Concept: release content to RSS first Jul02 '07

I've noticed some blogs tend to release posts to the RSS feed before the content appears on the actual site.

Upon further reflection, maybe this is not actually the case, and instead it's just some weird bug with my feed reader, but either way - it leads me to an idea.

The way it happens now: content appears on the site first (naturally, via the local database), and a short time later, starts appearing in feed readers, which are usually a tad behind. What if we were to simply reverse this concept?

The RSS feed gets the content first, and then a short time later, the actual site displays the same content.

As a promotional tool, releasing the content to an RSS feed before the actual site has some possibilities.

You could promote your site's content in this manner, allowing "subscribers" to receive the content first.

"Be the first to know!"

I can imagine this idea being extended to products and advertising, and not just blogs or web sites.

The ideal audience for such a promotion would be people that don't use a feed reader to gather content. Because, let's face it - if you use a feed reader, you don't need a promotion to convince you to subscribe to the feed. You just know.

This could almost be extended as a promotion for feed readers themselves.

"By using a feed reader, you obtain the news and stories before they hit the site!"

Would such an idea be useful? I think so. RSS needs to gain more recognition amongst average web users, and not just for the technically-inclined.

This could be one way of promoting it.

Categories: Content , Ideas , RSS

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matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.

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