How to Get an RSS Feed on Your Website

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Setting up an RSS feed helps readers track updates and changes to your website. Without any special software or fancy coding skills, you can create a simple way for people to keep up with your latest news.

Step 1: Log in to Google Reader
Create a Google account if you do not already have one. Log in to Google Reader and click on the "Your Stuff" link on the left side of the page.

Step 2: Drag "Note in Reader" to toolbar
Click and hold the button on the right side of the screen labeled "Note in Reader." Drag this button to the bookmarks toolbar of your internet browser.

Step 3: Open pages you want listed in RSS feed
Open all of your web pages that you want listed in your RSS feed in separate tabs or browser windows. Be sure to open all of the pages that are updated on a frequent basis.

Tip
Don't worry about including relatively static pages, like a page with your contact information.

Step 4: Highlight portions of web pages you want in feed
Use your mouse to highlight the portions of the first web page that you want included in your feed. Leave out navigation areas, contact information, or other parts that aren't updated frequently. Press the "Note in Reader" button in your browser's bookmark toolbar.

Step 5: Add tag and post item
Click the "Add tags" box in the pop up window that appears. Type a word into the tag field. Click the "Post Item" button.

Step 6: Repeat with all remaining web pages
Repeat this process by highlighting and tagging significant parts of all of your other web pages. Be sure to use the same tag each time.

Step 7: Make RSS feed public
Go back to your Google Reader account. Click on Settings and Reader Settings in the upper right corner. Click the "Folders and Tags" tab. Find your tag word in the list and click on the gray RSS feed icon to make your feed public.

Tip
Distribute this feed quickly to an e-mail list by using the e-mail feature next to the gray RSS icon.

Step 8: Create feed using Feed Burner
Right-click the "View Public Page" link next to the RSS icon and choose to "Copy Link Location." Go to feedburner.google.com, paste the copied link location in the box, and click "Next." Follow the steps to set up a title and address for your RSS feed that you can track yourself, share with friends, or make public on your own website.

Did You Know?
RSS was created in 1997, but didn't become popular until the popularity of blogs increased in the mid-2000s.