Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary
What is RSS?
You probably have seen this three-letter acronym in the course of your internet surfing. RSS
stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary; syndicating means republishing an
article that comes from another source such as a website. A RSS feed is a means of publicizing
updates about websites. It may or may not include a summary and photos of the latest posting. But
those that provide summaries (thus Rich Site Summary) allow users to skim through the article
so that they can decide later on if they want to access the website source. The RSS feed usually
contains the title of the update originating from the website. It is also usually the link to the
website source.
What are the Benefits of RSS?
RSS provides benefits to both readers (users) and web publishers.
1. It gives you the latest updates. Whether it is about the weather, new music, software
upgrade, local news, or a new posting from a rarely-updated site, you can learn about the latest
as soon as it comes out.
2. It saves on surfing time. Since an RSS feed provides a summary of the related article,
it saves the user's time by helping s/he decide on which items to prioritize when reading or
browsing the net.
3. It gives the power of subscription to the user. Users are given a free-hand on which
websites to subscribe to in their RSS aggregators which they can change at any time they decide
differently.
4. It lessens the clutter in your inbox. Although your email address will be required to
enjoy the services of online RSS aggregators, RSS does not use your email address to send the
updates.
5. It is spam free. Unlike email subscriptions, RSS does not make use of your email address
to send updates thus your privacy is kept safe from spam mails.
6. Unsubscribing is hassle-free. Unlike email subscriptions where the user is asked questions
on why s/he is unsubscribing and then the user is asked to confirm unsubscribing, all you have to do
is to delete the RSS feed from your aggregator.
7. It can be used as an advertising or marketing tool. Users who subscribe to or syndicate
product websites receive the latest news on products and services without the website sending spam
mail. This is advantageous to both the web user and the website owner since advertising becomes
targeted; those who are actually interested in their products are kept posted.
What are the Drawbacks of RSS?
The disadvantages of RSS stem from user-preference concerns and the fact that it is a new technology.
1. Some users prefer receiving email updates over an RSS feed.
2. Graphics and photos do not appear in all RSS feeds. For conciseness and ease of publication,
RSS feeds do not display the photos from the original site in announcing the update except for some
web-based aggregators.
3. The identity of the source website can be confusing. Since RSS feeds do not display the actual
URL or name of the website, it can sometimes get confusing on what feed a user is actually reading.
4. Publishers cannot determine how many users are subscribed to their feed and the frequency of
their visits. Moreover, they do not know the reasons why users unsubscribe which could be important in
improving their advertising.
5. RSS feeds create higher traffic and demands on the server. Most readers still prefer the whole
update over a brief summary of the entry, thus they still access the site.
6. Since it is a new technology, many sites still do not support RSS.
How Do I Start Using RSS?
There are two things needed: an RSS feed and an RSS aggregator or reader. The RSS feed comes from an
RSS-supported website. There are also websites that provide a list of RSS feeds from different websites.
An RSS aggregator is used to read the RSS feed from the source website. It scans and collects data on the
latest RSS feeds from the worldwide web.
An aggregator comes in two forms: a downloadable program, also known as a desktop aggregator, and an
online or web-based aggregator. Downloadable aggregators may require payment before they can be acquired,
while internet-based aggregators are usually free of charge. All you need to do is to register an account
and you are ready to use their services. Both versions allow you to customize, or choose, which RSS feeds
to enter. Paid aggregators are usually chosen by more experienced users and they usually allow more freedom
in customizing feeds.
A list of top RSS Desktop Aggregators can be found at Google
1. Choose an RSS aggregator to use. For beginners, web-based aggregators are recommended since
they are usually user-friendly.
2. Scan the homepage of your target website for the RSS or XML button. It contains the RSS code you
need to enter in the aggregator. Copy this code. Syndic8 provides a
directory of websites that support RSS.
3. Paste the code (which contains the URL of the website) in your aggregator. There is a space
provided for pasting the code.
After you have done these three easy steps, you can start reading the RSS feeds coming from the website.
New postings appear as they are published in real time at the source website.
RSS and Internet Marketing
The original idea of RSS came from Netscape, where the intention was to provide a means for users to
customize their personal homepages with links to websites that were of interest to them, similar to
bookmarking websites.
The application of RSS to internet marketing was an unforeseen development to RSS technology developers.
Since users are given the freedom to add RSS feeds to their aggregators, those who are interested in
particular products and services available on the internet can now be notified real time. Marketing becomes
more specific to interested people and not a hit-and-miss operation.
Medium to big-scale companies who intend to use RSS for marketing their products and services should
consider linking up with email account providers, (e.g. Yahoo, MSN, Google mail); networking websites
(e.g. Friendster, Multiply, My Space, Hi5); websites of newspapers and television network websites
(e.g. New York Times, CNN). Smaller companies can also look at networking websites as well as personal
blog websites (e.g. Blogspot) and websites of clubs and organizations that would probably make use of their
products or services e.g. a fishing supplies store can look for the website of their local fishing club for
possible RSS marketing.
Clearly, RSS is an innovation in worldwide web information management as well as online marketing. We can
expect better RSS technology in the not-so-distant future as its popularity increases among users and website
owners alike.