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Top 11 Ways to Use RSS Marketing
By Amanda Watlington
Although 31% of Internet users are using RSS (Real Simple Syndication, only a scant 4% are consciously
aware that they are doing so, according to an October 2005 study from Yahoo! and Ipsos Insight. This is
because it is not necessary to understand RSS technology to use it. Below are the top 11 practical uses
for RSS that you should consider for your own purposes.
#1. Content Syndication
If you have editorial content, you now have another content channel through which you can publish
that content in addition to the ones you already know, such as email newsletters, print publications
and so
forth. Your content can now be a "feed"—the same kind of feed that My Yahoo! and Google
News and other popular inbox providers pick up from Reuters, AP and other more traditional content
providers.
End users subscribe to these feeds and the subsequent stream of updated content is presented to them
when they log on. Do remember that no matter how creative your feed is, you must provide clear
instructions on how to subscribe for those who are new to RSS technology.
#2. Press Information
RSS is an excellent way for public relations executives to get their press releases into the hands
of interested reporters. Provide a press release newsfeed on your site—and offer ample opportunities
for those interested to subscribe—and you can deliver newsworthy information at the push of a button.
#3. Job Listings
Make it easy for potential candidates to find out about job opportunities in your firm by distributing
current openings via an RSS feed. And, if you happen to run an organization that carries job listings
as a courtesy to your members, you can easily use RSS technology to aggregate job feeds from your
members as well.
#4. Sales Notices
You can quickly move overstock merchandise or notify customers of upcoming sales and bargains by offering
an RSS feed dedicated to sales notices. As RSS subscriptions become more mainstream over the next year,
you will find customers actively looking for this kind of information. People love a good deal and they'll
gladly subscribe to an RSS feed to get one.
#5. Special Offers
Do you send out emails reminding customers about special time-sensitive offers? Why not provide this
same information through an RSS feed? For example, Orbitz.com offers travelers the opportunity to
subscribe to RSS feeds that deliver information on last-minute airline and hotel offers. This is a
can't-miss-strategy that also spreads positive word-of-mouse advertising for your business.
#6. New Product Announcements
Customers who are eager to learn about any new products or services as soon as they become available
are ideal targets for this type of RSS feed. For example, Amazon offers to its RSS feed subscribers
information about its bestsellers across many categories. eBay lets users create custom RSS feeds
that will deliver the results of their eBay searches directly to them via any RSS reader.
#7. Customer Care Notices
Software companies have found that RSS feeds provide an excellent way to update users and developers
about bug fixes and enhancements. Behind the firewall, RSS applications for project management have
mushroomed, whereby custom feeds can be used to rapidly update team members without having to send
a blizzard of internal emails. If you consider your customers to be an extension of your organization,
the opportunities to use RSS to develop one-to-one customer relationships abound.
#8. Affiliate Notices
How do you keep your affiliates updated about changes to your program or improvements to your products?
An RSS feed specifically designed for affiliates can be an immediate asset for this sales channel.
#9. Product Uses and Tips
Do you have information about how customers can maintain or use your products or services better? An
RSS feed devoted to product tips, tricks and success stories can be used to improve and solidify
customer relationships.
#10. Calendar Updates
RSS can be used to distribute much more than text information. With a little help from an application
like RSS Calendar, you can create custom feeds from calendar
data that can be shared with your subscribers. Consider using this type of application if you are a
trainer with a busy seminar schedule that you want to share with potential seminar attendees. Urge
them to subscribe to your calendar and receive updates on the schedule as you make them.
BONUS #11. Podcast and Media Distribution
Lest we forget, RSS feeds make it possible for listeners to find out about your latest podcast or the
release of your most recent video and where they can pick it up.
These marketing applications are the best and brightest uses that creative marketers have already
found for RSS. The list is sure to grow and more Internet users start using RSS and content providers,
marketers and other with information to share find out how easy it is to produce a feed and make
it available to subscribers. By the way, if you have found an interesting or creative use for
RSS, do let us know so that we can add it to our growing list. Email us and let us know.
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