In one of those site
hopping sprees, you might have noticed that tiny XML icon that says, “Syndicate
this site”, and you probably wondered what it means. That small icon is RSS, or
Really Simple Syndication, an easy and simple way for sites to share and users
to grab the latest news from a particular website.
What is RSS?
Everyday, millions of
stories and content is generated on the internet by companies and individuals. Selecting
which content is relevant to you and keeping track of them can be a daunting
task if done on a daily basis. This is where RSS comes into play. With RSS, you
can have the latest headlines and stories from your websites of choice
delivered fresh to your PC or mobile device everyday.
Once a website has
published content, this is immediately populated on your monitor. Through RSS,
you may get combined or aggregated news
from different websites in a single window. This is made possible by RSS
aggregators.
Why Use RSS
·
To keep track of the weather
RSS is a helpful tool
for obtaining the latest weather news, such as hurricane and earthquake
warnings and evacuation measures. This is especially important if you live in
those areas near hurricane alleys, large bodies of water or earthquake belts.
·
To get the latest buzz
Because content is
automatically populated from servers, RSS users are able to get the latest on
sports, celebrities, politics, and other news of special interest to them.
·
To get tips and insights on hobbies and
interests
From photography to
dog training to handicrafts, the Internet offers a wealth of information and
bits of advice to help you harness your skills and indulge your interests.
Subscribing to RSS gives you real-time updates on these important data.
·
To muse at brilliant photos or download
wallpapers
With RSS you can have
wonderful photos, wallpapers and other cutely stuff delivered straight to your
screen on a daily basis.
·
To read fresh blog updates from your favorite
bloggers
Blogs do not only
rouse interest and offer insight on a variety of subjects, they are also a
great way to stay updated with your friends or relatives’ goings-on especially
if they live far away from you.
·
To get a daily dose of laughter and
inspiration
Want to perk up your
mornings? Subscribe to feeds of sites that offer jokes or inspiration quotes of
the day.
·
To stay updated with foreign exchange rates
This is especially
helpful if you have a relative or family who’s working abroad and when you’re
bound to travel to another country. RSS helps you decide better on when to have
currencies traded.
RSS is simple and easy to use. Most RSS feeds come for free,
too. Within 30 seconds to a few minutes, content can be easily populated to the
viewer’s screen. If you are thinking about building a website, adding RSS feeds
to your site will not only boost site performance but increase customer loyalty
as well.
