Do RSS feeds show page updates?
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I just found out that all my edits and additions to previously published posts get the whole post reported again on readers’ rss feeds (really a pain–I think of my blog as a craft resource/ how-to book that I’m publishing chapter by chapter each of which seems to require a lot of editing, even after I finally think I’m done).
I don’t like the workaround to this at all which is setting the blog to “private” temporarily while making those changes–means readers will find a locked door marked “private blog-where’s your password” instead of their tutorial. (It would be slightly better if the locked-out sign read “down for maintenance” or something like that)
So now I’m wondering if pages are the same–do new pages and/or changes to existing pages show up on feeds?
Hoping I can at least edit those without locking readers out…The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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No there are no RSS Feeds for pages. Pages are for static content that rarely if ever changes. http://en.support.wordpress.com/post-vs-page/
You cam limit how much of a post not page goes out on the RSS feed here > Settings > Reading
select “summary” -
A WordPress blog can either be structured as a page based website or its conventional post based structure can be retained. That’s why understanding the differences between posts and pages is key to decision making when selecting a theme, and setting up your WordPress.com blog In order to comprehend the consequences s of choosing to have a page based structure rather than a conventional blog structure you can read this article: Better Blogging at WordPress.com: Pages and Posts
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Thank you timethief. My feed setting is on ‘summary’ thank goodness, but i still hate the idea of that summary going out again and again as I edit little bits here, add pictures there, etc. I looked into page-based vs post based early on, and opted for post-based. I didn’t realize this problem about editing posts back then though. Maybe I should look into it again. I’ll wait til the holidays are over and try to figure it out.
Happy holidays and thanks again for all your help! -
Just out of curiosity, why do you think your readers by RSS would be annoyed at receiving post updates?
If you are adding new/updated information to old posts, it’s the best way for your readers by RSS to find out about it, unless you make a special blog post just about having made updates (which is the only way readers by email will find out).
And here I am assuming the RSS feed and emails as generated by WordPress.com and not third party utilities like feedburner, etc.
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(Do third party utilities work differently? Will they follow my setting of “summary only” for feeds?) Yes, if I added a lot of substantive content to a blog I would make an announcement post–I did that when I finally added video to the tutorials, I put out a post announcing it. Also if I make a new page.
But usually my edits are more like adding a picture for a step in the tutorial that didn’t have a photo or obsessive rewording to make things clearer, or like just recently I learned (from Panos’s wordtips blog) how to put in little links within the post to jump down to another point in the post (or link to an explanation/ definition of a term etc) so I spent a long editing session going through various posts and doing that…
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@ingridcc Yes, the summary is what is published to your RSS feed so any feed reader will pick up only what’s been published to the feed.
@tt, I believe the purpose of that Setting is to notify site admin(s), or whoever is designated on a multi author blog, when someone makes a revision… not so much for subscribers. http://en.support.wordpress.com/email-post-changes/
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@justjennifer
My mind was on cooking and I posted from my “notes” without checking that page. You’re right. Thanks for chiming in again. :)
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