RSS of content IN and OUT of a website
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) allows your site’s visitors to subscribe (and be automatically notified when you post new content) with a simple mouse-click. RSS allows your customers and visitors stay up to date as soon as you post new content automatically without any interaction by you.
RSS Description: What is it?
RSS enables you to capture content streaming out of online sources and display it on your own website. You can display it a number of ways, and templates are available that make the process very simple. RSS lets you grab content from a vast array of online material to keep your website fresh and appealing to regular users. Installing the feature may give you a breather from having to create brand new content to keep your website dynamic and appealing to frequent readers. You can also use RSS feeds as a resource for themes and ideas to create your own new content. Everybody gets stuck occasionally, and creating original stuff on a regular basis [daily basis] can be grueling work.
On the other hand, if you’re one of those workaholics like me – against better advice – and have no problem crunching fresh new original stuff with ease, you can feed RSS from your own site. Then you can be one of the primary source sites that everybody else is using for inspiration for their website.
You can become one of the authorities on your chosen/favorite topic, and then your content might go viral. If you make it that far, your content might be ripped off and plagiarized. If that bothers you, and it should to a certain extent, you might look at it from a realistic point of view: after reading about something and piquing their interest the smarter readers/customers are going to consult the authority on the matter. If you are a good enough authority on the topic, odds are the most curious, the most interested customers/readers, are going to wind up on your site to verify the information. Then they will bypass the other sites and become your loyal fans.
At least that’s how it works for sites like the NYT, WSJ, FT, etc.
Congratulations, and welcome to the big time.
RSS Users: Who needs it?
RSS has multiple applications, and the most obvious websites that have a need for it are news-centric. However, news is a relative term, and it may take the form of legislation affecting tax laws, proposed changes to rules governing a/c repairmen, or the newest saga in [choose your own celebrity skank]. That’s a pretty broad range, and it implies that if your website needs the latest update about any subject there is probably a RSS feed you can use to enhance the appeal of your content to interested readers. If one doesn’t exist, then perhaps you should consider becoming the RSS syndicator for your own niche market.
Yet, there are other possibilities RSS can provide other niche websites. A few examples are websites that focused around Job boards, construction job posting, churches – sermons, marketplace information, and classified ads. In short, RSS has enormous possibilities for any website – regardless of what kind of site it is.
RSS Features: What does it do?
RSS components all provide essentially the same features, but the better ones generally add the following functionality to your site:
Unlimited RSS feeds from popular sites like Jobline, Feedburner, Docman, etc.
Ability to track your site’s traffic, total subscribers, etc.
Multi author support (RSS news feeds for each author)
RSS Benefits: What is achieved?
RSS is a great way to promote your site and business. It also creates the easiest way for your visitors to follow authors they like. RSS only works if the visitor/reader/viewer chooses to subscribe – this is an important point often overlooked by business people – any new subscriber has to be interested in what you say, sell, or provide. That means RSS is a fantastic way to connect with customers on their own terms (unobtrusively), and build or augment a CRM program.
[I haven’t seen it yet – but RSS could also be used to provide coupons, special deal, etc.]
RSS automatically alerts your customers; essentially creating a conduit directly to your most valued customers/readers/users. Anyone who subscribes to your feed is opening their door for you to enter their home every time you upload a new post, and if you are online to do business – it doesn’t get any better than that.
Breast cancer RSS feed example, if desired…