The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success

Chapter 35. RSS

RSS is an acronym for Rich Site Summary, and although it is the name for this category of tools, it's a bit like using the brand name Kleenex® as the category title for all facial tissues. Rather than debating the category name, it's easier to recognize, in general, the common functions of these tools. In essence, a lot of web content changes. If you have a favorite blog or regularly visit a web site that provides updated information that has specific value to you, it could be useful to have the content fed to you automatically rather than having to return to the site when memory or necessity dictates. That's exactly what the tools in this category do; they automatically feed you current content from the web sites that are most critical to your business needs. It could be an industry blog, statistics posted on a competitor's site, or information from a government agency's web site. You can forage, or you can be fed.

This chapter introduces you to the following companies, tools, and applications:

• Atom

• FeedBurner

• PingShot

• RSS 2.0

As you read each profile, keep in mind that its features and functions may or may not be right for your particular business. Use the Tool Scorecard at the end of the chapter to help you determine which of these tools qualify for further consideration when you begin creating your social media strategy in Part III of the book.

Atom

Company Name:	Atom
URL:	www.atomenabled.org

What Is It?

"Atom is an XML-based web content and metadata syndication format" developed ...