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10. Use RSS potential for providing value in market research.

RSS holds much potential when it comes to its capability in reaching new customers. However, the best approach is to walk carefully rather than running head-on as there is much danger in over-hyping this medium. Patience would be a required virtue especially for companies that have sophisticated reporting systems. Advertisers should refrain from the annoying practice of placing an ad after every item. They would do well to observe the best practice guidelines for RSS advertising and to create a website.

The RSS promises to provide to end-users a unified one-stop-shop for consumption of on-line content. It hopes to do away with the need to visit several sites each day just to see what’s new. On-line subscriptions will no longer interfere with personal and business e-mail communications.

It likewise promises to give its users complete control over their content consumption. They even have the option to unsubscribe from content they do not wish to receive. Breaking news is received as it becomes available. There is absolutely no need to wait for worrisome recaps sent to their e-mail addresses.

RSS makes possible the certainty of receiving the content users would want without the inconvenience brought about by spam filters. It also has the ability to receive content directly to desktops including audio and video content. To sum it up, create website html RSS provide the tool that makes the user’s lives so much easier with its important advancements that can change how Internet content is consumed and how you create a website.

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8. People who adopt RSS are in it primarily for the information.

No one in particular would want to adopt RSS. The people who do are in it for the timely information they get in a controlled and organized way that helps them become better either at their work or their personal life. The tremendous volume of information and news available through create website html RSS is very hard to ignore.

9. RSS, Blog, E-zines and E-mail can work together.

Most marketers still depend mostly on e-mail as their key marketing and communication tool. However, getting e-mail through is becoming increasingly difficult due to spam filters and spam itself. RSS has become the essential element to e-mail delivery at a time where many Internet users choose to ignore e-mail subscriptions and subscribe only to RSS content. Blogs and e-zines are concerned with the content and what is published on-line. RSS and e-mail are concerned with getting the information to the reader. One is not intended to replace the other but rather to work hand in hand together,

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6. Promote your feeds as well through external channels.

This can be done by submitting your feeds to appropriate search engines and directories where the best lists are found. The RSS aggregator sites should be pinged every time an update is done to the on-line content. Your feed content can also be syndicated to other web media.

7. Allow syndication of your RSS feed.
RSS as one of the potent marketing channels needs to be used to leverage the most out of its format. Allowing others to take your RSS feed and use it to refurbish your news in their homepage will work to your advantage. In fact, it should be encouraged by providing short stories or simple explanations of how easy it is to search, filter and aggregate content from various RSS feeds as well as create a website dedicated news channels.

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4. Choose among available publishing tools in creating a feed.

Marketing and publishing tools come in a few general categories namely desktop feed generation tools, create a website on hosted on-line RSS publishing solutions, advanced RSS marketing solutions plus a few other options. Desktops software is relatively inexpensive and is quick and easy to use in generating RSS feeds but generally does not allow for more advanced features. A basic hosted on-line RSS publishing solution can be chosen to avoid being bothered by a desktop tool and the constant upload of your RSS feeds to your server. The more advanced RSS marketing solutions which include additional capabilities such as metrics, scheduled autoresponder messages, database building capabilities and the like. Other options would include the use of an existing content management system to publish RSS feeds or a blog publishing solution.

5. Be sure to promote your RSS feeds through your own channels.

This is best done through the creation of an RSS presentation page which should contain an explanation of what an RSS is, the benefits to be expected from it use, recommendation of a free RSS aggregator, the manner of subscribing to these feeds and the reason why people should subscribe to your RSS feeds. The same page can also include the links to all your other RSS feeds as well as direct links for subscriptions to relevant create website html services. This page is to be promoted as much as possible in all available channels such as the e-zine subscription box, e-mail messages and e-zine issues. For more than one published RSS feed, each can be promoted next to their topics on the site. It should be remembered that nothing is more effective than a compelling copy in convincing people to subscribe.

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2. Set up a plan for your RSS and XML feeds.

Planning one’s RSS feeds is very important since it can be used for various purposes of the user. An RSS feed may be needed for e-zines, news section and articles. Other opportunities available in RSS includes follow-up RSS feeds, feeds for affiliates, feeds for employees or business partners, feeds for the media and many others. A technology that is capable of such diverse application requires organization and order.

3. Make a list of RSS and XML Marketing Requirements.

There are several basic questions that need to be taken into consideration when you push to publish your feeds. Some of which includes whether RSS publishing is to be integrated with existing content management system, whether your feed requires personalization particularly the RSS content or whether you would want to provide subscribers with the ability to select the content they would prefer to receive. Other considerations are the RSS metrics desired, the host of the feeds and the budget.

Top 10 RSS Tips to create a website

RSS is not for everybody in the same way as all other mediums of technology are. However by far, RSS is considered the most reliable content delivery channel there is. It is also believed to be able to increase search engine rankings, enhance e-mail marketing and builds on that relationship, generates media coverage through content syndication, develop on-line conversations and a whole lot more of possibilities. As such, its users should be able to maximize its use for their greater benefit and convenience. Here’s how:

1. Use the RSS and XML initially as an end-user.

The first step in any worthwhile activity is understanding the intricacies of how it works. It would be impossible to fully comprehend anything without having the benefit of actual experience in using it. One can get an RSS aggregator as there is a variety of providers to choose from. Among the most popular and highly recommended are My Yahoo!, Bloglines, Firefox and NetNews Wire. Subscribing to other RSS feeds can immediately hasten the learning process.

6 tips to grab attention

By Cris L. Rominger

1. Chunk content

Separate information into digestible "chunks" to facilitate scanning and reading.

According to Crawford Killian, author of Writing for the Web, 100 words in one solid block of text is a symptom of paragraphosis, in which the eye becomes unable to focus or track through a mass of type.

Chunking content creates natural breaks and helps readers absorb information in manageable pieces.

A chunk can have two or three short paragraphs, each with a subhead, all surrounded by lots of white space.

Avoid transitional phrases so your content chunks can stand on their own. Information on the web in consumed in modular rather than linear style.

2. Use instructive headings

Heat maps and eye tracking studies repeatedly show that headings grab our eye.

To leverage their impact, use descriptive phrases that inform the reader what the content is about.

Place information carrying words at the beginning of headings to quickly convey meaning and use language your readers understand.

3. Format for scannability

• Bold information-rich keywords to help symbolize what a paragraph is about. Be careful not to go overboard. Too many bolded words are distracting and hard to read.
• Use bulleted and numbered lists when appropriate. Bullet lists rank right next to headings as the most-scanned areas of a page. Bullets are a great place to convey key benefits.
• Consider tables for voluminous information. Tables or matrices can quickly convey and compare information that is easily lost in text.

4. Use anchor points

Effective anchor points help draw attention. Use product hero shots, photos, graphics, and captions to guide the eye and reinforce your message.

5. Be clear and concise

Write in the active voice, use strong verbs and simple sentence construction, and get to the point.

Flowery or "marketing-oriented" prose does more than slow readers down – it annoys them.

6. Employ good design

Good design helps convey your message and instills confidence and trust.

Proper use of visual segmentation and hierarchy will do wonders for reader comfort and, ideally, help guide readers to take the next step – interact with you.

http://www.b2bcommunications.com/b2b-resources/b2b-marketing-articles/web-content-tips/

do and don'ts to creating a website

Do

       Design for 800 x 600 pixel monitors. Never force them to scroll left and right.

       Make extensive use of Cascading Style Sheets. They insure your site will look the way you want on all browsers and operating systems. They also make your site more compatible with cell phone and pda browsers.

       Put your logo on all pages. Put the same navigation tools on every page in the same place, preferably on the top or on the left.

       Make sure you include a privacy statement, info about yourself, a telephone number, location and hours of business.

       All transactions must be secure.

       Make navigation intuitive. There are millions of people who are new to the net every year. Don't lose them with arcane symbols and visual language they might misunderstand.

       Use images! Use small icons for navigation if possible.

       Use alt tags and titles for images.

       Use metatags and keywords and page descriptions for the search engine spiders.

       Compress images for quick downloads. I know you want your pictures to look their best, but no one will see them if they are too large. Compress jpegs to 60% or less!

       Seek simplicity. Nothing beats a white background.

       Be consistent throughout the site. Make ALL links the same color. Don't confuse people.

       Edit text carefully. Typos and grammatical errors look unprofessional. Hire an editor if necessary.

       Edit pictures carefully. Ask "does it really need to be on the site?"

       Do not use frames unless necessary. They hide the url of a page and make it hard for people to bookmark pages they want to return to.

       Give pages sensible titles. They will appear in the browser and printouts, and some search engines need them.

       Keep url names short and intuitive. Name it gallery.html, not glry.html.

       Minimize clicks. Every click you put between the start and the destination is a filter and people get left behind.

       Add useful content. If you are a photographer, write an article for brides on recommended poses. If you have instructional and educational content on your site, if it is not all sell sell sell, some search engines will rank you higher, and people seeking this sort of info might find you more easily.

       Have your host set the server software so people don't need to enter "www".

       Add something new every now and then. Let them know you're alive.

       Have a guestbook or a way to collect email addresses. Send out a short text email when you add something or enhance the site. Keep it to text. Many people cannot read html email, and many others block email with attachments.

       Avoid linkrot. Test all links. There are tools to test for you.

       Consider getting high speed access so sending pictures and pages to the site will go faster. Look into DSL or cable.

       Make all your links to internal pages relative not absolute. This will allow you to test on any server or move the whole site from one machine to another without breaking links.

       Put your url and email address on all your printed matter. Business cards, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, etc.

       Study your logs, but make sure your analysis software is omitting your own browsing so you are not misled by counting your own browsing or your site.

       Use digital image metadata to store your name, copyright, email, and keywords. Some programs, like Photoshop, allow you to embed info like this in the image file so it can be found by search engines that know how to read it.

       Create personal, humorous error pages. "Oops!" Is better than "Error 404". Put your email address on the error page a

       Tell your host about any nudity or violent images on your site before people complain.

       Test test test. Test with Windows, Mac, Explorer, Netscape, Opera, AOL, WebTV. Have friends test test test.

       Promote the site with search engines and mutual links.

       Plan on the site taking time and money. You just can't slap it online and ignore it. Make sure you or someone on staff has time to do the job right.

       Learn how the web works. Surf. Buy. Search. View source.

       Get help when you need it.

       Take criticism as valuable. Pay attention to it. Praise is meaningless, criticism is priceless.

       Sell!

Don't

       Don't over-design. Design for design sake is bad for business. Design for a novice. Ask your Grandma to test it.

       Don't use Flash unless necessary, and if you do, keep it small.

       Don't use rollovers unless necessary.

       Don't use dates on pages unless the info is subject to change or the news is tied to a date. Dated pages get old fast and make the site look stale.

       Think carefully before you take ads. Why sell somebody else's website? Sell yourself! OK, maybe a charity, but make sure the ad page opens in a new, smaller window, so your page remains in the background. If you have a link to another site, do the same thing. Open a new smaller window. Don't send people away!

       Don't use visitor counters (you know, the ones that look like odometers). Nobody needs to know how many people have visited your site. You can get this info from your logs.

       Don't let pages get longer than three screens. Don't make people scroll a lot. One screen is ideal.

       Don't email subscribers more than twice per month.

       Don't use black backgrounds. Type breaks up against it, and it is getting hackneyed.

       Don't get cute. 2sexy4u@snotnose.com is not professional.

       Don't use automatically changing dates. People can set some browsers to email them when a page has changed. A date that changes automatically every day activates this "subscription" function, they go to your site, see nothing has changed, and get mad.

       Don't use sounds without advance notice. People browse at night and loud noises wake people up. And don't ever use sound loops. They drive people crazy and they leave just to get away from the noise.

       Don't use any typeface other than Verdana, Arial, Courier, or Times. These four are on practically every computer. Helvetica and other decorative fonts are not. If the font you specify isn't living on the customer's computer, the type will either switch to another font or be illegible.

       Don't hold out the hope that you can control design. Current html and browsers give you a lot of control, but not nearly as much as you want. Be prepared for people to override your font sizes, or link colors. Lines will wrap in the oddest places. Heads will be widowed.

       Don't use clipart. It always looks cheap.

       Don't let table borders show. They look ugly. Set them for 0.

       Don't use symbols such as % or ! in urls. They will break some servers. Don't use spaces in urls either.

       Don't change urls. If you name a page mysite.com/gallery.html, don't change it to mysite.com/portfolio.html. People who have bookmarked the original page will get an error page and you may lose them.

       Don't try to do it all yourself.

       Don't be afraid to sell something!

By Craig Goldwyn, visibility.tv