Here's an interesting article on the subject I stumbled across....
============
What is RSS Feed Marketing?
By Mahfuza Ferdausi Urpa
There never seems to be an end to new marketing buzz words on the internet. You most likely have heard of RSS feed. Chances are though you are so caught up with other avenues of marketing that you haven't given much thought to this venue as yet. It would be worth putting on your "to do" list though as it has some great potential.
Introduction
If you have been trying to figure out the basics of RSS feed you may be thinking that it's really not going to be all that significant. It most certainly is though. In fact Microsoft will be sure to support it in their platforms in the future.
So what does RSS stand for?
It means Real Simple Syndication. That alone should start to put you at ease indicating it's really simple to use.
How does RSS feed work?
We all know that email is a great way to get information out to individuals. It can be cumbersome and time consuming however. RSS gets your message out quickly because it relies on a simple method to do it. The information is delivered in a much more simplified way.
So how do I get the content in the RSS feed out to people?
Individuals that are interested in your content and want to receive the information need to do some specific steps. They have to have a way to receive the RSS feed. So they can either download a program that is designed to do this or they can go through a web site that will provide this service for them at no cost.
It sounds complicated, just how much expertise is needed to do this?
It is not complicated and once you have learned the basics of it there is no doubt it will become one of your most favored ways of marketing.
Do people really want to be bothered finding ways to receive RSS feed information?
It's like anything new. It takes time for people to learn about it. Anything new on the internet though that has potential doesn't take long in getting around. RSS feed is growing in leaps and bounds. More and more potential customers love the idea of receiving solid simplified information that they have subscribed for. It takes them away from receiving all the garbage that comes through emails.
Shouldn't I just wait until it's more known?
You could but there would be no sensible reason to do so. You can be growing as the RSS feed in sight is. Why not gain the benefits now and just let those benefits increase as the RSS feed concept does.
Summary
It is totally understandable why a new internet business owner would be a little apprehensive about RSS feed at first. They often feel overwhelmed by all of the other technical things that they must adjust to. RSS feed sounds far more technical then it really is for both the sender and the recipient.
How to start RSS Feed Marketing
First of all remember that all you are doing with RSS feed marketing is delivering content to clients without all the fancy formatting.
Introduction
Knowing that RSS feed stands for Real Simple Syndication gets you in the proper mind set of being able to approach the feasibility of setting up your RSS feed marketing. One very important aspect about marketing is to know what your client needs and wants. The best way to find this information is by listening to what they have to say. With RSS marketing you can do this through a feed reader.
Obtaining your feed reader
By utilizing this type of software any information you require regarding where you have subscribed to will be available to you at just a click of your mouse. You can easily go to the Google reader page for example to get your reader. Then just follow the instructions. From there you just need to bookmark this page where your feed reader is on.
What to add to your feed reader
Remember this is a two way street now. You are going to listen and glean information that is going to help you with your marketing. You can also participate by leaving your comments and getting yourself known. You want to add sites to your feed reader that are important to you. You can add blog sites that fit into your target market. By constantly checking out these sites so easily it means a great time saver. You simply click on the headlines that show in your feed reader and it will open up the content pertaining to that headline.
What to do with the information you obtain from your feed reader
Let's say for example you sell rug cleaners that are all natural. You go to one of your sites on your feeder. You see a headline..."rug cleaning products are dangerous". You can now quickly review the content and find out what you can promote about your product that shows your product is the opposite. Use this as your marketing strength.
Know when and how to respond
Let's assume the example of the above rug cleaning scenario is on a blog, that you have book marked to your feed. Ideally you could leave your own post regarding the topic. After all you are the expert in selling these products. Give good information not a sales plug. If you can do this on a variety of related sites you will soon build your credibility.
Summary
Most likely in the beginning of your RSS feed marketing you will do more listening than participating. There is nothing wrong with that provided you are gathering good information and applying it to help build the image of your own business. It's nice to come across interesting information but if it is not of value to your business then it's a waste of business time. It may be great for reading during your coffee break, but its not likely going to help you make money.
The Rules of RSS Feed Marketing
Whenever an individual has a new tool to work with in their business its like a child having a new toy. This is the perception with RSS Feed marketing. There are guidelines however that if followed will help one get the most from this marketing venue.
Introduction
The best rules of the RSS Feed Marketing are just simply following and doing what it is designed to do.
Get used to it first
There is no point in trying to gain the benefits of RSS feed until you learn how to use and feel comfortable with it. Otherwise you will get caught up in the technicalities of how to work it rather than what it is offering you. So start off being a user first.
Get and stay organized
Determine the type of information you are going to supply on your RSS feed. What do you want to get across to your RSS users? Remember it's not just a sales pitch. The information you are going to give out has to be of interest.
Know your requirements
Become familiar enough with RSS feed to be able to know what you want to achieve from your efforts and what you need to do to get there.
Do your homework
Don't go out and buy the first piece of software that you come across. If you have a good understanding of your requirements then you will be able to make an informed decision as to what your require for your business needs.
Know how to promote your RSS feeds
There is no point in going to all the work of learning about RSS feeds, getting them set up then marketing in the wrong places. This all goes back to your basics of knowing essentially who your target market is. You want your feeds going to where your potential buyers are going to be.
Be progressive
Don't just settle for the basics of RSS feed marketing. What you learn in the beginning from the basics is just the beginning of some amazing things that you will be able to do with your RSS marketing. Keep learning and applying any of the methods that will help your business.
Don't become complacent
It's easy when there are so many aspects of business to take care of to get side tracked on your marketing. This means that some very good potential avenues of your marketing get pushed aside. This is what can happen with your RSS feed marketing campaign. You can get so busy you forget about it. Don't allow this to happen its imperative that you stay in tune with your feed.
Summary:
If you set yourself a marketing schedule that you follow diligently then you are going to find that you will be able to stay on top of all their requirements. For example if you set aside a specific amount of time each week to address your standings with your RSS feeds both as a sender and recipient then you should get the most value from your efforts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mahfuza_Ferdausi_Urpa http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-RSS-Feed-Marketing?&id=3221383
================
Hope you enjoyed the article. It's an area I don't know a whole lot about myself, so I'm going be doing a little more study on the subject.
Have a great day.
Don