Should I have the RSS symbol on my blog?

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  formerchef · Member · Mar 28, 2009 at 5:25 am

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  Should I have the RSS symbol somewhere on my blog? Am I supposed to put it there?
  How do people follow my blog otherwise?
  I guess I’m a little confused about this and assumed it would be an option or even there automatically.

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  raincoaster · Member · Mar 28, 2009 at 5:33 am

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  Not all themes have it built-in. You can add it two ways: Either use the RSS widget and put your own feed address in it, or follow the FAQ instructions here:

  Put your feed in your sidebar

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  5700words · Member · Mar 28, 2009 at 6:04 am

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  Dear Formerchef,
  I am just learning too, but here is what I think after reading here in WordPress.com

  The RSS is not mandatory, but it is helpful in that it allows people to know immediately on their own desktop/browser Toolbar when you have added a new post. The process is: They click onto whatever icon they designated as where your feed (your posts) will show up. First they designate where, and then that is where your posts will show up if they click a button on their browser.

  Some people say that they would rather have people click onto their sites and have that counted as a Hit and other people say that having the RSS actually adds traffic to your site in that it maintains interest in your site.

  I decided to use the RSS because the latter argument swayed me.
  I myself have feeds coming in from blogs that I like to keep current with.
  Good luck. Sorry to write as if you were in the sixth grade, but I find that when I am new to something, that is how I want my explanations to be. :-) :-)

  Lornakismet.wordpress.com

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  formerchef · Member · Mar 28, 2009 at 6:16 am

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  Thanks for the replies. I’ll have to give it some thought as to if it’s worth it or not. I don’t think wordpress.com offers statistics on how many people subscribe so maybe it’s just better if people bookmark it.

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  raincoaster · Member · Mar 28, 2009 at 6:55 am

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  No, WP.com doesn’t give stats on overall RSS readers, so many people prefer to use Feedburner, ie run their WP.com feed through Feedburner, which DOES give those stats. Then you use the Feedburner address when you put the RSS widget in.

  All WP.com blogs have RSS built in from the moment they are created. Some don’t have the button in the sidebar, that’s all. And Private blogs have their RSS disabled, for obvious reasons.