Free Website Content - The Future of RSS is Not Blogs
Blogs vaulted RSS into the limelight but are
unlikely to be the force that sustains RSS as a communication
medium. The biggest opportunities for RSS are not in the
blogosphere but as a corporate communication channel.
Even now, businesses that were initially reluctantly
evaluating RSS are beginning to realize the power and benefit
of the RSS information avenue. The inherent capacity for
consumers to select the content they wish to receive will
be the driving mechanism for keeping advertisements to a
minimum and content quality consistent.
Like the Internet when it first started, blogs
were emboldened by the "cool factor". As the novelty of
being new and cool wears off, Internet webmasters and bloggers
alike are realizing that maintaining a website or blog is
time-consuming. "Coolness" often wears off if a channel
is not monetized. With the ease of blogging and the array
of blogs available, only a handful will be able to sustain
fresh, constant, unique content and generate any sort of
reasonable or significant revenue. As a result, blogs as
we know them today will fade into the background, with many
blogs being abandoned.
RSS, being a tool that saves Internet surfers
time and allows webmasters to re-purpose and re-package
existing and new content will, in my opinion, continue to
thrive. A business effectively using RSS can bring new site
visitors, increase search engine positioning, and generate
product interest. The flexibility of RSS as a communication
medium and the expansion capabilities of the enclosure tag
will allow RSS to flourish as an online marketing tool.
Each day businesses are adopting new uses for RSS, and users
are becoming accustomed to skimming content that *they*
choose in a single centralized location.
As businesses adopt RSS and consumers experiment
with feeds, the popularity of RSS will grow. Ultimately,
consumers are the driving force behind technology. The convenience
of RSS and increased popularity will set a precedent for
consumer expectations. Businesses using RSS as a communication
vehicle are able to create keyword-rich, themed content,
establishing trust, reputation, and ongoing communication
with current and prospective customers.
The big consumer benefit to RSS is that consumers
opt-in to content of interest, totally controlling the flow
of information they receive. If the quality of the content
in the feed declines, users simply remove the feed from
their RSS reader and they will not receive any additional
updates from that source. The RSS reader acts as an aggregator,
allowing users to view and scan multiple content streams
in a timely fashion.
Consumer expectation will drive businesses
that are slow to adopt. Ultimately, RSS will be a standard,
like email addresses and websites are now a "must" for businesses.
RSS feeds will join their ranks.
Unlike blogs, businesses can easily justify
RSS feeds, as they will be increasing customer and corporate
communication. RSS will create new revenue channels. RSS
has the potential to help companies develop strong relationships
with consumers and create brand loyalty. RSS Feeds will
draw existing customers and prospective clients, translating
to a new or renewed income stream. Businesses using RSS
feeds as a communication medium to notify interested customers
of specials, discounts, product announcements, technical
support tips, news and industry studies will ultimately
sustain RSS as a viable and valued communication medium.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and
podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage
http://www.notepage.net
a wireless text messaging software company.
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This article may be used freely in opt-in
publications and websites, provided that the resource box
is included and the links are active. A courtesy copy of
the issue or a link to any online posting would be greatly
appreciated send an email to sharon@notepage.net
.
Additional articles available for publication available
at http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
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