You probably have seen RSS several times in the course of your internet surfing. What is RSS? RSS is a XML file format for syndicating content and news on the web. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary; syndicating means republishing an article that comes from another source such as a website.

RSS is a real means of publicizing updates about any website. It may or may not include a summary and/or photos of the latest posting. Other than plain text content, you can also add multimedia files, like videos or pictures. Those that do provide summaries (thus Rich Site Summary) allow any user to skim through the article so that they could decide later on if they want to access the website source. The RSS feed usually contains both the title of the actual update as well as the link to the website source.

How exactly does RSS work?

To be able to use RSS, you first have to download software (content management system), so that the XML format can be read. The title and, excerpt of the article, and a link to the full article are shown.

For users to access a particular RSS feed, they need to use an aggregator or a feed reader of some type. An aggregator searches for updates on RSS-enabled webpages then displays it. It can either be a standalone program or a web browser extension, depending on your operating system.

What exactly are the real benefits of RSS?

1. It gives you the latest updates as soon as it comes out.

2. It gives the power of subscription to the user.

3. It saves on surfing time by helping the surfer to decide on which items to prioritize when reading or browsing the net.

4. It can be used as a powerful advertising or marketing tool.

5. It will cut down on the clutter in your email inbox.

6. It is spam free and since RSS does not make use of your email address to send updates your privacy is kept safe from spam mails.

7. Unsubscribing from an RSS feed is hassle-free.

What exactly are the drawbacks of RSS?

1. Since it is a new technology, many sites still do not support RSS.

2. Graphics and photos do not appear in all RSS feeds.

3. Some users prefer receiving email updates over an RSS feed.

4. Publishers cannot determine how many users are subscribed to their feed and the frequency of their visits.

5. RSS feeds create higher traffic and demands on the server.

6. The identity of the source website can be confusing.

How exactly do I start using RSS?

Basically, there are two things you need: an RSS feed as well as an RSS aggregator or reader. The RSS feed comes from an RSS-supported website. There are also websites that provide a list of RSS feeds of different websites. An RSS aggregator is what is used to read the RSS feed from the source website. It scans and collects data on latest RSS feeds from the worldwide web.

An aggregator comes in two forms: a downloadable or online / web-based aggregators. Some aggregators may require payment, while some aggregators are free of charge. Both versions allow you to customize or choose which RSS feeds to enter. Paid aggregators are usually chosen by more experienced users and they usually allow more freedom in customizing feeds.

1. Choose an RSS aggregator to use. For beginners, web-based aggregators are usually recommended since they are usually very user-friendly

2. Look for the RSS or XML button on the website you are interested in. It contains the RSS code you need to enter in the aggregator. Copy this code. Syndic8 provides a directory of websites that support RSS.

3. Paste the code (which contains the URL of the website) in your aggregator. There is a space provided for pasting the code.

After you have done these three easy steps, you can start reading the RSS feeds coming from the website. New postings appear as they are published real time at the source website.

RSS and Internet Marketing

The original idea of RSS came from Netscape, where their intention was to provide a means for users to customize their personal homepage to contain links to websites that interested them. Very similar in fact to bookmarking websites.

RSS used in internet marketing was an unforeseen development to RSS technology developers. Today RSS is fast replacing email marketing and newsletters. Since users are given the freedom to add RSS feeds to their aggregators, those who are interested in particular products and services available in the internet can now be notified real time. Marketing becomes much more specific to interested people and is no longer a hit-and-miss operation.

Anyone who intends to use RSS for marketing their own products or services should consider linking up with various email account providers, (e.g. Yahoo, MSN, Google mail); networking websites (e.g. Friendster, Multiply, My Space, Hi5); websites of various newspapers and television network websites (e.g. New York Times, CNN) for medium to big-scale companies.

Other ideas, also look into networking websites as well as personal blog websites (e.g. Blogspot), club websites and organizations that would probably make use of their products or services e.g. a fishing supplies store can look for the website of their local fishing club for possible RSS marketing.

Clearly, RSS is an innovation in information management in the worldwide web as well as in online marketing. We can expect better RSS technology in the not-so-distant future as its popularity increases among users and website owners alike. RSS feeds can give your website a lot more traffic than through the usual web hosting. More web traffic coming to your web site means more a lot more people eventually seeing your products. Add basic strength to your online marketing strategy. Make RSS feeds to your site and be prepared to sell.