How To Podcast

Understanding RSS



Since both podcasts and video blogs depend on RSS for their success, it is important that you have a clear understanding of what RSS is, and how it works. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, or Rich Site Summary, or RDF Site Summary - whichever you choose. As you can see, experts can't even agree on that!

Regardless of what you want to call it, all three of those phrases mean the same thing. It means that your site, blog, or podcast is available via RSS. RSS has a very technical explanation that goes along with it, but it is too complicated for anyone that does not have an IT degree to understand - which is why many people run away from it when they look for ways to promote.

But it is really very simple, and can be put into laymen's terms. RSS enables you to syndicate your data on the World Wide Web. When you view the word 'syndication' think about newspapers and how they syndicate columns or comic strips. The column or comic strip is available in multiple newspapers around the world. The same is true when RSS is used, basically.

When RSS is put into play it takes information and creates an excerpt of it. An example would be the first paragraph, or even the first fifty words of a blog post. The title of the post would also be used in the RSS. This information is used in the RSS feed.


Now, users are able to download one or several of numerous aggregators or feed readers and subscribe to sites, blogs, or even podcasts that are RSS enabled. When they open their aggregator or feed reader, they will see the headlines, and possibly the excerpts of the latest blog posts, site content, or podcasts.

They can also view these things inside of the aggregator, but may click on the link (usually the title is linked), and actually visit the site, with the aggregator or feed reader acting as a browser.

There are also services that don't require an aggregator or feed reader to subscribe to RSS. Examples are major sites that allow users to customize the page, such as Google's Personalized Homepage, Yahoo, and MSN. People can subscribe to your RSS and add the feed to these personalized homepages.

Continue.. (part 2)

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