How RSS Rocks Your (Online) World! A presentation to the NIPCC by Robert Sanzalone June 16, 2007 - Nagoya, Japan

What We Will Cover RSS & Blogs A Blog vs. A Website (CMS) Search Engine Optimization The story of “The Spider” The Power of Social Networking

RSS & Blogs

A Blog vs. A Website (CMS)

Search Engine Optimization

The story of “The Spider”

The Power of Social Networking

The 7 Online Services you MUST have! Technorati Flickr del.icio.us Digg Skype Twitter Facebook

Technorati

Flickr

del.icio.us

Digg

Skype

Twitter

Facebook

RSS & Blogs In 1994, the new magical term was the “@” sign. In 1997, the new magical term was “www” In 2006, the new magical term was “rss’

In 1994, the new magical term was the “@” sign.

In 1997, the new magical term was “www”

In 2006, the new magical term was “rss’

RSS Definition RSS stands for “really simple syndication” Most frequently associated with blogs though can stand alone

RSS stands for “really simple syndication”

Most frequently associated with blogs though can stand alone

RSS A different way of receiving information. Not static as a web page. Can be presented as a webpage (or text message, or other)

A different way of receiving information. Not static as a web page. Can be presented as a webpage (or text message, or other)

Blog vs. Website Websites are standard html pages. Most people put their effort in making their pages “pretty” but not easy to navigate. The biggest point people forget is why the page is there to begin with.

Websites are standard html pages.

Most people put their effort in making their pages “pretty” but not easy to navigate.

The biggest point people forget is why the page is there to begin with.

A website? Reason people want a website To promote a business or product To educate on an issue or agenda To share experiences and perceptions Others

Reason people want a website

To promote a business or product

To educate on an issue or agenda

To share experiences and perceptions

Others

Objective achieved? The path from when a visitor reaches a page to doing what the author intends the visitor to do is call “The Conversion”. For example, how long does it take to press the “buy” button?

The path from when a visitor reaches a page to doing what the author intends the visitor to do is call “The Conversion”. For example, how long does it take to press the “buy” button?

Consumers are lost? The issue with the Internet is that it’s too big. People forget what they are even looking for. Each year more and more people depend on search engines such as Google or Yahoo! to help them.

The issue with the Internet is that it’s too big. People forget what they are even looking for.

Each year more and more people depend on search engines such as Google or Yahoo! to help them.

How to be found The secret to being found is how “deep” the searcher must look The closer to the first result page, the faster the searcher will reach the page.

The secret to being found is how “deep” the searcher must look

The closer to the first result page, the faster the searcher will reach the page.

Answer: SEO! If a webpage can be optimized to show up quickly for the terms the searcher is looking for, this is called Search Engine Optimization or SEO.

If a webpage can be optimized to show up quickly for the terms the searcher is looking for, this is called Search Engine Optimization or SEO.

Secret to getting good SEO This is the story of the little spider. The spider searches web pages all over the world and brings the results home. If the spider is called frequently and told where to put the web page, there’s a higher possibility it will be put on the front page of the search engine. The secret is – it depends on the spider!

This is the story of the little spider. The spider searches web pages all over the world and brings the results home. If the spider is called frequently and told where to put the web page, there’s a higher possibility it will be put on the front page of the search engine. The secret is – it depends on the spider!

The answer: Blogging Every time you blog, it “pings” the major search engines. This calls the spider. This only happens once with a webpage. With a blog, it happens with every post!

Every time you blog, it “pings” the major search engines. This calls the spider. This only happens once with a webpage. With a blog, it happens with every post!

Where to put it The RSS feed created by a blog becomes VERY valuable. It helps chop up the website and tell the spider where to place the pieces. A blog about a “widget” could make it to number one on a search engine when a person searches “widget”. Difficult for a static website.

The RSS feed created by a blog becomes VERY valuable. It helps chop up the website and tell the spider where to place the pieces. A blog about a “widget” could make it to number one on a search engine when a person searches “widget”. Difficult for a static website.

Quick Primer of Blogging To create a blog, I would suggest to try www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com Both are free and gives you ALL the tools you need to get started

To create a blog, I would suggest to try www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com

Both are free and gives you ALL the tools you need to get started

Quick Primer On RSS Feeds To read blogs, you can go directly to the URL or read the feed in a feed reader One of the easiest is Google Reader though there are many others available (including applications and the browser itself)

To read blogs, you can go directly to the URL or read the feed in a feed reader

One of the easiest is Google Reader though there are many others available (including applications and the browser itself)

Social Networking While a blog is the base of good SEO, it has become a backdrop to a whole new world of how people connect with each other. To be found or followed, you must now be part of a larger “online community”. This not only creates traffic, but also requires you to brand or label yourself. This is the start of Social Networking.

While a blog is the base of good SEO, it has become a backdrop to a whole new world of how people connect with each other. To be found or followed, you must now be part of a larger “online community”. This not only creates traffic, but also requires you to brand or label yourself. This is the start of Social Networking.

Technorati www.technorati.com Keeps track of who is talking about what in the Blogosphere Ranks bloggers and feeds Number one resource for search engine labelling (VERY IMPORTANT!)

www.technorati.com

Keeps track of who is talking about what in the Blogosphere

Ranks bloggers and feeds

Number one resource for search engine labelling (VERY IMPORTANT!)

Flickr THE best place to host photographs online YOU WANT to share Has a RSS feed and Social Network community Utilizes labels and tags Not to be used just for hosting website graphics (Photobucket better)

THE best place to host photographs online YOU WANT to share

Has a RSS feed and Social Network community

Utilizes labels and tags

Not to be used just for hosting website graphics (Photobucket better)

del.icio.us Online bookmarking service Sometimes as powerful as Google or Yahoo! for searches Uses label Has the best RSS feed

Online bookmarking service

Sometimes as powerful as Google or Yahoo! for searches

Uses label

Has the best RSS feed

Digg The most popular and influential ranking system on the Internet Anyone’s site or blog can have “millions of hits” within 24 hours Can become aware of important events before the “media” reports it Social network community with RSS feed

The most popular and influential ranking system on the Internet

Anyone’s site or blog can have “millions of hits” within 24 hours

Can become aware of important events before the “media” reports it

Social network community with RSS feed

Skype The largest “world telephone company” in existence Great text ability Only service to allow effective creation of groups The world greatest “common denominator” application.

The largest “world telephone company” in existence

Great text ability

Only service to allow effective creation of groups

The world greatest “common denominator” application.

Twitter The ultimate “micro blogging” platform Encourages people to follow you and you to follow others An “influencer” tool… not a stalking tool! Can be controlled by RSS feeds so you can bring everything in your world together both online and on your mobile phone.

The ultimate “micro blogging” platform

Encourages people to follow you and you to follow others

An “influencer” tool… not a stalking tool!

Can be controlled by RSS feeds so you can bring everything in your world together both online and on your mobile phone.

Facebook The most recent “explosion” on the Internet for Social Networking Also referred to as the “walled garden” because it provides easy access to RSS and other techie things for non-techies Most people who hate tech love Facebook

The most recent “explosion” on the Internet for Social Networking

Also referred to as the “walled garden” because it provides easy access to RSS and other techie things for non-techies

Most people who hate tech love Facebook

Conclusion RSS in and of itself is nothing more than a technology. It’s simply another way to access personal or professional information. Ignore RSS, and you’ll be like a caveman walking in a modern city – amazed but have no idea what’s going on.

RSS in and of itself is nothing more than a technology. It’s simply another way to access personal or professional information. Ignore RSS, and you’ll be like a caveman walking in a modern city – amazed but have no idea what’s going on.

Conclusion RSS does not need to be studied and learned to be program. It simply needs to be understood and utilized in your online stategies – whether it be marketing a product or looking for an old friend online.

RSS does not need to be studied and learned to be program. It simply needs to be understood and utilized in your online stategies – whether it be marketing a product or looking for an old friend online.

Conclusion If you would like to learn more about RSS or leverage every aspect of it for your online activities, check out The Ultimate RSS Toolbox - 120+ RSS Resources http://mashable.com/2007/06/11/rss-toolbox/

If you would like to learn more about RSS or leverage every aspect of it for your online activities, check out The Ultimate RSS Toolbox - 120+ RSS Resources http://mashable.com/2007/06/11/rss-toolbox/

Thanks for attending Questions? To contact Robert Sanzalone: [email_address] www.pacificIT.ca twitter.com/pacificIT Skype/Technorati/Digg/del.icio.us: pacificIT

Questions?

To contact Robert Sanzalone: [email_address] www.pacificIT.ca twitter.com/pacificIT Skype/Technorati/Digg/del.icio.us: pacificIT