However, FeedFlare is a great addition to any FeedBurner feed as it builds interaction and social media links into each post.

FeedFlare allows publishers to easily build “interactivity” into the content they create, making it simple for subscribers to tag, email or share their content with others. Publishers can include a variety of services including a live display of the number of comments to each post, the ability to email the author directly and show the number of blogs that link to their item.

To enable FeedFlare, login to your FeedBurner account, go to the Optimize tab then choose FeedFlare from the left column. You can then check items that you want to display in your feed.

I suggest adding at least the following:

• Email This – Send the post via email to a friend or a co-worker.
• Comments Count – You may be able to increase click thoughs if people know there are comments on your post.
• Save to del.icio.us – Del.icio.us is one of the biggest social bookmarking sites, lets make it easy for readers to save your posts there.
• Digg This – Ahh Digg. Everyone is obsessed with getting in Digg. This nice part about this button is it also shows you the number of Diggs and if there are any Digg comments.
• Stumble It – StumbleUpon is quickly becoming a great way to find new sites. If a users bookmarks your post in StumbleUpon, you’ll have a better chance of getting additional StumbleUpon traffic.

There are many other FeedFlare choices too. The trick here is to pick the 5 or 6 that will best work for your blog. Don’t go overboard and put as many as you can as it might deter people from reading the feed. Also, don’t just put the Digg button on because everyone else does. If you don’t feel a FeedFlare will work well for your blog, don’t add it.

By adding FeedFalre to your FeedBurner feed, you are making it easier for users to interact with your posts. Visitors don’t always make it to your site to read comments or hit one of the social bookmark buttons. Brining the options to the readers will increase the chances of them sharing one of your posts and getting you additional exposure.

Comments

The other day Danny Sullivan put together one for StumbleUpon. He said it was quite easy as even a non-techie like himself can do it.

Here is how you’d get the StumbleUpon FeedFlare working for your site:

1. Log into your FeedBurner account.
2. Click on your feed.
3. Click on the Optimize tab.
4. Click on FeedFlare
5. Copy this URL http://searchengineland.com/stumble.xml and past it into the ‘Add new Flare’ box.
6. Hit the ‘Add new Flare’ button and you’re done.

It is really simple to add and helps give your blog one more area for added exposure.

Have you created a FeedFlare? Or know where to get more custom ones? If so, do share.

Comments

-Phil Sim, Why I hate RSS readers

Phil Sim made several great points when he wrote the piece quoted above. Another problem with RSS is that in many ways it turns content providers into a wire service. As Sim notes:

To use an old-media analogy, it’s the difference between writing for a wire service or writing for a newspaper. On a wire service, you’re story can pop up anywhere and likely will. On a newspaper, you’re a part of something. Something that hopefully stands for something and means something.

He goes on to reference several blogs that have true communities, where “half the time the comments on those sites are more interesting than the original posts.”

I’m not going to put all the blame on RSS when it comes to lack of community. I previously referenced the 90-9-1 research, where we saw that when it comes to the web participation inequality occurs across the board. It was exacerbated on blogs (95-5-.1). That’s where I see the problem with RSS – it is an enabler to further the lurker’ mentality.

Things like FeedBurner’s FeedFlare try to combat that to some extent by building greater interactivity into feeds. But it’s only a first step to addressing the wire effect issue.

Comments

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Ken Yarmosh is a consultant who helps organizations get the most out of their technology investments. He works with technology users and creators across various industries, focusing on technology education and strategy. With over 7 years IT experience, Ken has worked with small businesses, non-profits, federal agencies, and multi-million dollar companies.

His online efforts include acting as the Editor for the Corante Technology Hub and authoring the TECHNOSIGHT blog.