Bulk Upload Header

If you have an existing RSS feed on your site in place and understand the basics of RSS and its syntax, you can easily migrate to Backpage.com's RSS feed format.

It is important to note the basic differences between RSS 1.0 and RSS 2.0, and to determine which version you are using. For information on these, please see the following sites:
  www.rssfeeds.com
  W3C RSS Tutorial

We begin with a basic formatting and will add some custom fields later in the example:

RSS 1.0 Example

RSS 2.0 Example

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Backpage.com will work with either RSS 1.0 or RSS 2.0 feeds. The following information documents the declarations, the common RSS elements, and the Backpage specific namespace elements.

Declarations

For RSS 1.0:

For RSS 2.0:

Required RSS Elements

• <title> - The title (or headline) of the ad. The title is limited to 100 characters and can not contain any HTML.
  Example:

• <description> - The ad itself. HTML is permitted. Please wrap the ad within a CDATA section.
  Example:

Required Backpage Elements

The following elements are all required:

• <backpage:import> - Import is a required element with two values: user and site. The user value should be the email address matching your bulk upload account. The site value should be the root URL for the site the ads are being imported into. Note: the import element is part of the <channel> not <item>.
  Example:

• <backpage:id> - A unique id tied to the ad. This id will allow you to update ads in the database with matching ids.
  Example:

• <backpage:category> - Category is a required element that matches a specific Backpage.com category key. For a full list of keys, please refer to the category key section below.
  Example:

• <backpage:replyEmail> - The email that should be associated with this ad and optionally used for replies. This element is required.
  Example:

• <backpage:allowReplies> - Specifies if this ad allows replies directly to the reply email, allows replies but does so anonymously thus masking the reply email, or doesn't allow replies at all. This element is required. The possible values are: Show Email, Anonymous, and No.
  Example:

• <backpage:superRegion> - The super region the ad should be associated with. Possible values are Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, New York, Queens, Staten Island, New Jersey and Other. This element is required.
  Example:

• <backpage:region> - The region the ad should be associated with. This element is required.
  Example:

Additional Backpage Elements

The following elements are either optional or conditionally required based on the category the ad is to appear within. HTML is not permitted within any element, and all values are limited to 255 characters.

• <backpage:adPlacedBy> - The ad placed by element is a Rentals and Real Estate specific element. Possible values are: Owner/Property Manager, Agency/Locator Service. It is required for the category of ApartmentsForRent. It is optional for all other categories.
  Example:

• <backpage:feeStatus> - The fee status element is a Rentals and Real Estate specific element. Possible values are: Fee, No Fee. It is required for the category of ApartmentsForRent. It is optional for all other categories.
  Example:

• <backpage:bedrooms> - Optional element. Possible values: Studio, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
  Example:

• <backpage:roommates> - Optional element. Possible values: Male Only, Male Preferred, Female Only, Female Preferred, Male or Female OK.
  Example:

• <backpage:mapAddress> - Optional element. If used, the <backpage:mapZip> element needs to be used as well.
  Example:

• <backpage:mapZip> - Optional element. If used, the <backpage:mapAddress> element needs to be used as well.
  Example:

• <backpage:petsAccepted> - Optional element. Multiple values allowed. Possible values: Cats Ok, Dogs Ok.
  Example:

• <backpage:price> - Optional element. Non-negative decimal values only.
  Example:

• <backpage:contactPhone> - Optional element.
  Example:

• <backpage:age> - Optional element. Non-negative integer greater than 18.
  Example:

• <backpage:workStatus> - Optional element. Possible values: Full-time, Part-time, Temp/Contract, Internship. Multiple values allowed.
  Example:

• <backpage:shift> - Optional element. Possible values: Days, Nights, Weekends. Multiple values allowed.
  Example:

• <backpage:education> - Optional element.
  Example:

• <backpage:salary> - Optional element.
  Example:

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The following shows an example of merging an existing RSS 2.0 feed with the additional Backpage Elements:

The following shows an example of merging an existing RSS 1.0 file with the additional Backpage elements:

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Before uploading your RSS feed, it may be helpful to validate it to check for errors. RSS is sensitive about typos, and one small mistake could cause an entire sheet to not work.

The W3C as a validation tool here for RSS feeds, either online or direct code.

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There are three options to submit your RSS feeds to Backpage.com:

Option 1: Use the interactive bulk uploader

This is highly recommended for first time use and the best choice to help you validate your feed. To use this method, login into your bulk upload account and follow the on-screen instructions.

To login to your account now, click here: http://newyork.backpage.com/online/bulkupload/index

Option 2: Posting an HTTP feed

This process is typically used for scripting your own solution. To use this method you will need to POST your feed to the following URL:

http://posting.newyork.backpage.com/online/BulkUpload/PostAds

The required parameters are:

• email - The email address of the account.
• password - The password for the account
• url - The RSS feed you are posting.

Example:

Option 3: Local file via a HTTP Post

This process is typically used for scripting your own solution. To use this method you will need to POST your feed to the following URL:

http://posting.newyork.backpage.com/online/BulkUpload/PostAds

The required parameters are:

• email - The email address of the account.
• password - The password for the account
• importFile - The RSS feed you are posting.

The following perl script will illustrate this method in greater detail.

  #!/usr/bin/perl -w
  use strict;

  use Getopt::Long;
  use LWP::UserAgent;
  use HTTP::Request::Common;

  # ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  my $server = 'newyork.backpage.com';

  my($email, $password, $filename, $outputfile) = process_command_line();

  # You may choose to hard-code $email and $password here instead
  #   $email = 'your@email.address';
  #   $password = 'your password';

  # ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  my $ua = LWP::UserAgent->new();
  $ua->agent(qq|Backpage Form Upload Client ($email)|);

  my @parameters = ( email => $email,
                  password => $password,
                importFile => [ $filename ],
                     quiet => 'yes' );

  my $url = "http://posting.$server/online/BulkUpload/PostAds";
  my $req = POST($url, Content_Type => 'form-data',
                            Content => \@parameters );
  # $req->content_type('multipart/form-data');
  my $response = $ua->request($req);

  if ($response->is_success()) {
      my $output = $response->content();
      $output =~ s/^[\s\.]+//; # remove leading whitespace and marching dots

      if ($outputfile) {
          open(FILE,">$outputfile")
              or die(qq|Couldn't write output to "$outputfile", $!|);
          print FILE $output;
          close FILE;
      }
      else { print $output; }
  }
  else {
      print "HTTP request failed:\n";
      print $response->status_line() . "\n";
      exit 1;
  }

  # ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  sub process_command_line {
      my($email, $password, $filename, $outputfile);

      GetOptions( 'email=s' => \$email,
               'password=s' => \$password,
               'filename=s' => \$filename,
                 'output=s' => \$outputfile );

      my @errors;
      if (not $filename) { push(@errors, qq|missing --filename parameter|); }
      elsif (not -f $filename) { push(@errors, qq|"$filename" does not exist|); }
      elsif (not -r $filename) { push(@errors, qq|"$filename" is not readable|); }

      if (@errors) {
          print <<"EOQ";
    usage: $0
                   --filename="\$filename" (required)
                   --email="\$email"
                   --password="\$password"
                   --output="\$outputfile" (optional)

  EOQ
          foreach my $error (@errors) { print qq|  error: $error\n|; }
          exit 1;
      }
      return($email, $password, $filename, $outputfile);
  }

  # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  

The HTTP Post Response for options 2 and 3 will return the following:

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If you have the need to manually access imported ads, there are two options:

Option 1: Click here to use the verification link retrieval form.

Option 2: Construct a direct link by using the following syntax:

http://nyc.backpage.com/post/userKey-adID

The userKey is static and can be found in the post response after importing. Specifically in the <userKey> element.

The adID is the unique ad id that was provided for the <backpage:id> element.

In the following examples, the userKey is "11c1a37e". The ad ids are "272209", "272210", "272242".

http://nyc.backpage.com/post/11c1a37e-272209
http://nyc.backpage.com/post/11c1a37e-272210
http://nyc.backpage.com/post/11c1a37e-272242

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adult entertainment

• AdultJobs
• BodyRubs
• Datelines
• Domination
• FemaleEscorts
• MaleEscorts
• TranssexualEscorts

automotive

• AutosForSale
• AutoPartsForSale
• AutoServices

buy, sell, trade

• AntiquesForSale
• AppliancesForSale
• ClothingForSale
• ElectronicsForSale
• Free
• FurnitureForSale
• MiscForSale
• BoatsForSale
• PetsForSale
• SportsEquipForSale
• TicketsForSale
• ToolsForSale
• WantedTrade
• YardSale

community

• Childcare
• Classes
• Events
• GeneralCommunity
• Groups
• LostAndFound
• Volunteers

jobs

• AccountingJobs
• AdminOfficeJobs
• Auditions
• CustomerServiceJobs
• DomesticJobs
• DriverJobs
• EducationJobs
• FocusGroups
• JobWanted
• MedicalHealthJobs
• ManagementJobs
• RestaurantRetailJobs
• SalesJobs
• SalonJobs
• MiscJobs
• ComputerJobs
• TradesJobs

musician

• MusicEquipForSale
• MusicianServices
• MusicianWanted
• MusicInstruction
• PlugBand

personals

• MenSeekMen
• MenSeekWomen
• MissedConnections
• NoStringsAttached
• WomenSeekMen
• WomenSeekWomen

real estate for sale

• CommercialForSale
• CondosForSale
• LandForSale
• MiscRealEstate
• HomesForSale
• RealEstateWanted

rentals

• CommercialForRent
• MiscForRent
• RentalsWanted
• Roommates
• ApartmentsForRent
• Sublets
• VacationForRent

services

• BizOpps
• BusinessServices
• CleaningServices
• ComputerServices
• CreativeServices
• FinancialServices
• HealthServices
• LaborMoving
• LegalServices
• MiscServices
• CarpentryPaintServices
• RealEstateServices
• TherapeuticMassage
• LawnServices

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