Get the News You Want, When You Want: An Intro to RSS Feeds

Tags: #RSS #Social Networks #News

How do you get your news online? You probably use news sites or social media with algorithms that promise personalized news. However, these algorithms often prioritize sensational or extreme content. What if you could follow all your interests in one place without algorithms deciding for you?
You can.

✨ Welcome to RSS feeds! ✨

Screenshot of Feedly classic feed reader app on iPad showing a magazine like layout with multiple articles of different sizes. One of them: Simplest View transition multi page demo

What is RSS?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It’s a tech that gathers updates from your favorite websites and shows them in a streamlined feed. Imagine having a custom newspaper that only features the topics you care about. Cool right?

How Does RSS Work?

  1. Choose a Reader: Pick an RSS reader to collect and display your feeds. Popular options include:
  2. Find Feeds: Look for the RSS icon (an orange square with white radio waves: ) on websites you love or try adding /feed or /rss to their URL. Rss.app can generate feeds for sites which don’t have a feed.
  3. Subscribe: Copy the feed URL from the website and paste it into your chosen reader. Some readers, like Feedly for example, include a feed search, so you don’t have to search for the feed URLs yourself.

Why Use RSS Feeds?

  1. No Algorithms: Unlike social media, RSS feeds show you everything in time order. There’s no mysterious algorithm deciding what you see.
  2. No Clutter: You get pure content without ads, suggested posts, or irrelevant updates.
  3. Efficiency: All your favorite stuff in one place means less time searching and more time enjoying.
  4. Control: You choose what you want to follow. Nothing gets buried in endless timelines.

Getting Started is Easy

To start, choose an RSS reader that fits your lifestyle. For a simple, clean experience, try Feedly. It’s user-friendly and works on both web and mobile. After setting up, explore your favorite sites. Find their RSS feeds and add them to your reader. Before you know it, you’ll have a custom, ad-free stream of the stuff you love.

Give RSS feeds a try and take control of your online experience. Enjoy the content you want, when you want, without the noise.
Happy reading!

Portrait of Moritz Glantz

👋 Moritz Glantz is my name…

…and I am an Specialist for Web Accessibility and UX-Engineer with over 20 years of experience, by day and a podcaster by night.

I help organizations build accessible websites by offering talks about accessibility, workshops & trainings, accessibility reviews and developing strategies for developers and management.

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