RSS feeds
No, this is not the new math. It is the formula for getting your web site recognized by the search engine spider.
The formula is Fresh Content + Really Simple Syndication = Search Engine Optimization.. This is an easy way to get the search engine spiders to come and visit your site on a regular basis, see that “updates” have been made, and get you ranked higher in the directories.
It isn’t that difficult to write a 300 – 500 word article about your favorite subject matter. What works for me is to set aside a couple of hours a week and knock out 5 – 7 articles at one time to use during the upcoming week. The articles are all different but are similar, so writing them in one sitting is a bit easier. Writing your own content is still the best method but article submission sites can help you out when you have “writer’s block”.
Getting fresh content can be easy with the many article submission sites available on the Internet. All you have to do is search for articles related to your site, copy them and add them to your site. Ensure that you credit the author by leaving the resource box, along with a live link, intact. You can grab many articles at one sitting and save them for later updates. Add some content to your site on a regular basis – preferably daily. You will be amazed at how quick your new site gets indexed and happy with the rankings of your current site as it goes higher and higher.
RSS is an XML formatted style for syndicating content. Users that have RSS readers can then pick up your content and read it at their leisure. Your content will then be all over the Internet giving you maximum exposure.
One additional tip is to add a news aggregator to your site. This will put current news headlines and snippets of the articles on your site. Again, this adds fresh content, making the search engine spiders happy.
So, a few simple adjustments to your web site can bring more visitors, happy spiders and fame and fortune to the authors of the original articles.
Benefits to RSS Feeds...
Benefits to RSS
RSS streamlines communication between publishers and readers. Since RSS has had a popularity surge, webmasters have been experimenting and using RSS feeds to deliver content in new and innovative ways. Typically, RSS feeds contain news headlines and content summaries. The content summaries contain just enough information without overwhelming the reader with superfluous details. If the reader is interested and wants additional information they can click on the item in the feed, accessing the website which contains additional details. RSS readers aggregate multiple feeds, making it easy for individuals to quickly scan information contained within each feed. Feeds are generally themed, allowing users to opt-in to feeds that are of interest.
The big benefit to RSS is that individuals opt-in to content of interest, totally controlling the flow of information that 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.
RSS is a great supplemental communication method that does not burden the publisher with maintaining lists or following strict privacy guidelines. RSS feeds are compiled according to the user's choices, removing any burden that is placed on publishers of email newsletters. Publishers no longer need to be concerned with spam, privacy policies, and age guidelines.
Publishers 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.
What Kind of Information Can be Delivered in RSS Feeds?
Blogs Feed
Many blogs are catalogued in an RSS feed, with each blog entry summarized as a feed item. This makes it easy for visitors to scan blog posts for items of interest.
Article Feed
Articles are often placed into feeds to alert readers when new articles and content are available. The feed entry is typically an article summary or introduction. Readers can then ascertain if the article is of interest and read further.
Forum Feed
Many forums now have add-ons that allow participants to receive forum posts via RSS. The RSS feeds often will show the latest discussion topics; if users are interested they simply click to enter the forum to participate in the discussion. As the topic is updated they will see new entries in the RSS feed.
Schedule Feed
Schools, clubs and organizations will often use feeds to communicate meeting times, places and events that might be occurring. The RSS feeds are often used to publicize events, notify the community of schedule changes or meeting agendas.
Discounts / Specials Feed
Retail and online stores have begun using RSS feeds to deliver their latest specials and discounted offers. Some online retailers have taken this a step further, allowing users to create their own feeds based on keywords or phrases.
For example, this service will generate a URL than can be entered into a news reader. The feed is updated each time an item is added to Amazon that meets the specified criteria or keywords - Amazon Search Feed - http://www.oxus.net/amazon/
Ego / News Monitoring
Companies or individuals interested in receiving headline news based on a specific brand or keyword can use RSS feeds to monitor news sources.
For example, users can use the following tool to create a feed that will allow them to receive filtered news from Google News. They will only receive items related to a specific keyword or phrase they setup - http://www.justinpfister.com/gnewsfeed.php
Industry-Specific RSS Feed Uses Include:
Technical professionals in specific industries have also developed RSS feeds as way to market, promote or communicate within their specific industries. In many cases, this has expanded their reach and increased communication with current and prospective customers and clients.
RSS feeds can be used by realtors to communicate the time and location for open houses, announce new property listings or promote decreased mortgage rates. Content feeds can also be used by universities to communicate sports scores or event schedules. Computer service professionals can create feeds to notify clients of potential security breaches, virus risks or outbreaks. Ultimately, RSS is molded to meet the communication needs of many sectors. Consider how RSS can benefit your business and supplement your communication needs.
So who should I use RSS Feeds? How can it help with my online business?
1. RSS Feeds allow you to deliver your newsletter/message directly to the desktop of your subscribers and readers, BYPASSING email. As you might have read or heard, email is not getting through to a lot of people, especially now with CAN SPAM law in place, ISPs are filtering a lot of emails with certain subject lines in them.
Imagine if you have a 10,000 list and 20% of your emails doesn't get through.
That means 2,000 mails are not being delivered.
How much sales are you losing from this alone?
It is also costly to hire services that help you do the monitoring and ensure your autoresponders/emails get through.
Your readers and subscribers themselves are getting numb to the constant bombardment of emails from other parties, bear in mind they are not just subscribing to your newsletter.
With RSS Feeds, you can get your readers to subscribe to your news feed using a newsreader software or online web service for reading rss feeds).
This way you can bypass all the email SPAM and reach 100% your readers.
And with some good headlines, you can bet your message gets read.
2. Get your site listed by YAHOO within 24 hours and save $299
With RSS Feeds, you can get your site listed in Yahoo within 24 hours and save $299. Yahoo is currently building an RSS directory and as such has inadvertently opened a "back door", allowing people to list their website with RSS feeds.
This secret is revealed in my multimedia ebook, with video tutorials showing you how to do it. Each day more people are discovering this secret, and I'm not sure when Yahoo will pull the plug.
3. Dominate niche market with RSS feeds
You can create multiple RSS feeds centered around targeted keywords and submit them to RSS directories. There are people who are actually looking for good content online and wants to read and subscribe to news feeds.
They might be searching for news on the keyword "cooking" for example. When someone performs a keyword search and you have your feeds built around that keyword, it will turn up and you get to have more subscribers when they subscribe to your news feeds.
4. More subscribers, more leads, more sales. RSS feeds give you a wider reach and gain more subscribers you otherwise would not have gotten.
More subscribers mean more leads, and more sales!
RSS allows your newsletter, messages, ads to be syndicated all over the web, giving you a wider reach you otherwise would not have.
Imagine a giant octopus with unlimited tentacles stretching all over the sea searching, looking...well, with RSS feeds, basically you're doint the same thing.
You have to submit your rss feeds though, to the relevant directories, otherwise noboby knows about it.
5. Podcasting
Podcast is the latest application of RSS feeds. Have you heard of webcast?
With Webcast, you have to go to the website where the audio file (mp3 file) is stored.
Podcast take it one step further. It allows you to syndicate your mp3 audio files (such as a web cast or tele-seminar) all over the web and even allows you to download to Apple Ipod.
Your potential customer and readers can listen to your message even without being at the PC. Isn't that fantastic?
