Online Marketing Bloggers

What is RSS?

In the course of your internet surfing, you probably have seen this three-letter acronym. Stands for Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication, syndicating means republishing an article that comes from another source such as a blog a website.

So, RSS is a means websites publicizing updates. It may or may not include photos and a summary of the latest posting. But RSS allow users to skim through the article so that if they want to access the website source, they could decide later on. Usually it contains the title of the update originating from the website. Usually t is also the link to the website source.

What are the benefits of RSS?

The benefits of RSS gives to both web publishers and readers or users.

1. The latest updates.
Whether it is about new music, the weather, local news, software upgrade, or a new posting as soon as it comes out from a rarely-updates site learn about the latest.

2. Saves on surfing time.
It saves the user’s time by helping s/he decide on which items to prioritize when browsing or reading the net, Since an RSS feed provides a summary of the related article.

3. The power of subscription to the user.
They can change at any time they decide differently A free-hand on which websites to subscribe in their RSS aggregators.

4. Lessens the clutter in your inbox.
RSS does not use your email address to send the updates although your email address will be required to enjoy the services of online RSS aggregators.

5. Spam free.
To send updates thus your privacy is kept safe from spam mails, RSS does not make use of your email address, unlike email subscriptions.

6. Hassle-free for Unsubscribing.
All you have to do is to delete the RSS feed from your aggregator. Unlike email subscriptions where the user is asked questions on why s/he is unsubscribing and then the user would be asked to confirm unsubscribing,

7. Can be used as a marketing tool or an advertising.
Users who syndicate or subscribe product websites receive the latest news on services and products without the website sending spam mail. To both the website owner and the web user, this is advantageous since advertising becomes targeted. Those who are interested in their products actually are kept posted.

What are the drawbacks of RSS?

RSS disadvantages of use are brought about by some user-preference concerns and its being a new technology.

1. Over an RSS feed, some users prefer receiving email updates

2. In several RSS feeds, graphics and photos do not appear
RSS feeds do not display the photos from the original site for conciseness and ease of publication, in announcing the update except for some web-based aggregators.

3. It can be confusing to the identity of the source website.
It can sometimes get confusing on what feed a user is actually reading since RSS feeds do not display the actual URL or name of the website,.

4. In several RSS feed, publishers cannot determine the frequency of their visits and how many users are subscribed to their feed. Moreover, in improving their advertising, they would not know the reasons why users unsubscribe which could be important.

5. RSS feeds create demands and higher traffic on the server.
Over a brief summary of the entry, most readers still prefer the whole update, thus they still access the site.

6. Many sites still do not support RSS since it is a new technology,

How do I start using RSS?

Two things are needed: an RSS aggregator or reader and an RSS feed. An RSS aggregator is used to read the RSS feed from the source website. It scans and collects data on latest RSS feeds from the worldwide web. The RSS feed comes from an RSS-supported website. There are also websites that provide a list of RSS feeds of different websites.

An aggregator comes in two forms: an online or web-based aggregator and a downloadable program also known as desktop aggregator. While internet-based aggregators are usually free of charge, downloadable aggregators may require payment before they can be acquired. You need to register an account before you are ready to use their services. Both versions allow you to choose or to customize which RSS feeds to enter. By more experienced users, paid aggregators are usually chosen and usually allow more freedom in customizing feeds.

1. Choose an RSS aggregator. Web-based aggregators are recommended for beginners, since they are usually user-friendly

2. Scan the your target website homepage for the XML or RSS button. You need to enter in the aggregator, it contains the RSS code. Copy this code. Syndic8 provides a directory of websites that support RSS.

3. In which contains the URL of the website, paste the code in your aggregator. There is a space provided.

You can start reading the RSS feeds coming from the website after you have done these three easy steps. As they are published real time at the source website, the new postings will appear.

RSS and Internet Marketing

The RSS original idea came from Netscape that is intend to provide a means for users to customize their personal homepage,  similar to bookmarking websites that is to contain links to websites that interest them.

An unforeseen development to RSS technology developers was the application of RSS to internet marketing. Since users are given the freedom to add RSS feeds to their aggregators, those who are interested in particular services and products available in the internet can now be notified real time. To interested people, marketing becomes more specific and not a hit-and-miss operation.

Linking up with email account providers should considered by those who intend to use RSS for marketing their products and services, such like Google mail, Yahoo, MSN, networking websites such as Multiply, My Space, Friendster, Hi5, television network websites and websites of newspapers such as CNN, New York Times for medium to big-scale companies. Also Small-time industries can look into networking websites as well as personal blog websites such like Blogspot and clubs websites and organizations that would probably make use of their products or services for possible RSS marketing.

Conclusion, RSS is an innovation in information management, as well as online marketing in the worldwide web. In the not-so-distant future, we can expect better RSS technology as its popularity increases among website owners and users alike.