How to Set Up RSS Feed in Slack?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up RSS feed in Slack using the “Incoming Webhooks” integration method. In this example, we’ll assume you want to receive updates from a tech blog’s RSS feed in a Slack channel.

Set Up an RSS Feed in Slack

Step 1: Create an Incoming Webhook in Slack

1. Login to Slack: Go to your Slack workspace and log in.
2. Access Apps: Click on your workspace name in the top-left corner, then select “Apps” from the dropdown menu.
3. Browse App Directory: In the Apps screen, click on “Browse App Directory” at the top-right corner.
4. Search for Incoming Webhooks: In the App Directory search bar, type in “Incoming Webhooks” and press Enter.
5. Add to Slack: Find the “Incoming Webhooks” app and click on it. On the next screen, click the “Add to Slack” button.
6. Select Channel: Choose the Slack channel where you want to receive RSS feed updates and click “Allow.”
7. Authorize: Review the permissions and click “Authorize.”
8. Copy Webhook URL: After authorization, you’ll be provided with a webhook URL. This URL is essential for posting messages to Slack. Copy it to your clipboard.

Step 2: Set Up the RSS-to-Slack Integration

1. Choose an RSS-to-Slack Service: There are services that can fetch RSS feed updates and post them to Slack using the webhook URL you just generated. For this guide, we’ll use “RSS to Slack” (rss.app) as an example.
2. Go to RSS to Slack: Open your web browser and go to https://rss.app.
3. Create an Account: Sign up or log in to your RSS to Slack account.
4. Add New Feed: Click on the “Add New Feed” button.
5. Enter Feed URL: Enter the URL of the RSS feed you want to subscribe to (e.g., https://example-tech-blog.com/rss).
6. Customize Settings: Configure settings such as how often the feed is checked for updates, the number of items to send, and the formatting of the message.
7. Add Webhook: In the “Deliver new items to” section, select “Slack.” Paste the webhook URL you copied earlier into the “Slack Webhook URL” field.
8. Test Connection: Most services will allow you to test the connection between the RSS feed and Slack to ensure it’s working correctly.
9. Save and Activate: Save your settings and activate the feed.

Step 3: Verify and Monitor

1. Check Slack: Go to the Slack channel you selected earlier. You should start seeing updates from the RSS feed as new messages.
2. Monitor and Adjust: Regularly check the channel to ensure the updates are being posted as expected. If necessary, you can adjust settings in both Slack and the RSS-to-Slack service.

Example: Tech Blog RSS Feed to Slack

Let’s say you’re using the RSS feed https://example-tech-blog.com/rss and the Slack channel #tech-updates.

1. Follow the steps above to set up an incoming webhook in Slack.
2. Go to https://rss.app and create an account if needed.
3. Add a new feed using the URL https://example-tech-blog.com/rss.
4. Customize the settings and use the webhook URL you generated for the Slack channel #tech-updates.
5. Test the connection and save the settings.
6. Check the #tech-updates channel in Slack for updates from the tech blog’s RSS feed.

And that’s it! You’ve successfully set up an RSS feed in Slack using the “Incoming Webhooks” integration method. Remember that there might be variations depending on the RSS-to-Slack service you use, but the general process remains consistent.