How To Setup & Configure WordPress RSS Feeds

Have you ever wished you could keep up with your favorite websites without checking them daily? That’s exactly what WordPress RSS feeds help with. They allow websites to automatically send updates to people who want to follow their content. Instead of manually visiting a website, readers can use an RSS feed reader to get the latest blog posts, news, or updates in one place.

If you have a WordPress website, you already have an RSS feed built in. WordPress automatically creates one for your posts, making it easier for your potential audience to stay updated. This is great for bloggers, news sites, and business websites that regularly publish new content. RSS feeds also help with content sharing, automation, and SEO benefits.

This tutorial explains what an RSS feed is and how it works. We discuss why RSS feeds are useful for website owners and readers. We also show you how to find and use your WordPress RSS feed. We discuss adding and displaying RSS feeds on your website, including feeds from other sites.

We also explain how to set up and manage RSS feeds to keep your content flowing and your audience engaged. Lastly, you learn how to disable the RSS feed if required.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• WordPress RSS feeds allow websites to share updates with readers and other platforms automatically.
• WordPress generates RSS feeds by default, making it easy to distribute content.
• RSS feeds can be displayed using the WordPress Site Editor, widgets, or plugins.
• Plugins and widgets help manage and display multiple feeds from different sources.
• Use RSS feeds to automate social media posting, email newsletters, and content syndication.
• If needed, RSS feeds can be disabled using a plugin or by adding a simple code snippet.

WordPress RSS Feed & Its Significance

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a web feed that allows users to get updates from a website without visiting it directly. Simply put, an RSS feed collects new content from a website and delivers it to users automatically.

For example, if you follow multiple blogs, instead of visiting each one daily, you can use an RSS feed reader to get all new articles in one place. This saves time and helps you stay updated.

In WordPress, RSS feeds are generated automatically using an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file. XML is a special format that organizes content so that computers and feed readers can understand. Whenever you publish a new post, WordPress updates this XML file, allowing subscribers to see the latest content without visiting your site.

A WordPress RSS feed can include different types of content, such as:

• Blog posts: The most common type, displays new articles as they are published.
• Pages: Some RSS feeds include updates from static web pages.
• Comments: A separate RSS feed can track new comments on posts.
• Categories & Tags: Users can subscribe to specific topics based on categories or tags.

RSS feeds also help automate content distribution, making it easier for people to stay updated without manually checking your website (we show you how to do this below).

Benefits of Using WordPress RSS Feeds

RSS feeds benefit WordPress website owners and visitors, making content easier to share and consume. If you run a website, RSS feeds can help you grow your target audience. Here’s how:

1. More Website Traffic: When users subscribe to your RSS feed, they get instant updates whenever you post new content. This encourages them to visit your site more often.
2. Better User Engagement: Readers don’t have to search for your content. Your updates come directly to them, making it easier to keep them interested.
3. SEO Benefits: Search engines crawl and index frequently updated content faster. Since RSS feeds distribute fresh content, your website can rank higher on Google.

However, if you’re an avid reader, RSS feeds save time and make it easier to follow multiple websites.

• Personalized Content: As a user, you can subscribe to specific topics, WordPress categories, or authors you are interested in.
• Instant Updates: You don’t need to refresh the website – new articles appear in their feed reader as soon as they are published.
• One Place for Everything: RSS feeds allow users to collect and read content from many websites in a single app or feed reader.

Set Up & Configure RSS Feeds in WordPress

This is a 2-step process. First, detect the RSS feed URL, which means find WordPress RSS feed URL. Then, set it up in WordPress so users can easily find it. Here’s how to do it:

Locate Your WordPress RSS Feed URL

Your RSS feed URL is where your website’s updates are stored in a special format. This link allows feed readers and other tools to fetch your latest posts automatically. If you want people to subscribe to your content, you should know where to find this URL.

As already mentioned, WordPress automatically creates an RSS feed for your website, so you can easily find it by following any of the methods below:

Check Your Website’s Homepage

The simplest way to locate your RSS feed URL is to add /feed to your site’s address.

For example, if your website is: https://example.com – then, your RSS feed URL is: https://example.com/feed

However, if your website is in a subdirectory, such as https://example.com/blog/ – in that case, your feed will be: https://example.com/blog/feed

You can test this by typing your website’s URL into your browser. If the feed is active, you will see a page with code (XML format) instead of a regular web page. Here’s how the WordPress RSS feed of the Hosted® articles page displays:

However, if you’re using the RSS Feed Reader extension, it will look like this:

Use Browser Developer Tools

If you can’t find the feed URL by adding /feed, you can check your website’s page source using your browser. Here’s how:

Right-click anywhere on your website’s homepage and select Inspect to open Developer Tools.

Once the Developer Tools panel appears, you’ll see multiple tabs like Elements, Console, Network, and Sources. Click Elements (this shows the website’s HTML code). Then, press Ctrl + F to open the search bar. Type /feed and look for a line that looks something like this:

<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Site Name » Feed" href="https://example.com/feed/" />

The href value in this line is your WordPress RSS feed URL.

Copy the feed link and test it by opening it in a browser. You must see a page in XML format (if the RSS feed reader isn’t being used).

Find RSS Feeds for Specific Content

WordPress allows you to create separate RSS feeds for different types of content, such as WordPress tags or categories. You can use the following formats depending on what RSS feed you’re looking for:

Posts Feed (default):

https://example.com/feed/

Comments Feed (all comments):

https://example.com/comments/feed/

Category-Specific Feed (for a category like “Domains”):

https://example.com/category/domains/feed/

Tag-Specific Feed (for a tag like “Hosting”):

https://example.com/tag/hosting/feed/

Author-Specific Feed (for posts by a specific author):

https://example.com/author/username/feed/

By using these feed URLs, visitors can subscribe to only the content they are interested in, making their experience more personalized. Once you have your RSS feed URL, here’s how to add and display it to your WordPress website.

Display Your Feed on Your Site’s Front End

There are several ways to add an RSS feed to your WordPress website. We cover 3 simple methods:

1. Using Site Editor: This is best for websites with Full Site Editing (FSE) themes and other block-based themes.
2. Using WordPress Widgets: Works well with classic themes that support widgets.
3. Using a WordPress Plugin: Great for advanced customization and displaying multiple feeds.   

Use WordPress Site Editor

Log in to your WordPress Admin Dashboard. Go to Appearance → Editor to open the site editor.

Click Templates.

Then, click All templates and choose where to place the WordPress RSS feed (e.g., Single Post, Home Page). In this tutorial example, we click Single Post to open the template in the editor.

Then, navigate to the section where you want to add an RSS feed. Click + (Add Block) and add a Group block to organize the layout.

Choose the group container form.

Now, inside Group, click + again and add an RSS Block.

Enter the WordPress RSS feed URL and click Apply to save changes.

After adding the RSS block, you can modify how the feed looks under Block. You can revise:

• Number of items: Choose how many posts should be displayed.
• Show author name: Enable this to display the author of each post.
• Show publication date: Show the date when each post was published.
• Show excerpts: Display a short preview of each post.

Once done, click Save.

Now, visit your site to check how the RSS feed appears.

Use WordPress Widgets

If your theme supports widgets, add an RSS feed to your website using the WordPress Widgets section. This method is useful for classic themes like Twenty Sixteen. Here’s how to do it:

Go to Appearance → Widgets in your WordPress Dashboard. Select the widget area where you wish to display the RSS feed (e.g., Main Sidebar). Click +, search for RSS, and select the RSS widget.

Enter the WordPress RSS feed URL and click Apply to load the feed.

You can also add multiple WordPress RSS feed URLs (including from external sites). To do this, collect the valid RSS feed URL you wish to display. Add several RSS blocks with different feed URLs. Organize the feeds by adding Heading widgets to show their sources (e.g., Hosted Articles and Hosted Blogs).

You can also adjust the widget placement using the Arrow icons. Once done, click Update to save the changes.

After updating the widget, visit your website to see if the RSS feed appears correctly.

Use WordPress Plugin

You can also use plugins to add WordPress RSS Feeds. A popular choice is Feedzy RSS Feeds, which lets you filter, style, and import RSS feeds. Here’s how to use it:

Choose a method to display the feed:

• Import tool: To fetch and store RSS content.
• Shortcode: To add RSS feeds inside posts or pages.
• Block editor: To add RSS feeds using the WordPress block system.

In our example, we click Display RSS feeds using shortcodes and choose Get Started.

Enter the WordPress RSS feed URL and click Save And Continue.

Feedzy will now generate a draft page with a shortcode preview. Click Create Page.

On the Extra Features page, choose whether to install a website optimization plugin. If not, uncheck Enable performance features for your website and click Skip Improvement.

On the Feedzy Newsletter Sign-Up page, click Skip, Don’t Give Me Access to complete the configuration.

Now, you’ll be redirected to a draft page. Copy the generated shortcode, which you will need later. Next, open a post or page using the Gutenberg Editor. Navigate to where you wish to show RSS feeds, type /shortcode, and choose Shortcode block to insert this.

After that, paste the RSS feed shortcode inside the block and click Save. Remember, shortcodes are always enclosed with square brackets ([]).

Now you can preview your WordPress RSS feed to ensure it looks good and updates correctly.

If you want to use this plugin to import posts from multiple RSS feeds, go to Feedzy → Import Posts. Fill in multiple RSS feed sources separated by a comma and hit Enter.

You can also update settings by expanding General feed settings, Map content, and Filters (if you’re on the paid version). Then, click Save & Activate Importing. This will import posts from the provided RSS feed links.

IMPORTANT:

If you want to redirect the RSS feed within the WordPress Dashboard, use the RSS Redirect & Feedburner Alternative plugin. This redirection ensures subscribers can access the feed from the new location without breaking links.

Set Up RSS Feeds for WordPress Content Automation

WordPress RSS feeds can help automate content sharing, saving time and keeping your audience engaged. You can use these for social media, email newsletters, and automation tools to distribute content without manual effort.

Automate Content Sharing on Social Media

Instead of manually posting updates, you can use RSS feeds to automatically share new content on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Here, tools like Dlvr.it, Zapier, and Hootsuite let you connect your RSS feed and schedule automatic posts.

This keeps your social media pages active without extra work, helping you attract more visitors. Let’s understand the process using Dlvr.it:

Go to Dlvr.it website and click Sign In.

Click Post RSS Feed.

Fill in your WordPress RSS Feed link. Once your website appears, click Connect.

Then, click POST SETTINGS.

Write your Feed Name and make an appropriate choice for the questions When should we post new items? and When should we make your first post? Then, click CONNECT SOCIALS.

Click on your social platform’s logo and follow the on-screen instructions to connect that (in our example, we connected a Facebook Page). Once connected, click START POSTING.

You can also update time frames for posting by navigating to Schedule → Posting Times.

Use RSS Feeds for Email Newsletters

Email newsletters are a great way to keep subscribers engaged, but crafting them manually for every update can be tedious. With RSS-to-Email automation, new posts from your site can be sent directly to your subscribers as soon as they go live.

Here’s how you can set it up in MailChimp:

Go to MailChimp’s RSS-to-Email and click Turn On RSS-to-Email.

Write your campaign name, choose the corresponding newsletter, and click Begin.

Next, fill in the RSS feed URL. Choose when and on what days to send. You may also enable the option to resize RSS feed images to fit the template. Then, click Next.

Choose your audience and click Next.

On the next screen, you’ll see the campaign information you have already entered. You can also select tracking and social media settings based on your requirements. Click Next once more.

After that, choose your desired layout, customize it, and save it.

Mailchimp will now automatically generate and send newsletters based on your RSS feed content. (You can also test it by sending a test email.) This keeps your audience informed without you needing to write emails manually.

How to Disable RSS Feeds in WordPress (If Needed)

While RSS feeds are useful for sharing content automatically, some website owners may not need them. If you run a static website or a private membership site or want to protect content from being copied, you may prefer to disable RSS feeds in WordPress. There are two ways to do this: using a plugin or manually adding code. Let’s go through both approaches:

Disable RSS Feeds Using a Plugin

This method is ideal if you want a simple way to disable RSS feeds without modifying your site’s code. Here’s how:

First, install and activate the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin. Then, go to All in One SEO → Search Appearance.

Switch to Advanced. Enable Crawl Cleanup and choose Disable to disable the RSS feed you want. Lastly, click Save Changes to update your settings.

IMPORTANT:

We suggest you keep the Global RSS Feed option enabled to ensure your subscribers receive the latest updates. When you disable this feature, users won’t be able to subscribe to your site, which may negatively impact your WordPress SEO.

Manually Disable WordPress RSS Feeds

If you prefer a custom solution, disable RSS feeds manually by adding a code snippet to your WordPress theme’s functions.php file. Here’s how:

Go to Appearance → Theme File Editor. Open your active theme’s functions.php file. Add the following code at the end of the file:

function disable_rss_feeds() { 
wp_die(__('RSS feeds are disabled on this site. Please visit our homepage instead.')); 
} 
add_action('do_feed', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1); 
add_action('do_feed_rdf', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1); 
add_action('do_feed_rss', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1); 
add_action('do_feed_rss2', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1); 
add_action('do_feed_atom', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1); 
add_action('do_feed_rss2_comments', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1); 
add_action('do_feed_atom_comments', 'disable_rss_feeds', 1);

Then, click Update File to save changes.

This code blocks all RSS feeds and displays the following message when someone tries to access them:

If you ever need to restore RSS feeds, remove the code.

FAQS

Other Tutorials of Interest

– WordPress do_shortcode: Tips & Tricks For Optimal Usage

– How To Use WordPress Tags Effectively And Their Purpose

– WordPress Blocks Features and Site Customization Options

– How To Create And Manage WordPress Categories

– WordPress Blocks Features and Site Customization Options