FeedBurner provides powerful tools to manage and distribute your WordPress RSS feed. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about setting up FeedBurner, configuring it with WordPress, and maximizing your feed’s potential through widgets and email subscriptions.
Getting Started with FeedBurner
The FeedBurner site provides instructions for downloading and setting up the FeedBurner FeedSmith WordPress plugin. If you had your blog professionally installed, the FeedSmith plugin may already be installed and activated. If you provided your FeedBurner account details during setup, the configuration might be complete.
If not, you’ll need to sign up at FeedBurner.com and burn your feed. FeedBurner is now part of Google, so you’ll use your Google account to access the service at feedburner.google.com.
Adding FeedBurner to Your WordPress Blog
After adding your FeedBurner feed URL to the appropriate areas of your WordPress blog, you can also display it in an RSS sidebar widget. This allows visitors to see your latest posts directly in your sidebar.
To add the FeedBurner feed to your sidebar:
- Navigate to Appearance → Widgets in your WordPress dashboard.
- Drag an RSS widget (typically labeled “RSS 1”) from the available widgets area into your sidebar.
- Click the widget settings to open it.
- Enter your FeedBurner URL in the RSS feed URL field.
- Give the widget a descriptive name.
- Choose how many items (posts) you want to display.
- Click Save and close the widget.
FeedBurner should redirect your feed automatically, but if you have a feed URL embedded in your theme, you may want to edit the theme with the FeedBurner feed URL.
Setting Up FeedBurner RSS Email Subscriptions
While RSS readers are convenient, some readers prefer to receive updates via email. FeedBurner’s email subscription feature allows you to send your latest posts directly to subscribers’ inboxes without requiring an autoresponder.
If you’ve already set up your feed at FeedBurner, you can enable email subscriptions and add a subscription box to your blog’s sidebar. Here’s how:
Step 1: Access Your FeedBurner Account
First, you need a free account on FeedBurner.com. Sign up or log in with your Google account, then click My Feeds in the top left corner:
Step 2: Select Your Feed
Click on the feed you want to offer email updates for:
Step 3: Open the Publicize Tab
Click the Publicize tab:
Step 4: Enable Email Subscription
Click the Email Subscription link on the left side:
Step 5: Select Language
Select the appropriate language from the dropdown menu:
Step 6: Copy the Subscription Code
Copy all the provided code from the box. You can right-click in the box and select “Select All,” then “Copy,” or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-A (Cmd-A on Mac) to select all, then Ctrl-C (Cmd-C on Mac) to copy. Go to your WordPress dashboard:
Step 7: Add a Text Widget
In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance → Widgets. If you don’t see any text widgets in the available widgets section, scroll down and use the dropdown menu to add more text widgets, then click Save.
Step 8: Drag Widget to Sidebar
Drag a new text widget from the available widgets area into your sidebar.
Step 9: Configure the Widget
Click the text widget to open it. Give it a title (such as “Subscribe via Email”) and paste the code you copied from FeedBurner into the content area.
Step 10: Save Changes
Click to close the text widget, then click Save Changes in the top right of the screen. Your RSS email subscription box should now appear in your sidebar, allowing visitors to subscribe to your blog updates via email.
Managing Your FeedBurner Account
Since FeedBurner is now part of Google, you access it through your Google account. When you log in to FeedBurner, you’ll use the Google sign-in at feedburner.google.com. The interface remains similar to the original FeedBurner site, and all your feed statistics and settings are preserved.
If you’re migrating from an older FeedBurner account, the transition is straightforward. Log in with your Google account and follow the prompts to migrate your feeds. Depending on your number of blogs and subscribers, the migration may take some time to complete.
Once your feeds are moved, you may have different URLs for each blog. The new site typically redirects old FeedBurner feed URLs to the new ones automatically. However, it’s recommended that you check the new feed URL and update it on your WordPress blog or anywhere you have links to the old feed, including any FeedBurner plugins installed.
Don’t be alarmed if you initially see lower subscriber numbers after migration. This is normal during the transition period, and subscriber counts typically return to normal within a few days as the system reconciles the data.
Exploring Additional FeedBurner Features
FeedBurner offers numerous options beyond basic feed management and email subscriptions. Take time to explore the different feed options available, especially in the Publicize tab. You can customize how your feed appears, track subscriber statistics, and integrate with various social media platforms.
By combining the RSS widget display with email subscriptions, you provide multiple ways for readers to stay connected with your content, increasing engagement and ensuring your latest posts reach your audience through their preferred method.
For more information on working with widgets, check out our guide on working with WordPress text widgets.
Noor Mustafa Raza
