So, today’s big news from MarketingVOX is that RSS gets "poor marks" from marketers. Article cites the BlogAds survey that indicated that use of RSS not as widespread as was assumed.
Personally, I think this whole issue/question/argument (whatever you wish to call it) is just silly. RSS is a tool that you can use to make your content more accessible. If the people you are trying to reach like or prefer RSS, you should use it. End of Story. Right now, that may be a small population, but particularly in tech, it IS a fairly influential population. How does the song go: voices carry…..
I am not influential like a Scoble or a Rubel, but if you want me to read your content regularly, it REALLY helps if you publish an RSS feed. And I know I am not alone.
More importantly, even if those of us who prefer RSS feeds are voices in the wilderness NOW, it won’t be that way forever. Slowly but surely, more and more people will start using RSS for the same reasons we like it now — easier to keep up with the volume of information, easier to keep track of your favorite sites. And so on.
So, my advice to marketers is, learn about RSS, evaluate it as a tool against the audiences you are trying to reach, and be prepared to add it to your marketing toolbox when your audience is ready. It will happen.
After all, remember all those folks in the early 90s who insisted that no one would ever make any money on the Web, and why would a company need a (quizzical look) Web site anyway …..
Where are they now, I wonder 🙂