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An RSS Feed question

  1. cabincontrol
    Member

    I just started my first blog so I'm still getting the hang of this. I hope this isn't a stupid question.

    Do I need to put an RSS Feed widget on my blog for OTHER people to subscribe to MY blog via RSS? Or is that widget for ME to use to subscribe to OTHER sites?

    I'm a little confused on the wording in the support section for RSS Feeds. I read something online that said RSS Feed icons are natural on every site and don't need to be added. ???

    Also, how do you decide which RSS Feed to use? There seem to be so many?

    The blog I need help with is clarksblogcabin.wordpress.com.

  2. raincoaster
    Member

    The RSS widget is so other people can subscribe to you. Sometimes the RSS button is built in to the theme. Your RSS feed is http://clarksblogcabin.wordpress.com/feed

  3. cabincontrol
    Member

    Thanks raincoaster. So, do I specify RSS Feed providers or, do readers choose their own. (I know, I warned you I was new to this.)

  4. cabincontrol
    Member

    I just tried adding the RSS Feed Widget. It doesn't have the "Enter the RSS Feed URL here:" line. Just the one for a title. Any idea what I may have done wrong?

  5. raincoaster
    Member

    There are two RSS widgets: one displays your posts automatically and encourages people to subscribe; the other is one you use to display the RSS feeds of OTHER bloggers.

    And you let your readers choose which feed readers they use.

  6. cabincontrol
    Member

    Thanks for your kind patience and for not calling me an idiot! :)

  7. raincoaster
    Member

    No worries. We were all beginners once. I only get snippy with impolite, condescending people.

  8. cabincontrol
    Member

    I hope it's not too late to ask another question? Which options do RSS Feed Subscribers like and not like for bloggers to use? Content? Author? Date? Title? How many items?

  9. cabincontrol
    Member

    And, if I include content, will it feed readers the entire post or just a summary they can click on to read more?

  10. raincoaster
    Member

    You set that under Settings->Reading, I believe, or it might be Settings->General. In general it doesn';t matter unless you're making multiple posts a day how many are in the the feed. I set mine to 20. Readers prefer full posts to summaries, but you may wish to "force" them to the site to read your post, especially if you use video, which doesn't show up in feeds.

  11. cabincontrol
    Member

    Is there a way to offer readers an RSS Feed with just an RSS button? I have mine set and it'd displaying everything in the right menu column. I'd like to get rid of the clutter.

  12. cabincontrol
    Member

    Wow. I don't do Facebook, Twitter or anything like that. Just this blog. I won't have any means for readers to connect, share or learn about the blog. (I just found the Sharing Settings.) Maybe I should have called my blog "Clark in the Dark."

  13. raincoaster
    Member

    You can make a text widget with an RSS button in it if you know how to do code.

    You don't have to be a social media juggler. Each user sort of creates their own online world, and for some it includes each of those platforms and for some it doesn't. Just enable them to post your blog links to each platform and leave them to it.

  14. cabincontrol
    Member

    You really are patient.

    Code is out. A secret handshake I can manage, but code? I did what you recommended in Sharing. I dragged every available service there and will leave them up to those users. As for me, I like keeping the postman employed. :)

    I like what you said, "Each user sort of creates their own online world," That puts all of this back into perspective for me and relieves the stress. I'm doing this for me to enjoy. It's hard to enjoy when you're stressed over "unnecessary" details.

    Have a great night, raincoaster. Thanks heaps.

  15. cabincontrol
    Member

    Just to show you that I'm not a complete idiot, I figured out how to set up my Webmaster Tools Verification set-up with meta tags successfully for both Google and Bing. I'm catching on... :)

  16. raincoaster
    Member

    There you go. It took me a year to get that done.

    Psst: secret tip: the easiest way to make a Text Widget, which MUST be written in code, is to compose it as a Draft Post. Once the post looks right in the preview, then click to the HTML editor, copy all the code there, and paste THAT into the text widget.

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