the drawbacks of RSS?
The disadvantages of
RSS use are brought about by its being a new technology and some
user-preference concerns.
- Some
users
prefer receiving email updates over an RSS feed.
- Graphics
and photos do not appear in all RSS feeds. For conciseness and ease of
publication,
RSS feeds do
not display the photos from the
original site in announcing the update except for some
web-based aggregators.
- 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.
- Publishers cannot
determine how many users are subscribed to their feed and the
frequency of their visits.
Moreover, they would not know the reasons why users
unsubscribe which could be important in improving their advertising.
- RSS
feeds create higher traffic and demands on the server. Most readers
still prefer the whole
update over a
brief summary of the entry, thus they
still access the site.
- Since it is a
new technology, many sites still do not support
RSS.
How
do I start using RSS?
There
are two things needed: an RSS feed 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. All you need to
do is to register an account then you are ready to use their services.
Both versions allow you to customize or choose which RSS feeds to
enter. Paid aggregators are usually chosen by more experienced users
and they usually allow more freedom in customizing feeds.
- Choose an RSS
aggregator to use. For beginners, web-based
aggregators are recommended since
they are usually user-friendly.
- 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.
- Paste the
code (which contains the URL of the website) in your aggregator. There
is a space provided for pasting the
code.
After
you have done these three easy steps, you can start reading the RSS
feeds coming from the website. New postings appear as they are
published real time at the source website.
RSS and Internet Marketing
The
original idea of RSS came from Netscape, where their intention is to
provide a means for users to customize their personal homepage to
contain links to websites that interest them, similar to bookmarking
websites.
The application of RSS to internet
marketing was an
unforeseen development to RSS technology developers. Since users are
given the freedom to add RSS feeds to their aggregators, those who are
interested in particular products and services available in the
internet can now be notified real time. Marketing becomes more specific
to interested people and not a hit-and-miss operation.
Those
who intend to use RSS for marketing their products and services should
consider linking up with email account providers, (e.g. Yahoo, MSN,
Google mail); networking websites (e.g. Friendster, Multiply, My Space,
Hi5); websites of newspapers and television network websites (e.g. New
York Times, CNN) for medium to big-scale companies. Small-time
industries can also look into networking websites as well as personal
blog websites (e.g. Blogspot) and websites of clubs and organizations
that would probably make use of their products or services e.g. a
fishing supplies store can look for the website of their local fishing
club for possible RSS marketing.
Clearly,
RSS is an
innovation in information management in the worldwide web as well as
online marketing. We can expect better RSS technology in the
not-so-distant future as its popularity increases among users and
website owners alike.Copyright ©
Ferdinand Martinez
About
the Author
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ferdinand
Martinez is the owner of the HomeBiz-Resources
Website. To
find the best home based business
ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home
visit:
http://www.HomeBiz-Resources.com
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