RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and while as a concept it has been around for several years it is only recently that its use has caught on with fervor and brought it immense popularity. Today there are several websites of all sizes that are using RSS technology to their advantage and so can you.
Users typically have to subscribe to RSS. The content is provided through what are known as “feeds” and the users need software known as feed readers or news aggregators in order to read the feeds. Whenever website content is updated the aggregator fetches the content summary and informs the user of it. The user can then go and read the full update. This is the advantage of RSS technology in that the provided does not have to push anything on the user. The user is simple informed of the update and left with a choice to actually read the full update or not.
Some websites offer Atom links instead of RSS. Though there are some basic differences between the two there are no major advantages or disadvantages that makes one the better of the two. Websites with feeds will have a small logo saying RSS or Atom and you simply need to click on them to subscribe.
An RSS feed in itself is nothing impressive and when you start providing them you too will have to create it. The technology is not new but it is the use that is impressive and powerful. You can easily inform all your subscribers of updates to your website easily through RSS feeds.
