RSS news feeds are a great form of communication in the viral marketing game, and when properly managed, these feeds can bring in significant internet traffic. The meaning of RSS is actually not very clear. RSS may stand for Really Simple Syndication while others believe its Rich Site Summary or Rich Syndication Standard. The creator of RSS directory is considered to be Netscape. It was released in March 1999 and is used to syndicate news or information and is usually associated with blogs because blogs use an RSS news feed to distribute their content. These RSS feeds are found in RSS directories where content is updated on a 24/7 basis.
The great thing about RSS directories is that they are categorized, making it easier to find information.
How can you take advantage of RSS news feeds?
You can use RSS news feeds as an online marketing and search engine optimization tool. Just as optimizing a web page will increase exposure, so will a properly optimized RSS news feed. Follow a few simple tips to help improve your RSS feed exposure.
If you publish your own content or articles you can submit to article directories which now also are starting to incorporate RSS as well. People are on the internet for Information and websites contain this information. Website owners need new and updated information on a daily basis to feed their readers needs.
The channel title is one of the most important aspects of your RSS news feed. It should be keyword rich and related to the general theme of the RSS feed. The channel title is important because it is a first glimpse at the RSS feed, and what will capture the attention of the casual internet surfer. Also many of the RSS directories and search engines use the information in the RSS feed's channel title to index the feed so it is important that the information be relevant to the contents in the feed.
The channel description expands on the theme of the RSS news feed and gives an overview as to its content. The channel description should contain related keywords and phrases, but just like the channel title, it should be written to capture the attention of the reader.
The RSS feed item title is really nothing more than a headline and is similar to a web page title, this is your opportunity to grab the interest of your reader. The use of pertinent keywords and keyword phrases in the item title will help those searching for specific content.
RSS news feeds should be search engine optimized , using the same techniques as those used on a web site, Grammar and proper punctuation are important and will say a lot about the quality of your content.
Remove old items in an RSS feed and archive contents to make sure that feeds load quickly in RSS readers. If you are using a third party hosting, feeds that are too large will be truncated or not display at all.
Add an image to your RSS news feed to make it visually appealing in an RSS reader. Most RSS readers will display the image above the contents, and this is a great way to present a brand logo and establish recognition. Be sure to include the full URL to the image to avoid a broken link.
There is true power in the marketing ability of RSS news feeds and with just a little knowledge; you too can harness this great new marketing tool!
Rss News Feed For
Reading RSS Feeds
While many have resisted the urge to decipher the meaning behind the acronym RSS, the vast majority of technically knowledgeable online surfers have begun incorporating RSS into their daily routines. Why go through the hassle of understanding something new, the novice might want to know? Because it saves time, and time is a precious commodity these days.
The contents of an RSS feed can be read any number of ways. A variety of tools, both fee based and free, to read RSS feeds are available on the Internet.
When determining what RSS feed reader to download, thought should be given to security. More an more publishers are using RSS feeds as a way to deliver podcasts or media rich-content. Users of desktop software will want to find an RSS reader that allows for rich media to be delivered safely and securely.
Web surfers might want to give thought to another consideration of cross compatibility and synchronization. With the advances in RSS readers, many subscribers use multiple platforms to read their feeds. While this is convenient, if the the web surfer is not using a synchronized solution, they find themselves marking the same feed items read multiple times.
These days, aggregators are available in all shapes and sizes. Determine what type of RSS reader you would like to use to aggregate and manage your RSS feeds.
1. Desktop RSS Reader Software
A number of desktop RSS readers are available for download from the Internet. Many desktop readers allow subscribers to categorize and group their RSS feeds. Many users find it helpful to segregate personal and business feeds.
examples include:
FeedDemon http://www.feeddemon.com
Active Web Reader - http://www.deskshare.com/awr.aspx
2. Web Based RSS Aggregator
Web based RSS news aggregators are accessible via any computer that has Internet access using a login and password. Web based readers are particularly useful to individuals who travel frequently.
examples include:
MyYahoo - http://my.yahoo.com
BlogLines - http://www.bloglines.com
NewsGator - http://www.newsgator.com
3. Browser Plug In
RSS readers are now being incorporated into newer versions of web browsers. In addition many popular browsers have third party tools that expand their functionality to incorporate RSS feeds.
Examples include:
Firefox Sage - http://sage.mozdev.org/
Internet Explorer FeedScout - http://www.bytescout.com/feedscout.html
4. Email RSS Reader
A handful of popular email clients have add on modules that allow users to manage their RSS feeds in their existing email client.
Examples include:
Newsgator Inbox - http://www.newsgator.com
5. Mobile RSS Readers
As the world becomes remote, mobile RSS readers are becoming increasingly popular. Surfers on the run appreciate receiving content updates remotely.
example include:
Mobile RSS Reader - http://www.dace.fi/
FreeRange - http://www.freerangeinc.com/products/
Once you have a news reader setup, you will need to populate it with RSS feeds. Website visitors, subscribe to RSS feeds by adding the URL of the feed to their RSS reader or aggregator. Many publishers use orange boxes or buttons marked RSS or XML to signify that an RSS feed exists for a website. In order to discover the URL of the RSS feed simply click the icon. Do not panic if as a result of your click, you see a page that contains code that makes little sense. Simply add the URL to the RSS reader. The RSS reader will decipher the code and display the feed's content in a format that is easily readable.
Some websites have added chicklets or icons for popular news readers to make subscriptions very easy. In those cases, you will see a subscription button for specific RSS readers, simply click the icon that corresponds with your RSS reader and the feed will appear in your RSS reader. Some desktop aggregators and integrated readers will automatically detect that an RSS feed is available on a website. The RSS reader will pop up and ask if you wish to subscribe to the RSS feed.
While it does require initial effort to setup a solution for aggregating and reading RSS feeds, users find that it saves a lot of time in the long run. Determine what solution best meets your RSS needs and begin aggregating information.
Both Kirk Smith & Sharon Housley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kirk Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Family and Home Management. Kirk Smith is an expert author on SEO, Affiliate & Internet Marketing. To get up to date news, information, Reports, Tips and special promotions, please visit Kirk Smith's Official Internet Marketing Blog Today. Kirk Smith's top article generates over 60500 views. Bookmark Kirk Smith to your Favourites.
Sharon Housley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Anger Control, Writing and Music. Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages mar. Sharon Housley's top article generates over 40500 views. Bookmark Sharon Housley to your Favourites.
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