Use OPML To Share Which Blogs You’re Subscribed To

Enjoy this article? Please SUBSCRIBE to receive all the FREE updates!

Inspired by both Chris and Josh, I’m writing this short little post about sharing the feeds you’re subscribed to.

What is OPML

OPML stands for Outline Processor Markup Language. It’s an xml file like your RSS feed, except it’s an aggregation of a bunch of feeds (RSS Aggregrator).  For example, I’m subscribed to maybe 50 or 60 blogs.  I can aggregate all of those subscriptions into one xml file, called an OPML and share it.

Here is my OPML File:

Clicking on the xml image above will allow you to peek into my subscriptions and even upload them into your blog reader, effectively subscribing to everything that I’m currently subscribed to.

How to Create an OPML File

• In Google Reader, go to Manage Subscriptions and then Export/Export. Export your subscriptions as an OPML file (which will be called export.xml).
• If you are a Linux user, just type: cat export.xml | grep "title=" | cut -d'"' -f10 | grep -v '^$' | sort | uniq
• If you are Windows user, install Cygwin and run the previous command from the Cygwin Bash Shell instead of the DOS Prompt making sure if you have lots of feeds that you have increased the Screen Buffer Size in the Layout tab of the properties.
• For other Feed readers, you can use the process for Google Reader, I’m sure it’s pretty simple.

Remainders

OPML is an evolving standard; but, for now it works pretty well. You can view other shared OPML files at Share Your OPML. You can see who is subscribed to whom, etc.

Enjoy this article? Please SUBSCRIBE to receive all the FREE updates!