Beware of the Post Feed Redirect URL Setting!

Blog Feeds are used to deliver blog updates to subscribers. The new Layout Blog Templates contain a big "Subscribe to Posts : Atom" link at the bottom of the post. However it is better to put a big orange RSS feed icon at the top of the sidebar to attract subscribers.


When Google bought Feedburner Blogger introduced a new setting in the Settings--->Site Feed subtab : The Post Feed Redirect URL (See picture below) :



This is a sensitive setting and due to lack of understanding of how it works many Bloggers are closing down their blog feed by putting wrong links in this box..........................

THE BLOG FEED URL

Each blog feed has a link or address where it is located. Subscribers have to enter this link in Google Reader or any other feed reader so they can read the latest blog updates. In Blogger your feed URL or link is :

(Atom Feeds)
http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/atom.xml

(RSS Feeds)
http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/rss.xml

Replace 'MYBLOG' with actual blog name. Blogger does not allow any customization of Feeds except for choosing 'Short', 'Full' or 'None'. Also you cannot know number of your subscribers. To customize your feed you have to 'burn' blog feed at Feedburner.com

FEEDBURNER FEED URL

Feedburner takes your blog feed and gives the blog feed a new link or address. You can customize this address also. For instance the feedburner feed address for this blog is :

http://feeds.feedburner.com/DummiesGuideToGoogleBloggerBeta

THE POST FEED REDIRECT URL

To get to this setting follow these steps :

Login at Blogger.com

Click Settings link for your blog on Dashboard.

Click Site Feed subtab.

Scroll down on page and paste the Feedburner Feed URL for your blogin this box :





What it does is to redirect all other feed addresses to the Feedburner feed address. So subscribers getting updates through :

http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/atom.xml

or

http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/rss.xml

or

http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

or

http://MYBLOG.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

are ALL redirected to the Feedburner Feed URL.

PRECAUTIONS TO FOLLOW

1. Do NOT paste Blog Feed URLs in this box!


2. Copy and Paste the Feedburner Feed address for your blog here. DoNOT type it as typing is prone to typo errors.

3. Do NOT enter Feedburner address of some other blog here!

4. Do NOT enter any other URL here! It Is meant ONLY for the Feedburner Feed URL for the same blog. OR if you are using some other service like Feedblitz.com you can also enter their feed URL here.

WRONG URL RESULTS IN

If the wrong URL is entered in the Post Feed Redirect URL box it causes :

1. Prevent blog feeds from updating.

2. Gadgets dependent on blog feeds like Recent Comments Gadget, Previous Posts Gadget, Table of Contents gadget etc. will stop functioning.

3. Loss of blog traffic or visitors.

4. Gadgets on other blogs depending on your blog feed will stop functioning.

5. Yahoo Pipes or other Feed aggregators depending on your blog feed will break down.

6. The Blog List gadget depends on Blog Feeds. If someone has added your blog to their Blog List it will not show the latest blog update.

7. The Reading List on your Followers' Dashboard will stop getting blog updates.