Why Use RSS?

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Author: Kim Bloomer

Article source: http://www.quikonnex.com/. Used with author's permission.

So why use RSS? Well, I can find a whole lot of reasons why. Although I'm not technically inclined I do understand the power behind syndication. Anyone who watches television can get that idea. Still why would I want to use RSS for my viral marketing campaign? Well, let's look at what some of the "experts" are saying.

Robin Good is well-known in the blog and RSS forums and venues. He is also known for being a successful online marketer selling viral marketing tools. I've read lots of his articles and interviews, not to mention buying his Top 55 RSS sites tool for submitting to blogs and RSS feeds. I like what he said in one of his posts in his blog "No RSS, no party".

I just finished reading the ebook "A Blogger's Edge: How To Use Weblogs As Marketing Tools" by Paul Short of http://GetBlogs.com. It was written so anyone can understand and implement the ideas therein. He has a chapter all about RSS and how it can be used as an alternate communication method. Yep, he said alternate. Meaning it has to be alternative to non other than email. I'm about to tell you why and also why you'll want to get going on this as soon as you read this!

Here's how it works. When someone subscribes to any of my RSS channels (I publish several channels), they can then choose one of several "viewers or readers" available to manage their subscription. The SUBSCRIBER manages their subscription not me! They can have many subscriptions all in one "reader" where they can view them all in one place rather than having their email inbox inundated with lots of newsletters they probably won't read because they don't have the time.

Here is how to break that information down into bite size for assimilation: RSS puts the control back in the "end users" hands thus eliminating the problem with lists, spam, viruses, etc., because they subscribe WITHOUT email! Let me say it again - without email. If your subscribers know they can take back control of their subscriptions, read what they want when they want in tidbits instead of long email newsletters without giving you their email address, don't you think they're going to be thanking you and remembering you in their wills? Well, maybe not in their wills but they will remember that you are a great business that offers quality content when THEY want it not when you deliver it. So, that's part of the WHY.

It only gets better. When you cruise the Internet using a browser you can bookmark a site but then you have to go back to it when you want to read anything from that site again, right? Well, with an RSS feed, rather than having to go back to it, it comes to you! Once a subscriber subscribes to your feed, they can read the information you publish without going back to your site because they'll have your "feed" already in their "viewer or reader" of choice! It will be updated each time you input anything into your feed - to every single subscriber simultaneously!

So what does this mean for the publisher and site owner? Well you don't have to keep sending out those reminders. You can input a "tip of the day", an announcement, anything to keep your feed updated and in front of your subscriber base daily! Keep it quality, helpful, and inject your personality into it and you'll reap the rewards of allowing your ONLINE customers to feel they know you in person. Trust is a difficult thing to build online these days but using a RSS feed is one great way to get personal with your customers.

Here's how Paul Short says it in "A Blogger's Edge" "….encourage everyone you've ever been in contact with using newsletters or otherwise to make the transition to accepting communication from you via feeds rather than email is a smart marketing move indeed", Paul Short, http://GetBlogs.com So, in a nutshell - you're nuts NOT to use an RSS feed. The Internet is changing, just like everything else. It's the way of the world. Things change, and we can either get on board when things change or stay put and drown. Either way it's coming and RSS is definitely going to be a big part of the new change! So, you ask "Why use RSS?" I say, "why not?"

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