Feed Items vs Posts

Aggregator provides flexible ways to manage imported content on your WordPress site. You can choose to display imported content as Feed Items using the plugin itself or as Posts (or other custom post types) using WordPress’ various built-in and 3rd-party template options.

What Are Feed Items?

Feed Items are imported content entries managed within Aggregator. They are not standard WordPress posts but rather plugin-specific items stored in a dedicated section. They are Aggregator’s built-in custom post type.

Feed Items give you a way to display imported content directly on your site using Aggregator’s block or shortcode without affecting your WordPress blog or post structure.

Key Characteristics of Feed Items:

• Feed Items are stored in a dedicated section for themselves, keeping them separate from your WordPress posts, pages, and other custom post types.
• They are displayed on your site using Aggregator’s block or shortcode via Displays without adding to your post or page count, and without affecting your default WordPress blog.
• They are useful for displaying content from external sources that you don’t want to be indexed as posts or mixed in with your site’s regular blog content.

When to Use Feed Items:

1. If you need to display updates or content from external sources without integrating them as posts.
2. When you want a clean separation between your imported content and native WordPress posts.
3. For content you don’t need to edit, categorize, or tag within WordPress.

What Are Posts?

Posts are the standard content type in WordPress, designed for blog entries, news, or any publishable content. Aggregator can import items directly as Posts or other custom post types, making the content a fully integrated part of your WordPress site.

Key Characteristics of Posts:

• Imported items appear in your WordPress Posts list or as any specified custom post type. You can choose to exclude them from the default Posts list in your Dashboard using the Include imported posts in the default WordPress Posts list option in the General Settings.
• Once imported as Posts, you can edit these items like any other post, using the WordPress editor to add, remove, or change content.
• Posts are indexed by search engines unless you explicitly set them not to be using a third-party plugin, making them ideal for SEO and for driving traffic to your site.
• You can assign categories, tags, custom fields, and more to imported Posts, giving you complete control over the content’s organization and display.

When to Use Posts:

1. When you want imported content to appear as part of your site’s primary blog or news feed.
2. If you need to edit, categorize, or tag imported items.
3. When SEO is a priority, as Posts are indexable by search engines.
4. For sites that want external content to be treated as native content in WordPress, with full integration into the site’s structure.

Key Differences

Your choice between Feed Items and Posts depends on how you want to display and manage your imported content:

How to Import Feed Items or Posts

Feed Items

1. Go to Aggregator > Sources.
2. Add a new source or edit an existing one.
3. In the source settings, choose to display content as Feed Items in the Post Type selection.
4. Use Aggregator’s Displays to embed Feed Items on your pages or posts using the block or shortcode.

Posts (or Custom Post Types)

1. Go to Aggregator > Sources.
2. Add a new source or edit an existing one.
3. In the source settings, select Post Type and choose Posts or any custom post type you have available.
4. Save your settings. Imported items will now appear in the selected post type and can be managed like any other post.

Deciding Between Feed Items and Posts

Choosing Feed Items or Posts depends on your content strategy:

Use Feed Items if you need a streamlined, non-editable display of external content without impacting your site’s post structure or SEO (directly).

Use Posts if you want full control over imported content, allowing for editing, categorization, and more SEO benefits.

By understanding the differences between Feed Items and Posts, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your site’s goals and audience expectations. Aggregator’s flexible settings let you easily adapt your import strategy to suit your unique needs.