Leverage Your Design News with RSS
Over the last few days I've been visiting sites created by independent illustrators and designers, curious specifically about the extent to which they're using RSS syndication to promote themselves. And I have to say I'm shocked at how rare the use of this by-now almost banal technology remains. This is really a shame, since RSS is simple enough to add to almost any site and can really help get the word out.
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) goes back almost a decade, when Netscape introduced it as method of providing information via "channels" that were available for subscription through Netcenter. In this approach sequentially-added information, typically news headlines and some initial text, is stored in an XML file, which is updated by a site or service and read periodically by a feed reader or aggregator. It's simple to create and use, and has received widespread acceptance, with podcasts being just the latest flavor of RSS.
But let's start with the basics. Many designers and illustrators don't even maintain a rudimentary "what's new" area on their site to track what they're up to: new clients and projects, awards, creative directions or technologies they're involved in, comments on trends in their field, etc. Call it a blog if you must but generating a stream of information about what a designer or small shop is up to has value, if for no other reason that it helps create a human point of contact for prospective clients that goes beyond just updating an online portfolio. Nothing wrong in demonstrating that you're thoughtful and articulate, as well as a brilliant designer—and in fact it's the kind of thing that can lead to offers to contribute to magazines or books, or speak at events. It's all part of life's great pageant.
All that wonderful, keyword-laden text will help you get indexed by the search engines, of course, so why bother RSS-enabling the what's new items? After all, how many of your visitors will subscribe? Probably not many, but that's not the point. First, if you're saying something valuable, part of your goal is to have other design-related sites hanging on your every word, so don't hesitate to let them know your area of expertise once you're cruising. Polish that brand identity!
The most important aspect of sticking an RSS feed onto the end of your missives is that you won't have to wait until visitors stumble upon your little corner of the graphical world. There is quite simply a staggering number of places you can list your feed these days and the good news is that there are currently relatively few feeds devoted to graphics and design, so you stand a good chance of showing up. Once injected into the mix, you will be "out there" and generate contact with your area of experience that would otherwise not be possible. Sure, it's casting a wide net. But beyond the time required, the cost to you is zero.
The nuts and bolts of setting up an RSS-enabled what's new section of your site are not particularly demanding—pretty much all of the free PHP-based blogging and CMS systems have RSS support, and simpler scripts are available. You can even create your own RSS feed by hand, as I have in the past, since you can edit the XML file in a text editor. Any way you do it, once it's up and you've posted a few items, head to Robin Good's Mastering New Media site and work through its list of 55 places to submit your feed.
I'd be remiss to not mention that both the Graphic Design Forum blogs and the Graphics.com newstream are RSS enabled. If you're displaying the headlines from either of these on your site (bless you), be sure to let us know. We'll profile you in the Graphics.com newsletter—a great way to reach 110,000 graphics-savvy readers.
Chris Dickman
Editor, Graphics.com
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