How To Use RSS Correctly

There no doubt my mind RSS here stay. RSS a simple effective means communicating your message your visitors without invading their privacy or spamming them. It has many benefits over email there have been many reports death email due continual rise mass spamming non delivery due spam filters. By no means email dead, still best personal communication method besides picking up phone. It's just RSS does some things much better than email.

I have been informing educating webmasters about RSS since I first discovered potential this medium. A whole industry has now grown up around RSS now there are directories specialise listing RSS feeds tools help you create RSS feeds. Everyone seems be jumping bandwagon everybody seems have their own opinions about how RSS should be used. Even Google has joined offer adsense RSS feeds.

The problem I see improper use RSS may well send RSS way email. Currently seems if you publish an RSS feed contents that feed seem be considered public domain. The reasons this is, I believe, do with way content packaged RSS, this makes content easy syndicate. It not that difficult create a script or desktop application strip out content RSS feeds publish them someone else's website. There even a few applications being sold just this purpose.

This has lead what I consider improper use RSS feeds spam search engines, this seems be aimed particularly at Google. Although not yet widespread yet many webmasters are cottoning fact that they can get easy content their websites without putting much effort. Although off hand this may not seem detrimental you, consider long term consequences. Your feed copied hundreds if not thousands times no back links your site links have been stripped. What if Google decides penalise due duplicate content, consequences could be that your site dropped from Googles listings.

After considering such a scenario I have come up with a few suggestions. Firstly only publish a teaser paragraph your feed that links back main article. Although some may disagree with me they prefer full article feed, I truly believe RSS better suited notification type messages. Secondly you can publish some terms your feed which states that contents are personal use only you should be contacted syndication rights. While this will not stop those determined copy content your RSS feed will help raise awareness issue.

Allan webmaster at NewsNiche an RSS resource webmasters. Learn how use RSS attract retain visitors your site.

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