According to Wikipedia,
"RSS is a family of web
feed formats used to publish frequently updated digital content, such
as blogs, news feeds or podcasts. Consumers of RSS content use special
browsers called "aggregators" to watch for new content in dozens or
even hundreds of web feeds. The initials "RSS" are variously used to
refer to the following standards:
~ Really Simple Syndication
~ Rich Site Summary
~ RDF Site Summary"
RSS
allows publishers such as myself to automatically syndicate updates to
my website and blog by publishing a feed link (see "Subscribe to My
Website" section in the margin of my site for an example). You can
subscribe to it by registering with an aggregator (also called a "feed
reader" or a "news reader").
This sounds REALLY confusing, but it’s actually incredibly simple.
Before
we discuss the "how", let’s discuss the "why". Let’s say you regularly
visit 10 blogs/websites, are a news junky who’s addicted to CNN, and
are trying to keep up with the gossip that AOL’s Instant Messenger
shares on the start-up screen (latest celebrity info).
Normally, you would need to visit 12 websites/blogs and search for the updated/late breaking information.
BUT,
by subscribing to an RSS feed, you can go to your feed reader (sounds
much less intimidating than "aggregator") and read, IN ONE PLACE, the
updates from all of the above. No more visiting 12 separate sites!
Think
of the time savings! You can keep up with the latest business articles,
blog postings, the Iraq War and know whether Britney Spears is wearing
underwear this week — all in one place and at NO COST!
Now that you get the "why", let’s discuss the "how".
Step 1: Get a feed reader.
This
a tool like an email program. It’s like getting an email every time one
of your subscriptions updates their content, except no email address is
required. There are many feed readers — some are online (like a
webmail account), some are offline (you download the program to your
computer), some are free and some aren’t.
You may have come
across feed readers already without realizing it. If you use
personalized home page services like My Yahoo, My AOL, Google or My
MSN, you have a feed reader — that’s how content like news, weather
and stock quotes appear on your personal page.
Step 2: Subscribe to feeds.
You
can now add content from any site to automatically get updates. Just
click on the "My Yahoo" or "My AOL" image on any website or blog that
you are interested in and you will automatically get updates from that
website publisher. The updates will show on your personalized Yahoo,
AOL, MSN, etc. page. No more having to visit several websites or blogs
to keep up with your interests!
Step 3: Relax and enjoy.
You’re done and just need to relax and enjoy the information as it is gathered and presented to you.
So what are you going to do with all the time you’re saving?
Sandra P. Martini, the
Automatic Business Coach ™, is creator of the “9 Simple Steps to Creating an
Automatic Business” system. To learn
more about this step-by-step program for small business success, and to receive
her FREE “5 Simple Steps to Putting Your Marketing on Autopilot” e-course/audio
mini-series and how-to articles and teleseminars, please visit www.SandraMartini.com.