RSS, which stands for "really simple syndication," is a technology that allows for easy, automatic distribution of Web site content. Your content is fed to special readers as soon as it is published, allowing subscribers to read it immediately. It is a relatively quick and easy way to expose users to fresh content, while simultaneously helping promote your site to search engines.
RSS feeds can be a highly effective marketing tool that can increase your exposure to users and improve your search engine ranking. RSS feeds are free, and all major blogging software comes with the capability to publish a feed.
These feeds creates a unique, automatically updating Web page that feed readers can understand. When someone subscribes to your RSS feed, they copy that page's URL into a feed reader. The feed reader lets subscribers easily view excerpts or full articles you've published on your site.
Someone receiving your content via RSS may no longer visit your site, which may seem like you're shooting yourself in the foot. However, publishers who enable RSS believe that by making it easier to share their content, they're more likely to lure people back to the site. Also, many people browse large RSS directories looking for things to read. By submitting your feed to such a directory (known as an aggregator) your most recent story always gets added to these services. This increases your exposure, and it adds to the overall number of sites that link to you, an important factor in search engine optimization.
The only drawback to RSS is the amount of time it takes to keep creating fresh content. If you don't publish new content on a regular basis, your blog will not only lose its utility to those who read and subscribe to its RSS feed, it will also lose favor with search engines.
There are many different RSS feed formats available including Atom, straight XML, and numerous RSS 1.0 and 2.0 formats. Not all feed readers can understand all formats. Services like FeedBurner will automatically convert your RSS feed into every available format for the widest range of readers. FeedBurner also adds useful traffic-tracking tools that let you know how many people are using your feed and what stories they're clicking on.
Remember, though, that on the Web, content is king. While RSS will often increase your exposure, ultimately it is the overall quality of your content, your ability to engage an audience, and your site's usefulness that will draw and keep users.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
How to Make Your Podcast Guest Look Like a Rock Star
Having a knowledgeable expert on your podcast positions you as an industry leader. That's why it's important to do everything you can to make your expert look like a rock star.
Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to podcast interviews, specifically focusing on how to make your guest look like a rock star (or thought leader).
Do research on the person you’re going to interview. Prepare some questions, get their bio and write down all the things that make them great.
Do get the spelling and pronunciation of your guest’s name correct before you start recording.
On the scheduled day and time of the interview, don’t leave your guest scrambling to figure out how to contact you. Since you arranged the interview, you have to make contact with your guest.
Do send interview questions at least a week before the interview. The day before is no good.
Do remind your guest that the interview is being recorded. This will put your guest at ease and help him or her to relax.
Do let your guest do the talking. He or she is the expert, so let their expertise shine through.
Do edit all the verbal clutter your guest makes. This will cause you extra work, but doing so makes your guest sound polished and articulate.
Do follow up with a thank you email and a link to the podcast interview that your guest appears on.
Do provide instructions on how the person can access and download their interview. Not everyone is well versed on how to listen to a podcast.
Do provide your audience with a URL to your guest’s website under a special section called Show Resources.
Do provide a blurb that your guest can copy and paste and send off to their colleagues, network and/or mailing list. This helps you to increase your audience and gain additional subscribers by using your guest’s database to promote your podcast.
By Leesa Barnes
Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to podcast interviews, specifically focusing on how to make your guest look like a rock star (or thought leader).
Do research on the person you’re going to interview. Prepare some questions, get their bio and write down all the things that make them great.
Do get the spelling and pronunciation of your guest’s name correct before you start recording.
On the scheduled day and time of the interview, don’t leave your guest scrambling to figure out how to contact you. Since you arranged the interview, you have to make contact with your guest.
Do send interview questions at least a week before the interview. The day before is no good.
Do remind your guest that the interview is being recorded. This will put your guest at ease and help him or her to relax.
Do let your guest do the talking. He or she is the expert, so let their expertise shine through.
Do edit all the verbal clutter your guest makes. This will cause you extra work, but doing so makes your guest sound polished and articulate.
Do follow up with a thank you email and a link to the podcast interview that your guest appears on.
Do provide instructions on how the person can access and download their interview. Not everyone is well versed on how to listen to a podcast.
Do provide your audience with a URL to your guest’s website under a special section called Show Resources.
Do provide a blurb that your guest can copy and paste and send off to their colleagues, network and/or mailing list. This helps you to increase your audience and gain additional subscribers by using your guest’s database to promote your podcast.
By Leesa Barnes
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