RSS Feeds for SmartNews
A compliant feed is a requirement of the SmartNews publisher application process. Feed Control generates SmartFormat-compliant feeds from your existing site — no technical changes needed. You handle the application; we handle the feed.
Start Free TrialWhat SmartNews Requires from Your Feed
SmartNews uses its own feed specification called SmartFormat, an extension of RSS 2.0 (or Atom) that adds SmartNews-specific namespaces and elements. Most CMS platforms do not produce SmartFormat-compliant feeds out of the box.
- ✓ RSS 2.0 with SmartNews namespaces (snf, content, dc, media) — standard RSS is not enough
- ✓ Full article text and lead image in content:encoded — no partial text, excerpts, or pagination
- ✓ media:thumbnail for each article with a high-resolution image (at least 1,500px on the long side)
- ✓ Required item elements: title, link, guid, pubDate, and content:encoded for every article
- ✓ UTF-8 encoding, clean XML, and no UTM tracking parameters in URLs
- ✓ Optional but recommended: snf:logo (700 x 100px PNG) for publisher branding in SmartView
How Feed Control Helps
Feed Control takes your existing website or RSS feed and produces a new SmartFormat-compliant feed. Point it at your site, select the SmartNews template, and get a feed URL you can include in your publisher application. A compliant feed is required as part of the application process.
- ✓ Works with any website or CMS — WordPress, Ghost, Squarespace, Webflow, and more
- ✓ Automatically adds required SmartFormat elements (content:encoded, media:thumbnail, snf namespaces)
- ✓ Extracts full article content and lead images from your pages, even if your current feed only has summaries
- ✓ No code changes, plugins, or developer time required on your end
- ✓ Feed updates automatically as you publish new content
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to apply to SmartNews?
Yes. A compliant feed is a requirement of the application process — Feed Control gives you that feed. You then need to apply to SmartNews to get your publication approved.
What is SmartFormat?
SmartFormat is SmartNews's own feed specification, an extension of RSS 2.0 (or Atom). It adds specific namespaces and elements such as media:thumbnail for article images, full article content in content:encoded, and optional elements like snf:logo for publisher branding in SmartView. Feed Control generates feeds that conform to SmartFormat automatically.
What if my CMS already produces an RSS feed?
Most CMS-generated feeds lack the specific elements SmartFormat requires, such as the SmartNews-specific namespaces. Feed Control takes your existing feed or site content and produces a new SmartFormat-compliant feed.
Can I use the same feed for SmartNews and other platforms like Flipboard or MSN?
Each platform has different technical requirements. SmartNews uses its own SmartFormat specification with snf-namespaced elements that other platforms do not recognise. Feed Control lets you create separate feeds optimised for each platform from the same source content.
How long does it take to set up?
You can generate a SmartFormat-compliant feed in minutes. Enter your site URL in Feed Control, select the SmartNews template, and your feed is ready to include in your publisher application. The longer part is usually waiting for SmartNews to review and approve your publication.
Get started with Feed Control
Create your first SmartNews-compliant feed in minutes. Free 7-day trial — no credit card required.
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