My Really Simple Syndication Strategy
Using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to syndicate your blog content has two main benefits:
First, it makes it convenient for your readers to receive your posts in a way that is easiest for them (i.e. in their email inbox, in an RSS reader, or on their mobile phone).
Second, it extends the “reach” of your blog. “Reach” is most easily understood by this example using a print magazine: If one person in a household of 5 people (say, 5 college roommates) has a magazine subscription, then each issue has a subscriber base of 1 and a “reach” of 5.
By reaching more people, you attract more traffic back to your blog and generate more targeted leads.
The simple syndication strategy I’ve used follows from one basic principle: “make it simple for readers by putting your content where it’s easiest and most convenient to find.” Here’s that strategy, followed by a few tips.
My Simple Syndication Strategy
1. Use FeedBurner for syndication
Feedburner is a service that provides useful ways to manage your RSS feed by helping you “Analyze,” “Optimize,” “Monetize,” and “Troubleshootize” it. If you’re using WordPress, then get the FeedBurner FeedSmith plugin to redirect your WordPress RSS feed to your FeedBurner feed.
2. Allow Readers to Subscribe by Email
This allows readers the convenience of receiving your posts in a way that’s convenient for them. FeedBurner offers this feature. If you don’t use FB, then RSSforward.net offers a simple way to provide this feature.
3. Syndicate on Social Networks
The goal here is to extend your reach. You can use RSS to feed your blog to social networks like Facebook or Squidoo, again, to make it easier for your readers and potential readers to locate your content. I’ve syndicated this blog on my Facebook Page and via the Facebook app, NetworkedBlogs, and I’ve found that makes it easier for readers to be notified about new posts.
A Few Syndication Tips
1. Don’t over-syndicate or under socialize
Syndicate to the one or two social networks on which you’re most active. That is, you want to have a presence on that network beyond just your automated blog feed. Remember, it is a “social” network, so socialize with other people and have your blog posts be one aspect of your presence there, not your only one. (See my “Autopilot” post on the need to balance automation with a human touch.)
2. Add your byline to the body of the post
Blogs like WordPress automatically add your byline (”By Your Name”) to the heading of a post. Your RSS feed won’t include that. So, add your byline to the top or bottom of your post will ensure that wherever your post is syndicated, you are identified as the author.
3. Create a full RSS feed
You set your RSS feed to only syndicate the title and brief description of posts. I don’t recommend this because it forces reader to go to your blog to read it. I know some bloggers prefer this because it increases pageviews. But it can be annoying for readers who’d prefer to read your posts, say, in their mobile phone’s RSS reader, rather than being forced to open a Web browser to do so.
So far what I’ve seen from this simple syndication strategy is that readers find it easier to receive new posts. And its been a great way to attract new readers and leads to the blog.
(For more details about RSS, please see the Wikipedia page on RSS.)
Wishing You the Best,
Ben Mapp
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