My auto RSS content setup for Wordpress

rsquare · #1 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 06:32 PM

I thought my first post should be something helpful so here goes...

Like a lot of you I don't like to have to spend money for something that should be easy to figure out myself. But of course the figuring out is the hard part. I have at one time or another tried every RSS import script, mod, or hack to get a consistent RSS feed to post in a Wordpress blog and this is my current "solution"

First get and install FeedWordPress

Code:

http://projects.radgeek.com/feedwordpress/

Next get and install Gregarius into a sub directory on your Wordpress site

Code:

http://gregarius.net/

Be sure to also DL and install the RSS View plugin

Code:

http://plugins.gregarius.net/index.php?req=info&id=7

Once you have Gregarius setup be sure to enable the RSS View plugin.

When you set up your RSS feed links in Gregarius you can edit the title and description which is one of the reasons I use this setup.

Now when you update (Refresh) Gregarius you will have your RSS feeds retrieved that you can view and then use the RSS View link at the bottom of the Gregarius page to add to your FeedWordPress. Note - Be sure you are viewing an individual feed in Gregarius before you grab the RSS link. Run FeedWordPress with the Gregarius RSS links and you're done.

The whole thing can be then set up with a CRON job to update your Wordpress blog.

Feedwordpress Cron:

Code:

http://projects.radgeek.com/2007/11/22/feedwordpress-0991-bug-fixes-reorganization-minor-features-added-and-mu-compatability/

Gregarius Cron:

Code:

http://forums.gregarius.net/comments.php?DiscussionID=553&page=1#Item_0

When I update Wordpress with this setup there is one drawback to Gregarius in that you cannot CRON delete the entries in the database. You would have to login as admin and remove the feeds under "Items" A work around is to truncate the item table in Gregarius with this PHP script:

Code:

<?php
MYSQL_CONNECT('host','database_username','database_password');
@mysql_select_db("database_name") or die(mysql_error());

$query="TRUNCATE item";

mysql_query($query);
mysql_close()
?>

Note - Be sure to rename your Gregarius update.php file to something else so no one can update the feeds.

This may seem a little convoluted but my reasoning is that instead of grabbing an RSS link off of a news site and just throwing it into FeedWordPress I can, with Gregarius in a sub directory keep some of the authority as the RSS feeds are being generated from my domain.

If you grab a raw feed and use it you will see the difference. Also you have the ability to edit the title and description for each feed so you can personalize and perhaps brand the feed to be more unique.

Duplicate contact can be a problem but I figure constant updates to a blog are even more important.

Anyway that's my RSS feed setup for Wordpress and if you give it a try let me know how it works out...

Thanks all

l30p0ld0 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 06:41 PM

thanx.. gonna try it out as soon as I can. Btw, is Gregarius similar to feedburner feedsmith?

**berrycorp** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 06:50 PM

looks gud! gr8 post!

whynot · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 07:33 PM

Thanks for this, great first post.

Maybe there is a way to incorporate uniquefier.com into this to sort out the dupe content issues.

The uniquefier plugin is discussed here:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...-websites.html

**gifmore** · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 10:19 PM

Hi rsquare,

Did you have an example of a website showing RSS content fed using this method, that you'd be willing to show us?

Cheerio.

webmate · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 10:25 PM

why not just use smartrss

**linus100** · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 11:09 PM

Great first post rsquare.
Do u know if this method will work with WPMU?
Hope to see more of this.
thanks

rsquare · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2008, 11:42 PM

The whole idea of using this method is to give you ability to retrieve any RSS feed and maintain it separately from the blog. Gregarius is an online RSS feed reader but with the addition of the RSS plugin you can in turn use that feed with any import process.

Quote:

gifmore
Did you have an example of a website showing RSS content fed using this method, >that you'd be willing to show us?

None that I could offer up at this time.

Quote:

webmate
why not just use smartrss

Actually I've used smartrss in the same setup replacing FeedWordPress. The idea behind this process is to take advantage of Gregarius' ability to edit the feeds title and description, you can even change the RSS feeds icon. So it really wouldn't matter what RSS importer you used, this setup just gives you a little more control.

Thanks all...

**gifmore** · #9 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008, 12:37 AM

Anyways, since I'm on this thread, have you folks had experience with creating affiliate network/product RSS feeds?

So for example, as I understand it, there are RSS feeds (and generators for them

)
for:
Cl*ickb*ank products
A*mazon
e*Bay
CJ
and others...

There is a service by r*ssgr*ound.c0m that does provide feeds from CB and Amzon + general RSS feeds. What I don't like about it is the monthly cost and the fact that the feeds are served from their server. If the server goes down or they go out of business, all the feeds in your websites would go down? (Arrghh ..........)

Another forum had suggested using free features from:
Da*p*per.net
pipes.y*ahoo.c0m

Please do share your experience (and the types of scripts/services)?

Cheerio

f00fSteR · #10 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008, 04:03 PM

thanks alot... i'm going to try this out for my set-up today

anyone try out the W0rdPr3ss Un1qu-efier... made by the same dude that created w0rDpr3ss r3wri-ter ? there is a saes page on dp... not sure if anyone tried it out yet or if it's in the members section yet... please do notify me when it's up

-f00f

Needhelp · #11 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008, 04:40 PM

Here it is

hxxp://rapidshare.c0m/files/135316394/uniqu*efier.rar.html

**blackhit** · #12 (**permalink**) 08-06-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f00fSteR

anyone try out the W0rdPr3ss Un1qu-efier...

There's a lot of info in this thread (and an additional DL on MF)

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...r-plu-gin.html

f00fSteR · #13 (**permalink**) 08-07-2008, 08:31 PM

thanks alot... yeah... the un1quef13r doesnt look too promising... it mainly changes the html code... to confuse the serps... not much of something to look forward to... completely greyhat/blackhat it would be good for someone who wants to open up a strickly copied site and then just let it be to gain traffic to your main site... wouldnt recommend to anyone with even a little knowledge of SEO!