Simple Syndication (RSS) -- Wheres The Payoff?

How RSS really does pay off...

Have you heard RSS (Really Simple Syndication)? Did you know you can syndicate your news stories from your website? You probably have seen some orange buttons around web with letters "RSS" them. They allow other websites link your news stories with just a click. Simple. Syndicate.

Ok. Now, you know about Really Simple Syndication... but where's payoff? Let's look at ways RSS can pay off you. And, pay off, does -- when you use this emerging technology effectively.Now by "emerging technology," we mean relatively new, people are still learning about it. But already many savvy webmasters are "aggregating" RSS feeds -- pulling common topic feeds together at their websites. And, big players like Yahoo, Amazon are offering up RSS solutions. You can "subscribe" a selection news feeds your personalized home page at Yahoo, example.

Feed me... feed me...

There's even a search engine just RSS feeds, called Feedster.com, currently returns over 4,645,164 feeds indexed fully searchable. Last August, there were only a quarter a million feeds. Feedster reports around 5,000 new feeds are being added... per day. Someone's hungry. And this hunger feeds being fed by millions "blog" websites use automated "Content Management Systems" turn out their RSS news feeds. At Feedster.com, you can simply search through millions them, or you may "subscribe" there feeds your choice, creating a sort customized electronic newspaper yourself.

Looks like RSS here stay, so what does a "pay off" from RSS mean? Will mean increased traffic your website? Yes. Could mean an increase sales your services or products? Yes, but probably not immediately direct advertising would. What about P.R. value? Yes... most definitely.

Traffic Boost: It's key understand that when your stories are well-written interest (two major considerations -- write professionally your best success), people will subscribe your RSS "feeds." They will want read them. Next, when they like your story, its focus, they will naturally be curious learn more. Include links your site your news. From this you can boost traffic your site. This a sort new generation what was known "reciprocal linking" where, its simplest form, you got more traffic your site by exchanging links with other websites covering similar material. Now instead a link... you provide full articles which may reference your products, services, websites, perhaps those your clients.

Public Relations Value -- P.R. Factor: Does your firm have a Public Relations strategy? It should. Does include RSS? It must. You see Public Relations professionals are already talking about RSS glowing terms like how "providing additional channels amplify supportive messaging." Hey... translated this means any word you can get out street makes your business its market offerings stronger much better known. What's that worth you? Advertising execs are talking about how this can help boost "brand loyalty". Huh? Hey, if you're business, your company identity gets branded (or not, unfortunately) into minds customers prospects. A good brand wins loyal customers. RSS news feeds, done properly, do precisely this your company. And one more thing... RSS installed your site automates a process that can cost quite a lot done manually by a big P.R. Agency. Shsssss.

So where are sales? The formula simple: more your company its offerings becomes known favored by customers prospects alike, they more sales will result. How many sales? To take a shot at a preliminary answer, I did searched using... you guessed it... a search RSS feeds about advertising results. I'll end this article with an overview articles reporting those results, but please be clear about one thing -- people want NEWS their RSS feeds -- news they can use. Advertising secondary, many sites are reporting rejection blatant direct ads. Remember, banner ads are dead. "Product placement" (like when you see an Apple computer a movie) -- mentioning related products services news, blogs, RSS feeds not dead. It's working.

Initial RSS Marketing Results... proceed with cautionHere are a couple links articles that have studied results RSS, ads RSS feeds:

1. RSS Advertising Case Study. Overview. Pheedo reports that by integrating online advertising into an RSS feed, a new online advertising technique, has achieved measurably better results than e-mail its client. Read More at: http://www.pheedo.info/archives/000057.html

2. Blocking Ads RSS feeds already envisioned. Of course. People want news be news. They might put up with informative links, but not blatant, outright, defiant, in-your-face advertising. You can read a blog comments this issue at Kottke.org

What are you serving?

The feed goes on. Advertising no advertising. Straight news articles, Public Relations pieces with positive spins your company its products. The bottom line? If you're going have a website write professional content, why not syndicate news articles greatly extend your reach influence? It's really simple, doesn't cost that much.

Scott Frangos a writer, designer, eCommerce marketer with over 20 years experience Advertising. He has taught eCommerce, HTML, Business courses at college level Portland, Oregon, currently Managing Partner WebFadds.com - http://www.webfadds.com