The latest trend emerging in the world of online marketing involves simple content tools that have been around for years. One of these tools is the blog, or web log, known to many as an online diary. The other tool is a method for aggregating and distributing news called Really Simple Syndication (RSS). Together these complementary vehicles have created for marketers both an opportunity - to command a 100% opt-in audience -- and a demand -- to provide consistently updated, relevant content in real-time. In this issue of Insights, we'll discuss why blogs and RSS -- originally created for personal use -- are now important tools in business marketing.

Five years ago, RSS was invented by a blogger as an easy system to turn blogs or other online postings into web feeds. RSS and blogs have since become the perfect balance of push and pull, enabling a business to both find and create applicable content for its audience. And the benefits of this fresh, immediate content are many.

RSS - in essence - is an XML code offering that allows an online user to both pull in customized content from other sources, as well as push out its own content to those who request it. The content can be read through special RSS software and fed into a blog format setup on a web site. Many RSS readers are free for trial and easily downloadable.

A blog is simply a web log of original and syndicated content. While many people think of blogs as online diaries, they are becoming more prevalent on business web sites as a means to provide RSS news feeds and real-time comment on company actions and product launches, as well as a way to acquire immediate feedback on new product and service offerings or dispel undesirable industry rumors.

Blog & RSS users benefit from content control. RSS readers allow a user to subscribe to content through keywords or by adding specific RSS feeds. No email address is provided, no personal information exchanged. So a user can choose when to contribute to a blog and what RSS content to receive. This user control provides marketers a willing audience - one which has chosen to receive its feed, participate in its blog and/or visit its site to receive fresh content.

Here are just a few reasons to consider integrating RSS and blogs into your marketing program:

Online - Utilize cost-effective marketing by increasing your online visibility in search engines. By using keywords within the relevant topics discussed in your blog, the repeated topic headline will propagate the keywords throughout your blog pages. Additionally, providing your own RSS feed to aggregator sites for syndication will create links back to your site, and both keywords and incoming links are key contributors to increase rankings within search engines.

Media - Blogs and RSS can be an integral part of media outreach. By using both a business blog and RSS feed to announce products, subscribers and visitors will have direct access to new information. Additionally, businesses can use the immediacy of a blog to refute negative press coverage or receive feedback on new product features from an invested audience.

Events - When speaking at events or developing seminars, blogs provide a vehicle from which to glean desirable content by analyzing blog discussions and reactions. Additionally, an RSS feed allows a business to promote its activities by pushing the information through the channel.

Direct - Instead of sending out communiqués through email that may or may not receive a response, blogs and RSS offer a business the ability to build a community through permissive interaction.