Syndication - anyone tried?

[gaydemon]

Just wondering if anyone has tried to have a blog but with syndicated (is that how you say it?) content only.

For example, you have a blog with some sort of script or plugin where you specify different RSS feeds from different sponsors and paysites (including your affiliate codes) and the plugin then formats the posts in the rss up and publishes on your blog.

There must be a way of doing it, but does it work ok.. The problem I can see is that most of the companies offering RSS Blog feeds with their content does it too much.. ie too much content from a few sponsors.

Would it end up being just a huge amount of bad sponsor content and look more like spam?

ANyone tried it, or seen it done?

[tombarr]

Yes, this has been done zillions of times....even by me. There used to be a plugin available for wordpress which I was able to get when it was, called autoblog that automatically adds RSS feeds to your blog every time they are updated.

I then bought a piece of software called autoblogger pro that allows you to run entire networks of blogs, add feeds to them all, and even write and schedule real updates for that network in advance of their publication date, all through one neat little interface that runs on cron jobs.

[gaydemon]

I had a feeling there was something like that.

But how has it worked out in the way of a good mix of content, do you find that it gets a bit "too much" of the same or?

I can just see that larger sites like Topbucks etc who push out large amount of free content would easily dominiate any site that uses their feeds.

Yes, this has been done zillions of times....even by me. There used to be a plugin available for wordpress which I was able to get when it was, called autoblog that automatically adds RSS feeds to your blog every time they are updated.

I then bought a piece of software called autoblogger pro that allows you to run entire networks of blogs, add feeds to them all, and even write and schedule real updates for that network in advance of their publication date, all through one neat little interface that runs on cron jobs.

[Chubbs]

I am in the process of setting up a 20 site blog network that will run off custom rss feeds. The feeds will be created by using a program called Gallery Scraper that creates feeds from fhg's. After the feeds are created, I will use another program called Blogs Organizer to manage all the feeds/blogs from one interface.

I have not tried either program yet but hear they work well. Will post an update in a few days after I get things rolling.

--Chubbs

[gaydemon]

Please do, sounds interesting. I do wonder how it ends up looking and what sponsors you are restricted to.. not sure how common RSS gallery / content feeds are.

I am in the process of setting up a 20 site blog network that will run off custom rss feeds. The feeds will be created by using a program called Gallery Scraper that creates feeds from fhg's. After the feeds are created, I will use another program called Blogs Organizer to manage all the feeds/blogs from one interface.

I have not tried either program yet but hear they work well. Will post an update in a few days after I get things rolling.

--Chubbs

[HunkMoneyLuke]

Yeah, RSS is huge with blogs, its the only way you can run hundreds of blogs and make money without doing that much work. It takes me about 30 minutes to setup a new blog and run it using morphed RSS feeds and maybe 30 minutes a month to update blogroll trades or change RSS feeds.

Best way to do this is to use tools like BlogsOrganizer, GalleryScraper and LinksOrganizer, all cheap and all from cheapest adult scripts (http://www.cheapestadultscripts.com/affiliates/click.php?ref=likemind).

[abostonboy]

How does Google like all this? Seems like a lot of duplicate content? Or do you do the right mix of RSS and written posts?

[Hammerhead]

I'm also just getting started with blogs and one of the first things I tested was using RSS feeds with the plugin called FeedWordPress.

So far I havent been impressed with the quality of the photos or article text from the sponsors' RSS feeds I've tested. It seems like if I were to spend even 10 or 15 minutes writing the posts myself, I could achieve much better quality.

Of course, if you're setting up a large network of blogs, I can definitely see the advantage of RSS feeds. BlogsOrganizer can replace some of the article wording with synonyms to make them seem unique.

[basschick]

i see three issues with RSS feeds. one is quality issues - both text and pics. two is oversaturated blog content that sells as poorly as large company's fhg's. three is that you risk having text on your site that you - or your lawyer - don't allow - for example a blog using the word "young" where you don't allow the word "young" on your site.

[abostonboy]

three is that you risk having text on your site that you - or your lawyer - don't allow - for example a blog using the word "young" where you don't allow the word "young" on your site.

This is an issue as many companies have different views as what is 2257 compliant. Also, with RSS feeds you start to loose control over your own content. Good points Basschick.

[HunkMoneyLuke]

How does Google like all this? Seems like a lot of duplicate content? Or do you do the right mix of RSS and written posts?

google eats it up like candy, esp if you use the morphing features of a good quality script, so its just a bit different yet loaded with keyword text.

[basschick]

can you suggest a good morphing script? i haven't gotten to try one yet.

google eats it up like candy, esp if you use the morphing features of a good quality script, so its just a bit different yet loaded with keyword text.

[HunkMoneyLuke]

I love BlogsOrganizer (http://www.cheapestadultscripts.com/affiliates/click.php?ref=likemind)- it morphs by allowing you to add headers and footers as well as replace keywords / key phrases with a list of words/phrases that you write up specially for each blog. These guys also offer lots of other good tools, like Gallery Scraper (make RSS feeds from FHGs) and Sites Organizer (manage as many TGP sites, free sites, etc, as you want from one interface - I just used this one to setup 50 TGP/MGP sites).

[abostonboy]

Luke,

Here is the deal - post a link to the "package" that I am looking for. Here is what I am looking for -

I want to create multiple affiliate blogs. So I believe I need blog organizer. Then I believe there is a plugin for making an affiliate blog that they can link to.

Also gallery scaper sounds like I can use that as well as site organizer. Can you tell me what "package" + add ons I will need.

However for my TGP?MGP I have the server edition of TGPX form JMB which I love. So is that a better option that site organizer? I guess what I am asking is the ability to manage free sites alone worth it?

Best,
lloyd

[HunkMoneyLuke]

if you like tgpx then stick with it, maybe download the free copy of site organizer so you can evaluate it and see if it would work better for you. I like it as its a single interface for all sites, you do things once and it will update all your sites so that is a big time saver for me! Same is true for Blogs Organizer, one interface lets you control all your sites. I think Blogs Organizer is a bit more advanced as it was recently updated, so go with it and evaluate the Site Organizer product for now.