A Comprehensive RSS Tools Reference List

Found this great post on Mashable. It's a comprehensive list of RSS tools, tips, hacks etc. Anyone have any other good reference links like this one on other new media tools and technologies?

RSS Article



Photo by Torchondo

e-ttention Deficit Disorder – RSScue Your Message from Info Overload

I’ve been in marketing for almost two decades. In those 20 years, the one thing I have never stopped hearing is the idea that "consumers are inundated with more advertising and marketing messages than they can handle," and that "it’s harder than ever to cut through the clutter and reach your customer."

Of course, these things are true. Consumers today are flooded with endless promotional messages – print ads, radio, TV, banner ads, spam email, e-newsletters, Amazon recommendations – the list goes on and on.

And with the arrival of every new electronic device or web application we have new ways to get and share even more information. Blackberries and iPhones, instant messaging, podcasts, You Tube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr, XML, RSS – many people quickly reach a point of information overload.

The good news about technology is that while it can foster information chaos, it also provides the tools to manage the cacophony.

Savvy marketers today know the power of blogging and the importance of RSS feed readers. They are one important way today’s information-saturated consumers are filtering out the noise online while letting through key pieces of information about things that really matter to them.

Whether it’s insights, entertainment, or offers they just can’t get anywhere else, you have to find the things that your customers really want or need in order to get them to subscribe to your RSS feed.

If you can get them involved – posting comments, suggestions or even complaints – you not only get your message out, you gain invaluable insights into what your customers are thinking – and more information about what they want.

If your customer adds your feed to their RSS reader, you instantly become a preferred provider. Someone that has been selected as worthy of keeping up with. Your message faces less competition and is automatically given greater credibility.

Its simple but powerful way to get a leg up in an information saturated world.

Obama Online - the Future of Political Campaigns

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeLove him or hate him, Barak Obama has made history, and it wouldn't have happened without the internet and social media.

Obama's grassroots online fund raising pulled together over 1.5 million donors and outperformed the Clinton Democratic machine. His online supporters have created more than 30,000 events to support him. The campaign used wikis to organize precinct captains, created counter viral e-mail campaigns to offset anonymous smears questioning his faith and patriotism. They solicited letters from online supporters to help lobby undecided super delegates, and the campaign constantly updated it's YouTube page to contain the latest speeches and support videos, like the "yes we can" video produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas after he was inspired by an Obama speech in New Hampshire.

A charismatic personality like Obama's lends itself to the online space, but much of the fervor has been spurred on by the power of social/viral content sharing. It's a new age in politics - the ones who learn how to do it right are the leaders of tomorrow.

What do you think? Could Barak Obama have won the Democratic nomination without the internet? Can McCain stop him without a powerful online counter punch?

Thanks to Sarah Lai Stirland, Wired Blog Network for great details for this post: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/06/obama-propelled.html