RSS Feeds - The Basics For Everyday People

Undoubtedly, you have visited various websites as you search the Internet for information, and you see icons or read messages that invite you to subscribe to the site's "RSS Feed". But you may not really understand what an RSS feed is.

RSS stands for "really simple syndication". As you surf the Internet, you invariably find a number of sites that have information that you would like to see more of or which you wish to track. The problem you face is having to manually go to the sites checking for any new updates.

RSS is a technology that allows you to check new information on the web sites you're interested in right from your desktop browser, without having to visit the site itself. RSS solves the problem of having to manually visit and check a site for new information by bringing the web pages to you instead of you going to them.

In order to use RSS, you simply need to have access to a computer and an Internet connection. You also need an RSS reader or an aggregator. The RSS reader will display a headline of the new posting along with a brief synopsis of the related content. You read the synopsis and if it interests you, you click on the headline, which will take you directly to the web page it is published on. You can have as many RSS subscriptions as you want.

As a webmaster, you can use RSS to promote your own website. When used properly, RSS can be a potent marketing tool. You enlist other sites to subscribe to your RSS feed, and display your updated content on their home pages. This allows you to reach new audiences to which you would not otherwise have access, and helps to spread your information exponentially.

RSS is simple to offer (no pun intended) and equally simple for your subscribers to use. Because of its simplicity, it is sometimes a preferred marketing method when compared to email newsletter marketing. Many people are choosing to subscribe to RSS feeds for instant information rather than subscribe to email newsletters.

RSS is a convenient form of information distribution, and because people can easily subscribe or unsubscribe at any time, it's a tool with which they're very comfortable. The benefit to you is that as a webmaster, you get your web site broadcast to potentially millions of people through RSS, and you can also use RSS as a means to get fresh updated content for your site too.

Ecommerce Website Design’s 6 Common Mistakes

Small business Ecommerce is highly competitive field and small businesses need to develop a professional E-Commerce website in order o gain competitive advantage over others. 1. Poor or outdated design Many E-commerce websites of small businesses reflect a poor outdated website design. It is important for your website to reflect a modern clean cut look and feel. If your E-commerce website design is not professional and the website looks like it was designed in the nineties then it is important to consider re-designing your e-Commerce website. A professional design for your E-commerce website is crucial and the website design task is best left to experts. 2. Not having detailed information on products Many E-Commerce websites make a common mistake of not presenting detailed information on their product range. A common problem with ecommerce websites, especially small business E-commerce websites , is the lack of detailed information on products being sold on the website. Even if an Ecommerce website has a large product list it is important nevertheless to have an independent product detail page for each and every product. Avoid only one line descriptions for your products. Information on products can easily be found on manufacturer’s website and in most cases they are happy for you to use it on your website. 3. Don’t hide contact details. Another common mistake with many ecommerce websites is the lack of visibility of the company’s contact details i.e. telephone number and address on the website. Customers often look for this information as it helps build trust knowing that someone will be there to answer questions should a problem arise with the purchase or the product. It is a often a good idea to include telephone and address on all pages either ion the header or footer. An easily accessible email inquiry form or request call back forms on the website also help build customer confidence. 4. The benefits of buying from your company not clearly evident to the customer. Another common mistake businesses make is failing to convey clearly via the website the advantages or benefits of purchasing form them. Customers usually research competitors before making a decision. 5. Not having an ongoing search engine optimisation strategy. Many ecommerce businesses make the mistake of thinking that if their website is there it will automatically attract new customers. No matter how professionally designed your website is or if you website has been created with search engine optimisation in mind; appearing on the first page of Google is not something that will be achieved on its own. Thousands of businesses compete for first page ranking for any given keyword however only 10 can appear o the first page. In order receive targeted traffic to your website and generate increasing leads and sales you will need to have an ongoing search engine strategy and commission an ongoing search optimisation campaign. Although it is not something that will be achieved overnight, the benefits far outweigh the costs involved. Please visit http://www.kronikmedia.co.uk/blog for the full article and for more articles on web design, e-commerce and search engine optimisation.