1. What is a datafeed?
2. Upload datafeed.
3. Parse datafeed's content.
4. Filter datafeed's content and customize products' description.
5. Set up and generate RSS feed.

What is a datafeed?

Datafeed is one of the ways of data exchange for e-commerce websites, webstores, advertisers, affiliates, and marketplaces. A datafeed in this context is a file that contains structured information about one or multiple products.

Such files, often called CSV files, are used for data exchange between two systems or applications and are not used for review by a person. However, you can use special software to preview such files, for example, Microsoft Excel.

Read more about datafeeds

Datafeeds converter from RSS Ground will help you to preview and filter your datafeeds, generate a valid RSS feed with filtered products, and even customize product description layout.

Example of an RSS feed converted from a datafeed:

To use the Datafeeds converter you need to sign up for any of the RSS Ground's paid membership plans

RSS feeds converted from datafeeds are private content feeds. The number of active private feeds can be limited according to your membership plan.

If you already have a paid RSS Ground account, find the Datafeeds converter link in the main menu: Tools > Generate private feeds:

Alternatively, from the "My Account" page and from Feeds Box, click on the "Add content" dropdown, then "Convert datafeed to RSS":


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Upload datafeed

To convert your datafeed to RSS feed you need to go through three steps.

On the first step, press the Choose file button to upload your datafeed.

Note: only CSV or TXT datafeed formats are allowed.

Fields delimiter: we recommend using the autodetect option if you don't know what delimiter is used in your datafeed.

If you know what delimiter is used in your datafeed (comma, semicolon, vertical line, TAB, or else) you can specify it in the Custom symbol field.

First row contains field titles - this is a default setting and it is correct for most datafeeds. It interprets content in the first row of your datafeed file as a row that contains field names. Uncheck this option if your datafeed is built in a different way.

Press NEXT to move to the second step.

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Parse datafeed's content

On the second step, you choose what content you wish to extract from the datafeed and show it in your RSS feed.

In most cases, datafeeds contain a variety of products. You will see an example product with all available parameters and values. In the Fields titles column, you see the original parameter names and in the Sample record - their values.

By assigning each parameter a name from Assign to fields column you choose which parameters you wish to include in your RSS feed. Parameters with no assigned names will not be used.

Choose a needed product parameter and assign an appropriate name from the dropdown.

You have to assign a minimum of 2 required parameters: Name/Title and Link/Buy URL.

In the same way, you can assign recommend and optional parameters. You don't have to assign each and every parameter. Choose only those you wish to see in your RSS feed.

Also, it is not recommended to assign different parameters with the same name from the dropdown.

Note: if you can't find an appropriate name for a product parameter in the dropdown, use Extra Field 1 and Extra Field optional field names. You will be able to set your custom name for these parameters later.

On this step, you set an example product. All other products will be configured according to this example.

Use the PREVIEW option to see what your result feed will look like.

Press NEXT.

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Filter datafeed's content and customize products' layout

On the last step, you set content filters, customize product description and generate your feed.

Filters and affiliate links.

An average datafeed may contain hundreds of products. Products may refer to different categories, to different vendors, and may be of different price ranges. Keyword filters will help select only the most relevant products.

Containing/Excluding keywords this is the filter for product titles (names) and descriptions.

This is how you can, for example, choose to show products from a specific vendor or exclude products of a certain category, or simply include/exclude products with any keyword in the title or description.

Containing keywords only products that contain at least one of the specified keywords in the title (or description) will be included in the RSS feed.

Excluding keywords products that contain at least one of the specified keywords in the title (or description) will be ignored.

Note: up to 10 keywords can be used in each field.

With prices from/to - you can filter products using a minimum and maximum price. If you need products for a specific price, use the same value in From and To fields: for example From: 100 To: 100 - this will show only products that cost 100.

If you have an affiliate datafeed where all Buy URLs contain a tag for an affiliate ID, this affiliate ID will be automatically embedded into product links. You can replace one affiliate ID with another with a help of the Search and replace option. This option will also help you to embed any tag to your product links.

For example, a Buy URL has affiliateID=xxx already embedded:
http://vendorwebsite.com/?affilaitateID=xxx

If you wish to replace this affiliate ID with another one you do as follows:

Search in every URL: affilaitateID-xxx

Replace it with: affilaitateID-myaffiliateID

In such a way you can search and replace any segment or tag in the Buy URL.

Don't forget to use the PREVIEW option to see how the filters work.

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Products' description layout.

Here you can play with the look and feel of products in your feed.

Product Image Location - here you choose the position of a product image:

Left - product image will be aligned to the left and wrapped with description text.
Up - product image will be placed above the description.

Select "Buy Now" button – you can add a "Buy Now" button to each product description. This button will have the "Buy URL" link. If you choose "None", product's title will be linked to a Buy URL.

Click here to edit description layout HTML – this is an advanced option and will work for those who feel comfortable with HTML editing. Click this option to open the HTML editor of a product description layout.

Here you can change the order of fields in the description, place the product image anywhere you want, use your custom "Buy Now" button layout, and do all the other editing with HTML. You can use special tags for product description elements. They will be replaced with actual data in the feed's preview.

Here you can also rename description elements, such as "Extra Field 1" and "Extra Field 2" or any other.

We do not recommend using styles and JavaScript here. They will not function in the RSS feed.

Use PREVIEW to see changes in your RSS feed.

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RSS Feed settings.

Finally, you can generate your RSS feed with filtered datafeed content. But you need to set the main RSS feed parameters.

RSS feed name – name your RSS feed to easily find it in the Feeds Box. This name will be a part of your RSS feed URL.

Number of RSS items to show - how many products you wish to display in your RSS feed at a time. It may be up to 50 products. If there are more than 50 relevant products in your datafeed they will be rotated.

Now you need to set up an RSS channel. Channel is one of the main elements of every RSS feed. It tells what the feed is about. You can set your custom channel title, description and specify a link to your website.

Use the PREVIEW option to make sure the feed looks the way you want it. Then press GENERATE FEED.

• Save to Feeds Box - simply save your feed to the Feeds Box to use it later.
• Add to Feeds Reader - add the feed to your Feeds Reader to easily read it.
• Add to a Posting Campaign - add the feed to an existing posting campaign or create a new campaign to start sharing content to your blogs and social media.
• Add to a Content Widget - add your feed to an existing content widget or create a new content widget to add a content block to your website or blog.

Whatever option you choose your new RSS feed will be automatically saved to your Feeds Box.

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