RSS feeds

(Terms used on this page)

What Is RSS?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It is a web content format which, when used with an RSS "aggregator" (such as your web browser or a free news reader you can download) allows IMRF to alert you to new content on a website. These "news feeds" enables you to avoid having to browse or search for information on a website. New content is delivered directly to you.

RSS feeds are commonly used on weblogs (blogs), news web sites and other places with frequently updated content. Once you subscribe to an RSS feed, you can gather material from web sites of your choosing. It’s a very convenient format because it allows you to view all the new content from multiple sources in one location on your desktop.

RSS is written in the Internet coding language known as XML, which is why you see RSS buttons labeled that way, commonly with these icons: , , or

How To Use RSS
Whenever you see an RSS icon, it should link to an RSS feed that you can subscribe to via your RSS "client." The RSS client allows you to view the RSS feed.

RSS clients included the latest version of browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox as well as the latest version of Microsoft Outlook

If you do not have access to the latest versions of browsers or Microsoft Outlook, it is very easy to search the web for a stand-alone RSS news reader that can be downloaded at no cost.

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Why Is RSS Important?

• Web users are finding RSS (along with podcasts) to be a very efficient method for keeping up with current news that interests them.
• RSS saves users from having to repeatedly visit favorite websites to check for new content or be notified of updates via email. Instead, article summaries are delivered directly to them. They can choose to visit the websites when the RSS feeds contain summaries that look interesting.
• It is now very common to find RSS feeds on most major web sites, as well as many smaller ones.
• According to a January 2005 Pew Internet & American Life report (PDF), 5% of internet users say they use RSS aggregators or XML readers to get news and other time-sensitive information. An October 2005 Yahoo/Ipsos study (PDF) reported that 12% of internet users are aware of RSS and 27% consume RSS syndicated content without knowing it via personalized home pages (e.g. My Yahoo!) Although this is a relatively small number of users, it is expected to grow. And people who subscribe to RSS are usually frequent and loyal website visitors.
• More and more government agencies are using RSS to increase awareness of government information.
• Adopting new communication channels leads to better communication with the public.
• RSS can allow government agencies to more easily track updates to each other’s content. This offers potential for increased collaboration and information sharing between agencies that could reduce duplication and inconsistencies across government websites.
• The process for developing an RSS feed is relatively simple and inexpensive.

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Terms On This Page

Blog

A blog (a portmanteau of web log) is a website where entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order

RSS

Aggregator In computing, a feed aggregator, also known as a feed reader, news reader or simply as an aggregator, is client software or a Web application which aggregates syndicated web content such as news headlines, blogs, podcasts, and vlogs in a single location for easy viewing.

Podcast

A podcast is a collection of digital media files which is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers.

Portmanteau

A portmanteau is a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings.

RSS

RSS (formally "RDF Site Summary," known colloquially as "Really Simple Syndication") is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines or podcasts

XML

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a general-purpose markup language. It is classified as an extensible language because it allows its users to define their own elements. Its primary purpose is to facilitate the sharing of structured data across different information systems, particularly via the Internet.

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