How to Migrate your FeedBurner Feeds

Here's a simple "how-to" for those wanting to leave FeedBurner and switch to FeedBlitz's RSS alternative:

1. Set up your first feed in FeedBlitz at RSS - New.
2. If you have an OPML file, then go to RSS - Import and browse for the file. Pick the feed you configured in step (1) to act as a template so that all your imported feeds get your settings immediately (flares, splices etc). Great timesaver.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Correcting the prior version of these instructions, the FeedBurner OPML export will not work here as it exports the FeedBurner URLs not the feed sources (which is what you actually want). If you use the FeedBurner URLs you will end up creating a circular reference and that will make a real mess of the result.

At this point you have all your feeds set up in FeedBlitz. Now you have to start the process to leave FeedBurner (FeedBlitz is in the middle of this right now - it works as advertised).

For each of your feeds in FeedBurner:

1. Pick it from the FeedBurner dashboard;
2. Click "Edit Feed Details..." at the top, just above the tabs;
3. Update the URL there with the corresponding FeedBlitz feed URL;
4. Save, rinse and repeat.

At this point all your FeedBurner subscribers will be reading your Blitzed feed. You have to make this change before you migrate away from FeedBurner as the "Delete Feed" process sends subscribers to the URL FeedBurner has as the feed source; if you don't go through the above steps the readers won't be sent to FeedBlitz and they won't see all your new goodies and FeedBlitz won't see any readers to report.

OK, feeling brave? This is it.

For each of your feeds at FeedBurner you want to migrate away:

1. Check you set up the feed URL to point to your new Blitzed feed.
2. Click "Delete Feed..." just above the tabs.
3. IMPORTANT: check that the "Use 30-day redirection" box is checked on (it is off by default).
4. Click the "Delete feed" button.
5. Breathe :-)

For the next 15 days FeedBurner will automatically send all your subscribers and visitors to your new feed. After that, people who still have not updated their RSS readers will get a simple, single post from FeedBurner telling them the new URL to use. 15 days later - poof, gone, readers will get a 404 file not found error. Anyone at that point who hasn't changed wasn't a real subscriber in the first place.

So you basically have 30 days to get the word out (don't procrastinate!). Once you delete the feed at FeedBurner there is work you need to do to find and update links to the old FeedBurner URL. In no particular order, then, here's what you have to do:

• Post about the change and tell everyone the new URL they should subscribe to.
• Update email forms and RSS links on your site with your new feed address.
• Update third party services such as FeedBlitz, FriendFeed etc. with your new RSS feed address.
• Update any widgets and plugins you have with your new feed URL (get FeedBlitz widgets at RSS - Promote your feed).
• Update your blog bios, Twitter profiles, email signatures etc. with your new feed address.
• Change your blog and web site's RSS autodiscovery links (info on this vital step at RSS - Promote your feed).
• Update any CNAMEs and redirects.
• Update any old blog posts that mention your RSS feed.

If you do switch to FeedBlitz we're happy you're here. You're not locked in; we have a similar process if you want to stop using us as your RSS provider. Remember that you do not have to use FeedBlitz RSS in order to use our email services. But we'd sure be happy if you chose to do that anyway!

Any questions on the process add a comment or tweet me at @phollows