What Is An RSS Feed - Learn How To Use It

The term RSS (Really Simple Syndication) refers to an Internet format which websites can immediately notify any interested entity that the website\'s content has been updated or new content has just been added to it. When a website is uploaded with RSS content, it is called an RSS feed.

These feeds can only be read with the help of special software called RSS Readers - some of the most popular RSS Readers are My Yahoo, Bloglines, Firefox Live Bookmarks and NetNewsWire, and these readers come free. Should you wish to download one, just search for it using your favorite search engine. However, most of the latest versions of Internet browsers can read RSS content - so you really don\'t have to download a reader.

RSS is a great tool that automatically keeps people up-to-date about the website content of their choice by notifying them of any update or fresh addition as soon as it is done, and here is something that you must know about it.

How does it work and who uses RSS?

The programming language - XML - is used to program RSS. If you want to be notified whenever a website uploads fresh content, then all you have to do is subscribe to their RSS service with a click of the mouse and that\'s it. When the website uploads text, videos, audio or a document, you will be notified in real time.

RSS helps save time - in its absence, information seekers used to waste their precious time searching for updates on topics they were interested in. For example, if you subscribe to the Wall Street Journal\'s RSS service, you will be instantly notified whenever they upload important financial content.

Nowadays, most websites offer free RSS services because RSS increases their popularity and it keeps their visitors glued to their content. In this sense, RSS can be considered a web "sticky". You can use RSS for any purpose - viewing news, information, comics, movies, the works! RSS has caught on in such a big way that even blogs and personal pages offer the RSS service!

Subscribing to RSS feeds

If you want to subscribe to a website\'s RSS service, look for an orange symbol on its home page with the words RSS written somewhere near it. When you click on the symbol, it will take you to another page asking you to subscribe to their RSS service and it will display a list of readers to choose from. Choose the RSS reader you work with and complete your subscription, and you\'re on!

Advantages of RSS

Subscribing to an RSS news service can deliver a personal newspaper with custom content right on your desktop every morning - it also allows you to omit information you don\'t want to see. It can also help you save money by keeping you updated about the cheapest airfares in town or the best bargains on the Internet. If you make a living on eBay, it can notify you if there\'s been a bid on your item, or if a new item has been uploaded for auction. Basically, it keeps you updated about your type of content at your time and pace and allows you to view it without any of the nosey-parker pop-up ads bursting all over the place! If you like sight and sound, then you can even download digital files (called "podcasts") through RSS feeds!

The website that offers RSS benefits too, as it keeps its visitors happy and also opens a whole new publishing door for itself. Websites can also make extra revenue by strategically placing advertisements in their RSS content.

The RSS concept came into shape in 1999 and has really taken off only after 2005. With web browsers reading RSS feeds, it does seem that the usage of RSS will increase rapidly.

In this article, I try to provide an introduction to the world of RSS Feeds. Topics treated are: what is an RSS feed, how does RSS work, why should you use it and how can it help you save time.Get more information regarding rss feed readers