Think about how convenient it would be to find all your favorite sites, blogs, and podcasts in one place. This brings us to what is RSS? With an RSS feed, you can follow and stay updated on all these websites from a single location.

If you’re here, chances are you’re interested in learning about RSS and how to find and use it for your WordPress site. So, what is RSS exactly?

RSS, which stands for “Really Simple Syndication,” is a feed format for publishing frequently updated content ⌨️ like news and blog posts, and making it possible for people to consume this content through an RSS feed reader (app) of their choice.

With RSS feeds, publishers can easily syndicate their site’s content without the need to do it manually. RSS feeds are also useful for readers, as they let them know when their favorite sites add new content.

How to subscribe to an RSS feed of a WordPress site

Feed readers are the apps you’ll need to subscribe to RSS feeds. You can find a lot of high-quality feed readers for free on all the most common platforms and devices.

After deciding on and installing an RSS feed reader, you can aggregate RSS feeds from multiple sources. Most feed readers allow you to browse for topics and then subscribe to the most popular websites writing about them. You can also organize your favorite websites by topic. There are also feed readers that allow you to email, print, or share the most interesting articles.

How to find an RSS feed of a website

You can easily find a site’s RSS feed by adding /feed/ to the end of its main web address. For example, like so: SITE.com/feed.

This method should work in 90% of the cases. If it doesn’t, you can try using a browser extension like Feedbro, which will help you not only pinpoint a more mysterious feed address but also read through the feed’s archive straight in your browser window.

👉 If you want to learn more on how to find the RSS feed of any website, read this.

How to use RSS in WordPress

To better tailor your site’s content, look for relevant RSS feeds and add them to your site. You can use keywords to narrow the feeds’ content. After setting up RSS on your WordPress site, there are several ways to use it. Here are some examples:

  • Collect information from several sources and showcase it on your blog without ever leaving the WordPress admin panel.
  • With just a little bit of work, you can make your own website consisting entirely of information you’ve curated from other sites.
  • Keep your audience up-to-date on topics they’re interested in by linking to relevant feeds.
  • Expand your online presence and reach by automatically sharing the feeds’ content on your social media.

However, before incorporating any RSS feeds into your website, make sure you’re complying with all applicable laws. You might need to give credit to the content’s owner or get permission to use RSS feeds for business purposes.

👉 Here’s more info on how to use RSS in WordPress in many creative ways.

Wrapping up on what is RSS 🍬

With your newfound knowledge of what is RSS and what role it serves on a website, you can start using it to distribute your content and keep up with changes in your industry.

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