How to set up an RSS feed

Depending on who’s talking, you’ll hear that RSS stands for real simple syndication, rich site syndication, or RDF site summary. In all cases, though, its meaning remains the same: an RSS feed is a file created using a programming language called XML that contains an aggregate of all your blog’s content in one place. The file is then updated as more content is added to your blog, so that it remains an accurate and up-to-date record of all the content on your blog. Having an RSS feed for your blog is useful for two main reasons:
It’s in a standardized format, which means that many different software platforms, websites, and devices can access your blog’s content, no matter what platform you’re on.
It allows subscriptions, meaning that as your content is updated, people or programs that have subscribed to your feed will be notified of the update.
These two features make an RSS feed an easy way for people and programs to access the latest content on your blog without needing to visit the blog each time you add more. Through this simple “push” syndication of your blog’s content, an RSS feed is an excellent way of staying connected with your blog audience, and promoting your feed is a good way of attracting new readers.
The most common way that people interface with an RSS feed is through an RSS reader, also known as an aggregator or a feed reader. In the RSS reader interface, content is usually shown in the form of post headlines and summaries – sort of like looking at an email inbox. Then, as with e-mail, you click the headline to read the entire post, which opens up in a new window.
If you’re already using a major blogging platform such as Blogger or WordPress,  your RSS feed is automatically created and updated as you add new content. However, the degree to which you promote your feed to gain more readers depends on you. At the very least, make sure you include an RSS link on your blog home page for people to subscribe to your feed. Most blogging software tools will allow you to do this through the inclusion of an RSS widget into your blog interface. Besides including this link on your blog, you can also add it to your website, e-mail signature, and anywhere else you have a presence online.