This article shows you how to set up the RSS Widget to display the latest updates from external sources directly on your pages, keeping your intranet fresh and relevant.
What is the RSS Widget?
An RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication) is a standardized format that allows websites, blogs, and news outlets to share their latest content automatically. Instead of manually checking multiple sites for updates, you can embed their feeds and receive new items in one place.
The RSS Widget brings that same capability into your intranet pages. By embedding an RSS feed, you can stream updates from trusted external sources (such as your company blog, industry news, or internal communications feeds) directly into a page. This ensures employees always see the latest information in context—whether its market insights on a Sales Page or the company blog on the Marketing Page.
For guidance on adding widgets to your page, see this article.
Use cases
The RSS Widget is most effective when it connects external updates with the right intranet context, helping employees access relevant information without needing to switch between sources. Here are some common ways organizations use it:
- Marketing blogs: Stream posts from your company’s marketing blog directly onto the Marketing Page, so the team always has campaign ideas and updates at hand.
- Industry news: Add an industry news feed to the Sales or Strategy Page to keep teams up to date on competitor moves and market shifts.
- Press releases: Display your company’s newsroom or PR feed on the Communications Page, ensuring employees see announcements at the same time as the public.
- Security advisories: Integrate a trusted security RSS feed into the IT Page so employees are aware of emerging risks and technology alerts.
- Regulatory updates: Add feeds from government or industry regulators on the Compliance Page, keeping legal and policy teams aligned with the latest requirements.
How to find an RSS feed URL
Not all websites provide RSS feeds, but when they do, the feed URL is usually published in a predictable way. Here are common places to check:
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Page source: Right-click on a webpage and select View Page Source or Inspect. Search for “RSS” or “feed” in the code (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F). You’ll often see a link ending in .xml or /feed.
- For example, Happeo’s Blog RSS feed URL is: https://www.happeo.com/blog/rss.xml
- Blog or news sections: Many blogs and news sites publish a feed link in their navigation menus or footer. Look for “RSS,” “Feed,” or “Subscribe.”
- Direct URLs: In some cases, you can guess the feed address. For example, WordPress sites often use https://example.com/feed.
Once you’ve found the RSS feed URL, copy it—you’ll need it to configure the widget.
How to add a RSS feed to the widget
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Add the RSS Widget to a section on your page.
- Learn more about adding widgets in our dedicated article: Add and Manage Widgets
- Click the widget and open the settings (gear icon).
- Paste the RSS feed URL into the input box.
A preview of the feed will appear in the widget so you can confirm it’s working before publishing.
How to manage the RSS Widget
You can update or style the widget at any time to keep the page aligned with your team’s needs.
- Open the page group where the widget resides.
- Click the pencil icon (top-right) to enter the editor.
- Hover over the widget until it’s highlighted in blue, then click it.
- Click the settings (gear) icon.
- In the settings window, switch between Configure and Styles to fine-tune what’s displayed and how it looks.
Configure
- Enter or replace an RSS feed URL: Paste a feed link into the input box under “RSS feed URL.” You can replace it at any time to show a new source.
- Maximum number of items: Choose how many feed items to display (up to 20). Limiting the number can keep pages clean and focused, while showing more items can encourage ongoing exploration.
- Show feed header: Display the feed’s title and favicon. A favicon is the small logo or icon associated with the source website. This helps users instantly recognize where the feed content is coming from.
- Widget header: Add your own custom header above the feed (e.g., “Industry News” or “Company Blog”). This makes it clear why the feed is relevant on that page.
Style
If Brand Style Locking is enabled, styling will follow your organization’s brand guidelines. If it is not enabled, you’ll have the flexibility to customize the following:
- Background color: Choose a background color defined in your Brand Style. Subtle contrast can help external content stand out without distracting from the page layout.
- Padding: Adjust spacing (0–100px) to control how much room surrounds the feed. More padding gives content breathing space; less padding creates a denser look.
- Custom padding: Enter a uniform value for all sides or unlock the fields to adjust top, right, bottom, and left individually.
- Border: Add a border around the widget. Customize the width, sides, and color to create visual separation.
- Shadow: Enable a shadow (small, medium, or large) for a layered effect that lifts the feed off the page slightly.
- Round corners: Adjust the corner radius (0–100px). Higher values create softer card-style boxes, while lower values keep edges sharper.
More information about widgets
To read more about widgets and how to resize, copy, and delete them, refer to this article.
FAQ
General
Can I add more than one RSS feed to a single widget?
No, each RSS Widget supports one feed at a time. If you’d like to display multiple feeds on a page, you can add additional RSS Widgets.
Do all websites have RSS feeds?
No. Some websites no longer offer RSS support. In those cases, you won’t be able to pull their content into your page using the RSS Widget.
Permissions & visibility
Who can add or configure an RSS Widget?
Only admins (with admin mode toggled), page owners and editors can add or configure the RSS Widget. Once added and published, all page viewers will see the feed items.
Can everyone see the same feed items?
Yes. Since the RSS Widget pulls from a public feed, all users with access to the page will see the same content.
Styling & display
Can I change the order of items in the feed?
No. The feed order is determined by the RSS source itself. The widget displays items in the order they are provided, usually newest first.
Troubleshooting
The widget is showing an error message: “RSS cannot be reached at the moment”. Why isn’t anything showing?
This error usually means the feed is temporarily unavailable, the source website has stopped supporting RSS, or the feed format isn’t compatible. First, double-check that you’ve entered the feed URL correctly—typos or incomplete links are a common cause. Also verify that the link ends in something like .xml or /feed.
If the URL is correct, try opening it directly in your browser: if the feed doesn’t load, the issue lies with the source site rather than Happeo.
I pasted a valid RSS feed URL, but I still don’t see items.
Some feeds take longer to update, or they may not include recent content. Once the page has auto-saved your changes, try refreshing it after a few minutes. If the issue continues, test with another feed URL to confirm it’s not a source-specific problem.
Why do my feed items look different from the source website?
RSS feeds often strip out images, formatting, or embedded media to keep the feed lightweight. The widget shows text, titles, and links as provided, but not all design elements from the source site will appear.