RSS feeds need visible UI links, not just <head> tags
I had <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"> in my Next.js site's <head>, but almost no one noticed the RSS feed existed.
The <link rel="alternate"> tag is for feed reader auto-discovery, not for humans. Modern browsers have removed the RSS auto-detection bar, so users must actively hunt for the feed URL.
The fix was simple -- add two visible entry points in the footer:
{/* RSS icon alongside social icons */}
<a href={`/${locale}/feed.xml`} aria-label="RSS Feed">
<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="2" fill="none">
<path d="M4 11a9 9 0 0 1 9 9" />
<path d="M4 4a16 16 0 0 1 16 16" />
<circle cx="5" cy="19" r="1" />
</svg>
</a>
{/* Text link for extra visibility */}
<a href={`/${locale}/feed.xml`}>RSS</a>Best practice for RSS discovery: provide both <head> tags (for machines) and visible UI links (for humans).
