Why you should (still) add an RSS feed to your content website in 2023

Do you want a simple way to keep up with all the latest news and updates from your favorite content websites? Well, RSS feeds are here to help! An RSS feed (or Really Simple Syndication) is like an online newspaper that collects stories from multiple sources. It's a great way for readers to quickly find out what's new without having to visit each individual website. And even though it may seem outdated in 2022, adding an RSS feed to your content website can be hugely beneficial in 2023 and beyond. In this blog post, I'll explain why you should still add an RSS feed to your website in this day and age.

These are the topics we're going to look at:

• What is an RSS feed?
• How do I add an RSS feed to my website?
• What are the benefits of adding an RSS feed to a website?
• Is it worth adding an RSS feed in 2023?
• Are there any downsides to using an RSS Feed for websites?

Let's get started!

What is an RSS feed?

Have you ever heard of an RSS feed? It stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and it's a great way to get the latest news and updates from multiple sources, without having to go to each website individually. An RSS feed is like creating an XML-based file (called a "feed") that contains all your website's recent content. People can subscribe to the feed, so their favorite news reader will automatically update whenever new content is published.

Back in the early 2000s, RSS was developed by Netscape Communications Corporation as an alternative to other web syndication formats. This version - which was then called RSS 0.91 - quickly became popular with content publishers.

A few years later, software developers further improved the format into what we now call RSS 2.0. This version had more control over how information was displayed to news readers, and it became even more popular because of its flexible nature and ease of use compared to other web syndication formats.

Nowadays, people use RSS feeds for blogs, news sites, podcasts, and more - helping us all stay up-to-date on the latest content from our favorite sources!

How do I add an RSS feed to my website?

Adding an RSS feed to your website is quite easy. If you're using a CMS to maintain your website, chances are you'll already have an RSS feed on your website. You can check this by going to yourwebsite.com/rss.xml. If you see an XML document, you've already got an RSS feed on your website and you can skip to the next section.

If you don't already have an RSS feed, creating one is quite simple. Let's look at a basic example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0">
    <channel>
        <description>My website name</description>
        <title>My website name</title>
        <link>https://mywebsite.com</link>
        <pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2022 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
        <item>
            <description>This is a description of my blog post.</description>
            <title>The title of my blog post</title>
            <link>https://mywebsite.com/blog/my-great-post/</link> <guid>https://mywebsite.com/blog/my-great-post/</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2022 12:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <media:content xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://mywebsite.com/image.jpg" medium="image" type="image/jpeg" width="640" height="426"/>
        </item>
    </channel>
</rss>

Each RSS feed starts with an XML version declaration, has an RSS wrapper, and contains channel and item information.

The channel contains information about your website: title, description, URL (link), and the publish date of this feed (pubDate). The items contain similar items: title, description, URL (link), pubDate, and a media object.

There are many more options, but these are the basics of an RSS feed for a blog.

You can find the full RSS 2.0 spec at W3C.

What are the benefits of adding an RSS feed to a website?

Adding an RSS feed to your website can be hugely beneficial in 2023 and beyond. Here are some of the greatest benefits:

• Increased visibility : By providing an RSS feed, you make it easier for users to find new content on your website without having to visit every page manually. This makes it easier for them to stay updated with your latest posts and updates.

• Improved discoverability : RSS feeds enable content to be syndicated across different platforms, which can help increase your visibility in search results and boost organic traffic to your website.

• Higher engagement rates : By providing an RSS feed, you make it easier for users to stay engaged with your content. As a result, you can increase the amount of time users spend on your website, which can lead to higher conversion rates and a better overall user experience.

• Easier content promotion : RSS feeds make it easier for you to promote your content through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. It also allows you to build automation on new items in your RSS feed. For example, this post is automatically published to LinkedIn and Twitter, because the RSS feed has been updated with this blog post.

In short, adding an RSS feed to your website in 2023 can help you increase your visibility, engagement, and overall user experience. So don't wait any longer - start setting up your RSS feed today!

Is it worth adding an RSS feed in 2023?

RSS used to be the best way to get your content out into the world. Social media took this advantage away because its content was much easier to digest than setting up an RSS feed. However, with more incredible (no-code) tools out there than ever, the role of the RSS feed is coming back!

RSS feeds can be used for more than just content promotion. They can be used to automate content publishing across different platforms, helping you get the most out of your content and reach a wider audience. You can automatically cross-post your blog posts to many platforms at once, you can synchronize your e-commerce offerings to Google shopping, your Facebook product catalog, and Instagram shopping. The best part is that you don't need to set up API access for this automation! All you need is your trusty RSS feed.

All in all, no doubt adding an RSS feed to your website in 2023 will bring many benefits and help you build a successful online presence.

Are there any downsides to using an RSS Feed for websites?

Like any technology, RSS feeds come with certain drawbacks. The biggest one is that most users nowadays don't use RSS readers. So, you'll have to rely on other methods (such as email newsletters) to notify your followers of new content and updates. Additionally, if you're running a blog or an e-commerce site, you need to make sure your RSS feed is up to date with the latest content. If it's outdated, it can be a turn-off for visitors and they may not engage with your website.

Overall, an RSS feed can be hugely beneficial if you use it carefully and keep it updated. It's best to use this technology in combination with other methods such as email newsletters, social media posts, and blogs to get the most out of your content.

Conclusion

Adding an RSS feed to your website in 2023 can provide numerous benefits such as increasing visibility, discoverability, and engagement. However, you should make sure that your RSS feed is always up to date to get the most out of it. Additionally, you should use other methods such as email newsletters and social media posts in combination with your RSS feed to achieve the best results.

Overall, if used correctly, an RSS feed can be a great tool to help grow your website's online presence and reach more people with your content. So don't wait any longer - start setting up your RSS feed today!