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Online Business Website Building Tips
and Resources
What is an RSS feed and what is the
point?
An RSS feed could be one of several
information syndication programs. It began
as an acronym for Really Simply Syndication.
While the term RSS has come to be a
blanket term for a number of different
program versions and solutions, the end
result is virtually the same for all of
them. An RSS feed allows users to subscribe
to syndicated updates of news sites,
information reels, and blogs. Basically, the
RSS feed will let you know when new
information has been posted at a site that
you like.
While trying to wrap your head around all of the coding differences in the
various RSS programs can be maddening, you won’t need to spend a lot of time
worrying about this unless your area programmer is trying to build your own news
aggregator. For most of us, the RSS feature is already built right into your
template by your blog host. If you are looking for RSS news feeds, most sites
also have link built right into the page. You simply need to download an
aggregator and plug in the links. You can drive traffic to your own blog or news
site by making your readers aware of the RSS feed that is available.
This is can be valuable to you in several different ways. First, if your blog
provides information that calls people to action, whether it be a job board or
an invitation to dinner, then they need to know as soon as possible that you’ve
updated. With the alert from the RSS feed, they will know very quickly that
you’ve done so. While most internet users would love to spend all day checking
the various blogs and home pages that we enjoy or find useful, we often just
don’t have time. Utilize an RSS feed to streamline your blog surfing. With the
updated alerts in front of you, you won’t waste time visiting sites or blogs
that haven’t had new information posted since your last visit.
From a business perspective, this tool can be very useful. As updates and
changes are made within your particular market, you need to be the first to
know. In today’s fast paced business environment speed is everything. You need
to be the first to know and the first to react when something changes. An RSS
feed can alert you to changes as they are happening and will put you in a
position to beat your competition to the punch. Don’t get left behind just
because you didn’t have up to date information.
Maybe the best way to think of RSS feeds is to look at it like you are building
your own news page. Imagine that the newspaper showed up at your house every
morning with just the content in it that you requested, written by the authors
and reporters that you like. That is what an RSS feed can give you. Now image
that the newspaper updates itself automatically whenever one of these writers or
reporters put out new information. That is what an RSS feed can give you. It is
your own virtual news source, fully customized and available to you twenty-four
hours a day.