Bloggingtricks

Wikipedia says:

RSS is a family of web feed formats, specified in XML and used for Web syndication. RSS is used by (among other things) news websites, weblogs and podcasting. The abbreviation is variously used to refer to the following standards:

*Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0)
*Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91, RSS 1.0)
*RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9 and 1.0)

Web feeds provide web content or summaries of web content together with links to the full versions of the content, and other metadata. RSS, in particular, delivers this information as an XML file called an RSS feed, webfeed, RSS stream, or RSS channel. In addition to facilitating syndication, web feeds allow a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site using an aggregator.

Why is this a big deal? And why should you care? RSS is the reason blogs have become so popular. Without RSS, blogs would be just another set of web pages competing with millions of other web pages for attention. But RSS is a way of making sure that you and your readers stay connected with very little effort in between.

RSS solves a problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows readers to easily stay informed by retrieving summaries of the latest content from the sites they like. Readers save time by not needing to visit each site individually. RSS also helps ensure reader privacy. Since the reader doesn't have to join via email there's no way to identify any individual.

RSS also solves the problem of bounced email. Even when people subscribe to web-based newsletters and emails, SPAM filters often get in the way of information delivery. RSS eliminates that problem since the only thing seen and requested is the raw data feed coming from the site.

RSS readers (or aggregators) make it easy for readers to follow their favorite web content. This is why the chicklets on the right sidebar of my blog are so important. Using these aggregators, readers can easily connect to my content automatically without remembering to visit on a regular basis.

If you've never tried RSS or an aggregator, now is the perfect time. I use Bloglines.