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Using RSS Podcasts and Blogs to Market Your Business

Written by: Michael Fleischner

Article Overview: Increasing traffic to your site is easy with Web 2.0. Learn how to use RSS, Podcasts, and Blogs to generate buzz for your business and drive web traffic.

Using RSS Podcasts and Blogs to Market Your Business

Okay, so you're a marketing expert but you haven't yet embraced emerging technologies like blogs, RSS feeds, or podcasts. If you think these technologies are a passing fad, then think again. Today, major businesses and a significant number of marketing professionals are using these tools to influence, persuade, and encourage consumers to take action.

Let's first begin by defining each technology and providing some information on how marketing professionals are using them.

Blogs - A weblog, which is usually shortened to blog, is a type of website where entries are made (such as in a journal or diary), displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Most blogs are primarily textual although many focus on photographs, videos or audio. The word blog can also be used as a verb, meaning adding an entry to a blog.

Many marketing experts maintain their own blogs providing commentary on everything from advertising to online marketing. Additionally, some marketing professionals are partnering with influential bloggers to support specific products or businesses. This is very similar to an actor's endorsement of a product or product placement initiative.

RSS - is a family of web feed formats, specified in XML and used for Web syndication. RSS is used by (among other things) news Web sites, weblogs and podcasting. The abbreviation is variously used to refer to the following standards:

- Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0)
- Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91, RSS 1.0)
- RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9 and 1.0)

Web feeds provide web content or summaries of web content together with links to the full versions of the content, and other meta data. RSS, in particular, delivers this information as an XML file called an RSS feed, web feed, RSS stream, or RSS channel. In addition to facilitating syndication, web feeds allow a website's frequent readers to track updates on the site using an aggregator.

With the power of RSS, those interested in your content can receive updates regularly. In fact, RSS allows for updates in real time. With the advent of aggregators, individuals can collect relevant information from various sources. When used to inform your prospects, customers, or stakeholders of valuable information, RSS feeds combine convenience with quality. Best of all, it lets the user be proactive and select the specific content he/she is looking for.

Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet using either the RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term podcast, like 'radio', can mean both the content and the method of delivery. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. Podcasters' web sites may also offer direct download or streaming of their files; a podcast however is distinguished by its ability to be downloaded automatically using software capable of reading RSS or Atom feeds.

Usually a podcast features one type of 'show', with new episodes released either sporadically or at planned intervals such as daily or weekly. In addition, there are podcast networks that feature multiple shows on the same feed.

Those using podcasts successfully are providing audio feeds of "must-have" content for prospects and customers. Some of this content includes radio-type shows where industry experts respond to questions in a question and answer format. Such podcasts provide significant value to customers and give businesses the opportunity to serve as an ongoing resource for their industry.

In combination, Blogs, RSS feeds, and Podcasts can have a significant impact on those you are trying to reach. This is particularly true of today's generation and part of generation Y. These are individuals who are comfortable with technology and depend on it for their news, information, and knowledge development.

If you are a marketing expert, marketing professional, or simply interested in new ways to communicate to your audience, then start to dabble in these new technologies. Not only will they deliver immediate benefit, but they can generate returns over the long term as well.

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Article Tags: marketing, Okay so you re a marketing, podcast, podcasts, podcasts, Syndication RSS, web content, web feed



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Re: Top 50 Lists - Hi Evan, How about "Top 50": -Inventor Blogs To Watch -Franchising Blogs To Watch -Business Book Review Blogs -Women Entrepreneur Blogs -Young Entrepreneur Blogs
Re: Ideas For Business - Hello Lucy, you may consider this list for Ideas for Business: (Top 23 list) Rank Company 1 Google 2 Genentech 3 Wegmans Food Markets 4 Container Store 5 Whole Foods Market 6 Network Appliance 7 S.C. Johnson & Son 8 Boston Consulting Grp. 9 Methodist Hospital Sys. 10 W.L. Gore & Associates 11 Cisco Systems 12 David Weekley Homes 13 Nugget Market 14 Qualcomm 15 American Century Invest. 16 Starbucks Coffee 17 Quicken Loans 18 Station Casinos 19 Alston & Bird 20 QuikTrip 21 Griffin Hospital 22 Valero Energy 23 Vision Service Plan
RSS explained - Hi Takuya, Many thanks for the indepth explantion. If I understand it right, it is mainly for the use of 'Blogs'. You refer to the use connected to 'Blogs. What about websites. Is there a benefit, too? Kindest regards Beat "Unlock People's Potentials!"
My entry - 1. The Best Business Books Ever: The 100 Most Influential Business Books You'll Never Have Time to Read - this is a fascinating book about the history of Business theory, and I'd recommend it to anybody. 2. The Big Book of Small Business: You Don't Have to Run Your Business by the Seat of Your Pants, by Tom Gegax. Ditto. 3. PADI: The Business of Diving Book Okay, so this book won't be of use to anyone who doesn't want to start a scuba store, but I did, and this book was of course invaluable to me in reaching that goal.
Re: How should i promote a new website? - ignore this message IF it's already been stated. I haven't had a chance to read all the replies and i have to jet from the office... I suggest marketing where ever your Target Market congregates. If it's a forum of concerned parents - go there. Strike up a deal with the forum owner (JV) and have him promote it to the list of members (Integration Marketing). If you want to go with Forums then i would partner with a parent who is a frequent poster/moderator on a particular Target Market Forum and have him/her add your link to their signature. That was just a thought but it's not as intense once you get buy in from the Forum owner or high ranked poster/moderator. Hope that sparks some new ideas.


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