Blogs vaulted RSS into the limelight but are unlikely to be the force that
sustains RSS as a communication medium. The biggest opportunities for RSS are
not in the blogosphere but as a corporate communication channel.
Even now, businesses that were initially reluctantly evaluating RSS are
beginning to realize the power and benefit of the RSS information avenue. The
inherent capacity for consumers to select the content they wish to receive will
be the driving mechanism for keeping advertisements to a minimum and content
quality consistent.
Like the Internet when it first started, blogs were emboldened by the "cool
factor". As the novelty of being new and cool wears off, Internet webmasters and
bloggers alike are realizing that maintaining a website or blog is
time-consuming. "Coolness" often wears off if a channel is not monetized. With
the ease of blogging and the array of blogs available, only a handful will be
able to sustain fresh, constant, unique content and generate any sort of
reasonable or significant revenue. As a result, blogs as we know them today will
fade into the background, with many blogs being abandoned.
RSS, being a tool that saves Internet surfers time and allows webmasters to
re-purpose and re-package existing and new content will, in my opinion, continue
to thrive. A business effectively using RSS can bring new site visitors,
increase search engine positioning, and generate product interest. The
flexibility of RSS as a communication medium and the expansion capabilities of
the enclosure tag will allow RSS to flourish as an online marketing tool. Each
day businesses are adopting new uses for RSS, and users are becoming accustomed
to skimming content that *they* choose in a single centralized location.
As businesses adopt RSS and consumers experiment with feeds, the popularity of
RSS will grow. Ultimately, consumers are the driving force behind technology.
The convenience of RSS and increased popularity will set a precedent for
consumer expectations. Businesses 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.
The big consumer benefit to RSS is that consumers opt-in to content of interest,
totally controlling the flow of information 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.
Consumer expectation will drive businesses that are slow to adopt. Ultimately,
RSS will be a standard, like email addresses and websites are now a "must" for
businesses. RSS feeds will join their ranks.
Unlike blogs, businesses can easily justify RSS feeds, as they will be
increasing customer and corporate communication. RSS will create new revenue
channels. RSS has the potential to help companies develop strong relationships
with consumers and create brand loyalty. RSS Feeds will draw existing customers
and prospective clients, translating to a new or renewed income stream.
Businesses using RSS feeds as a communication medium to notify interested
customers of specials, discounts, product announcements, technical support tips,
news and industry studies will ultimately sustain RSS as a viable and valued
communication medium.
