Avoid using feeds as content

July 27, 2007 / Filed under: RSS, Content

I've discussed why not to use feeds as content, and it's worth another post.

With more bloggers starting to use Twitter, Jaiku, Tumblr, etc - the option is available to import an external RSS feed as a method of creating new posts. I'm sure other services allow this too. I've noticed it on Facebook as well.

Although this may seem like a handy way to merge content, I firmly suggest not doing this, because it creates duplicate streams of the same content.

Your readers (followers, friends - whatever you want to call them) are responsible for managing your streams of content. It's not your job to "assist" them in this process. You're not assisting anyone. You're just repeating yourself, and aggravating your readers.

Keep your content relative to it's domain. Publish an RSS feed at that domain, and your readers will pick it up.

Your readers have tools at their disposal to help them manage lots of separate RSS feeds. For example, Yahoo! Pipes mashes feeds together into one larger, super feed. OpenKapow is a similar service that works along the same lines. If all else fails, their feed reader should allow some basic organizational techniques, such as using tags or folders to "group" similar feeds together.

The point is, as an author, don't worry about how your content is organized at the user-end. Just worry about publishing.

Comments/Mentions

# Andy at 7/27/2007 7:53 am cst

depends on the audience IMO. For example, friends on facebook may not be savvy and may never visit my blog directly. If it is syndicated on Facebook they will see the blog posts in something that is familiar to them. I also think appealing to the LCD (lazy common denominator) makes sense: make it easy for them to find, at the risk of alienating a couple purist super geeks, and gain more widespread readership. Since my target audience is friends and family most of the time, then syndicating my blog on facebook works well. Of course this is all speculation, since there is no way I know of to see who might be clicking posts syndicated elsewhere, and stats for my Wordpress blog are not specific enough anyway.

# Matthom at 7/27/2007 8:27 am cst

I see your point. Makes sense.

But consider... Why should content publishers sacrifice "proper usages" for inexperience? If users don't know how to load a blog in a browser, or if they prefer only looking at Facebook for all information, it's their problem/preference. Certain things can be taught. If you're suggesting an audience that isn't familiar with RSS feeds and readers, that can be taught.

I don't consider myself to be a "purist super geek." The only difference between me and a "lazy common denominator" is I am more educated on the right way (proper usages, etc) to do things. I am simply a step ahead learning-wise, not intelligence-wise. If people want to learn how to do it right, they'll ask me, since I keep up with all this on a regular basis. Key word: want.

As an example, I use Flickr to post photos, rather than passing email attachments around. Should I alert my family or friends via email every time I post new photos? Heck no. Since those family and friends may not be "versed" in using Flickr to stay updated on my photos, why should I have to go down to their level just to accommodate inexperience or unwillingness?

Maybe it is my "geek stubborness" that tells me to refuse coddling the users that aren't willing to learn the proper way to do things. Or maybe this is all just my opinion. I really don't know because the internet changes so fast, it's hard to keep up with the "right way" to do things - and who's to say it's right or wrong? Nobody... so perhaps I am looking into this too much. But that's my job writing the type of blog I write. Analyze, examine, and report. I'm no more correct than Walt Mossberg, but I'm also not entirely wrong.

It's all how you perceive it, and how much time you're willing to spend on the topic.