RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates from websites in a standardized, computer-readable format. Subscribing to the RSS feed for WordPress allows a user to keep track of several different websites in a single news aggregator, which constantly monitors the sites for new content, without requiring the user to check them manually. RSS feeds consolidate information sources in one place and provide updates when a site adds new content.
With social media, everything you see is the favourite stuff that people share. With an RSS feed, you see everything that a website publishes. An RSS feed is a syndication feed that blog followers can subscribe to and receive instant updates when new content is published in the feed. RSS is usually written in the Internet coding language known as XML (Extensible Markup Language).
Why is ‘RSS Feed for WordPress’ important?
Websites typically use RSS feeds to publish frequently updated information, such as blog entries, news titles, episodes of audio and video series, or to distribute podcasts. An RSS document (called a “feed”, “web feed” or “channel”) includes full or summarized text, and metadata, such as the publication date and author’s name. RSS formats are specified using a common XML file.
RSS feed for WordPress data is presented to users using software called news aggregators and the passing of the content is called web syndication. Users subscribe to the feed either by entering the feed’s URL into the reader or by clicking the browser’s feed icon. The RSS reader regularly checks a user’s feed for new information and may download it automatically if that function is enabled.
A brief history of RSS Feed.
In March 1999, Netscape created the RDF Site Summary which was the first version of RSS. It was used by web publishers to display their website content on My.Netscape.com and other early RSS portals. A few months later, Netscape simplified the technology and renamed it Rich Site Summary. When AOL acquired Netscape and restructured the company, Netscape stopped participating in RSS development soon after.
A new version of RSS was released in 2002, and the technology was renamed Really Simple Syndication. With this new version and the creation of the RSS icon for the Mozilla Firefox web browser in 2004, RSS feeds became more accessible to web visitors. Although the RSS format has evolved since early March 1999, it was between 2005 and 2006 when RSS gained widespread use, and the “feed icon” was decided upon by many major web browsers.
The popularity of using RSS feeds actually peaked well over a decade ago around 2005 when blogging was still relatively new. In the early 2000s, these types of feeds were really the best way to stay up-to-date. That being said, RSS feeds have been largely replaced by including email lists of bloggers, brands or publications you want to connect with.
And email service providers that specifically cater to bloggers like ConvertKit, Aweber, and Mailchimp have done an incredible job, which is what most bloggers use today to power their websites. This makes it very easy to embed the signup form anywhere on your blog.
RSS Aggregators (Readers)
An RSS reader is similar to an email box. When you subscribe to an RSS feed for a website, the RSS reader displays the content of that website. Use an RSS reader to view content or visit a website. As you read each piece of new content, the RSS reader marks that content as read. There are many types of readers of RSS. If you prefer to read blogs and news posts in a web browser, choose a free online RSS reader.
If you prefer to read your RSS feeds in an app, explore the different free Windows RSS feed readers and news aggregators. One popular RSS reader is Feedly. Feedly is a cloud-based RSS reader available on various platforms including Android, iOS, Windows, Chrome and other web browsers. It also works with third-party apps. Getting started with Feedly is easy.
These RSS readers can allow you to keep track of many different websites in a single news aggregator. The aggregator will automatically check the RSS feeds you subscribe to for new content, and the content will automatically be sent from that site to your feed. Blogs typically use RSS feeds to publish frequently updated information—such as new blog posts, news headlines, or episodes after an audio or video series goes live.
Conclusion
They allow you to subscribe to as many RSS feeds as you want and view them in an organized application. They can be built into a browser, and installed on a desktop computer or on a mobile device. By using these aggregators, you can follow discussions on web pages and forums without having to visit each page to read a list of posted comments, stay updated with the latest content published by your blogger and stay updated with local, national or international news.
