[This video screencast shows a very fast and easy way to create an RSS feed.]

Have you ever wondered why so many websites offer RSS feeds? Let me show you some ways to use RSS feeds in your business.

Draw on Your Own Content

Almost ANY web based content can be altered into an RSS feed. The only real necessity is that the information changes habitually.

News Headlines

Most of the time, the chief use of RSS is to present headlines and a short preface to “newsy” stories. Create an RSS feed on your site featuring your company press releases, site updates, etc.

Future Events

RSS is a excellent manner to let the public know of happenings and activities that may be happening soon. It’s easy to turn an “events” page into an RSS feed.

View/Commentary

You’ve probably heard of the words “blog” or “weblog“. It’s a page that exhibits (in sequential order) a series of writings on whatever the creator wants to put in writing. While a regular blog also allows others to add their observationss to yours, you do not have to offer that functionality.

Set up a page where you regularly add your thoughts on all sorts of issues – or just one issue – with the most recent post at the top of the page. Include these items in an RSS feed, and you’ve got a whole new audience for your pearls of wisdom.

Articles

Share your knowledge. This is a more “formal” type of writing, where you write a series of articles on a specific topic. Add a new article on that topic every week or so. Set up several topics and you’ve got several new RSS feeds to attract even more interest in what you know.

Don’t forget to include a resource box in the article which allows others to reproduce your article on their site, with an obvious link back to you.

New Products

Got an online store with new inventory added regularly? Add details about your newly added items to an RSS feed to let people know what’s just come in.

Weekly/Monthly Specials

Do you regularly make limited time offers on different products in your inventory? Again, RSS is a great way to tell people what’s on special this week… or this month.

Newsletters

If you regularly produce an email newsletter, then consider converting it to RSS format as well as continuing to email it. After all, your newsletters ARE also shown on your web site… aren’t they?

New Links

If you have a links directory, considering creating an RSS feed of the new links added to your directory in the last week or so. If you have a category structure within that directory, with links added often, you can create a feed for each category.

New Members

Do you run a public membership site? Recently joined members could be listed in an RSS feed with links direct to their profiles. What a great way to welcome new members!

Ticker RSS Feeds

Do you have timely information, e.g. crucial stock figures, to communicate to your customers? Automate the process with software and RSS can feed new serious information on an hourly basis (or more frequently if needed).

Note: Make it a point to have up to 15-20 things in each feed if possible. You can have more items if you want. Just keep in mind that most feed reading software will NOT put on view all the items. Many may only show the first 5 or 10.

Once you’ve got your feed going… remember to submit your feed URLs to the various RSS Feed Directories.

Using Content From OTHER Web Sites

If a site offers an RSS feed for people to subscribe to, you can maybe employ that feed on your site. Just examination the terms and conditions on the site FIRST to see if you can make a replica of the feed. If in doubt – send an email or phone them to ask permission.

What you should be trying to do in my opinion is to make loads of extra pages of helpful content on matters of value to your visitors. Don’t worry that the links in the feed take people off site (make that happen in a new window). The content is what is needed for search engines and people to devour!

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About the Author: Article by Onlyforwebmaster.com. Visit http://www.onlyforwebmaster.com/website-revenue/ for more website revenue articles, over 100 webmaster tips, and more!

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