What is RSS?
“Have you noticed the little RSS icons around the web? Or have you heard about RSS from friends or colleagues, but still, it remains a mystery to you? What does it mean, how does it work, and do I really need it? These are just some of the questions that usually come to people’s minds when they hear about RSS.” (Feeder Help, 2021)
What’s RSS?
“RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” or “Rich Site Summary.” It’s a web feed format used to distribute frequently updated content – like blog posts, news stories, or podcasts – in a standardized format.” (OpenAI, September 5. 2023)
Step-by-Step Guide to use RSS:
1.Find the RSS Link:
This is usually a small orange icon that looks like radio waves, or it might simply say “RSS”. Click on it. Sometimes you’ll be taken to a page full of code – don’t panic! This is the RSS feed.
2.Copy the Link:
Right-click (or tap and hold on mobile) on the page or the RSS icon, and choose ‘Copy link address’ or something similar.
3.Choose an RSS Reader:
This tool or app collects and displays content from RSS feeds. Some popular options are Feedly, Inoreader, and The Old Reader.
4.Add the RSS Link to the Reader:
Open your chosen RSS reader. Look for an option that says “Add Feed”, “Subscribe”, or something similar. Paste the RSS link you copied into the given field and hit ‘Subscribe’ or ‘Add’.
5.Voila! You’re Subscribed:
Now, every time the website you subscribed to posts new content, it’ll show up in your RSS reader. This way, you can keep track of updates from multiple websites without visiting each one individually.
6.Keep Adding Feeds: For instance, you’re reading this post on my blog right now. If you want to keep up with my future posts, you can subscribe to my RSS feed by clicking on the orange icon in the bottom left corner of the page. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel, Twitter feed, or my LinkedIn account.
Why Do This?
It’s a great way to stay updated! Instead of bouncing around different websites to see if they’ve posted anything new, you can just check your RSS reader and get all the latest updates in one place.
References:
What is RSS, and how can you use it? - Feeder Help. (2021, March 25). Feeder Help.
Growth Origin. (2017, March 12). RSS made easy [Video]. YouTube.
“What is RSS?” prompt. ChatGPT, August 3 version, OpenAI, September 5. 2023, chat.openai.com.