I'm so frustrated, can someone help?

[Jodi]

I want to add content, but is RSS the only way to do it or can I just cut and paste the article over to my website along with their url's. I'm so confused about rss and feeds. You have to be so computer saavy about learning all of that and is there someone that can explain it without technical words?
Thanks.

[boysbach]

Hi Jodi for the moment I would say forget RSS. I need to learn about it myself but no time at present. Try putting articles on your site. If you want to play it safe and make sure there are no copyright disputes go to an article site and get the articles from there following their rules. I use www.goarticles.com who email you the article and you can then copy and paste it without any problems. As I say check the rules, there are loads of other places you could look for good articles. The other option would be private label articles where you can use them as your own. Might be worth checking what is available in your niche.
Bev

[blackstone]

One good thing about RSS feeds is that the search engines view it as new content and revisit more often. Or so I'm told.
And it's automatic once you set up your feeds.
Larry

[Rosalind Gardner]

Hi Jodi,

I agree with Bev and Larry. If you know how to cut and paste HTML code, do that to get your articles on your site right away.

However, setting up a Wordpress blog would actually make things easier. Wordpress is actually a content management system, so you can avoid having to upload stuff to your site via FTP (if that is how you're doing it now).

Cheers,
Ros

[blackstone]

Here is an example of how I use rss on one of my sites. Go to
www.homeschooltalk.info and you'll see a link called Homeschooling news.
I use a plug in called Niche feed to supply constantly changing content.
This is not to have you buy anything or to say this is a great site. It's not, because it needs work. Just to show how you can put rss on a site and forget about that part of it.

[Jodi]

Thank you.

I don't know what a wordpress blog is but I will try to find out. Now, as far as setting up the rss feed, is that something I need to purchase and install? I have been to about 10 sites and all of them mention the rss feed and don't have any other explanation as to how we can obtain the article. They have broken lines around the article, so I assume those particular ones are for cut and paste right?

So far I am writing my own articles which are not professional sounding. There is so much to learn. I appreciate your feedback.

[blackstone]

Hi, Jodi. Isn't it exciting to be starting?
There are many different blog platforms out there. Word Press is a free "platform" to create blogs.
They're real easy to install if your hosting has cpanel. Just look for the Fantastico icon and then word press. It really is simple. It qualifies under my criteria " easy enough even I can do it."
I believe there are free plug ins to put rss feeds on your site. Plug ins are kind of like instructions for your blog.
I use a paid tool to tweak Word Press and the rss plug in is included.
In my case, I no longer build html sites, only Word press sites. The benefits to me are the reason.

As far as your articles, they are good enough to put on your own site, I'm sure. The thing that I think is important is they reflect you and that will make you a real person to your readers.
With practice, you'll feel confident enough to put your articles elsewhere. I'm sure they're not that bad, either.
Larry

[Jodi]

Larry, wow what a great site you have. I appreciate your feedback. So,
when you say you get constant article feeds fresh all the time, do you sign up with an article site and they just give you what your niche is and you don't have to do anything?

I am so computer illiterate that I wonder if this job is way over my head. My husband is building the site, but he's in the same boat as I am. We built a website years ago and still have it at www.serviceimages.com and that's as far as we ever got. It's just an informative site for my business.

Well, we may host the site by the beginning of next week whether or not were ready just so we can get affiliates and articles on it. I will appreciate everyone's feedback! Promise you won't make fun of my homemade articles

Jody

[blackstone]

Hi, Jodi.
Thanks for your compliment. Most of my sites are pretty ugly. I had a little help with the header on this one.
First, eat the elephant one bite at a time.
Second, I'm not sure "pretty" is the most important thing in a website. Functional, yes, but it doesn't have to have bells and whistles.
Third, you may or may not believe it, but there's not much difference in your skills and mine.
I have seen some people recommend Yahoo for hosting because it's reliable and inexpensive. That's not what I use but from what I see, it's fine. I think Ros recommends some hosts, too.
I won't make fun of your articles. You are doing the most important thing; you're doing it.
I fooled around for a long time without ever doing anything except spending a lot of money.
I don't promise to have all or even some of the answers but if I can help. Let me know.
No strings. I won't try to sell you anything. You can use the pm function in the memberlist or just post here and get answers from somebody else. Someone that may actually know something.

[boysbach]

Jodi I would recommend you get hosting with someone like hostgator rather than yahoo. I have just moved from yahoo and they are good but hostgator is better. If you want to use wordpress then it comes with hostgator and also yahoo, more choice with yahoo. It really is simple and will take just 5 mins to install a basic one. Yes it is an ugly one but it is the one I use until I finish getting niche rapid websites up and running. But the advantages of hostgator is you can host multiple site for the same fee and it is cheaper than yahoo.

Jodi if you are wondering about your articles here is a suggestion, go to an article directory like www.goarticles.com and post them make sure you put your link to your website in and watch people use them. That is always encouraging as well as giving you some backlinks.

Blackstone I have a question about rnw. I have it but you know the rss is it a plug in with rnw or if not how do I get a plug in?
Bev

[blackstone]

Hope you're enjoying RNW.
I am guessing you are referring to the Niche Feed Plug in. If so, yes it is included. Go to the support forum. I think the link is there or at least you will be able to get it.
If you have any problems, PM me through the forum and I'll get it for you.
If you need any other help, I'll try to help.
Larry

[boysbach]

Larry apologises I missed your name in the thread. I am banging my head on the desk with rnw at the moment. I have changed the graphic at the top of the page but can't get rid of the original words. I have put a question to the forum.

I hadn't got as far as the rss plug in so it is nice to know about that before I needed to get it. I am trying to see how it works, following the instructions but got bogged down with the graphic.

[blackstone]

My answers aren't always the best but will get you through.
Go into your admin page and delete the title of your blog.
That will stop it from "bleeding through". That way you can go ahead until someone can give youa proper technical answer.

[boysbach]

Larry in other words I need to upload it to word press and do it from there. I have been trying in rapid formatter no wonder I have been hitting my head against a brick wall.
Thanks
Bev

[blackstone]

Now, I may know what you're doing. You're still on your desktop. I misunderstood.
I thought your site was already loaded.
I am not real sharp on Rapid Formatter. Most of what I do is still the old way before RF.
I don't mind at all trying to help but email me through here.
I don't know if Ros wants this to be the RNW support forum.
Larry