Buzz
A comprehensive guide to creating RSS feeds for your website
If you're looking to expand your website's readership or dive into podcasting, an RSS feed is a must-have. It keeps your audience informed about your latest content, potentially leading to a significant boost in traffic. Whether you opt for an RSS creation tool or prefer coding it yourself, this Mytour article will walk you through the process of creating an RSS feed for your website.
Key Points to Remember
- Develop your own RSS feed to keep your audience engaged with your latest blogs or podcast episodes!
- Utilize Notepad or any text-editing software to craft an RSS feed, then upload it to your site via FTP or cPanel.
- Alternatively, leverage tools like Rss.app, FeedForAll, or similar platforms to automate this process.
Step-by-Step Guide
Creating a Feed
Compile a list of your content. Start by making a list of your recent content in a word processor. Aim for 10-15 items, noting down the URL, title, short description, and publication date.
Generate your XML file. Open Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). Before entering content details, add RSS header information. Paste the following code at the top:
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?> <rss version='2.0'> <channel> <title>Title of Your Feed</title> <link>https://www.yourwebsite.com/</link> <description>Brief description of Your Feed. Keep it concise.</description>
Add your content. Each piece of content should be in a separate <item> entry under the header. Use this code template for each entry, replacing the placeholders with your content details.
<item> <title>Content Title</title> <link>URL to Content</link> <guid>Unique Content ID. Copy the URL</guid> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:17:32 GMT (Note: Date format must match)</pubDate> <description>Description of your content.</description> </item>
Close your tags.
After adding all items, close the <rss> and <channel> tags before saving. For instance, a sample feed with three items would resemble this:
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?> <rss version='2.0'> <channel> <title>My Awesome Blog</title> <link>https://www.yourwebsite.com/</link> <description>My latest amazing articles</description> <item> <title>Article 3</title> <link>example.com/3</link> <guid>example.com/3</guid> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2013 13:20:00 GMT</pubDate> <description>My latest article.</description> </item> <item> <title>Article 2</title> <link>example.com/2</link> <guid>example.com/2</guid> <pubDate>Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:15:12 GMT</pubDate> <description>My second article.</description> </item> <item> <title>Article 1</title> <link>example.com/1</link> <guid> example.com/1</guid> <pubDate>Mon, 25 Nov 2013 15:10:45 GMT</pubDate> <description>My first article.</description> </item> </channel> </rss>
Save your document. Once you've completed crafting the feed, save it as an XML file. Click on File and choose Save As. In the file type dropdown, select All Files. Change the extension from .TXT to .XML, and give the file a name matching your feed's title. Ensure there are no spaces in the file name.
Publish your feed. After obtaining the XML file, it's time to upload it to your website. Utilize your FTP software or cPanel to position the XML file on your website's main page. Don't forget to create a link to the XML file for easy subscription.
Share your feed. Now that your feed is live, begin sharing its link across various Feed Directories. Search online for directories matching your feed's niche. Vigorously promoting your feed typically leads to increased traffic.
- If you're compiling a podcast list, consider submitting your feed to iTunes. This enables iTunes users to discover your feed via the iTunes store. Follow the steps to submit your XML file to iTunes; it must undergo approval before appearing in searches.
Maintain your feed. If you're manually creating and managing your RSS feed, update it whenever you publish new content. Open the latest version of your XML file in a text editor, and insert your new content at the top of the list using the provided code. Save the file and re-upload it to your website.
- Ensure your feed doesn't become too lengthy, which can affect load times for your audience. When adding new content, remove the oldest entry. If consistently adding new entries at the top, promptly remove the last one to keep your feed concise.
Utilizing an RSS Generator
Choose an RSS creation tool. There are various options available for creating RSS feeds. You can opt for a web service, which automatically generates and updates your feed for a monthly fee, or you can download software to manage your feed manually. Some popular choices include:
- RSS Builder – A free, open-source tool for creating RSS files that can be uploaded to your website. It also offers automatic feed management.
- Feedity and rapidfeeds – These web services allow you to handle multiple feeds with automatic updates, eliminating the need for manual updates when your website's content changes. Feedity generates an RSS file without requiring individual item input.
- FeedForAll – A paid program enabling you to create RSS feeds for website upload, with specialized features for crafting podcast feeds for iTunes.
- RSS.app – A platform for creating RSS feeds from websites and social media. It supports feed importation into any RSS Reader.
Initiate a new feed. After selecting your preferred service, create your inaugural feed. While specific steps may vary between programs, the fundamental process remains consistent across most. All feeds require essential metadata:
- Assign a title to your feed, ideally matching your website or podcast name.
- Provide your website URL for viewer linkage back to your homepage.
- Include a brief description of the feed's content, limited to one or two sentences.
Incorporate an image into your feed. You have the option to include an image representing your feed. Upload the image file to your website to enable display. While optional, it's strongly recommended for podcasts.
Add content to your feed. After inputting your podcast details, proceed to populate your feed with content. Enter the title of the article, blog post, podcast episode, etc., along with the corresponding URL and publishing date. For Feedity users, input your website URL, and content will be automatically filled.
- Each entry should feature a concise description, visible to readers before they decide to click through in their RSS readers.
- The GUID serves as a unique identifier for your content. Typically, the URL suffices for this field. However, unique identifiers are necessary if multiple content pieces share the same URL.
- You can include author information and comments.
- Generate a new entry for each piece of content to broadcast.
Generate the XML file. Once you've input all your feed content, export it as an XML file. This XML file facilitates visitor subscription to your RSS feed.
Share the feed. Upload the XML file you've crafted to your website's homepage. Some platforms generate a URL for your feed, which you can then display on your website.
- With RSS Builder, you can input your website's FTP details to enable automatic feed updates upon editing. Simply click the FTP button on the toolbar, select New Site, and input your FTP information. To update the XML file on your website, click Publish Feed when ready.
Submit your RSS feed. Numerous aggregate sites accept RSS feed submissions. These platforms gather articles based on similar interests, potentially expanding your audience. Seek out RSS Feed Directories relevant to your feed's topics and submit the URL to your feed's XML file.
- For podcasts, consider submitting your feed to iTunes, allowing users to search and subscribe via the program. Note that podcast approval is required for visibility in searches.
Example XML File
Example XML File for an RSS FeedPro Tips
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If you're using WordPress, effortlessly integrate an RSS feed.
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Utilizing Blogger? Easily incorporate an RSS feed into your blog.
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Alternatively, generate RSS feeds for websites you don't manage with this method.
Cautionary Notes
- Exercise caution when using Dreamweaver or similar web design software, as it may inadvertently delete tags. Maintaining all necessary tags is crucial for creating a valid RSS feed.
