RSS Don't make me laugh - Why Oh Why Oh Why would I RSS

Hey Ken,

Let's start over...RSS is a very simple prrogramming language used to display content, just like email and html display content.

And it's power is in how simple it is...This makes it easy for other non-related resources to take what is in the RSS and display it in other places. Since it is so simple, there isn't much "translation" needed.

You use blogs to take your content and easily convert it to html automatically for you. Blogs do all the basic html for you. In addition, most blogs will also take your content and convert it to RSS automatically.

You will have two URLs, one for html (your "regular" URL) and your blog will also generate another URL for the RSS version. The content of each will be the same/similar, but use different "programming".

Here's an example using my Duelz forum:
HTML URL: http://duelz.com/duelz-debate-forum/
RSS URL: http://duelz.com/external.php?type=RSS2&forumids=2&lastpost=1&nohtm l=0&fulldesc=0

If you go to the html version, your browser will convert the html code into a "webpage" and you don't see the code.

However, depending on how new your browser is, when you visit the RSS version, you may see the code or you may see the content/output.

RSS is mainly used for content that is updated often, like blogs and forum.
As somone posts on the forum, the forum updates the RSS pheed, just like blog software.

You can get an RSS "aggregator", which lets you add multiple RSS sources. It will then check for updates so you don't have to visit each of 50 blogs and fourms to see if they've been updated with something that interests you, and the aggregator usually displays a short summary of of the content of the RSS.

However, the publisher of RSS can often, depending on the blog software, can control how much content is in the summary. On the Duelz forum, I have it set to allow the full content of each post, no matter how long. Most RSS feeds are shorter summaries, but it's a personal choice how much you want to include in your RSS.

Since people can add many different RSS "pheeds" into aggregators, you can promote your RSS pheeds in many various "RSS directories", hoping folks will add your pheed to their aggregators.

Also, many webmasters and bloggers pick up pheeds from these RSS directories and use the content on their sites and blogs. This is an excellent strategy for link building, maybe the best. The key is to submit your RSS pheeds to as many places as possible and to use keywords in your Rss pheeds you think will likely be used on blogs and sites in your niches.

There's two parts to this:

1) Submit your RSS pheeds to all the RSS directories. Use "Rss submit" software for this. See Big Mike.

2) "Ping" your RSS pheeds as the update to all the directories that accept "pinging". A ping is a quick message sent to a site telling them that your RSS pheed has been updated. That site then sends a spider and picks up your updates and adds them to their directory for others to pick up.

Most blogs will ping automatically, you just need to add a list of ping services. Search this forum for "ping list". Copy/paste it into your blog software. Then each time you update, each site on your ping list is notified you have updates, then visit your site and adds your updates to their directory.

For a great linking strategy, think about creating RSS pheeds just like you would pages or blogs. The more you can make, the more you can submit and ping.

It's easy to use RSS for many things, because it is so "simple" it makes it easy to exploit in many ways:

- Submit/ping directories for promotion, to expand your "reach" and link building

-You can use the RSS from others to add content to your blogs, sites and emails.

- If you have a network of sites and blogs, it's a great way to automate "cross linking". Create a "central" RSS pheed that contains links too all your blogs, and as you add new resources, just update this single RSS file and all your other resources will update automatically. A big time saver!

- Repurpose you own content. Have a blog or forum that gives you an RSS pheed? Add this pheed, plus a RSS pheed that has news in your niche, make a quick JV with a good blogger in your niche to use their RSS pheed, plug it into an RSS friendly email program, and you have a self-publishing, no writing needed, on auto-pilot email newsletter.

Here's a real life example, if I ever get around to it. I'll use the following RSS to create a semi-automtic newsletter:

1. Best posts from the Duelz forum debating and discussing today's current even topics.

2. Yahoo "most popular" news RSS pheed that gives the latest news topics.

3. A "today in history" RSS pheed that posts historical events that happend on this date every day...These are from wikipedia and converted to RSS.

4. An RSS pheed from Amazon.com to add a book review or two for books related to news, politics, etc.

This can be 100% fully automated and totally hands free (after set up) or semi-automated where the content is approved before publishing.

Simply, RSS makes sharing content fast and easy. And there's many benefits to being able to easily share info between people and resources.

Tim,

I was almost afraid to click on that second video

Glad I did. Helped to put a couple of the pieces together, that video really helped.

Thanks

Let me repeat what you said in the previous post, Kurt: "Now we're getting somewhere!"

This I can follow, most of it anyway. I will proceed with my new blog, which I have a lot of great ideas for, and apply your RSS concepts to it. I can see the use of it here.

Many thanks!