RSS Feed and Feed Readers - Explained
RSS stands for "Rich Site Summary." You sound really smart when you let people know you know this.
Has this happened to you?
You find an amazing blog post, and want to subscribe to have emails sent to you every time new info is posted. But alas, there is no place to sign up for email updates - just a link to RSS, that orange square icon with white sound waves on it. What the heck is RSS?
And when you click on it, you get something that asks if you want to add it to shared links. (What are shared links anyway?) You click cancel, and a pop up window tells you there is no software on your computer to open RSS. It offers to send you to the App store if you are on a Mac. You go, and a bunch of seemingly unrelated apps pop up. At this point, you GIVE up!! Or at least I do.
After doing this for years, I finally wrote to my friendly Fine Art Studios Online website artist support agent. Marsha was incredibly helpful, and I've supplied her answer below. But here's what I ended up doing.
I went to Feedly.com. Why? A cursory web search indicated this feed reader is web based, so you don't have to download anything. You can log in with your google or Facebook account, so you don't have to enter any new passwords or information. It is rated as one of the most popular feed readers out there currently. Google used to have one, but they quit their reader and now endorse Feedly.com. Since I am convinced Google will one day succeed in world domination, we may as well get on their good side now, right?
At Feedly.com, you sign in and viola! They even have the RSS feeds from blogs I followed in the early 1990's before I even knew what a blog was! After getting over the shock at how much Feedly knows about me - more than I remember about me, and I AM me - I settled in with a cup of coffee and read through my RSS feed.
I am now secure in the knowledge that I have done something 21st century people do!
Here is how to add my blog, or any blog, but I'd love it if you'd add my blog, to your Feedly reader!
Go to my blog.
Now go to the right hand column and click on "Follow this blog" there under the archives.
Next, you may get a pop up window that asks to add to shared links. You can do that later if you like, but for now please click "Cancel."
Another friendly pop up window will appear. From this, you want the URL. For my blog, the URL is
feed://data.fineartstudioonline.com/rssfeed.asp?id=27768
Highlight and Copy this URL.
Now, go to Feedly.com and sign in. See where it says "Add Content" on the left side? Click on that.
Paste the URL you copied into the search bar.
Now, see that green square with a plus sign in it? Click on it, and you will have the blog added to your feed.
Whenever you want to read through some blogs, just go to feedly.com, sign in and peruse your list. I hope you find this useful!
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FROM MARSHA -
Debra,
We do not have anyway for persons to be notified of blog posts via email nor any way to have your email newsletter subscribers 'sign up' for your blog.
One of the things people love about blogs is that they are NOT dependent upon email.
Each individual will have to choose to sign up to receive your blog posts via the RSS feed link, using the RSS feed reader on their computer.
An interested collector who signs up for your feed will be 'notified' by the feed reader on 'his' computer when you have added a new blog post.
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Email is becoming problematical as a content delivery method. Inboxes are flooded with spam and filters are getting more aggressive. Delivery of email is down to 34%. People no longer want to give out their email addresses as they know they are going to receive more junk mail.
The Ponemon Institute's recent study on trust and credibility in marketing revealed that over 80% of those surveyed do want to hear from companies they have dealt with. However, they only want to receive material that is relevant to them, based on their past purchasing habits and they want it delivered in a way that they can control.
RSS fits all these parameters. It is a secure delivery method. RSS has a 100% delivery rate. Subscriptions are anonymous. There is no spam. If the content no longer appeals to the reader they can unsubscribe with one click - and they are actually unsubscribed!
For more info on RSS feeds please see the following articles from Clint's FineArtViews.com newsletter:
UNDERSTANDING Feed Readers...Here is a wealth of info for you to peruse:
From FASO Founder Clint Watson's FineArtViews.com newsletter:
RSS Feed Know How for the Feed Frazzled
http://theextraordinarypencil.blogspot.com/2008/03/feed-know-howfor-feed-frazzled.html
Feed Your Artwork to Your Fans with RSS
http://faso.com/fineartviews/1714/feed-your-artwork-to-your-fans-with-rss
Web Traffic Driver #9: Build RSS Subscribers
http://faso.com/fineartviews/1793/web-traffic-driver-9-build-rss-subscribers
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And - there are these sites that have more information than most of us ever need.
An article with some basic info on RSS feeds:
http://www.rss-specifications.com/what-is-rss.htm
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_RSS_Basics
http://www.press-feed.com/howitworks/rss_tutorial.php#howarefeedsdifferent
I have a few blogs and sites that I follow regularly. Their updates come directly into my reader - all organized by website. (not mixed up with other stuff in my personal email account)
I sit down with my coffee in the mornings and check my reader. Much more enjoyable and efficient than email.
Sincerely,Marsha Robinett
Artist Support Agent
