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What is an RSS feed? And how do I make the most of them?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication". You may notice the RSS symbol when visiting your favorite blogs and Websites. When you click on an RSS symbol, you will be prompted to obtain the feed for the blog or Website you have visited. You can streamline this process and make the most of your feeds by creating an iGoogle home page and/or for advanced users, a Google Reader. See examples:

iGoogle Home Page

Google Reader

Once you have set up your iGoogle home page or Google Reader, you will have a much easier time when collecting all your favorite feeds. Now when you click on the RSS feed, you will be prompted to add it to Google. Occasionally, you will need to copy and paste the feed URL into Google. Below are 2 recent screen shot examples of adding a feed:

There are many great benefits to adding and sharing RSS feeds. A major benefit of collecting all your favorite feeds is that you basically create a custom online newspaper with all your favorite news and industry sources. No more traipsing across the Internet to find all the best articles....they are delivered directly to you!

Real estate agents you know the importance of "location, location, location". There's no better location to market freely to your client sphere then on their own iGoogle home page or reader. So save your marketing budget and share your RSS feed with your clients, friends, and family. Encourage your blog visitors to subscribe to your RSS feed. By doing this, you've just become a staple on your visitors personal home page! Now that's one fabulous call to action: build your subscribers and lower marketing costs.

If you think RSS is not for you, I urge you to just give it a try. This is the future of content! And I'm afraid that with over 100 million blogs out there, we could all use a great tool for organizing the best Internet resources and weeding out all the useless crap you are bombarded with.

To better understand RSS, watch this rockin' video.

Posted by Nicole Nicolay on 03/04/2008 03:32 PM

Comments (16)

rss, feeds, internet, blogging, technology

Post is included in group: Web 2.0
Post is included in group: Gadgets, Tools, & Extras
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Post is included in group: Rainmaking - Internet Marketing Strategies
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16 Comments on What is an RSS feed? And how do I make the most of them?

I try to add my feed anywhere I can and also from being part of blog burst my blogs are now being syndicated...for us it's a must as we get clients from out of the area such as Canada...it can be effective if it's utilized correctly.

03/04/2008 03:37 PM

by Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-CRS-Weston FL (RE/MAX Premier Associates)

Never really knew what that was all about. Thanks for the post, I can now do a bit of digging on the subject.

03/04/2008 03:42 PM

by Livonia Michigan Houses Bob Jakowinicz Livonia Real Estate (Remerica Liberty)

Nicole have you seen Pageflakes? Check out that site - great marketing tool :)

03/05/2008 06:36 AM

by Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty)

This is really good for articles that relate to customer questions.

Bonner

03/05/2008 06:56 AM

by Bonner Thomason CRS, ABR, GRI, e-Pro (Keller Williams Realty)

THis is a great post. I'll start working on my rss feed today.

03/05/2008 08:15 AM

by Larry Brewer Nashville real estate (Keller Williams - Franklin tn)

Very useful tips. Thanks

03/05/2008 01:12 PM

by Garreth Wilcock: Central East Austin Real Estate (The Pinnacle Group at Keller Williams)

Thanks. I didn't know about this and I'm having a ton of fun with it! I appreciate your post!

03/05/2008 06:07 PM

by Brinette Holdren - Residential Real Estate (South Bay Brokers, Inc.)

I will try doing this as well. Always new things to learn here at AR..

03/05/2008 06:09 PM

by John and Lisa Marker (Keller Williams)

Thanks for the info. This place is so educational. I'm RSS ignorant and need all the help I can get.

03/05/2008 06:18 PM

by Lissa Uder, Your Lebanon MO Real Estate Agent (A Helper Premier GMAC Real Estate)

Bill-Pageflakes looks very cool! But I'm in too deep with Google. Great resource though, thanks!

03/06/2008 09:58 PM

by Nicole Nicolay (Effektive Solutions )

The video is GREAT! Simple, easy to understand, and, may I say, entertaining as well. Anyone who doesn't understand RSS needs to watch! Thanks for that!

03/07/2008 09:12 AM

by Stephanie Ballou (Century 21 Central Falls Realty)

Nicole,

Great insights. I am starting to integrate feeds into my clients websites and have encouraged them to use multiple blogs on the free blog sites (i.e. - activerain, blogger, talk.realtor.com) What do you think about this multiple fronts approach as opposed to just having one main blog and linking to that?

04/04/2008 01:41 PM

by Brian Horan (Realtor.com)

Hmm this is great info about collecting feeds, but how do you get your content into a feed or place a feed icon that will then load your content into a feed that people can then subscribe to? help...

04/28/2008 09:42 PM

by Gina Kay Landis (Real Living Realty Services)

Gena, it much the same.

You need to register your account on, for example, FeedBirner.com and add your blog there. In Feed Details you can find your feed address, for example, http://feeds.feedburner.com/YourBlogIsHere/lgdhdv then add this link to your blog settings.

04/29/2008 12:18 AM

by StaceyN - Internet Marketing Specialist for PropertyMinder (PropertyMinder)

Gina-what is your platform? That makes all the difference in the world.

04/29/2008 08:49 AM

by Nicole Nicolay (Effektive Solutions )

Great Blog, Thank You so much. I am still trying to figure out how to do all the cool computer tricks and have learned so much by just reading other peoples blogs here on AR. Thanks again and keep up the great posts.

04/29/2008 10:17 AM

by Dione Sage (Nova Home Loans)

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