Optimizing WordPress for RSS

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is the best way to propagate a blog throughout the Internet, reaching thousands of updating services and search engines when it is properly set up. WordPress comes with a single pre-configured service (Ping-O-Matic) supposed to be the only resource you need to ping.

Even though, you can optimize your WP pinging system by removing such service by manually adding the updating services that you want to reach. An advantage of Ping-O-Matic is that reaches the most common web feed services, but sticking to it has also drawbacks. In example, your blog may be unrelated to certain channels, or if the submission fails, your updates will not be delivered to the services, which are down or over capacity.

Configuring manually the updating services let you gain control over the places where your content will be listed whether you send full or summarized text, removing services unrelated to your niche or target audience. On the other hand, do you need Ping-O-Matic delivers updates to a Tibetan Updating service? Probably do not at all, so learn more what are the services you are currently sending news using the WordPress default setting.

Now move away from the feeds configuration area, and keep in mind that RSS is not only about providing updates for content, but it also includes other metadata that is sent along the way. Such data comprises page title for each post, description (if available) and keywords or tags associated to each article, post or even images that are published from your blog’s library.

Adding this information to your content allows to updating services a better classification of your blog, which results in a better positioning in their local listings. Fortunately, there are many plug-ins to enhance any WordPress feature, and adding Meta information is essential to optimize your feeds. Other plug-ins add extra capabilities, such as include the content of published pages in the RSS list.

WordPress pings whenever a new blog post is published but never for existing or newly created pages, unless you have activated a plug-in to add this functionality. Nonetheless, optimizing RSS feeds is not just pinging, but also preventing it. Every time that you update old posts or rewrite and entry, WordPress sends a ping that may raise a spam flag in the updating services. Therefore, make sure to have also set up a plug-in to disable send-on-post-update unless it is absolute necessary to resend such information.