Connecting the web with RSS
A quick introduction
version 0.1
tim@practicalparticipation.co.uk

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication
It is a key bit of ‘plumbing’ for connecting different
bits of the social internet together

Most social media websites and tools either:
Produce and output RSS feeds
or
Consume and take-in RSS feeds
or
Both

That means you can link different social media tools and
websites together - and get more out of your content

For example, we can take an RSS feed of
headlines from a blog...
That means you can link different social media tools and
websites together - and get more out of your content

And feed them the side bar of an online
Ning network...
For example, we can take an RSS feed of
headlines from a blog...
That means you can link different social media tools and
websites together - and get more out of your content

And feed them the side bar of an online
Ning network...
For example, we can take an RSS feed of
headlines from a blog...
That means you can link different social media tools and
websites together - and get more out of your content

You can connect the things that produce RSS...

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...Google alerts...

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts...

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts...
...News websites...

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...with things that consume and work with RSS

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...like personal dashboards...
...with things that consume and work with RSS

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...like personal dashboards...
...blog side bars...
...with things that consume and work with RSS

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...e-mail subscription
...like personal dashboards... services...
...blog side bars...
...with things that consume and work with RSS

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...e-mail subscription
...like personal dashboards... services...
...blog side bars... ...Facebook pages...
...with things that consume and work with RSS

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...e-mail subscription
...like personal dashboards... services...
...blog side bars... ...Facebook pages...
...widgets for your
website...
...with things that consume and work with RSS

You can connect the things that produce RSS...
...like blogs...
...twitter...
...Google alerts... ...photo and video
sharing websites...
...News websites...
...and lots, lots more.
...e-mail subscription
...like personal dashboards... services...
...blog side bars... ...Facebook pages...
...and hundreds of other online tools that will display print, process, combine,
...widgets for your map, promote, search and share your content
website...
...with things that consume and work with RSS

So how do you do it?
Step 1: Find the RSS feed from a web tool that outputs RSS
Look for one of these icons on the website and click it.
(Atom is a similar format
to RSS - and works the same)
Step 2: Copy the address of the feed to the clipboard
Either copy it from your browsers address bar, or, when you are
sure you have found a feed, go back to the link you clicked - and
this time ‘right-click’ it, and select ‘Copy link location’
Step 3: Paste the address into a tool that consumes RSS
That’s it - you’ve just connected two bits of the internet together!

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.
e.g.

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.
e.g.

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.
e.g.

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do.
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
your site onto any
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
your site onto any
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
Feed content into
Facebook and other social
your site onto any networks
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
Feed content into
Facebook and other social
your site onto any networks
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
Feed content into
Facebook and other social
your site onto any networks
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
Listen to what
people are saying
as a result and capture
feedback
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
Feed content into
Facebook and other social
your site onto any networks
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
Listen to what
people are saying
as a result and capture
feedback
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
Feed content into
Facebook and other social
your site onto any networks
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
Listen to what
people are saying
as a result and capture
feedback
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Much of the social internet is made up by small tools that
each do one thing, and do that one thing well.
Publishing content Sharing video Online networking Tracking conversations etc.
RSS allows you to connect them together to do what you
want to do. Get headings from
Feed content into
Facebook and other social
your site onto any networks
other site using
widgets
Get videos into a
e.g. side-bar on your blog
or website
Listen to what
people are saying
as a result and capture
Offer e-mail subscription to your blog feedback
And you can daisy-chain tools together...

Using RSS Feeds you can:
• Publish content once, and have it seen in many places - taking
content to where people are;
• Provide content to your constituency on their platform of choice -
whether that is online, e-mail, using RSS readers or even print;
• Allow others to easily remix and re-use your content - creating
new opportunities for people to engage with you;
• Keep track of information and interaction across the web by setting
up your own personal dashboard of RSS feeds;
• And a whole lot more...

This was
Connecting the web with RSS
A quick introduction
version 0.1
tim@practicalparticipation.co.uk
For updated versions check http://www.timdavies.org.uk/tags/rss-tutorial