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What Is My Blog (Site) Feed?

This is The Real Blogger Status - and you are looking at the blog itself.

What you see is a lot easier for you to digest, than for computers to do so. There's another copy of your blog, though, that's designed for computers to digest, so the information can be passed to other places, maybe as part of another web site or blog, or to a reader who is subscribed to your blog, using a newsreader. The other copy is called the site feed.

The site feed contains each individual post, rewritten in XML. XML is a structured data language, making it easier for computer programs to read and process the contents. The site feed contains only the posts - nothing from the template. If the nature of your blog requires access to a gadget in the sidebar, your readers will need to visit the blog directly.

To find the published feed URL for any blog, look in the page source code.

"View" - "Source" gives the page source, and the feed URL.

From your browser, select "View" - "Page Source" ("Source" for Internet Explorer). Look in the header. Here's what you'll find, for this blog.

<link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="The Real Blogger Status - Atom" href="http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default" />
<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="The Real Blogger Status - RSS" href="http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss" />

You may find an example site feed, at the bottom of this page.

You may be able to see an example of what a site feed looks like, if you like. If you're viewing this post in main page view (or labels retrieval view), look at the bottom of the page, for

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

for a link to the posts feed, for the site as a whole. If you created a custom feed, using FeedBurner or a similar service, and if you properly redirected your posts feed to the custom feed, this link will lead to the custom feed.

Similarly, if you're viewing this post in single post mode, look at the bottom of the page, for

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

for the link to the comments feed, for this post. If you're in main page or label view, click here ==> The Real Blogger Status: What Is My Blog (Site) Feed?, then look at the bottom of the page. Do likewise for the post in your blog.

Enable newsfeeds, using the dashboard Settings - Other page.

To enable the newsfeeds, use the dashboard Settings - Other - "Site feed" wizard. The choice of setting for "Allow Blog Feed" affects the use of dynamic templates, and successful search engine indexing of the blog.

As a blog publisher (administrator / author / owner) and as a blog reader, you have a wide variety of subscription options - both of blog comments, and also of blog posts. Know the options.

There is a large complement of feeds available, for each blog.

This blog is The Real Blogger Status.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/

This blog has 5 site posts feeds.


This blog has 2 site comments feeds.

This post has 2 comments feeds.

This blog has 3 site pages feeds.



For an alternative discussion, see Blogger Help: Blogger Feed URLs.


Note that the normal URL for an Atom feed, as in the example above, is

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default

Consistent with the URL for the RSS feed,

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

You can similarly address the Atom feed as

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default?alt=atom

Some web sites and services may not accept the former, but may accept the latter, Atom URL. All feeds provide for URLs with both suffixes, "?alt=atom" and "?alt=rss".

You can subscribe to any feed, using any newsfeed reader.

If you have a syndication newsreader (not the same as a Usenet newsreader, please don't confuse the two), you can load any of the above links and have feed subscriptions for some portions of this blog. Depending upon whether the reader will accept Atom or RSS, you choose appropriately. RSS, supposedly, is more feature rich.

Use Following, for feed subscription and icon based blog to blog links.

For an exciting way to use newsfeeds, better than just a feed reader (which gives you a blog published to a bunch of anonymous strangers), try Following, which lets you see who your readers are. This gives you a targetable surfing environment - similar in concept to "Next Blog", but with less risk and uncertainty.

Classic feed URLs have practical use.

The (classic) site posts feeds were available with classic blogs. Starting with New Blogger 2006, additional feeds - comment feeds for the blog ("Blog Comment Feed"), comment feeds for each individual post ("Per Post Comment Feeds"), and Label feeds for the blog, are also available. The (new) naming convention supports a naming (URL) structure for those feeds also.

The Classic feeds, while appearing redundant, have their uses. If you're setting up a Google SiteMap, you'll discover their use. This blog is

blogging.nitecruzr.net

The classic feeds for this blog are

blogging.nitecruzr.net/atom.xml
blogging.nitecruzr.net/rss.xml

The Google sitemap requires the sitemap source file to be in the same folder ("level") as the web site (blog). The new feeds are in sub folders, from the blog root. Neither

blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default
blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default?alt=atom
blogging.nitecruzr.net/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

will work, to produce a Google Sitemap. Try it, and learn.

Your blog should have its own feeds, equivalently named, for you to use, with two notable exceptions.



You activate the various feeds from Settings - Other - Site Feed.

Knowing the URL of my feed, it's a fairly simple matter to verify that the feed is active - though not all browsers will provide this, automatically.

If you load what you think is your feed URL into your browser, and you don't see a similar notice, recheck your URL. But know what possibilities exist, before you do this.

Comments

Joseph said…
How do I enable per-post comment feeds to appear as a link on each post I make (like you do here)?
Nitecruzr said…
Joseph,

I added a bit more detail above. More to come later.

I haven't found a per-post feed yet. Pity.
Laura Brittain said…
Thanks for such helpful information! I felt so ignorant when I had no clue what my site feed url was supposed to look like or where I could find it. Thanks for enlightening us without condescending to us. :o) A VERY, VERY helpful post!
Allen said…
Atom: http://bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default

That was just what I needed to know to use the Feed Page Element in my sidebar for a Recent Comments entry. Thanks!!


/Allen
http://oldmanrunning.org/
Jamie said…
You ROCK!!! Thank you so much for explaining this to me in laymens terms. it worked and saved me a ton of time. Something this SAHM to 3 does not have. LOL
Unknown said…
thank you soooo much!! you are my hero
Maria said…
Thank you so much for this informative post! I had no idea what my feed link was and couldn't get the "Add This" button to work. Your post saved the day. Thanks again. :)
Prof. Rigeli said…
There's no Site Feed URL box in my Settings tab.
Nitecruzr said…
Hey Prof,

From looking at some of your comments and forum threads, it looks like your blog is producing an aggregated feed (FeedBurner?). I need to do more research about FeedBurner, and when you cite its URL. FeedBurner vs Google SiteMaps is a topic for discussion coming soon.
Bo said…
I am looking for a way to have all of the information that is posted to the blog (whether it is a Post or a Comment) to be emailed to all of the members of the blog. Is this possible?
Nitecruzr said…
Bo,

You can use BlogSend to email notifications about new posts. Only new posts though. For comments, you can use the Comment Notification email address.
Admin said…
Hi, This is really helpful. i will try on my blog
Marc Charmois said…
Thank your very much for your help
xue_ling86 said…
xnThanks for the tips
Pastor Potter said…
i can't get my blogger site to feed into my facebook for some reason. it used to, but now it doesnt?
Nitecruzr said…
Josh,

What's the URL of the blog?
Center Parted said…
I know yours is an old post, but its still very helpful. Thanks!!
el Kontra said…
I'm new at blogging. Other bloggers have tried to add my blog on their blogroll but it's always rejected. I have a content warning enabled and that's all that appears also if you search on google the content warning appears as the title. My friends say its the lack of a feed. I've been working on it all day and always get the redirect loop error thing.

my blog is:

http://despepute.blogspot.com/

On my blog's feed settings I've tried using the following urls:

http://despepute.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

http://despepute.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

but still my feed cannot be detected. I will appreciatte your help. Thanks.
Nitecruzr said…
El Kontra,

Your Atom feed "despepute.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default" shows up fine in my browser, as a feed. Do you have an open thread in GBH: Something Is Broken? That would be a good idea, in your case.
el Kontra said…
Thx, Chuck I will post at GBH, I did another comment similar to this one, I apologise but I am going a bit mad trying to figure this out. My main concern is that other bloggers can see my updates on their blogroll. Thx again.
Jhangora said…
Thanx a lot for the comprehensive coverage of the topic. I am not very comfortable with feeds. Got a better understanding now. Keep up the good work.
Anonymous said…
Hi,

I've just started a blog and am really confused by all the "technical speak" regarding blogs. I somehound found your blog and it has helped me immensely. Thank you!
kvirrueta said…
This blog post was SO helpful...thanks a million!
Thank you for the help.

http://pumpkinbuttkittyfantasticfinds.blogspot.com
I have a small problem. I mistakenly submitted my blog to a blog aggregator http://teabreak.pk. And because my site feed settings was full content, my original content is now duplicate on the web. How can i stop appearing my future posts publishing on that aggregator website and how to remove my previously published content from their website.

I have already changed my site feed to short. This is my site feed address: http://www.lahoregardening.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
christine said…
I have the setting for "allow blog feeds" set to "short" for my blog, however, when the feed is sent to a reader (I use Google), no part of my post shows up. Just the title of the post, a link to my blog and this line "by noreply@blogger.com (christine)"

Any ideas what the problem might be?
m@ly said…
thanxs
Surya said…
Thanks for tips.
Unknown said…
Very helpful - had forgotten a lot and needed to add my feed to my fastpitchnetworking PHPR profile - worked a dream and all my blog posts were imported to my pofile. Job done!
Eliz Frank said…
Thank you! This was a great help!
Elizabeth
Melanie Crouse said…
Thank you, thank you! It feels like I searched on Google for hours before finally finding someone who answered ALL my questions in one easy to follow place. Thank you!
Kathy Webster said…
Okay, so I found this part of your blog and it answered all my questions regarding Feed, at least I think it did!!!

And I also found out that a blog is a type of website! Cool Beans!!!

I thought that it seemed to act like one, but not being as up-to-date in the tech dept as I would like, I wasn't sure!!!

I am really pleased with all the info you provide and how easy everything sounds when you explain it!!!

I am truly "thankful" that I found your blog!!! You have helped me so much!! Thank you!!!

Kathy

BTW, How can I add the Word Verification to my blog?
Bethany Cousins said…
The "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" part helped me out tremendously! Something so simple that I will never forget! Thanks bunches!
Unknown said…
Great article ...Thanks for your great information, the contents are quiet interesting. I will be waiting for your next post.
Maricel said…
Thank you for this very helpful information. Saved me precious time finding out what I needed. Been in the blogging world for a few months, and I admit there's still a lot to learn. More power!
Unknown said…
Dear life-saver

I love the content of your blog. However, I have a problem that, being a relative noob, I cannot solve. Here is my blog, http://thevesh.blogspot.com/

If you go to the archive (Into the Wormhole), you'll find that there are 11 posts for October. However, if you click on the October link and open it in a new page, only 5 posts are listed. Could you tell me why this happens and how to fix it? Thanks!
Nitecruzr said…
Thevesh,

We can diagnose your problem best, if you post in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.
This was very helpful. I knew the process but was still confused till I saw an what a feed url looks like on your blog. Thank you for the useful information. Fredilia Momodu-Personal Blogger
Unknown said…
The "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" part helped me out tremendously! Something so simple that I will never forget! Thanks bunches!
alat seks pria
alat bantu seks pria
Anonymous said…
The "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)" part helped me out tremendously! Something so simple that I will never forget! Thanks bunches!

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