With the much publicized demise of Google Reader, many bloggers and blog readers alike are wondering about the future of the RSS feeds WordPress users can so easily add to their blogs. Is it even worth their time anymore to include an option for readers to follow their writing?
The short term answer is yes. WordPress RSS feeds (and all RSS feeds, really) are not going to blink out of existence overnight. Given the outcry from loyal fans of the service, a host of similar readers and aggregators are stepping up to fill the gaping hole left by our sudden Google Readerecotomy. Ideally, this will lead to innovation, advancement, and simplification of the RSS feed process for non web savvy individuals like our moms and our barbers (who may be the same person, we would never judge you).
The long term answer, however, will depend on just how much the service can evolve, and to what purpose. Are the replacement readers just filling a temporary need based on disgruntled Webbites? Or will the advancements bring in more readers, provide more functionality, and expand the possibilities of RSS to new and shining heights?
Only time will tell. But until such time as the entire RSS infrastructure collapses, act as though it will not. When it comes to including an RSS feed WordPress intends to do just that, providing its users with the means to really simply syndicate their blogs and articles to as many readers as have readers on which to read them. And who knows? The simplicity of the RSS feeds WordPress provides, along with the depth of customization it can offer, may be just the handclap needed to keep the RSS fairy alive and kicking.