Free Website Content
Steps to Creating RSS Feeds
Publicize your RSS feed.
There is little argument from webmasters and publishers
that RSS brings in traffic. So once you've made the
leap and created a feed, how do you tell your visitors
about the feed?
1. Submit Your RSS Feed to RSS Directories.
This will not only increase the number of sites linking
to your website and increasing your link popularity,
it will also increase the RSS feeds profile. A number
of RSS search engines and RSS directories exist that
allow you to freely submit RSS feeds. Feeds are generally
categorized and grouped together by subject. Web surfers
looking for RSS feeds about a specific subject will
often search the RSS directories, to locate a feed that
matches their specific criteria. Topic specific RSS
feed and podcasting directories are also emerging. Choose
a web feed's category carefully and only submit relevant
feeds to topic specific directories.
A large list of directories is located
at http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-submission.htm
Example of Topic Specific - http://www.realty-feeds.net
or http://www.religious-podcasts.net
2. Explain RSS
While you have finally figured RSS out, some of your
visitors may not have. The concept while brilliant,
can be a bit confusing for the beginner. The concept
of RSS feeds might be completely new to some of your
website visitors. Hence it is generally good practice
to walk website visitors through the steps of locating,
subscribing and reading an RSS feed. It is generally
a good practice to include a page on your website that
contains a general explanation on RSS and details how
website visitors can subscribe to an RSS feed.
Sample
Explanation page that can be used to on your website:
http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-subscriptions.htm
. RSS specifications has authorized the replication
of this webpage. It can be republished, simply insert
your RSS feeds or otherwise customize the material to
explain RSS to your website visitors.
3. Graphic on Website
Since the conception of RSS, bright graphic flags have
been used to denote the location of an RSS feed. Now
instinctively, website visitors frequently look for
a colorful flag on websites. The looks of the flags
have changed but a variety of options exists. When you
add the image, be sure to link to the location of the
RSS feed. Some webmasters use chicklets to indicate
the presence of feeds, web surfers click on the chicklet
that relates to their RSS feed reader or news aggregator
and the feed is added to their list of feeds. Others
feel that the volume of chicklets simply add confusion,
and opt for a single relevant RSS graphic.
4. Press
As with any important addition to your company, it is
completely appropriate to send a press release to let
the media know you have RSS feeds available for specific
content. This will often garner a little attention.
Additionally, key news editors may opt to subscribe
to your RSS feed in order to stay abreast of your latest
corporate news. Considering the possibility of these
subscriptions, makes a press release to signal the availability
of an RSS feed simple common corporate sense.
5. Newsletters
Include a mention in your e-mail newsletter that content
is now available via an RSS feed. Many newsletters subscribers
appreciate an alternative subscription method and will
subscribe to a web feed as well.
6. Auto Discovery
Some of your website visitors might be web savvy. Be
sure to include an auto-discovery tag in the HTML header
of each web page. Many RSS Readers will automatically
discover that an RSS feed is available for specific
content and notify the website visitor and ask them
if they wish to subscribe.
7. Brand a Newsreader
Distribute pre-loaded RSS readers branded to your company
name. The big benefit to brandable newsreaders is that
you can include all of your RSS feeds in it. Any downloaders
will have immediate access to your RSS feeds in the
branded news reader.
Brandable Readers - http://www.deskshare.com
or http://www.customreader.com
8. Blog
If you have a blog or know bloggers, be sure to share
with them that you have added an RSS feed for specific
content. Blogs are a great vehicle to spread the word.
Marketers instantly understood the power of word of
mouth, but few marketers understand the movement of
blog to mouth. This growing phenomenon has added credibility
to online blog endorsements.
In order to reap the benefits of an RSS
feed, it is important the feed be properly publicized.
Taking simple steps to promote an RSS feed will go a
long way in ensuring a feeds adoption.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds
and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for
NotePage http://www.notepage.net
a wireless text messaging software company.
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copy of the issue or a link to any online posting would
be greatly appreciated send an email to sharon@notepage.net
.
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