| > | | | | not subscribe to "just anything" and seems they |
| We were waiting for something like this to happen | | | | only subscribe or keep being subscribed to the |
| for a long time. Yahoo!, one of the key providers | | | | content of highest relevance to them. |
| of mass-market RSS aggregators, finally took a | | | | The message for marketers is to become even |
| step forward and published their RSS whitepaper, | | | | more relevant and more focused on providing real |
| covering their own findings with RSS, based on | | | | value for their target audiences. |
| their usage data. In this article, we analyze the | | | | RSS does not mean that end-users will start |
| whitepaper step-by-step, explaining what their | | | | consuming that much more online content, but |
| findings mean for marketers. We were waiting for | | | | simply that their primary consumption channel will |
| something like this to happen for a long time. | | | | change. It's up to you to make place for yourself |
| Yahoo!, one of the key providers of mass-market | | | | in this consumption channel, but you can only do |
| RSS aggregators, finally took a step forward and | | | | so if you become one of the key targeted |
| published their RSS whitepaper, covering their | | | | content providers for your market and can |
| own findings with RSS, based on their usage data. | | | | deliver consistently high-quality content. |
| 1. YAHOO!'S KEY FINDINGSLet's first take a look | | | | 4. TYPES OF RSS CONTENT CONSUMEDEven in |
| at Yahoo! key findings and what they mean for | | | | the world of RSS, mainstream media rules, with |
| marketers.a] Awareness of RSS is quite low | | | | World news and National news both leading the |
| among Internet users. 12% of users are aware | | | | pack at 52% and followed by Entertainment at |
| of RSS, and 4% have knowingly used RSS. | | | | 34% and Weather ad 31%. |
| Although RSS awareness is increasing, only few | | | | If we take a look at what lies beneath this we |
| internet users yet understand what RSS is and | | | | can see that end-users still see RSS as a news |
| how to use it. | | | | consumption tool and a tool to receive |
| For marketers, this means that simply placing an | | | | time-sensitive updates, such as weather info. |
| RSS button on their site it not nearly enough, with | | | | The interesting part is that blogs achieve only |
| the report finally demonstrating that marketers | | | | 23% and although they are gaining quickly are still |
| needs to use clear and persuasive copy to get | | | | not part of the mainstream. |
| their visitors interested in RSS, explain RSS to | | | | Whichever way you look at this, the real long tail |
| them and get them to subscribe to their feeds. | | | | is still far from fruition. |
| In addition it also shows that marketers need to | | | | There are two are interesting categories listed in |
| make sure they are using "user-friendly" buttons | | | | the report: investment/financial info/banking at |
| to generate subscribers, such as "Add to | | | | 13% and Shopping/online commerce at 10%. |
| MyYahoo!", which consumers do understand.b] | | | | The popularity of these two shows that RSS in |
| 27% of Internet users consume RSS syndicated | | | | fact is appropriate for delivering business info and |
| content on personalized start pages (e.g., My | | | | that RSS can be used for e-commerce. A strong |
| Yahoo!, My MSN) without knowing that RSS is the | | | | case in point urging e-retailers to start providing |
| enabling technology. | | | | RSS feeds. |
| This finding only underlines the above suggestions. | | | | 5. WHY END-USERS USE RSS"RSS Aware" |
| Stop touting your RSS feeds only using an RSS | | | | end-users subscribe to feed because of "ease" or |
| button, but rather aim for a "subscribe feature" | | | | "convenience", followed by being able to choose |
| and then explain to the visitor how to use it. | | | | what they read. |
| Strong copy has never been so important.c] 28% | | | | To marketers, these three should be the founding |
| of Internet users are aware of podcasting, but | | | | stones of how to get their visitors to adopt RSS. |
| only 2% currently subscribe to podcasts. | | | | 6. THE FAMOUS ORANGE BUTTONMarketers, |
| Goes to show that podcasting still has a long way | | | | pay attentin to this. |
| to go and can right now function only as a | | | | Only 4% of total RSS end-users actually use the |
| supplement to your existing marketing activities. | | | | orange XML button, and only 38% of RSS aware |
| It might also give an indication that audio is not | | | | users use it. |
| the most appropriate format for much online | | | | It seems the orange button isn't dead ... it was |
| content.d] Even tech-savvy "Aware RSS Users" | | | | never alive. |
| prefer to access RSS feeds via user-friendly, | | | | Let's move on and replace it with something |
| browser-based experiences (e.g., My Yahoo!, | | | | more user-friendly. |
| Firefox, My MSN).e] My Yahoo! has the highest | | | | And BTW --- 22% of the people that clicked on |
| awareness and use of any RSS-enabled product. | | | | the button don't even know what action they |
| Both of the findings above, although indicating that | | | | took after clicking the button and 26% left the |
| these are the results Yahoo! would want to | | | | site. Goes to show the RSS button is only losing |
| publish, show that having browser-based RSS | | | | us subscribers. |
| reader subscribe buttons is a must. | | | | 7. HOW USERS FIND THEIR FEEDS50% use the |
| It also shows that the market is ready for the | | | | defaults available in the RSS reader and only 13% |
| soon-coming IE and Outlook integrated RSS | | | | use the search engines to find them. |
| features, which should really boost RSS usage | | | | Yes, it's cruical to be in the RSS feed search |
| among consumers online. | | | | engines, but it would be even better if you could |
| Now, let's take a deeper look at the report ... | | | | move your way to the default seetings. And by |
| 2. "UNAWARE RSS USERS" VS "AWARE RSS | | | | all means, actively promote the feeds on your |
| USERS"The whitepaper makes a strong distinction | | | | site as end-users, according to the report, actively |
| between "Unaware RSS Users" and "Aware RSS | | | | tend to subscribe to the feeds on the sites they |
| Users", positioning the "Unaware" batch as the | | | | find interesting. |
| mainstream Internet population. | | | | 8. CONCLUSIONTo conclude this, here's a direct |
| This makes it absolutely clear that B2C | | | | quote from the report, saying exactly what I've |
| marketers, targeting consumers, should take | | | | been trying to get through for a couple of |
| special care to promote their feeds using "friendly" | | | | months: |
| subscribe buttons. | | | | "To position RSS among mainstream Internet |
| On the other hand, if targeting a more | | | | users, it is essential to effectively communicate |
| tech-savvy audience, going the way of "RSS" and | | | | the benefits of RSS (ease, convenience, access |
| more complex RSS reading tools might be a | | | | to information of interest). Internet users do not |
| better choice. This might also prove more | | | | understand how to use the XML button, how to |
| effective for targeting executives and other | | | | actively seek out RSS feeds, or even what the |
| corporate target audiences that might be using an | | | | term RSS means. Instead, they need a simple |
| enterprise-wide RSS solution, such as NewsGator. | | | | interface where they can choose the information |
| 3. CONSUMPTION LEVELSThe whitepaper says | | | | and content that interests them. This is where |
| that on the average "Aware RSS Users" | | | | personalized start pages and browser-based |
| subscribe to 6.6 feeds. | | | | experiences can help move RSS into the |
| The consequences of this are not as simple as | | | | mainstream. |
| they might seem. Even "RSS Aware" users do | | | | |