JavaScript Feeds and Content Syndication



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JavaScript Feeds and Content Syndication
By Brian Alt

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Ezine publishers get numerous requests to reprint articles and other content items. Today's tip will enable you to allow other Web site owners to incorporate your content into their sites, while you retain direct control over the actual content and its presentation. It will also allow you to change the content on a regular basis, without the individual site owners having to make any hands-on changes.

The technique uses JavaScript and allows site owners to pull a file from your server that will be included within a Web page on their site. It functions similar to Server Side Includes (SSI), but doesn't require that both files be on the same server.

The technique is useful for a number of applications, most notably the syndication of your ezine content on a number of other Web sites. You could either charge for access to the content, or you could allow other site owners to use it for free in exchange for the promotional value it will create. Links back to your own Web site can easily be included in the "syndicated" file, as can your site logo or other graphics.

A few examples of how this technique can be used:

Jokes - Jokes are a perfect example of "short" content that is ideal for JavaScript feeds. A very successful example is JokeADay.com, which offers both free and fee-based joke feeds at: http://www.jokeaday.com/6feed.shtml

Tips - Short tips are another great content item for use with JavaScript feeds. Publishers could make tips available to sites with similar content, and could update the content on a daily, semi-weekly, or weekly basis.

Cartoons - Cartoons and other images are another application of the "feeds" idea.

Here's how you technically accomplish the JavaScript feed: Sites that will syndicate your content will need to insert the following code within the page on which they want your content to appear:

The ".js" file itself, which needs to reside on your server, would be a text file that looks something like this:

(Watch out for apostrophes in your text, which must be preceded by to function correctly and not interfere with the JavaScript code.)

Then, by simply making changes to the ".js" file, you could update the content on all of the sites syndicating your content. It's a simple technique, and one that can very significantly increase the reach and exposure of your ezine content.

Master Syndicator ($99) is one of the most popular and easy-to-install programs that automates the above process. It is detailed and available for purchase on the Web at: http://willmaster.com/master/syndicator/

Ezine-Tips for March 22, 2001

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JavaScript Feeds and Content SyndicationBy Brian Alt

JavaScript Feeds and Content Syndication
By Brian Alt