By Lee
RSS Logo
What is RSS?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) is a method of delivering updates from a particular website, notifying users about any changes that have taken place, i.e blog posts, news updates etc. RSS feeds are viewable in all of the major web browsers and can be subscribed to at the click of a button without having to divulge personal information such as an email address. By subscribing to many RSS feeds, a user can have all of their favorite websites summarised into one easily viewable stream of updates, changes and new additions. This allows them to keep track of all their favorite sites effortlessly.
Advantages of RSS
Aside from the user side advantages mentioned above, there are also advantages for the website publishing the feed. The main one being that the google spiders(the software robots that index web pages) value sites with RSS feeds higher than ones without, meaning new pages and posts appear much quicker in Google searches.
WordPress and RSS
Websites built using WordPress include an RSS feed as standard. This will notify subscribers of any new services, news, products etc that are on offer. Web Design Wolverhampton even has it’s own RSS feed that shows all new blog posts as well as any new websites and posts added to my portfolio, have a look by clicking the orange RSS logo in the bottom right corner of the homepage.
By Lee
A Mobile Compatible Website using WP Touch.
Handheld devices such as the IPhone, IPod, Blackberry and other smartphones are becoming one of the primary ways many people access the internet, either on the move or simply out of convenience. The use of these devices has risen dramatically over the past few years due to the increased speed of mobile internet networks, coupled with the increased capabilities of the devices themselves. The steep incline shows no sign of levelling any time soon with experts predicting that the number of smartphones shipped worldwide will increase from 3.5 million to 90 million by 2012.
Why is it important to optimise for smartphones?
Smartphones are feature rich phones that allow for smooth and easy internet access from any location. The two most widely seen examples are the iPhone and the Blackberry, although the google nexus, HTC’s and the palm pre are other popular smartphones. Whilst these phones may be smart, they still lack some of the performance capabilities of a regular desktop PC or laptop and so certain areas need to be optimised accordingly.
Most entrepreneurs and business owners will use their phone as a way of making purchases and decisions whilst in between appointments on a busy schedule. For this reason having a site that runs perfectly on mobile devices stops being a luxury and becomes a necessity for successful e-commerce (buying and selling online).
This is where I come in. WordPress (the software with which I build most of my websites) has a handy add on called wp-touch which allows for a site to be perfectly optimised and simplified to run on mobile devices. This process takes nothing away from how a site will look on a PC and instead creates an entirely new mobile version of a website that will be loaded automatically on smartphones. Not only this, but at the touch of a button the user can swap between the mobile and regular version of a site at any time, allowing for a browsing experience that suits them.
By Lee
Client Profile: BURKE BROS is the UK and International Removal Group for Home, Commercial and Overseas moves
Development Details: This client required a complete rebuild of their existing website. The new site features improved graphics, CMS, RSS feeds and is WordPress driven.
Deliverables: Full Website Design with Blog, CMS, RSS, XML sitemap.
Visit Site: BurkeBros.co.uk
