Setting up RSS Feed Redirection to FeedBurner using Nginx is a straightforward process that can help you track subscriber statistics and enhance your blog’s reach. This configuration redirects all feed requests to your FeedBurner account while allowing FeedBurner itself to access your original feed. An RSS feed, short for Really Simple Syndication, is a way for websites to publish updates and content, like articles or blog posts, in a standardized format that users can then access and read using a specialized application, called an RSS reader. When a website publishes new content, it updates its RSS feed. Your RSS reader then pulls down the new content from the feed, and you can read it without having to go to the website’s homepage.  In essence, RSS feeds provide a streamlined way to stay up-to-date with your favorite websites and content without the need for constant manual checking.

Implementation Steps RSS Feed Redirection

The core of the RSS Feed Redirection is a simple Nginx configuration that checks the user agent and redirects accordingly. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Create or edit your site’s Nginx configuration file:

root@server:/etc/nginx/sites-enabled# vi blackmoreops.com

2. Add the following code to your server block:

if ($http_user_agent !~ FeedBurner) {
    rewrite ^/feed/ http://feeds.feedburner.com/bmofeed last;
}

3. Test your Nginx configuration:

root@server:/etc/nginx/sites-enabled# nginx -t

4. Restart Nginx to apply changes:

root@server:/etc/nginx/sites-enabled# service nginx restart

Alternative Approach for RSS Feed Redirection

You can also store the RSS redirection rule in a separate config file and include it in your server blocks:

1. Create a dedicated configuration file:

root@ubuntu14-upcl01:~# cat /var/www/blackmoreops.com/conf/nginx/rss_redirect.conf
if ($http_user_agent !~ FeedBurner) {
    rewrite ^/feed/ http://feeds.feedburner.com/bmofeed last;
}

2. Set appropriate permissions:

root@ubuntu14-upcl01:~# chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/blackmoreops.com/conf/nginx/rss_redirect.conf

3. Test and restart Nginx:

root@ubuntu14-upcl01:~# nginx -t
root@ubuntu14-upcl01:~# service nginx restart

Conclusion

Setting up RSS feed redirection to FeedBurner with Nginx is an effective way to manage your blog’s feed distribution. This configuration ensures all feed requests are sent to FeedBurner while allowing FeedBurner itself to access your original RSS feed. With this redirection in place, you can take advantage of FeedBurner’s analytics and subscriber management features to better understand your audience.