How to Add a Bulk Data Feed to vWriter
vWriter‘s Bulk Data Feeds effectively mean you can create a feed that regularly publishes your own data on a frequency of your choosing.
It’s just one type of Content Source you can add to vWriter. For others, and to find out more about Content Sources, click here.
This tutorial shows you how to add a Bulk Data Feed (BDF) to your account.
Using a Bulk Data Feed
You can use a Bulk Data Feed for example as the Content Source for a Social Publishing Channel to keep one or more social profiles automatically updated with your information.
Related content: How to Keep Your Social Accounts Auto-Updated With vWriter’s Bulk Data Feeds
The information you add to the feed could include the following:
- Snippets from, and links to, older content. For example, you might have older blog posts that you’re no longer sharing on social, but which still have value for your audience.
- Useful information and other advice relating to your niche.
- Shining a spotlight onto specific products or services you offer.
- Links to squeeze pages that offer valuable lead magnets, converting your social audiences into email leads.
- And so on…
You might also add your requirements for a series of blog posts to a Bulk Data Feed, and use it for a Blog Publishing Channel.
Bulk Data Feeds also support images. For example, you can have an image automatically accompany a social update; or set as the Featured Image for a blog post via a Blog Publishing Channel.
Adding a Bulk Data Feed
- Click the ‘+’ button next to Sources on the sidebar.
- Click the Add Bulk Data Feed (BDF) link at the top.
- Enter in a name (for your own reference) of the BDF and an optional description.
- Set how frequently you want the data in your BDF to publish. For example, if you set it to publish every 3 days, the next row of data you have supplied will be published in the feed every 3 days.
- Set the BDF to be visible to certain Projects only if desired.
- Click Submit.
Adding Data to Your Bulk Data Feed
- You now need to add the data to your BDF. Click the Add Data … button at the bottom.
- In the popup that appears, you can either enter data individually, or enter the data in bulk (recommended). To enter bulk data, click the Add Bulk Data… link in the popup.
- Upload a CSV (comma-separated) file containing your data. The instructions provided in the popup provides an example of the format expected. The easiest way to create the data is to do so via a spreadsheet, and then export the spreadsheet as a CSV file.
- After clicking Submit, the system will then import your data into the BDF. You can edit any item of data at any time, as well as delete and add further data as required.
The Bulk Data Feed can now be used as the Content Source for one or more Publishing Channels.
Activating Your Bulk Data Feed
IMPORTANT: Your BDF will not activate and start publishing until you tell it to do so. To activate your BDF:
- Go to the Content Source Manager (click Sources on the sidebar)
- Locate the BDF
- Click the play icon to activate it, as shown:
Editing a Bulk Data Feed
Your Bulk Data Feed can be edited at any time.
Edit the name, description, and Project visibility.
You can add more data at any time by simply clicking the Add Data.. button again as described above.
Existing data can be edited, republished and deleted as described below.
Edit Data
Click to edit individual lines of data in your Bulk Data Feed.
Republish Data
As Bulk Data Feeds can be used for different purposes, once a line of data in your Bulk Data Feed has been published, it won’t republish unless you take one of the following actions.
Firstly, you can mark individual lines of data as unpublished as follows:
Once marked as unpublished, it will republish in line with your publication frequency setting.
You can also mark multiple lines of data as unpublished, by using the Bulk Edit facility, as shown:
Note that:
- You will receive a notification once all the data in a Bulk Data Feed has been published. This means you can add more data and/or mark data as unpublished, as required.
- Certain social networks may not republish content that’s identical to a previous update you have published.
Delete Data
Data in your Bulk Data Feed can be deleted at any time, regardless of its publication status.
Either click the trash can icon as shown:
Or delete multiple lines of data via the Bulk Edit facility:
Adding Other Content Sources
For information about adding, editing and managing other Content Sources within vWriter, refer to the following article: