How Do RSS Feeds Work?

If you're even moderately observant, while cruising the Internet, you've probably seen these funky orange RSS feed buttons with what appear to be radio (or internet) waves on them. Some have RSS imprinted on them, or various symbols and even XML. Even here, your home away from home Associated Content, they're displayed on every page. But what, exactly, do these RSS feed buttons do?

Those little orange buttons enable RSS feeds from various sites around the Internet to practically hand deliver new or updated content from a variety of sources straight to you. The initials stand for Really Simple Syndication. But be forewarned, they can be deadly for Internet surfers who like to click on everything. Start following those buttons around and you're apt to lose track of what you're doing real fast if you don't stay focused.

Essentially, RSS feeds send you updates whenever your favorite websites; blog's, news, personal pages, etc., update. Experts project that book marking pages will soon go the way of the dinosaur, so website owners and builders, take heed. Nevertheless, only about 2% of online browsers currently utilize RSS feed buttons. Of those, most are in the 'younger' age bracket of 40 and under. For most users, RSS appears threatening, and for casual web browsers, may seem more than they're willing to tackle.

Others find the orange buttons, which produce alarming computer codes, intimidating. What they don't know is that before you obtain an RSS feed, one must have an RSS reader. In the past, once the reader is installed, web surfers needed to copy the website address from their browser into their RSS reader. Lack of clear how-to instructions prevented many from even attempting this.

These days, people with limited computer know-how can access RSS with a click of a button and the work is already done. RSS feeds can be linked to personal and corporate websites, blogs, Podcasts and blogging communities such as MySpace. Even major national news organizations like the New York Times are revamping their feed options for 2007.

A couple of the easiest ways to access RSS readers is through newer versions of internet browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, which already contain the readers. Popular search engines such as Yahoo and Google offer user-friendly options to access RSS readers as well, while Bloglines and Newsgator are a bit more technical and not as user-friendly. RSS allows subscribers to receive new and updated content notifications, which are either offered as summaries or full versions of material from respective websites. Such feeds can be read through what is called an 'aggregator' reader.

Businesses access hundreds of thousands of feeds daily, the latest in fast, easy information streaming. Huge corporations like Disney uses feeds to deliver video clips for information media. Music corporations use it to alert subscribers to new content and sounds, while the U.S. Geological Survey feeds information on earthquakes to seismologists throughout the globe.

RSS feeds are being touted as the TiVo of the Web. However, they also vary in length and capabilities. The bugs aren't completely worked out yet. Designed in 1999, mostly by Netscape, RSS feeds enable readers to not only read the headlines, but to visit originating websites for further information, a plus for most. One of the world's largest feed management providers, FeedBurner, currently handles over 500,000 feeds to 300,000 publishers on the Internet, with almost 30,000 subscribers, from John Smith down the street to huge corporations like Hearst and Reuters.

Advertising via feeds offer stiff competition between Google, Yahoo, AOL and fast growing RSS feed companies such as FeedBurner, with huge potentials for maximum exposure. The year 2007 will more than likely see vast improvements in methods of advertising and marketing, not only for huge conglomerates, but for personal and small business websites as well. Don't be left behind.