Keeping a company’s blog fresh is hard. We should know. We add to ours regularly.
Each piece starts with an idea that must then be fleshed out by research, original thought, and clear storytelling. It’s a lot to do and without a fulltime writer on staff or contracted with your organization, maintaining a healthy blog is a tall order to fill.
That’s where an RSS feed can come in handy. Explore the option of integrating an RSS feed into your website and get all the SEO benefits of a fulltime blog, without getting weighed down by the fulltime focus.
how it can work for your company
RSS feeds or Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary feeds, allow web visitors to subscribe to automatic content updates from a website whose content they find valuable. When that site publishes a new blog, feature, or how-to article, the subscriber will know and will receive that content automatically, upon posting. Most view RSS feeds as content delivery vehicles intended strictly to serve the average, individual web visitor.
But did you know that your business can also use RSS feeds to source fresh, relevant web content?
Earlier this week, we discussed the importance of keeping keyword rich text content on your website. It’s important, not only from a search engine optimization stand point, but also to make your website more attractive and helpful to users. Adding an RSS feed to your website is a simple way to sustain fresh content and keyword strength. If you decide to add an RSS feed to your site, start by:
- Carefully taking an inventory of your own company’s products and services
- Investigating and analyzing what online content your web visitors are already searching for and what written online sources they already rely upon
- Deciding how many different feed topics you want on your site. Maybe you’re a builder who wants to supply how-to tips, construction news, and trade information. That’s three different topics, and you’ll need three different RSS feeds to fill the order
- Selecting the websites or blogs from which you will draw your information. Make sure these sources regularly publish trustworthy information.
Once you’ve planned out your content strategy this far, you are ready to integrate the feeds technically into your company’s website. However, be aware of the brand aesthetic already established online. Add RSS feeds to your company’s website in a way that complements its existing overall web design or you could find yourself facing a complete online redesign.
fast food for thought
Really Simple Syndication is right. Adding an RSS feed to your business’ site enhances SEO, but it also enhances your reputation as an online industry expert. Think of it: web visitors can go to your website and gain exposure to your content and whatever other blogger’s content with which you opt to supply them. You’re not the content’s creator, but you ARE its distributor. Web surfers can rely upon your organization to bring content straight to them, eliminating frustrating hours of web surfing and bookmarking. RSS feeds will also help your internal company team by keeping keywords and timely information up, and time expenditures down.
If you’re short on content and strapped for time, consider bringing on board one of the most hard working, yet effective and cost-effective, employees of all: the RSS feed.