Pretty Borders Tool
An RSS feed is a regularly updated XML document that contains metadata.This is where we talk about how to add an RSS feed to your Squidoo lens, but before that...
What is RSS? - A very simple explanation
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and it allows you to add content from other websites to your lens, by doing nothing more complicated than copying & pasting a single line of code into your Squidoo lens.
Lensmasters appreciate RSS because the content from the other site is automatically updated on your lens whenever it changes at the source site. Lovely piece of work indeed.
Why use RSS feeds?
1. New fresh content is added to your lens frequently, without you doing a thing. Search engine spiders love fresh content.
2. Squidoo won't even list your lens until you have 4 or more modules. That is, 4 blocks of information on your page. Writing several short articles is one way to achieve that. Adding an RSS feed is an easier way. I recommend both.
Where do you get RSS feeds from?
Today almost every publisher & blogger provides a feed expressly so you can publish their content on your site. Look for the orange XML rectangles or the more recent square orange RSS logos, and click on them. They are RSS feeds. Just copy these URLs (web addresses) into your lens -- details coming right up.
If you're stuck and all you want is to add something relevant to your lens, then here is the code for a Yahoo News feed about Seth Godin, the creator of Squidoo:
http://jeremy.zawodny.com/ynews-search-rss.php?q=seth+godin&go=go
How to add RSS feed into your lens?
Step 1. Login to your Squidoo account. Click on 'Edit this lens'.
Step 2. Click on 'Add Modules'. Click on 'RSS: Add your own feed'.
Step 3 (Optional). If you want to move the new module up from the bottom of the page, click on 'Preview Lens Layout' and when the page reloads hover your cursor over the new module, left click to grab it and then drag it upwards. When it's where you want it, release your mouse.
Step 4. Click Save.
Step 5. Scroll down your lens again. You are still in edit mode, so find the new RSS module you just added and click on Edit. Write a title. Your title should include your main (primary) keywords. In the URL panel, paste this:
http://jeremy.zawodny.com/ynews-search-rss.php?q=seth+godin&go=go
A quick look at that code shows you that you can add a 3rd word by doing this at the end of the line: +godin+newword&go=go
And of course, you can change the words it's pulling up news for.
I will let you experiment with the other options. See what each of them does. Anytime that you are not sure of what to select, use the default settings - that's a good rule of thumb with computers.
For frequency of updates, I often use either 6 hours or 12 hours. Because I want a frequently updated lens.
Step 6. Click Save.
Step 7. If you want to change what you see or try the other options, click on Edit again (as in step 5). Continue experimenting until you're happy. Then scroll to the top of the page and click Publish. When the page refreshes, click on 'View this page' to see your handiwork.
How hard was that?
You have just produced a lens (a website) that gets automatically updated with fresh content every 6 or 12 hours. Nice work. Come back tomorrow and add something new to your lens.
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BluJay has RSS reader option under preferences. Enable it before "burning" your store. Feedburner is actually a blog optimizer for higher search engine placement. It can be used for any website, blog, whatever with a url address.
Get it Here: http://www.Feedburner.com
Go for the free Pro, fill out extras for subscription services.
Burn your feed (site) once. Feedburner also has a Ping service. I Ping daily, sometimes 2ce.
PingMyBlog also works similar: http://www.pingmyblog.com/
Major search engines have Submit a Site links.
Get more traffic by submitting your store.
Do a web search on blog/website burning or optimizing. There are hundreds out there but those two are the easiest and best.
PingMyBlog has about 50 to 60 RSS subscription services that may overlap Feedburner. I haven't counted how many RSS readers Feedburner targets... a lot more.
your feed URL is your store (sign-up) name link with /rss/ between .com and your name.
(http://www.blujay.com/rss/greendotcom)
Use this site to see if the feed is valid.
http://feedvalidator.org/
http://www.squidoo.com
Site Meter is a great free place to get a counter for your store. There is also a lot of other good information that the site provides. Be sure to use the HTML code - not the java. Blujay does not accept Java. The code can be placed in your Sales policy as that appears with every ad. CLICK HERE to go to sitemeter
http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=stats&s=sm7modgrape
There is a link below to UltraGuest for a free Guest Book that works on Blujay. You will need to use the HTML code and it can be placed anywhere you want it - In your TOS, your More About Me, etc. CLICK HERE to go to the Ultraguest website
Free Guestbook by UltraGuest.com
http://ult-tex.net/counts/index.cgi
http://www.isdntek.com/tagbot/borders.htm
http://auctionfb.com/
http://www.oodle.com/local/anderson-township-oh/
