| We've all heard about it-it seems like all | | | | running a website on a Windows server. If |
| the buzz right now in the search engine | | | | you're using the PHP version of CaRP then |
| marketing industry is RSS. If you're a | | | | you'll want to use PHP pages on your |
| website owner, than there are two ways your | | | | website-or you will need to parse your html |
| website can benefit from using RSS on your | | | | pages as PHP pages.Finding an RSS FeedOnce |
| website-you can provide an RSS feed or, for | | | | you've installed the parser script, you'll |
| the not-so-technically-inclined folks like | | | | want to find the appropriate RSS feed to use |
| me, you can use an RSS feed to keep your | | | | on your website. Keep in mind that a lot of |
| site's content fresh.RSS is a way to | | | | RSS feeds are provided for "non-commercial |
| syndicate website content. According to | | | | use only", so if your website is a for-profit |
| Wikipedia, "RSS is a family of XML file | | | | website you'll need to check the terms of |
| formats for web syndication used by (amongst | | | | using the RSS feed before you use it.The best |
| other things) news websites and weblogs...the | | | | way to find an RSS feed is to search for it. |
| RSS formats provide web content or summaries | | | | Following my real estate example above, |
| of web content together with links to the | | | | searching for "rss real estate" (without the |
| full versions of the content, and other | | | | quotes) finds several feeds. Topix.net |
| meta-data." Wikipedia goes on to say that "A | | | | provides a real estate rss feed. By copying |
| program known as a feed reader or aggregator | | | | that URL and pasting it into the CaRP code |
| can check RSS-enabled web pages on behalf of | | | | provided by CaRP, you can add that code to |
| a user and display any updated articles that | | | | any web page on your website and the latest |
| it finds. It is now common to find RSS feeds | | | | Real Estate News from Topix will |
| on major web sites, as well as many smaller | | | | automatically appear. Another way to find a |
| ones."If you're a website owner, you can use | | | | feed is to look for a blog on your site's |
| RSS to your advantage in two ways: use | | | | topic. Most blog software includes an RSS |
| someone else's RSS feed or produce your own | | | | feed, so searching Google for "keyword blog |
| RSS feed. 1. Install a script on your | | | | rss" might also help you find a feed you can |
| website-whenever a web page on your website | | | | use.Adding an RSS feed on your web page won't |
| is loaded the script automatically loads data | | | | get you high rankings in the search engines. |
| from an RSS feed. If the RSS feed you choose | | | | A while back I tested this theory a while |
| to use is the latest news, then the latest | | | | back by making three nearly identical web |
| news will appear on your website. This is | | | | pages-one static page, one with RSS feed |
| fairly easy to set up and is good for search | | | | content on it, and another with a live RSS |
| engine optimization purposes. I'll discuss | | | | feed on it. It turned out that after all |
| installing an RSS feed script on your website | | | | three pages were indexed and ranked, the page |
| later on in this article.2. Provide an RSS | | | | with the live RSS feed actually ranks |
| feed of your website's content so others can | | | | third-the static page without the RSS content |
| use it. By providing an RSS feed of your | | | | on it always ranks the best. Search Google |
| website's content, you're essentially | | | | for "silly burlywood revenue" and you'll see |
| allowing people to use the content on their | | | | what I mean.Although adding an RSS feed won't |
| website or through their feed reader. In | | | | get your page top rankings in Google, there |
| either case, you're also providing links back | | | | are other benefits. For example, updating |
| to your website, which is good for search | | | | your web page's content on a regular basis |
| engine optimization purposes-it will also get | | | | gets the page crawled more often-and more |
| visitors to visit your website. Providing an | | | | active crawling can contribute to other |
| RSS feed of your site's content can be tricky | | | | benefits, such as ranking for terms that |
| to set up-or it may not be appropriate if you | | | | appear in the feed on your site as well as |
| don't have a lot of content on your website. | | | | causing new web pages on your site to get |
| I'll discuss your options later on in this | | | | indexed faster than they were |
| article.If you're a website owner, then | | | | before.Providing an RSS Feed of Your |
| chances are you want to keep your website's | | | | ContentDepending on your website's content, |
| content fresh. By updating the content on a | | | | providing an RSS feed of your content might |
| regular basis, the search engine spiders will | | | | be appropriate. If your website provides news |
| take notice-they'll visit your website more | | | | or contains a blog, then publishing an RSS |
| often and index the new content and new web | | | | feed might work well. Most blog software |
| pages-which can ultimately bring more | | | | automatically publishes an RSS feed of your |
| visitors to your website. For example, if | | | | blog, so you might want to find its URL and |
| your website is about real estate, you might | | | | start promoting it. If you sell a lot of |
| consider including the latest real estate | | | | products on your website, you might consider |
| news on your website. Users typically search | | | | making an RSS feed available-perhaps one that |
| for topics that are related to items in the | | | | includes your top selling products along with |
| news, so if those topics and keywords are | | | | their prices. Other websites might be |
| included on your website you can typically be | | | | interested in publishing that data for their |
| found in the search engines for those terms. | | | | users, and you would receive more visitors |
| It's like having your own real estate news | | | | and links back to your website, something |
| staff on hand, 24 hours a day, adding the | | | | that will help your site's search engine |
| latest news on your website.Installing an RSS | | | | rankings.Publishing an RSS feed is a little |
| Feed on Your WebsiteInstalling an RSS feed on | | | | more complicated, perhaps to lengthy a |
| your website is not as difficult as it | | | | discussion for this article. However, there |
| sounds. You simply install a script one | | | | are many good tutorials out there, including |
| time-and then anywhere you want the RSS feed | | | | Danny Sullivan's Search Engine Watch article |
| to appear you simply pick a feed and copy and | | | | about it, as well as the RSS tutorial at |
| paste some code on your page. The first thing | | | | mnot.net.Whether you use RSS to publish your |
| you need to do is figure out which script to | | | | own feed or you use someone else's feed on |
| use. If your website is using an Unix server | | | | your website, both provide great benefits to |
| and has PHP installed, the the easiest PHP | | | | website owners-and definitely will continue |
| script I've found is called CaRP. You will | | | | in the future to be used more and more.Bill |
| first want to visit the CaRP download page | | | | Hartzer is a successful writer and search |
| and download the file. CaRP has a free | | | | engine marketing expert who has personally |
| version that you can use on your website. | | | | created hundreds of websites over the years. |
| They request that you link back to their | | | | |
| website if you use it. Unzip the zip file and | | | | Extended bio info:Bill created his first |
| upload the files to your website using an FTP | | | | website back in 1996 to help promote his |
| program. Then, run the setup file in your web | | | | former database software business. It was |
| browser, chmod the appropriate files, and | | | | then when he learned about the power of the |
| continue with the directions given to you in | | | | search engines and web search, which helped |
| the web browser. Once it's installed, the | | | | potential customers find his business |
| script will give you code to copy and paste | | | | online.Bill Hartzer has over 15 years of |
| wherever your want the RSS feed to be | | | | professional writing experience. He has |
| displayed on your website. You can even | | | | survived stints as a writer for television, |
| change the font, size, and color of the feed | | | | as well as a technical writer for several |
| by specifying those attributes before the | | | | computer software companies in Florida and in |
| code.There are other RSS parser scripts | | | | Texas. Mr. Hartzer combines his writing and |
| available, but CaRP is the one that I'm more | | | | online skills to create compelling and useful |
| familiar with because its ease of use and | | | | websites for corporations worldwide. Mr. |
| ease of installation. To find other RSS | | | | Hartzer focuses on the optimization in the |
| parsers, you can search Google for "rss | | | | business to business arena, but applies these |
| parser script". CaRP is typically used if you | | | | optimization skills to business to consumer |
| have PHP installed on your website, and RSS | | | | websites, as well. |
| parser scripts are available if you're | | | | |