RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content, which was created in 2000. It uses XML to distribute data from a website or application in a standardized format that can be read by different machines or programs called aggregators. When controlling your WordPress RSS feeds, it is important that users always subscribe directly from your domain rather than through third party services, and you can categorize or tag your feeds to better target your readership. Services like IFTTT, Jetpack, MailChimp and FeedBlitz can help automate tasks like posting to social media or sending email updates from your RSS feed.

1. Take Control of your WordPress RSS
RSS:
Quietly working behind the scenes since 2000.
Heather Solos @heathersolos

2. What is RSS
• Created in 2000
• Rich Site Summary
RSS 0.92
• Real Simple
Syndication
RSS 1.00 & 2.00
• XML
• eXtensible Markup
Language

3. XML vs. HTML
• Carries data
• Readers,
aggregators,
or your own site
• Displays data
• Browser friendly by
default

4. Control your readership
• You need to control your subscribers.
– Good www.example.com/feed
feeds.example.com/example
– Bad feeds.feedburner.com/example
feeds.feedblitz.com/example
Users should always subscribe to your feed on
your domain.

5. WordPress Feeds
• Categories
• Tags
• Authors
• Combinations

6. Automation Made Easy
IFTTT
If This Then That
Feed updates
creating an action

7. JetPack
Automates
social
Post – Email

8. MailChimp
• Free up to 2k subs
• Limit 12k emails per month

9. FeedBlitz
• Ask me in person or visit
• FeedBlitz.com/pricing