Custom Feeds (RSS)

Using Custom Feeds (RSS) as a Content Source in Vibe Templates lets you pull live content — such as news, blogs, or job listings — from external websites directly into Vibe's templates.

An RSS Feed (Really Simple Syndication) provides a standardized XML stream of updates from a website. Simply paste a publicly accessible RSS feed URL into the feed field of your Vibe template to automatically display titles, descriptions, dates, and images from that source.

While this is a flexible and automated way to keep your content fresh, not all RSS feeds are structured the same. Differences in data format, tags, update frequency, or missing fields (like images or summaries) can lead to inconsistent results between sources and templates.

Results will vary depending on the feed source.

Adding a Custom Feed

Choose a template that includes Custom Feeds as a content source option. Many templates support this, but here are some popular ones suited for general news RSS feeds (which display the Title, Description, Image, and Publish Date fields):

Select 'Custom Feeds' from the Content Source dropdown
Paste the RSS URL into the 'Custom feeds' field
Use one of these RSS feeds for testing purposes (right-click and 'copy link address')
Content should show in the slide preview automatically

Understanding Feed Compatibility

Depending on the feed or slide template, the following common fields may populate in Vibe Templates:

Title
Description or Summary
Date or Published Time
Image (if the feed provides an <enclosure> or <media:content> tag)

Remember that all sources and sites will format RSS feeds differently, this means:

Some feeds update frequently, others sporadically.
Not every feed includes an image field.
Some use custom tag names that don’t match our template field structure.

As a result, content might:

Display partially (e.g., no image or truncated text)
Fail to update regularly
Look inconsistent between templates

When testing Custom Feeds, start with publicly available RSS news feeds, so that you can see what is achievable with Vibes templates, as these are updated regularly and follow standard RSS formatting, that Vibe follows.

When to Request a Vibe Integration

You’ll need a managed Integration, if your desired feed needs any of the following:

A login or API key for access
Filtering or categorization (e.g., only “Jobs in Auckland”)
Mapping custom field names to Vibe template fields

A managed Integration is a paid monthly service where Vibe's Development Team sets up and maintains a direct integration with your chosen data source.
This ensures:

Reliable, structured data mapping
Consistent image rendering and content filters
Secure connections and ongoing maintenance

To explore this option, contact Vibe Support and include:

Your feed or API URL
The type of content you’d like displayed
Which Vibe template you’d like to use

Use-Case Scenario

Coordinating Patient and Staff Appreciation Across Screens

A healthcare facility requests a dynamic display of appreciation posts sourced from Padlet on their Vibe screens, visible across patient- and staff-facing areas—lobbies, nurse stations, and inpatient wings.

A review of Padlet, shows that it has an easily accessible RSS Feed URL which can be copied and put to use. The Custom Feed content source option, selected from our Social (Classic) template provides a simple and attractive way to bring this content to life on the Vibe screens. Because the standard custom feed settings support only certain fields (title, description, date, and images), Vibe.fyi develops a custom URL feeder that ingests Padlet content with additional data transformations, mapping it neatly into the Social (Classic) template.

The result is a brand-consistent, real-time feed that updates automatically, delivering a continuous morale boost without the need for manual slide changes.