RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and/or Rich Site Summary. It's a defined standard based on XML with the specific purpose of delivering information and updates of web-based content. Developers and website owners create RSS files that contain and deliver dynamic information such as headlines, product descriptions and other forms of fresh content. Web users subscribe to feeds that interest them and use RSS readers and news aggregators to supply them with the information.
It's possible to access RSS feeds both on the web through numerous sites including My Yahoo!, Google Personalized Homepage, My MSN, or My AOL for example, or on your computer through a browser. Firefox has integrated feed support, as have Internet Explorer and Safari.
RSS feeds have established themselves as an essential component of SEO (search engine optimisation) and content provision. RSS is free and provides an easy way to promote a website, syndicating content without the need to advertise or create complicated content sharing partnerships. There are numerous ways in which RSS an be applied - for example: news alerts, sports scores, latest specials, clearance items, upcoming events, new stock arrivals, new articles, new tools and resources, search results, a book's revision history, top 10 best sellers, forum posts, recently added downloads - the list goes on. Essentially any information that is relatively dynamic and subject to change or update has good RSS potential.
Major search engines now include a 'freshness factor' in their relevancy algorithm. In fact as part of their ongoing research Google have an initiative - QDF (query deserves freshness) which is based upon determining how best to integrate the topic's 'heat' into their search algorithms and qualify that as relevance.
It's reported that other major search engines also now include a freshness factor, rewarding its presence through improved rankings. The most recent articles (or most recently updated websites) are listed ahead of less recent articles (or less recently updated websites).
Fresh content is also key to spider intimacy, inviting repeated and in-depth site crawls. Pages incorporating RSS feeds are regarded by the Googlebot as being updated daily and, in its judgement, are pages that deserve daily visits.
The major search engines have historically tended to index pages at the start of the month. If you missed that update, you will probably need to wait until the next month to be entered. With RSS feeds the Googlebot indexes your site more frequently. Any new pages that you add to your site will be picked up much faster than your competitors and your chances of achieving higher ranking increase.
As well as up-to-date information, in their pursuit of relevance search engines love sites optimised around themes and niches. RSS feeds in the form of newsfeeds, blogs and shopping feeds (for example SEO Consult supports the best XML shopping feeds for its users including shopping portals and price comparison sites such as Shopping.com, Kelkoo, Pricerunner, Yahoo SSP, and Google Base) are tightly targeted, tightly themed and highly search engine-friendly. Information environments or areas of topical relevance, sometimes also referred to as topical islands where information is consistent and themed, are becoming the focus of much SEO attention and the basis of many strong SEO campaigns.
RSS feeds play right into the basic SEO concept of themed, quality content that's regularly updated.
As the awareness of RSS increases, the potential SEO benefits and the knowledge that it can deliver opt-in, targeted and personalised information has seen demand for XML feeds grow strongly. From the web user's point of view feeds offer a means to source specific, regularly updated information without requiring browsing.
To web marketers and site owners the SEO opportunities to publish and syndicate content afforded by RSS feeds are endless. Content syndication, using distribution lists and hyperlinks, creates a powerful window on your site, your products and your services generating inbound links, traffic and authority. It results in off-page optimisation, driving a site up the search engines. More visitors, more relevance, more authority and higher search engine returns.
RSS feeds can be applied as a push technology that takes content out to web users who might not otherwise be aware of your website. This offers a potentially powerful aspect to your profile and link building strategy. You simply provide an RSS feed targeting the exact content you want to syndicate. If the feed is interesting and informative enough to other website owners they will integrate it into their sites.
Once you update your RSS feed, for example by adding new product information or an article, the content on your syndication partners' websites is updated too. All the recipients of your syndication, be it two or two thousand websites, will receive the same updated version at the same time you update your RSS feed. Easy, simple, cheap and streamlined.
As a pull technology XML/RSS enables you to provide your site visitors with large amounts of targeted, relevant and dynamic content generated by third parties (in the same way that you push provide your information to others) - you simply link it in.
These days there are many sites now offering RSS feed options. You can usually identify the feed subscription option as an orange square with a broadcast motif inviting users to subscribe. At SEO Consult we use RSS feeds to not only keep websites current, dynamic and bursting with content, but also enable site owners and web marketers to cultivate a community of subscribers dedicated to receiving their own original content. After time, your RSS feed will hopefully be generating large numbers of subscribers. Opt-in feeds delivering users a high degree of personalisation with very specific customised information, recommendations and pricing - feeds not only delivering users information but regularly enticing them to your site where they're offered a call to action.
Contact SEO Consult today to find out how we can integrate both push and pull RSS feeds into your Internet presence and SEO campaigns.
