Content Syndication through RSS Feeds

Copyright 2005 John Doetsch,
RSS, also known as Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication, has been used for years by online visitors. However, it is only recently started to gain popularity among webmasters as a means to provide visitors with constantly updated content. These feeds were originally designed to deliver up-to-date news faster, but they have since evolved to allow nearly instantaneous updates of many types of information. Growing sites can take advantage of RSS feeds, since they allow for fresh copy updated regularly online. When RSS feeds are inserted into the Web pages, they provide a steady stream of syndicated content is updated continuously. Most RSS feeds are composed of a header, contents, summary and a link to the actual online article. They are typically composed in XML, a markup language similar to HTML, to allow webmasters to manipulate and integrate the new copy into their existing site pages. The increased popularity of these RSS feeds enjoyed online sites as they have helped to drive increased traffic and search engine ranking results. The fact that the syndicated content changes constantly in RSS feeds means that search engine spiders probably visit and index your site pages more often. RSS feeds also keep webmasters from having to worry about updating their content, and visitors can expect fresh articles are available for reading whenever they want. Articles are also easy to find on RSS feeds, as they can be categorized for easy navigation. This increases the chances of receiving visitors from other sites. While modern technology has made to embed RSS feeds into Web site easier, contribute content RSS feeds remains a bit more complex. If you want to post effectively copy onto RSS feeds, you first need an RSS program that will allow you to format your content for syndication. If you are a professional web developer, for example, you might want to create your own XML files to display content. This option allows more flexibility in the way content is displayed. If you are missing the online knowledge to understand how you are using XML, you can invest in one of the many RSS software programs that allow users to create and publish syndicated content without having to use any XML language at all. One of the most popular programs is FeedForAll, which is an inexpensive yet powerful tool for developing and maintaining an RSS feed. This program, and others like it, make it possible for users to exploit their own syndicated content, or to retrieve existing feeds from the Internet. It also gives users the option of manually editing their website to include images and colors that might create a more engaging online experience for customers. As the need for the Internet provides instant access to a wide range of information continues to grow, is RSS feeds have become a critical component of information distribution. It is likely that the RSS feeds will serve as an important tool for sharing information on the World Wide web in the years to come and could, in the not too distant future, even begin to rival email as the preferred method for knowledge sharing. Therefore, understanding how best to take advantage of RSS feeds in your site have a lasting and positive impact on your business growth. About the author:
John Doetsch, is an author and founder of Websition.com where you will find additional articles and website content written by the Internet's most talented writers.

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