At Metro InfoDesign, we have been watching RSS for well over a year now but it was only around this time last year or so that we started taking a serious look at this little standard that's changing how we communicate on the web. Really Simple Syndication. Simple phrase but it changes everything.

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is quickly becoming an obsession with knowledgeable webmasters. Its just happening everywhere and webmasters must adjust their strategies accordingly. 

We figured what better way to get to know a subject than to work with it, then write about it. As a web designer I also come into contact with many web sites that aren't taking advantage of this powerful standard. I found myself going through the vast resources of the Internet, blogs, and forums, to collect what information I needed for various articles and projects. The Internet is one huge storehouse of knowledge that more than supplied me with enough material to support my work.

Coming from a web design background, I also knew the only way to really learn about a subject was get 'hands on' experience. So at the same time I started to really implement RSS tactics on my own sites and that of others I studied what others where doing and the techniques. I concentrated on website RSS techniques that worked with the major Search Engines; starting my own blog and RSS feeds to enhance my sites and manipulating the search engines, feeding the spiders with legit content to build targetëd traffíc to keywords or a market sector I wanted to promote.

Recent experiences have opened my eyes wider than they have been for a while and RSS is still surprising at every turn. Only after I had started researching RSS did it dawn on me that I had no idea just how Big a Player RSS is becoming and will become in the very near future.  All web site owners must embrace this aspect of web technology, or be left behind...  The impact will be felt in all areas of the web.

Some of the major ones are:

• Google Blog Search - Which now opens up the whole area of blog content and feeds to the one search engine that counts. Google also finally embraced RSS despite its major investment in the other syndication standard - Atom. Google bought Blogger.com a while back which promotes the Atom feed.
• Microsoft's Windows - The next version of Windows - Vista - will have RSS embedded into its operating system. This will open up RSS to the mass market. This will put RSS center stage for computer and Internet users.
• Google Sitemaps - This XML powered system lets you update and quickly index your site's pages in Google.
• Podcasting - The enormous popularity of sending audio files or podcasting is opening up a whole new audience for RSS.
• Media RSS - This will permit the syndication of all types of media, including video and TV programs through RSS, further opening up RSS to becoming a broadcasting system for the Internet.
• RSS Search - Live.com, as well as other search engines, makes it possible to search RSS feeds for the information we need.
• Mozilla Firefox Browser - This RSS powered browser with its 'Live Bookmarks' is proving very popular with surfers. It also proves you really don't have to know a thing about RSS to enjoy its benefits - it can be seamlessly integrated into the background or operating system with the end-users oblivious to even the existence of RSS.
• Commercial RSS - Then there is the whole potential of RSS ads and advertising which would commercialize RSS and bring it into play by large corporations who are mainly interested in the bottom line.

Not to mention all those orange XML or RSS buttons popping up on website after website. RSS is taking on a life of its own, gaining in popularity and growing in strength. RSS is becoming a force that has to be reckoned with by every webmaster.

• How about you?
• Is your site RSS prepared?
• Are you taking advantage of RSS and syndication?
• Are you using RSS?

This is a heads up that you will start using RSS if you haven't already and here's why... if you want your site to remain truly competitive you must have RSS on it. Without RSS you will be losing visitors and traffíc to RSS empowered sites. You will be losing traffíc to sites that are targeting keywords with blogs and feeds. You will be losing traffíc to those sites using the XML powered Sitemaps. You will be losing traffíc to sites that are RSS User-Friendly and fully optimized for RSS.

You must have an RSS User-Friendly site if want your site to be competitive. Just ask yourself, when the next Windows browser comes online, how competitive will your site be without RSS? What role will RSS play in getting visitors and repeat visitors to your competitor's website?

All Webmasters should be preparing now for RSS, if they haven't already. You have to prepare your sites for RSS. You have to position your sites to take full advantage of the coming RSS revolution! Take advantage of Google's Sitemaps, Blog Search, RSSMedia, Next RSS powered Windows...

Get Ready. Prepare your site, or build a new one that incorporates RSS and Syndication technology

RSS is not only changing the rules, it is changing the whole game. RSS will transform the Internet. RSS will play a larger and larger role in the success or failure of your website and online business oportunities.  Here at Metro InfoDesign, we understand this imperative and stay true to our mission statement by sharing such important information with our global community of clients, visitors, and partners.

Proceed without RSS at your own risk...