Have you ever wondered how people find your written content?
Or how do new podcast episodes find their way to Spotify, Apple Content, and Google Podcasts if you don't upload them directly?
The way your content becomes syndicated for automatic presentation is through RSS. It's a tool every marketer needs to know.
There are a number of solid reasons for including RSS feeds in your digital marketing strategy, such as these:
- Improved content discovery. RSS feeds help your audience discover your content easily by delivering your new blog posts, articles, and updates directly to them. This increases your visibility and makes it easier for your audience to consume your content.
- Increased engagement. By delivering your content directly to your audience, you increase engagement and drive more traffic to your website. This results in more leads, conversions, and sales.
- Better brand visibility. Using RSS feeds to distribute your content helps you establish your brand as an authority in your niche. As your content gets shared and distributed, your brand gains more visibility. Your audience will perceive your brand as more trustworthy and credible.
- Saving your time. RSS feeds are an important tool for marketing automation. Using RSS workflow automation to distribute your content saves you time by automating the process of content distribution. You don't have to manually share your content on multiple channels or platforms, which can be time-consuming.
Is adding an RSS feed the answer for every marketer and every audience?
Well, no.
Sometimes, RSS doesn't make sense in terms of content optimization.
For example, if your target audience is not familiar with RSS feeds, or your audience prefers to consume content through other channels such as social media, email, or search engines, then using RSS feeds may not be the most effective way to reach them.
Similarly, if your content type is not updated frequently, for example, you focus on evergreen blog posts or whitepapers, then using RSS feeds may not work for you because there won't be a constant stream of new blogs to distribute through the feed.
However, if your target audience is tech-savvy, and it prefers to consume content through RSS feeds, or if you publish a lot of new blog posts regularly, then incorporating RSS feeds into your marketing strategy can be beneficial.
That's a lot of opinions without addressing a fundamental definition. Let's take a closer look at exactly what an RSS feed is.
What is an RSS feed and how do RSS feeds work?
RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It's a standardized format used to publish and share content.
The kinds of content you can share on RSS include blog posts, news articles, and podcast episodes. Think of an RSS link or feed as a file that contains the most recent content from your website or your blog in a structured format that anyone who sends you an opt-in email receives automatically.
When website visitors subscribe to an RSS feed, they receive notifications whenever new content is published on a website or blog. These notifications are delivered through an RSS feed reader, also known as an RSS aggregator.
It's software that collects and displays content from multiple RSS feeds in one place.
RSS feeds typically include the title, summary, and a link to the full content of your blog post or article. They can also include metadata such as author, date of publication, and categories or tags that describe the content.
RSS feeds have become a popular way for content creators to distribute their content to reach a wider audience. They allow users to stay up-to-date with their favorite websites and blogs without having to visit each site individually or subscribe to email newsletters.
An RSS feed reader isn't the only way to access RSS content. Many web browsers and email clients also have built-in support for RSS feeds. This makes it easy for website visitors to consume content from their preferred sources. RSS feeds provide a convenient and efficient way for both content creators and consumers to stay informed and connected in the digital age.