RSS and SEO – how RSS feeds help your website

RSS and search engine optimisation are rarely mentioned together, but they are more connected than you might think. Here is what RSS actually does for your visibility – and what it does not.

Does RSS improve rankings directly?

No, an RSS feed gives no extra points on its own. But it makes it easier for search engines and services to discover new pages quickly, and it spreads your content to more readers. More readers bring more links and more traffic – and that affects visibility.

Help search engines find new content

Both a sitemap and an RSS feed show which pages are new. The sitemap gives the full picture, while the RSS feed shows the latest. Make sure to:

• Link to the feed in your page code with an alternate link.
• Keep the feed valid – test it in an RSS validator.
• Use the correct date on every article.

Spread your content further

With RSS others can show your headlines, news aggregators can pick up your articles and your own channels can be filled automatically. Every new article gets more ways in to your site.

RSS widgets and duplicate content

If you show other people's news with an RSS widget, you do not need to worry about duplicate content. The widget shows headlines and short excerpts that link to the original, and it loads in the browser after the page – it is not part of your own text.

Build a great feed for your own blog

1. Give every post a clear headline and a summary.
2. Include an image – it looks better in readers and widgets.
3. Publish regularly so readers have a reason to follow the feed.

Summary

RSS is no shortcut to page one, but it is a simple and cheap way to get new content discovered and shared. Combine a good feed with a sitemap and regular publishing. To learn the basics, read What is RSS?.