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Learning the Basics of RSS

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. 

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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. 

1. Some users prefer receiving email updates over an RSS feed.

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

1. Choose an RSS aggregator to use. For beginners, web-based aggregators are
recommended since they are usually user-friendly

2. 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.

3. 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.

All you need to know about RSS

What does RSS mean?

RSS may mean three different things. The original RSS (RDF Site Summary RSS
0.9) was developed by Dan Libby for Netscape. After a couple of months, they
produced a simpler and easier-to-use version called Rich Site Summary or RSS
0.91. But they later lost interest, leaving it without an owner. As more and
more users were using RSS, Winer made an adapted version of RSS 0.91 for
Userland, claiming it as his own. Later in 2005, Microsoft developed Really
Simple Syndication in relation to its Simple Sharing Extensions.

What is RSS?

RSS is a XML file format for syndicating content and news in the web. It is
usually used by websites that constantly need to update their content regularly
such as news websites (CNN, BBC and Reuters) and weblogs. Since it essentially
gives one's webpage more traffic, it is now more widely used in marketing, web
publications and virus reports. Today, large and small websites alike are
usually RSS-enabled.

For example, you're an avid fan of baseball and you want to share something
recent about one of the players. Other than content, you can also attach
multimedia files, like videos or pictures. By using RSS feeds, other Internet
users subscribed to RSS-enabled sites can read your "headline" for free. They
can also track for changes and updates using news aggregators, which will be
discussed later on.

How does RSS work?

To be able to use RSS, you first have to download a software (content
management system), by which XML format can be read. The title and, excerpt of
the article, and a link to the full article are shown. Other than just text,
you can also insert multimedia files in RSS feeds like pictures, videos, mp3s
and others. Broadcatching, picturecasting, photocasting, and podcasting are
some features you can incorporate into your feed, but will not be discussed in
this article.

For users to access a RSS feed, they need to use an aggregator or a feed
reader. An aggregator searches for updates on RSS-enabled webpages then
displays it. It can either be a standalone program or a web browser extension,
depending on your operating system. Search engines for web content broadcasted
over RSS feed are also available such as Plazoo and Feedster.

How can I make an RSS feed?

It is definitely easier to make an RSS feed if you know HTML. If not, you could
sign up for a blog (there are hundreds out there), some of which automatically
creates RSS. If you're using a personal webpage building system, you need to
understand more about RSS. Making an RSS feed from scratch is relatively easy.

A RSS feed should always contain an "item", whichever version of RSS you might
use. If you wrote about a recent event in your city or a book review, the
contents of this article can form an item. An item is essentially composed of
three things: a title, its description, and link (where they can find your
webpage). In choosing a title and description, use something that will describe
the web content best. Although it will be easier for you, it doesn't follow that
the title tag of your webpage and the item title are the same.

An item will look like HTML tags. First, you need to put an opening channel tag
that defines it as an XML file. Then, label the tag as an item by putting (item)
after the channel tag. After this, you can now insert the three essentials of
your item: (title), (description), and (link). Just like HTML, we need to close
the tag by writing (/channel) and (/rss) at the bottom.

An RSS feed that contains multiple tags looks like this:

(?xml version="1.0"?)
(rss version="2.0")

(channel)

(item)
(title)Anne Rice's Belinda: A Book Review(/title)
(description) If you haven't read any Anne Rice books yet, you will be greeted
with shocking romantic relationships forming between unlikely
characters(/description)
(link) http://allaboutbookreviews.com/belinda (/link)

(item)
(title)Harry Potter IV: Darker with More Deaths(title)
(description) The recently released Harry Potter installation has proved dark
for its younger readers(/description)
(link) http://allaboutbookreviews.com/harrypotterandthehalfbloodprince (/link)

(/channel)

(/rss)

Now, if you're still having a hard time understanding these tags, look for HTML
tags tutorial to further grasp the concept. Have fun!

Using RSS fields in communication

RSS is fast replacing email marketing and newsletters. You would not want to be
left behind would you? Your competitor will surely overtake you and speed right
up. RSS is mostly called Really Simple Syndication, although some give other
meaning to the acronym. It is a process by which you could place a feed on
websites that can read RSS from your directory.

Information distribution has been made simply by RSS. Simply put, with RSS, you
can place your headline to other website for more people to see it. In
marketing, it is a known concept that the more people you reaches to, the more
likely that your product will sell.

RSS is an XML-based application. XML is similar in a way to HTML, which we all
know is the most common website creator application. From a directory, it would
feed the headlines into website that has an RSS reader. Creating an RSS feed
would definitely boost up your sales. How can you make an RSS feed? Just follow
these simple steps:

Create a file for your feed. Using a certain format, you'd have to create the
XML version of your feed. It should include the title or the headline, the
body's short description, and the link where it can be read. There are a lot of
different RSS web channel editor you can use for this. Some programs just
require you to write news and articles down on a notepad and when placed on the
editor, it will show up with the necessary formatting ready for upload. It would
be advisable to make at least ten articles for your feed.

Save and Upload the file. After creating your file, save your work as an XML,
RSS, or an RDF file. Then you are now ready to upload it. Upload the file using
your FTP program and place it on your web server. This process now makes the
file readable by RSS news aggregators.

Validate the file. Make your RSS program error-free. RSS is programming, so
errors could lie unseen. Again, there are different programs that can assist
you for this process. You would just need to place the saved and uploaded RSS
file for the program to test it against wrong and missed code and tags. It is
essential for you to check your work of course. This way, you're sure that what
you have is readable and usable.

Create a directory. Now that you have created the file, saved it, and made sure
it works, you are ready to let other see it. The main purpose of an RSS feed is
to broadcast it to all RSS enabled sites. So go ahead and look for a directory
where you can place your feed. Some may require fees for uploading a directory.
Some offer it for free. Scout around and round up all the free sites you can
have and place it there. If you have some marketing budget, you might want to
subscribe to sites that charge a minimal amount. Don't forget to place an icon
of your RSS feed on your website, too for those people who visits you directly.

Update regularly. With RSS, you know that the feed changes automatically every
time you change the main file. Don't let your RSS feed sit there for a month
without modifying it. Maintain it. Add new articles. The more exciting your
topic is, the more people will check your feeds and visit your website.

Creating an RSS feed for Internet marketing is made very simple now a days.
Even people who are not computer savvy can create RSS feeds, based on the steps
provided above. The applications that were created for RSS creation are the ones
that make it easy for everyday computer users to make an RSS feed. All you need
is familiarization with the process.

Start now creating RSS feeds. Give your competitor something fierce to duel
with. Needless to say, RSS feeds give your website more traffic than usual web
hosting. And web traffic means more people seeing your products that could be
interested in buying them. Add strength to your marketing strategy. Make RSS
feeds and be ready to sell.

Reading RSS Feeds with an RSS Aggregator

RSS or Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary is the latest information
management tool that is gradually earning popularity among web users and website
owners. With RSS technology, it is possible to get the latest postings from your
favorite websites. But clicking on the RSS or XML button in a homepage is not
enough to give you the service you need. An RSS feed or code displayed in the
pop-up screen if not on the main page is composed of symbols and words that
would only make sense to advanced RSS users and computer programmers and
software enthusiasts. Another software tool called an RSS aggregator or reader
is needed.

An aggregator works by scanning the worldwide web with latest postings based on
the RSS code (containing the website's URL) provided or added by the user. When
it finds a new posting, news, or update, it will publish the RSS feed on your
home page containing the title of the posting, which also serves as a clickable
link to the website source. This RSS feed may or may not contain the whole
article, a summary, and photos, depending on what RSS aggregator you are using.

Aggregators come in two types: the downloadable program or desktop-type and the
online or web-based type. The desktop aggregator usually charges a certain
amount for its services; this would include regular updating in the form of
upgrades or patches to the original version. This type of RSS reader allows
more customization of RSS feeds as well as page format or design over its
on-line counterparts. But of course, price can be a drawback.

Online or web-based aggregators are free of charge. All you need to do is
register an account with them then you can start enjoying their services.
Depending on the "brand" of the aggregator, customization is more limited. Some
even do not allow you to customize at all.

Product and service advertisers are realizing the potential of RSS aggregators
in internet marketing. In fact, several submit RSS codes to several popular
web-based aggregators to reach the growing technophile and internet-based
market. My Yahoo has been instrumental in popularizing RSS technology to both
users and website owners and advertisers.

At present, there are many aggregators to choose from and newer versions of the
same aggregator are constantly developed by its programmers.

Below are some of these desktop and online aggregators:

Desktop Aggregators

1.  AmphetaDesk Advantages:

-  free
-  supports Linux, Mac, and Windows
-  easy addition of RSS feeds

Disadvantages:

-  not maximized use of screen display -  few options for customizing

2.  FeedDemon Advantages:

-  user friendly
-  free trial version
-  contains prepared popular feeds
-  allows filtering of RSS feeds
-  configurable "watch list" to manage junk RSS feeds
-  search channel feature that incorporates other RSS services e.g. Feedster
-  allows feed storage for future use
-  tabbed browsers for channel navigation
-  built-in podcast receiver

Disadvantages:

-  supports only Internet Explorer (embedded)
-  paid software ($29.95)

Online Aggregators 1.  Bloglines Advantages:

-  all major browsers supported (e.g. Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer,
   Firefox)
-  user-friendly especially for beginners
-  free, web-based aggregator
-  easy registration
-  no advertisements
-  contains its own directory of RSS feeds of thousands of websites
-  personal email account for subscribing to newsletter emails (optional)
-  allows privacy adjustments for personal blogs 
-  allows saved searches
-  mobile version available
-  10 languages supported
-  Additional add-on tools for automated blogrolls and subscription buttons

2.  NewsGator Advantages:

-  free (consumer-standard version)
-  provides personalized news channel
-  allows translation of RSS articles into email format
-  synchronization of feeds in several devices possible
-  browse and search feed capabilities save time on surfing
-  allows keyword filtering
-  blog headlines
-  button-click automatic subscription to news feeds

Disadvantage: -  Outlook-based thus limited to Windows

3.  My Yahoo Advantages:

-  Free web-based aggregator
-  user-friendly
-  customizable home page design
-  button-click subscription to RSS feeds
-  built-in directory and search tool for feeds
-  wide variety of feeds e.g. news (science, technology, local), weather
-  connects to all Yahoo features and services

Disadvantage

-  banner advertisements

There are also lightweight RSS aggregator extensions which are actually
plug-ins to existing internet browsers. An example of which is Sage aggregator.

Advantages:

-  free of charge
-  beginner-friendly
-  reeds both RSS and Atom feeds
-  allows feed discovery
-  can be assimilated to Firefox bookmark (storage and live)
-  allows OPML feed lists imports and exports
-  customizable style sheets
-  supports a wide range of locales e.g. Catalan, Italian, Japanese, Spanish,
   Korean, Polish, Slovenian, etc.
-  easy installation

Disadvantages:

-  good for about 12 RSS feeds
-  limited use to Mozilla-Firefox and Mozilla-Firefox supported browsers

RSS developers promise better features in future versions of their aggregators.
Microsoft is planning to include a built-in aggregator in their next Windows
version. These developments are definitely something to look forward to by all
internet aficionados.

The Advantages of "RSS Websites"

RSS -- or what is now known as "Really Simple Syndication" -- is a file format
that is incorporated by Internet users in their websites to allow for 'web
syndication', making their web content available in a format that can be
universally understood by other people.

In essence, RSS is a 'mini database' that contains headlines and descriptions
(a summary or a line or two of the full article) of your web content, including
hyperlinks that enable users to link back to the full article of their choice.

RSS websites -- that is, websites that contain RSS 'feeds' (articles or
postings) -- typically have colorful graphics to indicate to users that the
specific web content is available through RSS feeds. These graphics are usually
depicted by orange rectangles that are usually marked with 'RSS' or 'XML'.

With its increased popularity, RSS is now being adopted and used by more
website owners or publishers. Today, numerous resources are now available that
aid Internet surfers (and even beginners as well) on how to set up and use RSS.

Setting up RSS feeds and adding them to your website can be a simple process
that does not involve a lot of time or any money. Listed below are some simple
and basic steps that you might want to follow:

1. Have your web content and/or news in an RSS feed format, such as XML
(appropriate and 'ready-made' feeds are also available from other sources).

2. Click the orange graphic -- this is the RSS feed icon. Take note of the URL
of the RSS feed; this will be displayed in the address bar (for Internet
Explorer).

3. Input the feed URL on your RSS feed creation program.

4. Click on the "Generate Feed" button. This will generate the RSS code for
your web content.

5. Enter the RSS code in the appropriate place on your own website.

Having created an RSS feed for your website, next comes the task of publishing
your web content and news and having them displayed on other sites and headline
viewers. This is made possible with the use of RSS readers or aggregators.

RSS readers or news aggregators are used to view particular web contents. RSS
readers contain the collection of 'feeds' or RSS files from content providers,
and they are generally classified into 3 types:

* Desktop RSS readers -- also known as standalone desktop application, they
generally 'run' in the background and are similar to an e-mail client,
collecting the feeds and refreshing items automatically as they are updated.

* Web-based aggregators -- these are online services that enable users to
personalize web pages, refreshing them each time the page is accessed or each
time a person logs in to the service.

* Plug-in aggregators/readers -- these make use of either web browsers or
e-mail clients, which allow users to view RSS feeds while inside an existing
program.

Having an RSS-enabled website provides Internet users (especially those who are
website owners) with the following benefits:

* Allows users to generate up-to-date news and postings, as information and
content in the RSS readers or aggregators are automatically updated each time
the RSS feed is 'refreshed'.

* Allows users to have control over the information that they wish to view or
receive, as they can remove a feed of their choosing any time they want to.

Aside from these benefits, RSS websites are also useful for people who conduct
their business in the Internet, particularly in Internet or Online Marketing.
RSS can be an effective marketing tool for your website, especially in the
following fields:

* E-mail marketing and publishing
* Search engine marketing and optimization
* Business blogging
* Internet advertising
* Digital public relations
* Branding and e-commerce

In addition, RSS can 'power' your website, providing you with the following:

* Valuable, updated, and relevant resources for site visitors and potential
clients -- RSS is ideal for websites that contain (and syndicate) a lot of
information that has to be changed or updated regularly.

* Search engine optimization for the website.

* Increased traffic for the website -- your website can 'harvest' and display
information from other sites, driving more traffic to your own website.

* A wide selection of 'channels' for content distribution, such as PDA's,
cellular phones, voice mails, and email ticklers.

* A reliable way to have your web content delivered to Internet users and
potential clients -- RSS ensures that your site is viewed by the people who are
interested in them, without having them blocked and 'cleaned' by ISPs or Spam
filters.

These are just some of the advantages that RSS can give your website (and your
business). The possibilities are endless, as more and more comes up almost
everyday. Do not be left behind -- take the advantage of the marketing and
publishing power of RSS.




Blog RSS

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a tool useful for saving or retaining
updated information on websites that you frequently visit or websites that are
your favorite. RSS utilizes an XML code which scans continuously the content or
subject matter of a certain website in search for new informations then
transmits the information updates by way of feeding the information to
subscribers.

RSS feeds are generally being utilized in blogs or news sites, though any
website wanting to broadcast and publish information can use them. Once new
information is sent, it will contain a headline, a little bit of text, and
either a rundown or a brief review of the news or story. A link is needed be
clicked upon to read further.

So as to accept RSS feeds, a feed reader is needed, called an aggregator.
Aggregators are widely and freely available online, and all that is needed is a
bit of searching, you will be able to locate a certain interface that best
interest you. What's more, RSS feeds can likewise be read and retrieved from
cell phones and on PDAs.

Once you encounter upon a website that you want to add or insert to the
aggregator, the process can be done in two ways. Almost all sites offering an
RSS feed displays an "RSS" or "XML" button in their homepage and with one
click, it promptly add that particular feed to one's aggregator. Some
aggregator however, requires the need to copy and then paste the URL of the
feed unto the program.

Whatever the method used, you can be certain that the feed will be accessible
soon as you have inserted it, likewise, in just seconds, the next update can
arrive. In the event that you do not anymore would want to accept or take in
updates, you may simply delete or erase the feed from the aggregator.

Through e-mail subscriptions, you can receive newsletters. RSS feeds on the
other hand, can be more convenient in keeping up with newsletter updates since
they are prompt and available in an instant; you no longer have to wait for a
scheduled time or day to obtain a news summary, plus, these news will never be
detained through a spam filter. RSS feeds are widely used everyday by
individuals who understand and appreciate the accessibility of fast reports and
news that can be readily read and only read certain updates that appeals to them.

Aggregators

Aggregators are popular use of feeds, having several kinds. Web aggregators or
portals as they are sometimes called, create this view which is then made
available in a Web page. Also, Aggregators have been incorporated into e-mail
patrons, users of desktops, or dedicated and standalone software.

Offering a collection of special features, such as combining more than a few
related feeds in just a single view, hiding certain entries or statements that
has been already viewed, and classifying entries and feeds, the aggregator is a
versatile component.

Why make a feed available?

You will have more viewers, since now, your viewers can conveniently see your
site without even going out and looking for that certain site. While at first,
it may seem corrupt, it will in fact enhance the visibility of your site; this
is so because users can easily keep up or keep tract with your site, to allow
them to view in a way that they want to; it's more probable that guests are
aware should something that is in their interest is available or accessible on
your site.

For instance, every month your website broadcasts a new feature. Having no
feed, your viewers will always have to keep in mind to go to your site in a
certain time to see if they discover something new; that is, if they can
remember, and if they still have the time. However, if you supply a feed for
your viewers, they can just point to their aggregator and it will instantly
provide them a link along with a description of happenings or events at your
site immediately.

What format to choose?

Syndication is very confusing as it uses a lot of formats that can usually be
come across in the web. However, this can easily be solved as in general,
syndicated libraries are used by aggregators which conceptualize a particular
format that a feed is in, in order that they can utilize a certain syndication
feed.

With this, whatever format to pick is just a matter of personal preference. RSS
1.0 is far reaching, and practical should it be integrated into Semantic Web
systems. RSS 2.0 is very easy and simple create by hand. And atom is an IETF
Standard, does it brings constancy, stability and a natural and accepted
community to support its usage.

Updates on RSS Directories

RSS directories are popular these days. RSS is widely used initially by news
sites to allow others to syndicate their news stories. Now, a lot of other
websites are using RSS. It is being used in flagging new forum headlines,
auction listings, sales listings and others.

The meaning of RSS is actually not clear. RSS may or may not be an acronym,
actually. RSS may stand for Really Simple Syndication. But others say its Rich
Site Summary and sometimes Rich Syndication Standard. The noted creator of RSS
directory would be Netscape. It was released sometime in March 1999. The
included a UserLand application which is called scripting news. Netscape
stopped developing it, but UserLand continued doing so. Another company,
RSS-DEV Working Group also released their own version.

RSS directories are sites that collate all RSS links and place them in
different categories for other applications to use. This is similar to web
hosting, only instead of web pages, they contain RSS links. These links will
pop out on the website and when you click it, you will be directed to the main
source of the link.

RSS poses a lot of uses for those who'd like to use the Internet for marketing
or commerce. Here are the things you can do with it:

Create links from their website to yours. If you are selling or promoting
something, web traffic is important. The more RSS directory you upload, the
more chances you have people seeing those and checking your site out. And if
they have customized their sites with your RSS feeds, then they would get
updated listings from your site to theirs automatically.

Collating analysis. If you have a brand and you'd like to know how your
competitor is doing, you may use RSS to see what they have so far. Get a
directory of their product or service so you'll know first hand what they have
come out with. With the data gathered you now can plan on how you can counter
them.

Tracking your own progress. If you can check out your competitor, of course
you'd like to check out too how your business or product is going too. With an
RSS directory of your own, you can know how many people are interested in what
you are selling or offering.

Increases productivity. Putting up RSS directories, let's say for newsletters,
adds efficiency to your company. If you use RSS for sending out newsletters
instead of mailing them to recipients, you'd eliminate the possibility of your
letter being classified as spam by users, or being sent in a closed mail
account.

Increases efficiency. There are a lot of websites or news articles that could
be beneficial to your brand or company. At times, you'd like to add them to
your site. Without the use of RSS, you'd have to copy the entire thing down and
note where you got it. If you use RSS, then the headline and part of the story
shows up on your site. And this is an automatic process now. If you use RSS,
you just include the directory and automatically, the headline appears without
you doing much.

Posting RSS directories could cost you some. But the benefits override it. Some
sites even offer free RSS directory posting. If you are just starting up, you
may like to check those out. The more RSS directory you have up, the more the
possibility that you are sending out information to
the people interested in your goods. Reason behind is that people will only get
the RSS feeds that they are interested in. If they get yours, they sure are the
target market.

Disseminating information online has become easier with RSS. The technology
provided a cost-effective way of transferring facts and figures out. Utilizing
it would definitely add up to your marketing approach. With it, you have an
avenue of reaching out to even more people so easily.

RSS uses XML to syndicate pages. Though that sounds a little technical, there a
lot of websites that has user-friendly interface to guide in building your
directory. Go ahead and put up your RSS directory up now. RSS has proven to be
essential. It has ceased to be an option; it has become a necessity.

A Guide to RSS Aggregators

One of the most popular features of Internet portals, websites, pages and even
emails is a frame that features an organized list of news headlines and
periodic updates from other web sources. Really Simple Syndication, formerly
"Rich Site Summary" or simply, RSS makes this possible.

Most users visit a lot of websites whose content continually change, such as
news sites, community organization or professional association information
pages, medical websites, product support pages, and blogs. As Internet surfing
became an intrinsic part of business and leisure, it became important to get
rid of the very tedious task of repeatedly returning to each website to see
updated content.

RSS easily distributes information from different websites to a wider number of
Internet users. RSS aggregators are programs that use RSS to source these
updates, and then organize those lists of headlines, content and notices for
easy reading. It allows computers to automatically retrieve and read the
content that users want, then track changes and personalize lists of headlines
that interests them.

The specially made computer programs called "RSS aggregators" were created to
automatically find and retrieve the RSS feeds of pre-selected internet sites on
behalf of the user and organize the results accordingly. (RSS feeds and
aggregators are also sometimes referred to as "RSS Channels" and "RSS Readers".)

The RSS aggregator is like a web browser for RSS content. HTML presents
information directly to users, and RSS automatically lets computers communicate
with one another. While users use browsers to surf the web then load and view
each page of interest, RSS aggregators keeps track of changes to many websites.
The titles or descriptions are links themselves and can be used to load the web
page the user wants.

RSS starts with an original Web site that has content made available by the
administrator. The website creates an RSS document and registers this content
with an RSS publisher that will allow other websites to syndicate the
documents. The Web site also produces an RSS feed, or channel, which is
available together with all other resources or documents on the particular Web
server. The website will register the feed as an RSS document, with a listed
directory of appropriate RSS publishers.

An RSS feed is composed of website content listed from newest to oldest. Each
item usually consists of a simple title describing the item along with a more
complete description and a link to a web page with the actual content being
described. In some instances, the short description or title line is the all
the updated information that a user wants to read (for example, final games
scores in sports, weblogs post, or stock updates). Therefore, it is not even
necessary to have a web page associated with the content or update items listed
-- sometimes all the needed information that users need would be in the titles
and short summaries themselves.

The RSS content is located in a single file on a webpage in a manner not very
different from typical web pages. The difference is that the information is
written in the XML computer code for use by an RSS aggregator and not by a web
user like a normal HTML page.

There are 2 main parts that are involved in RSS syndication, namely: the source
end and the client end.

The client end of RSS publishing makes up part of the system that gathers and
uses the RSS feed. For example, Mozilla FireFox browser is typically at the
client end of the RSS transaction. A user's desktop RSS aggregator program also
belongs to the client end.

Once the URL of an RSS feed is known, a user can give that address to an RSS
aggregator program and have the aggregator monitor the RSS feed for changes.
Numerous RSS aggregators are already preconfigured with a ready list of RSS
feed URLs for popular news or information websites that a user can simply
choose from.

There are many RSS aggregators that can be used by all Internet users. Some can
be accessed through the Internet, some are already incorporated into email
applications, and others run as a standalone program inside the personal
computer.

RSS feeds have evolved into many uses. Some uses gaining popularity are:

* For online store or retail establishments: Notification of new product
  arrivals

* For organization or association newsletters: title listings and notification
  of new issues, including email newsletters

* Weather Updates and other alerts of changing geographic conditions

* Database management: Notification of new items added, or new registered
  members to a club or interest group.

The uses of feeds will continue to grow, because RSS aggregators make access to
any information that individual users like more convenient and fun.

A Guide on RSS Tools

RSS is an abbreviation that has evolved into the following, depending on their
versions:

* RDF Site Summary (also known as RSS 0.9; the first version of RSS)

* Rich Site Summary (also known as RSS 0.91; a prototype)

* Really Simple Syndication (also known as RSS 2.0)

Today, RSS stands for 'Really Simple Syndication', and it has the following 7
existing formats or versions:

* 0.90
* 0.91
* 0.92
* 0.93
* 0.94
* 1.0
* 2.0

RSS tools refer to a group of file formats that are designed to share headlines
and other web content (this may be a summary or simply 1 to 2 lines of the
article), links to the full versions of the content (the full article or post),
and even file attachments such as multimedia files. All of these data is
delivered in the form of an XML file (XML stands for eXtensible Markup
Language), which has the following common names:

* RSS feed

* Webfeed

* RSS stream

* RSS channel

They are typically shown on web pages as an orange rectangle that usually has
the letters XML or RSS in it.

RSS feeds can be used to deliver any kind of information. Some of these 'feeds'
include:

* Blogs feed -- each blog entry is summarized as a feed item. This makes blog
  posts easier to scan, enabling 'visitors' to zoom in on their items of 
  interest.

* Article feed -- this alerts readers whenever there are new articles and web
  contents available.

* Forum feed -- this allows users to receive forum posts and latest discussion
  topics.

* Schedule feed -- this allows users (such as schools, clubs, and other
  organizations) to broadcast events and announce schedule changes or meeting
  agendas.

* Discounts or Special feed -- this is used to enable users (such as retail
  and online stores) to 'deliver' latest specials and discounted offers.

* Ego or News Monitoring -- this enables users to receive 'filtered' headlines
  or news that are based on a specific phrase or keyword.

* Industry-specific feed -- used by technical professionals in order to
  market, promote, or communicate with current (and prospective) customers and
  clients within their specific industries.

RSS feeds enable people to track numerous blogs and news sources at the same
time. To produce an RSS feed, all you need is the content or the article that
you want to publicize and a validated RSS text file. Once your text file is
registered at various aggregators (or 'news readers'), any external site can
then capture and display your RSS feed, automatically updating them whenever
you update your RSS file.

RSS tools are useful for sites that add or modify their contents on a regular
basis. They are especially used for 'web syndication' or activities that
involve regular updates and/or publications, such as the following:

* News websites -- as used by major news organizations such as Reuters, CNN,
  and the BBC.

* Marketing

* Bug reports

* Personal weblogs

There are many benefits to using RSS feeds. Aside from being a great
supplemental communication method that streamlines the communication needs of
various sectors, RSS tools and feeds can also have tremendous benefits in your
business, particularly in the field of internet marketing.

RSS tools and feeds provide Internet users with a free (or cheap) and easy
advertising or online marketing opportunity for their businesses. Below are
some of the RSS features that can help make your internet marketing strategies
more effective.

1. Ease in content distribution services. With RSS, your business can be
captured and displayed by virtually any external site, giving you an easy way
to 'spread out' and advertise them.

2. Ease in regular content updates. With RSS, web contents concerning your
business can now be automatically updated on a daily (and even hourly) basis.
Internet users will be able to experience 'real time' updates as information in
your own file (such as new products and other business-related releases) is
changed and modified simultaneously with that of the RSS feeds that people are
subscribed to.

3. Custom-made content services. With RSS, visitors can have personalized
content services, allowing them total control of the flow and type of
information that they receive. Depending on their interests and needs, visitors
can subscribe to only those contents that they are looking for (such as real
estate or job listings).

4. Increase in (and targeted) traffic. With RSS, traffic will be directed to
your site as readers of your content summary (or 1 to 2 lines of your article)
who find them interesting are 'forced' to click on a link back to your site.

These are just several of the many things that you can do with RSS. The
possibilities are endless, and they are all aimed at providing you with an
effective internet marketing strategy for your business.

Entertainment RSS Delivered Straight Into Your Homes

RSS which stands for really simple syndication is a format that is associated
with the XML family of file formatting. It functions by continuously running
through the websites to scan for updates. It then sends these updates to all of
the people who are subscribed to these websites using a feed. This is used most
often in web syndication.

To be able to use an RSS feed, you need to have an aggregator, also known as a
feed reader. These aggregators are available widely online, so it won't be that
hard to scour the net to find the one that you're looking for. There are a
variety of aggregators to choose from. Best of all is that you can download
them for free.

RSS feeds are often used in blogs, news, and entertainment websites. Anything
that relays information to subscribers, and is often updated. These updates are
then sent to all of the subscribers of these sites that carry RRS feeds. The
updates are summarized, so you'd have an idea what stories they are referring
to. If you are interested in the information it's relaying, you can then click
on the text to get the longer version of the text.

The great thing about RSS feeds, is that you can also read them through your
cell phones, and they come in PDAs.

Most entertainment websites carry RSS feeds such as BBC, Reuters, Boston Globe,
CNN, etc. Music reviews, game news, interviews, movie stories, are also put into
RSS feeds. This makes it a lot easier for fans to follow stories about their
favorite movie stars, sports heroes, latest gaming news, etc. It is offered to
you unadulterated, and free from annoying spam that clutters your emails.

A lot of businesses also use RSS feeds to reach their customers. This allows
them to directly relay information, uncorrupted, and instantaneously. As soon
as you download an RSS feed, you receive the information right away.

Entertainment RSS is an all in one stop. You don't have to click from website
to website to get the news that you're after. Entertainment websites that carry
RSS offer you the news that you need, automatically as soon as they're updated.
This saves you the time and the trouble of having to scour the net for the
information that you're looking for.

It is easy to subscribe to entertainment RSS feed, just click the button that
indicates the RSS feed. You usually have to copy the URL into your aggregator,
but some RSS feeds automatically download into your reader. You can unsubscribe
to an RSS feed anytime.

There are some search engines that allow you to search information contained
through RSS feeds. There are also feed directories that categorize RSS feeds by
order of interest. This makes it easier for people to locate all of the
information contained in RSS on any available topics online.

Local news can also be found via RSS. So now instead of tuning into your TV
sets to get the latest headlines, updates, and sporting news, you can subscribe
to an RSS feed. This way, you get all of your news at once. This allows you to
control the way you receive information, and enables you to receive news at
your own free time.

The great thing about this is that readers can read the headlines and summary,
and then can choose which stories they want to follow. This gives the reader
control over the content of the information they are receiving. This way, they
are not bombarded by numerous advertisements and countless useless information
that they don't have any use for.

Individuals who have blogs with syndicated content can submit the syndicated
versions of their blogs to RSS feed directories. This way, blog enthusiasts can
have access to their RSS feeds.

Feedster is one of the most popular search engines. You can use this search
engine to find numerous entertainment articles, stories, reviews, using an RSS
feed. The great thing about RSS feeds, is that you're always updated with the
latest news and happenings.

RSS feeds is revolutionizing the way information consumers get their content.
Instead of being bombarded with a plethora of useless information, the
consumers now can select & reject the material that goes into their
consciousness.


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