Step 2: Creating Your RSS Feed File

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication (really!). An RSS feed is simply a text file with the extension .xml. You can name it anything you like as long as it ends in .xml. Inside and RSS file are directions that are written in what is called Extensible Markup Language or XML. It’s very similar to HTML tags that make up web pages. The easiest way to create an RSS file is to copy another RSS file as your template and then simply modify it as needed. This can be done in a web editing program like Dreamweaver, or in a simple text editor like notepad on a PC or BB edit on a Mac.

Here is a sample of an RSS file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<rss version="2.0">
  <channel>
     <title>Free Technology Guides and Tutorials </title>
     <link>http://www.guidesandtutorials.net/support-files/guidesandtutorials_rss.xml</link>
     <description>Sample podcasts from Guides and Tutorials </description>
     <language>en-us</language>
     <copyright>Copyright 2006 GuidesandTutorials.com - All Rights Reserved.</copyright>
     <lastBuildDate>Sat, 4 Nov 2006 18:35:21 PST</lastBuildDate>
     <ttl>240</ttl>
         <item>
               <title>Introduction to Podcasting </title>
               <link>http://www.guidesandtutorials.net/media-files/step1.mp3</link>
               <description>Podasting: A Step by Step Guide </description>
               <pubDate>Sun, 5 Nov 2006 12:10:56 PST</pubDate>
               <author>GuidesandTutorials.com</author>
          </item>
          <item>
               <title>College Student Talks about Using Technology</title>
               <link>http://www.edtechlive.org/vpd/podcast101/proj2_export2.mp3</link>
               <description>A sample podcast interview</description>
               <pubDate>Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:59:56 PST</pubDate>
               <author>CTAP Region 3</author>
          </item>
</channel>
</rss>

You can see the actual RSS feed here

See this page to copy RSS code and customize it for yourself

The easiest way to create your own RSS feed is to copy this one. Simply click on the orange RSS button above, copy the text from your browser window and paste it into your text editor. Make the appropriate edits to the links, title, and other elements in the file and then save it with your own name and .xml extension. Then you can upload this file to a web server.

Notice that your RSS feed has a “channel” that can include multiple items. Each item provides information about a specific .mp3 file. There is a title of the podcast, a link to the .mp3 file that is located on a web server, a description of the podcast, publication date in a very specific format. This is so that the feed readers will know you have a new item on your channel.

RSS 2.0 Specifications for details about the elements that should be included within the RSS file.

More RSS 2.0 Information from Feed Validator

A few notes about the tags:

1. Every tag is a pair that includes a beginning and an end tag. For example <Title></Title>.
2. Tags are case sensitive so TITLE is not the same as title.
3. Ending tags always have a backward slash ( “\” ).
4. The information between the tags is called an element.
5. Each podcast is included in its own item and you can include multiple items in one RSS file.

Guide to Podasting and Tutorials

All Guides and Tutorials

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