When I first learned about blogging, I was taught to encourage my readers to add their information to my RSS feed aggregator. You know, that funny looking orange symbol, which is sometimes accompanied by text which reads “Subscribe to News”, or something like that…
Apparently, it was a good thing for people to join my RSS news feed and to sign up for my free newsletter – except I had no idea that I had a newsletter. I certainly was not going through the task of creating a weekly, or even a monthly, new publication for my readers! Led by blind faith, (which is how I performed many of my online activities…) I invited my readers to use their rss feeder to become my loyal fans, with absolutely no clue as to what I was talking about!
You may be much more tech savy than I was when I first came on the scene….but If you can relate, I have a simple explanation for you that will help to demystify yet another seemingly complicated issue.
An RSS feed aggregator is nothing but a software program which allows your blog visitors to keep track of your new blog posts. How does it work? When they join your rss news feed, they are notified via their rss feeder each and every time you post new content to your blog. This notification is your “newsletter” – and it goes out on autopilot, as a result of code that is inherent in your blog. Is that a beautiful thing, or what?
RSS – short for really simple syndication, is an efficient method for searching, organization, categorizing online content. Those who have favorite news sites or blogs they like to frequent can easily keep up to date with new content posted on those sites, all through the use of one simple rss feed aggregator. All they have to do is join the rss news feed for each site they are interested in, and to tap into the power of an rss feeder.
Some of the popular RSS feed aggregator programs include:
- Google Reader
- FeedDemon
- Bloglines
- Blog Navigator
- SharpReader
Beautiful for the end user, and perhaps even more beautiful for bloggers.
I’m really interested in hearing if this was helpful to you, or if it was too “low level”. We all join this game at different levels of expertise, and I’m making an effort to provide as much value as I can to as many of you as possible. Your feedback is very much appreciated….happy blogging!
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Never can be too low level for me Kathy! I feel like the light just went off, since we were just talking about this a bit ago.
Thanks for the explanation. Sure glad I don’t have to go create a newsletter right now with all else I have on my plate !!!
Keep up the great advice!
Debbie Wood´s last blog ..The Daffodil Principle – Don’t Worry, Be Happy… TODAY!
Not low level at all Kathy. There are numerous things to learn when someone begins blogging and not every little detail is covered. For several months I saw it there but ignored it as I had no clue what it was and even though I had googled it the explainations seemed obscure at best. I think it’s so important to cover the smallest details of syndicating – which is what I’m part of your tribe!! Keep up the GREAT work you’re doing!
Kellie Frazier
dot com
Kathy,
Nice to know more about it in easy terms. Thanks for sharing,
thanks cause I never really understood the RSS feed either
Val
Val Wilcox´s last blog ..Which Bridge in Life to Use…
I need all the information and explanations I can get to understand this whole new world. As a baby boomer I take all senses to learn by.
Wendy MacKay´s last blog ..Child Bullying
Thank you for bringing some clarity to this for me Kathy! I was a little unclear on how I could use my RSS feed and this helps a lot.
~Gabriel
Gabriel Gannam´s last blog ..The Entrepreneur Draft…What Round would you go in?
Low Level? Thanks so much Kathy for shedding some light on another area of social media networking that I was completely ignoring. And thanks for keeping it so simple…
RSS = really simple syndication
Boink! Lightbulb!!! Thank you again. You are brilliant!
Kathy
Thanks so much for this simple explanation of RSS. I don’t think I have really understood it until now:)
Glyna Humm´s last blog ..My New Favorite Timesaving Toolbar!
Kathy,
Great post. Actually had a little ADD in the middle of reading it. Remembered a blog I wanted to track last night and had bookmarked it. Left to go over to it and subscribe to the RSS. I have known about RSS for a while, but have not really started using it with my reader yet…I subscribed to a few of my favorites, then ran back over to tweet you out and post a comment. LOL. How’s that for inspiring action!
Krista
Krista Abbott´s last blog ..GoDaddy: WordPress Incompatibility with Windows Platform
Thank you Kathy!
It’s so fun to read your post, then the comments below! It looks like we’re all in the same boat! We are all learning and mastering! I’m like Krista, I knew about RSS feeds but I wasn’t using the power that comes from them! It’s fun being a part of this active group as we all learn, grow and succeed!
~Linda
Linda G Cox´s last blog ..Toxins Found in Our Bodies: Is This The Tip of the Iceberg?
Hi Kathy, it seems that although RSS is everywhere these days, there is a major lack of understanding what RSS feeds are. Your post is extremely helpful in clarifying this. Thanks.
karin´s last blog ..Is Facebook a social bookmarking site wannabe?
Kathy,
You certainly don’t have to almost apologize, as if this information is too basic. Even after your very clear explanation I am not clear about what an RSS feed is. Say I click that orange symbol and subscribe to your RSS feed. What happens next? Where does my subscription information go? Who notifies me when you post your next blog? Do I receive an email about it? I have always wondered about RSS feeds and I have even asked several people about it – still not quite clear – although I am getting closer to understanding it now.
Hey Kathy,
Great information as always. I user Google Reader to consolidate some of my favorite blogs in the past but had forgotten the power of it for the purpose that it can be used for content syndication.
Time to dust it off and get it up and running again. Thanks for the reminder.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Low level? Why do you ask? Your RSS explanation is at the right level for the right person. I am one of those persons and I’m sure there are many others. I didn’t know RSS stands for really simple syndication. I also learned from you that it is not RCS: really complicated syndication. So when you equate RSS with a newsletter on autopilot, I find that brilliantly simple. Your explanation makes perfect sense and that is all that matters. Cheers to you for a post well done!
Hey Kathy – I think it was a great post – I love signing up for RSS to keep up on everyones blogs through Google Reader. Thanks for sharing how it all works!
Jan Hill´s last blog ..Do You Think Social Media Marketing is a Fad?
You know what Kathy, when I start blogging, RSS feed aggregator has given me a lot of headache. I’ve been confused as to its purpose. Though I am using it now, my understanding of it is still shallow. Thanks for shedding light on this matter.
Walter´s last blog ..Things I Wish Everybody Knew About Life
Totally helpful! As always from you! I never really got it either…now I think I ought to promote it. It’s sort of like creating our own pages of a newspaper I guess. I’d pick the comics and lifestyle pages!
Thanks again!
Sue
Sue Vittner´s last blog ..How Do We Honor Our Soul’s Purpose?
Great explanation of RSS feeders, Kathy! Just reminds me how valuable some of our more *old school* techniques really are.
I’m going back to using Google Reader again…
Thx!
Heather
Heather Taskovics´s last blog ..*Keepin’ It Real* – Being Honest With Who You Truly Are And Finding Your Own Unique Path
Thanks Kathy, I am new to this and I had no idea how it all worked. thanks for the explainable! DR
Douglas Richardson´s last blog ..Critical Mass: Episode 8.
Hi Kathy,
I love it when I get a new explanation of something I thought I understood, and then someone comes along and explains it in a different way, and all of a sudden I understand it even better.
Not too low level! Keep writing.
Alan
Alan Eames´s last blog ..What To Look For – Part 3
Hey Kathy, This is a great post educating about just what the heck the RSS stuff is all about. I understand it so much better now and i appreciate you sharing in very simple lingo since I’m not advanced tech wise. Thanks a bunch!
~Kara
Kara Grabenhorst´s last blog ..MUST See Tips For Blog Security
Kathy
Thanks for the good simple way you explain it all .
I love it great post
Theuns
I know I’ve been guilty of overlooking simple things like this before… until I started syndicating, I just relied on bookmarks to check up on sites! yikes… that was time-consuming.. and hardly effective.. I missed waay too many things.
Great post. I was looking up RSS feed on good the other day and still did not clearly understand. What a simple explanation. Thanks.
Kathy you have prompted me to go back to my Google Reader. Set it up and promptly forgot about it. From the comments some others have done the same thing. Very comforting to know my “Mad Cow Disease” wasn’t the cause. Thanks for bring this post to the Tribe.
It reminds me to use my google reader more often. It just goes to show…it doesn’t matter how tech savvy you become…there’s always something to be missed or forgotten…thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing this Kathy! I actually did not know a lot about this and found this informative. Thank you!
Angela´s last blog ..How to See Challenges As Opportunities
Kathy,
It just a simple thing right. We just do it and the info is provided. LOL I have subscribed to a few and get this nice email that I have a update.
Bill
Bill Hartman´s last blog ..Will the IPad Help You With Social Media
I was just like you and really excited when I discovered my subscribers were getting my posts! I’m still unsure if I need to to add an outside service like Feedblitz, or Feedburner to my blog, or if WordPress automatically has a feed installed. The symbol is there, so that must mean people can subscribe to the feed right? On my other blog I did for my team for 3 years, I used Feedblitz. I hope I am not sounding low level myself now, but any confusion you could help me understand the feeds would be great!! It’s all about educating each other right? No question is a dumb one as far as I am concerned. I am learning and teaching simultaneously!!
Thanks
Laura Morris
Laura Morris´s last blog ..Are You An Original ?
Kathy,
This is awesome information, my friend! I was too afraid to use the RSS for fear of jamming my already clogged email. You’ve cleared it up. Wow! Thanks … Google Reader here I come:)
Darlene Davis´s last blog ..Art of Office Organization
Thank you so much Kathy! I love articles which explain all this stuff! I certainly had no idea what that orange thing was on people’s blog and then when I had one, I didn’t know what to do with it!
Thank you for you explanation! You are so wonderful!
Aloha,
Kellie
Kellie Hosaka´s last blog ..7 Essential Characteristics Leading To Success – Charice’s Story
Hi Kathy,
some things can’t be to simple. We use them and never bother to figure out how it works, what it does when and why we have it.
Thanks Johanna
Johanna Brem´s last blog ..Take Continuous Action
Hi Kathy!
Thank you for this simple, yet informative blog post! You actually just answered one of my own questions I had been thinking about for some time now… “What the Heck is this RSS Feed thing?”
NOTHING is too basic and fundamental for internet marketing education! In fact, I believe now that the basic, FUNDAMENTAL tips and tricks are what truly make the difference… it really is the ‘little’ things that matter so much!
Thanks again!
And by the way, I really enjoy and appreciate your relaxed style and sense of authenticity you emanate… THAT is a gift.
Keep that going!
With much appreciation,
Kayla