RSS feeds deliver marketing messages
to qualified consumer bases
By Dana Kohlbeck, PR Specialist, Coalesce, Inc.
Originally printed in the January 19, 2009, MarketSmart Column of the Appleton Post-Crescent
Marketers aim to garner attention from their target audiences, but is it possible for a business’s message to be seen by a 100 percent qualified audience? Some marketing experts are now saying yes, thanks to Really Simple Syndication, or RSS feeds.
RSS is an application that allows consumers to easily stay informed about the companies, products or services they are interested in by opting-in to receive the latest headlines, sale offer or new product announcement from its Web sites. Further, consumers save time because feeds from their favorite Web site are delivered directly to them, without having to visit each site individually.
Essentially, RSS users download a program application – often for free – that accepts information from Web sites that provide a feed. The feed generates a headline, short summary, and link for the consumer to learn more.
Through RSS feeds, eBay loyalists sign up using key words or products and receive an email notice as their desired products are up for auction, while Apple iTunes account holders receive updates on newly released music or top albums and songs in any number of genres.
Consumers can choose to receive RSS feeds via their email inbox, hand-held mobile device, or even on Web sites or blogs, such as personal Facebook or Yahoo! pages.
And perhaps one of the biggest benefits to marketers is that RSS avoids the typical SPAM filters.
Consumers can determine what type of content they wish to receive, and whether they want to follow the feed to the originating Web site, or simply ignore it. The freedom for consumers to opt-in and receive the feed in any number of ways means the user is in control – making those recipients a more qualified audience.
Industry experts expect RSS feeds to grow in popularity for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer companies, as marketers are using feeds to drive Web site traffic, improve search engine rankings and generate an active subscriber base to advertise.