Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

What is RSS? To begin with, it’s one of those things everyone says is easy to understand. And it is, as soon as you have your own ‘ah-ha’ moment.

I think the easiest way to explain it is to walk you through an example of RSS in action. I’m not going to try to explain everything on the subject, but this should help get you started.

>> Let’s sign you up for the Excess Voice RSS Feed

If you want to read the Excess Voice newsletter every two weeks you can either read it in your email inbox, or read it in your web browser.

You already know how it works when you subscribe to a newsletter via email. You sign up, hope the spam filters don’t block some or all issues, and then read the newsletter in your email program, whatever that might be.

With RSS, instead of subscribing via email, you subscribe via a web page.

>> Let’s walk through the subscription process

If you have a Yahoo! account, go to My Yahoo! and click through to the Add Content page. On the right side of the ‘Find Content’ area you will see a link that reads, Add RSS by URL.

Follow that link and, to add the Excess Voice RSS feed, simple paste this url into the field provided,
http://www.excessvoice.com/excessfeed.xml (Don’t click on this link. Cut and paste it.)

Now click the Add button and you’re done.

If you don’t use Yahoo!, register at Bloglines.com and follow the same process. Bloglines is a free service and is where I read all the RSS feeds to which I have subscribed.

>> What happens now?

Now, whenever you go to My Yahoo! or Bloglines, you will see when the Excess Voice feed has been updated. In Yahoo! it tells you how many hours or days ago the feed was updated. In Bloglines the feed name will appear in bold, and a number after the name tells you how many items within the feed have been updated since you last checked. (Bloglines is one of several similar services. It’s just the one I found first and have used ever since.)

>> What you see…

When you check the Excess Voice feeds, you will see that with each feed, you don’t get the complete content…you don’t see the whole newsletter, the complete article or all of the review. You see the title and the first ten lines or so of content. Just enough so you can decide if you are interested or not.

If you want to read the whole article, for example, click on the link provided and you will be taken to the page on the Excess Voice site where I have published the complete item.

Meanwhile, here is what I am doing behind the scenes to deliver this information

I added one new document to the root folder of my web site on the server. It’s an XML file, “excessfeed.xml” (no need to know what that is).

Within this XML file I include the necessary coding and the preview text and links you see in My Yahoo! or Bloglines.

Whenever I add a new article, review or newsletter to my site, I update the content in this XML file and upload it to my server.

Yahoo! and Bloglines will periodically check that XML file so see if it has been updated. If it has, they let you know in the ways I described above.

I can decide how many feeds I want to create and how many items to have within each feed. I can even add small images. And I can schedule when the feeds are updated. For instance, with my newsletter, I send out the newsletter broadcast at the same time as I upload the revised XML file. So it is published by email and on the web at the same time.

>> How do I do all this XML coding?

What’s XML? I have no idea. I use a WYSIWYG software tool called FeedForAll. It provides me with a simple interface that enables me to create, format, edit and upload my feeds.

>> As an information seeker…now you can go RSS crazy

Once you get the idea and have chosen your preferred RSS Reader (Yahoo!, Bloglines etc), you can subscribe to dozens of different feeds…news, newsletters, articles, blogs and more.

Sign up with one click, and unsubscribe with one click (No more newsletter unsubscribe hassles.)

>> As a publisher…gain more readers

More and more people are turning to RSS. They use it instead of subscribing to newsletters. They also use it to choose which elements of content they want to hear about from various sites.

>> As a webmaster…publish tons of fresh, updated content

Yes, if you have a website, you can have RSS content delivered directly to your site. You want the latest art and culture news from the BBC showing on your site, automatically updated? No problem. Hence the ‘Syndication’ in RSS - Really Simple Syndication.

>> In conclusion…

This brief explanation isn’t intended to tell you everything there is to know about RSS. But I hope I have covered enough to give you your own ‘ah-ha’ moment.

Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author and speaker. You can access all his newsletter articles on writing for the web at his http://www.ExcessVoice.com site. You’ll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at http://www.FreelanceWritingSuccess.com

We were
waiting for something like this to happen for a long time.
Yahoo!, one of the key providers of mass-market RSS aggregators,
finally took a step forward and published their RSS whitepaper,
covering their own findings with RSS, based on their usage data.

1. YAHOO!’S KEY FINDINGS

Let’s first take a look at Yahoo! key findings and what they
mean for marketers.

a] Awareness of RSS is quite low among Internet users. 12% of
users are aware of RSS, and 4% have knowingly used RSS.

Although RSS awareness is increasing, only few internet users
yet understand what RSS is and how to use it.

For marketers, this means that simply placing an RSS button on
their site it not nearly enough, with the report finally
demonstrating that marketers needs to use clear and persuasive
copy to get their visitors interested in RSS, explain RSS to
them and get them to subscribe to their feeds.

In addition it also shows that marketers need to make sure they
are using “user-friendly” buttons to generate subscribers, such
as “Add to MyYahoo!”, which consumers do understand.

b] 27% of Internet users consume RSS syndicated content on
personalized start pages (e.g., My Yahoo!, My MSN) without
knowing that RSS is the enabling technology.

This finding only underlines the above suggestions.

Stop touting your RSS feeds only using an RSS button, but rather
aim for a “subscribe feature” and then explain to the visitor
how to use it.

Strong copy has never been so important.

c] 28% of Internet users are aware of podcasting, but only 2%
currently subscribe to podcasts.

Goes to show that podcasting still has a long way to go and can
right now function only as a supplement to your existing
marketing activities.

It might also give an indication that audio is not the most
appropriate format for much online content.

d] Even tech-savvy “Aware RSS Users” prefer to access RSS feeds
via user-friendly, browser-based experiences (e.g., My Yahoo!,
Firefox, My MSN).

e] My Yahoo! has the highest awareness and use of any
RSS-enabled product.

Both of the findings above, although indicating that these are
the results Yahoo! would want to publish, show that having
browser-based RSS reader subscribe buttons is a must.

It also shows that the market is ready for the soon-coming IE
and Outlook integrated RSS features, which should really boost
RSS usage among consumers online.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at the report …

2. “UNAWARE RSS USERS” VS “AWARE RSS USERS”

The whitepaper makes a strong distinction between “Unaware RSS
Users” and “Aware RSS Users”, positioning the “Unaware” batch as
the mainstream Internet population.

This makes it absolutely clear that B2C marketers, targeting
consumers, should take special care to promote their feeds using
“friendly” subscribe buttons.

On the other hand, if targeting a more tech-savvy audience,
going the way of “RSS” and more complex RSS reading tools might
be a better choice. This might also prove more effective for
targeting executives and other corporate target audiences that
might be using an enterprise-wide RSS solution, such as
NewsGator.

3. CONSUMPTION LEVELS

The whitepaper says that on the average “Aware RSS Users”
subscribe to 6.6 feeds.

The consequences of this are not as simple as they might seem.
Even “RSS Aware” users do not subscribe to “just anything” and
seems they only subscribe or keep being subscribed to the
content of highest relevance to them.

The message for marketers is to become even more relevant and
more focused on providing real value for their target audiences.

RSS does not mean that end-users will start consuming that much
more online content, but simply that their primary consumption
channel will change. It’s up to you to make place for yourself
in this consumption channel, but you can only do so if you
become one of the key targeted content providers for your market
and can deliver consistently high-quality content.

4. TYPES OF RSS CONTENT CONSUMED

Even in the world of RSS, mainstream media rules, with World
news and National news both leading the pack at 52% and followed
by Entertainment at 34% and Weather ad 31%.

If we take a look at what lies beneath this we can see that
end-users still see RSS as a news consumption tool and a tool to
receive time-sensitive updates, such as weather info.

The interesting part is that blogs achieve only 23% and although
they are gaining quickly are still not part of the mainstream.

Whichever way you look at this, the real long tail is still far
from fruition.

There are two are interesting categories listed in the report:
investment/financial info/banking at 13% and Shopping/online
commerce at 10%.

The popularity of these two shows that RSS in fact is
appropriate for delivering business info and that RSS can be
used for e-commerce. A strong case in point urging e-retailers
to start providing RSS feeds.

5. WHY END-USERS USE RSS

“RSS Aware” end-users subscribe to feed because of “ease” or
“convenience”, followed by being able to choose what they read.

To marketers, these three should be the founding stones of how
to get their visitors to adopt RSS.

6. THE FAMOUS ORANGE BUTTON

Marketers, pay attentin to this.

Only 4% of total RSS end-users actually use the orange XML
button, and only 38% of RSS aware users use it.

It seems the orange button isn’t dead … it was never alive.

Let’s move on and replace it with something more user-friendly.

And BTW — 22% of the people that clicked on the button don’t
even know what action they took after clicking the button and
26% left the site. Goes to show the RSS button is only losing us
subscribers.

7. HOW USERS FIND THEIR FEEDS

50% use the defaults available in the RSS reader and only 13%
use the search engines to find them.

Yes, it’s cruical to be in the RSS feed search engines, but it
would be even better if you could move your way to the default
seetings. And by all means, actively promote the feeds on your
site as end-users, according to the report, actively tend to
subscribe to the feeds on the sites they find interesting.

8. CONCLUSION

To conclude this, here’s a direct quote from the report, saying
exactly what I’ve been trying to get through for a couple of
months:

“To position RSS among mainstream Internet users, it is
essential to effectively communicate the benefits of RSS (ease,
convenience, access to information of interest). Internet users
do not understand how to use the XML button, how to actively
seek out RSS feeds, or even what the term RSS means. Instead,
they need a simple interface where they can choose the
information and content that interests them. This is where
personalized start pages and browser-based experiences can help
move RSS into the mainstream.”

Learn how to take full marketing advantage of RSS and get all
the expertise, knowledge and how-to information for implementing
RSS in your marketing mix, from direct marketing, PR,
e-commerce, internal communications and online publishing to
SEO, traffic generation and customer relationship management.
Including complete interviews with more than 40 RSS marketing
experts. Click here now: http://rss.marketingstudies.net/book/

written by:Myspace

The use of RSS, or Rich Site Syndication, has increased over the past few years to the point where it can’t have escaped your notice. As an online business owner, you may still be unaware of the advantages of content syndication to your business.

Using RSS, you can produce a live feed of your latest products that can be syndicated by other website owners. This effectively places an advertisement for your business on any number of websites.

But how do you convince website owners to display your RSS feed on their website?

There are two main methods of distributing your feed to website owners.

The most effective is to provide interesting, amusing, unique or themed products. Many website owners like to display the latest gadget or novelty that relates to their site’s theme and will likely syndicate your feed if you provide products that interest them and their visitors.

An example of successful use of this type of RSS feed can be seen at firebox.com. The developers have listed their latest products on the right-hand side of the page, with a link to the RSS feed of the same information below.

If your business provides a service rather than a specific product, you should concentrate on producing an RSS feed of industry news or other interesting information. This is the second effective method of distribution.

You can attach an advertisement for your business to the news feed, which will be displayed alongside the information content.

With content syndication, both your business and website owners benefit. The website owner receives fresh content to display on their website and you, the online business owner, receives exposure.

You can create your own RSS feed easily using a service such as FeedForAll.

Daniel Ruscoe is a professional web developer and founder of Eruero News Syndication.

You’ll never hear the end of it if you decide to press charges. And besides you’re not even sure you really want to do that. They might pay you back the money. Not. The burden is on you to sort this mess out and the worst part is once a relative or friend steals your identity, it’s almost impossible to trust them again.

We hear about the high profile cases of hackers breaking into the databases of Lexis Nexus or DSW Shoe warehouse, yet most instances of identity theft never make the news. Usually it’s something basic like a neighbor stealing a credit card application from your mailbox or a relative going thru your personal belongings

In the Better Business Bureau’s 2005 Fraud Survey report they found relatives, close friends and neighbors make up 50 percent of all identity thieves. They also cost you more time and money trying to fix the problem. Javelin Research calculates that the average cost to identity theft victims is $15,607 when the perpetrator is known.

But even that figure is misleading. Many children are falling victim to identity theft (a half million last year according to the Federal Trade Commission) which means the full impact of the damage may not be known until years later when as adults they apply for credit.

For some parents, stealing their child’s identity is a stop gap solution. Their own credit is destroyed, so “borrowing” their child’s social security number becomes a necessity. All the while, they assure themselves the money will be paid back. Yet the same pattern that destroyed the parent’s credit, now puts a negative on the child.

It doesn’t matter if the thief is a parent, sibling or best friend, the process of recovering your identity is a tough one and it gets more complicated. Should you report the crime?

“Frequently when we would break up a ring and get a list of victims and find family members were involved in the crime, relatives are very reluctant to co-operate” says Ken Hunter, former Chief Postal Inspector and current president of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

According to a study done by Gartner, Inc., the chances of an identity thief getting prosecuted are 1 in 700. However, when a relative is the culprit those odds go through the roof. The attitude understandably becomes, “Yes, they did me wrong but I can’t send them to jail.”

Ken Hunter: “If it’s a matter of pilferage at a very low level, nothing much is really going to happen to that person.”

On the other hand, if your identity is used to commit crimes on a higher scale, by all means report it to the authorities. You may feel guilty and make a lot of people angry in the process. Families get torn apart because relatives feel the matter should stay private.

It’s a tough decision, but remember, this is your good name the identity thief destroyed, not your relatives and it’s you who may be wanted for a crime, not them.

Daryl Campbell is a writer and home business owner. Nearly one in five Americans have experienced identity theft. Not surprisingly, many Americans say they are concerned about identity theft — but few have done anything to prevent it. Don’t wait until it happens, get peace of mind today.
http://digbig.com/4dwsx

RSS has been around for more than a decade but until recently “Rss Technology” started penetrating its roots deep inside the soil of the so-called E-world.

Using this standard, web publishers provide updates, such as the latest news headlines, special announcements, press releases or weblog postings through their RSS content

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a lightweight XML vocabulary for describing metadata about web sites, ideal for news syndication. Originated by userland software in 1997 and used by Netscape to populate Netscape’s My Netscape portal with external newsfeeds (”channels”) RSS has taken on a life of its own and has become perhaps the most popular XML format today. Thousands of web sites today use RSS as a “what’s new” mechanism to drive traffic their way. (Including the BBC, CNET, CNN, Eweek, Forbes, Motley Fool, Wired, Red Herring, Yahoo, MSN and many more…).

As each day passes by, new websites are being launched and added to the internet bandwagon and in order to compete, webmasters & web publishers need to find different ways of producing themed-based websites. Highly focused articles are often sought by webmasters. Why? Because content on the web is still king! In order to attract search engines and site visitors, webmasters depend heavily on providing informative, creative and fresh content. If the web site content is rich, visitors will come. If the website content is updated regularly, visitors will return. When evaluating a website’s traffic it is easy to see that the low cost of syndicated content can add-up considerably to a website’s value.

Many webmasters & web publishers are struggling to find fresh, innovative content while other savvy webmasters have realized the ability hidden within RSS and are adopting the technology at a maddening pace. By utilizing RSS, webmasters can tap through a variety of distinctive free content sources with very little effort. RSS truly is a webmaster’s key to free content.

With the help of RSS technology webmasters can also reach their potential and targeted customers directly, how this is done? Well…. typically RSS feeds contains “News Headlines” and content summaries of a particular product or service these content summaries contain just enough information without overwhelming the reader with superfluous details. If the reader is interested and wants additional information they can click on the item in the feed, accessing the website which contains additional details. RSS readers aggregate multiple feeds, making it easy for individuals to quickly scan information contained within each feed. Feeds are generally themed, allowing users to opt-in to feeds that are of their interest.

One of the major benefits to RSS is that individuals opt-in to content of interest, totally controlling the flow of information that they receive. If the quality of the content in the feed declines, users simply removes the feed from there RSS reader and they will not receive any additional updates from that source. The RSS reader acts as an aggregator, allowing users to view and scan multiple content streams in a very short period of time.
With the RSS webmasters & web publishers have the advantage to update their already existing feed, so that when ever they have something new to publish or offer all they have to do is update their already published feed and the message gets updated everywhere it’s subscribed. No more worrying if your subscribers got your message or not.

Thus, Rss gives you the opportunity in establishing strong relationships with your existing subscribers as well as helps in attracting new potential subscribers who are interested in what you offer.

If you really want to make a difference then RSS is the perfect tool in reaching out to your subscribers or customers throughout

Syed Ibrahim is a prominent internet strategist and also manages marketing for http://www.rapidfeeds.com

Create, Edit, Publish & Track your RSS feed online just in three easy steps!!
Sign Up For Free!!!

Protecting yourself from Identity Theft (ID Theft) is an important matter. ID Theft is defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as, “when someone uses your name, address, Social Security number, bank or credit card account number, or other identifying information without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes.”

In a summary report dated September of 2003, the FTC reported that “almost 10 million Americans have discovered that they were the victim of some form of ID Theft within the last year.” Further, the FTC estimates that the “total cost of this crime approaches $50 billion per year.” (The report can be viewed and printed at http://www.ftc.gov/os/2003/09/synovatereport.pdf.)

Though preventing ID Theft is ideal, also important is your ability to quickly determine when your identity is being used without your knowledge. Early detection is essential in preventing undue loss, as well as protecting your credit from long-term damage. One means of finding out if you have been a victim of ID Theft is through the use of a credit report.

A credit report is a list of all credit cards, debts, accounts, and other information associated with your social security number. That is, by going to the website of one of the three main credit reporting agencies and running a credit report, you will be able to see all the financial information linked to your social security number. Most importantly, you may be able to identify an error or fraudulent activity.

When viewing your credit report online, information will be given in seven sections: personal information, account information, inquiries, collections, public records, consumer statement, and dispute file information. One of your main objectives should be to verify all accounts and information as being valid. Carefully read the entire credit report looking for errors or anything unfamiliar. If you should see something out of the ordinary or wrong, contact the credit reporting agency immediately- you may be a victim of ID Theft.

Equifax, one of the three major credit reporting agencies, says you should, “Check your credit report regularly. Checking your credit report can help you catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances. Make sure your report is accurate and includes only those activities you’ve authorized. It’s also a good idea to review your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every year — it’s possible that information is reported to one but not the others.”

To that end, Equifax has developed a great tool for running your credit report. It is called the “3-in-1 Credit Report”. You can sign-up with Equifax and view your information with all three major credit reporting agencies at one time (this can also be done through the other two credit reporting agencies- TransUnion and Expirion). Currently, this detailed report costs around $30 on the Equifax website (www.equifax.com) and is well worth it. Running your credit report is an important first step in prevention and early detection of ID Theft.

For tips on how to further protect yourself from ID Theft, or if you believe your identity has been stolen, please visit the FTC website (http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/).

About The Author: Jonathan Citrin provides financial goal planning services. Go to http://articles.citringroup.com for hundreds of educational articles about personal finance, retirement planning, investment planning, and college savings.

With the advent of the World Wide Web, a whole new breed of criminals have surfaced, posing threats to more than just our material assets, but also to our very identities. Although there are a number of effective methods for protecting yourself from internet identity theft, not everyone takes the necessary steps to initiate such a plan. By tightening up your own personal security measures, you’ll be far safer when you go online, and much less likely to become just another victim in the world of cyber-theft.

Securing your Channel

Anybody who’s spent any amount of time online knows that internet addresses begin with “http://”. This is used to electronically communicate the request for a line in which to jump onto the internet, and is what most people use for web surfing. Those who are a bit savvier know that a request can be put in for a secure channel, which will deflect attempts to capture any personal data that may be transmitted through the line, such as in the case of bank account numbers for those who prefer to do online banking. In order to request a secure channel, simply begin the web address with “https://” – the “s” is a red flag to the system that you’re requesting a secure channel.

Credit Card vs. Debit Card

Making online purchases using a credit card is a fairly common practice today, but is far different from using a debit card online. If you really must make a purchase in this way, don’t ever use a debit card. Once the funds are removed from your account, you’ll be unable to retrieve them, but a credit card charge can be disputed and – in most cases – the amount that was charged without your authorization can be retrieved.

Phishing Scams

While it’s simply common sense not to provide anyone with your password to an online account – or other information that might be used to access it by an outside entity – some rather creative scams have been perpetrated, which are convincing enough to lure even the most cautious of consumers into their trap.

The best example of this type of scenario would be the receipt of an e-mail from your bank, payment service or online auction host that appears to be perfectly legitimate, telling you that you need to confirm your account number, password or balance due to some type of fraud investigation, etc., that they’ve initiated.

Typically, a link is offered that you’re instructed to click onto, in order to verify that you are, in fact, the owner of the account. When you sign in with your screen name and password after clicking on the link, these electronic thieves capture that information and use it against you in the future.

The moral of the story is that, if you should receive any type of communication from one of these types of institutions, always use an outside internet line to contact them directly in order to confirm the fact that they’ve sent you this e-mail. In nearly every case, these messages are fraudulent.

Social Security and Credit Cards

Since cards such as these contain extremely sensitive information about your identity – particularly in the case of the social security card – then the best way to guard against internet identity theft is to avoid providing them online. If these are truly needed in order to process some type of transaction, then it’s better to request that a hard copy form is sent to you through the postal service, and take care of the matter in that way.

Use Common Sense

Protecting yourself from internet identity theft is largely a matter of common sense. If there’s a bit of sensitive information that no-one else should be privy to, then it’s not a good idea to blast it across the internet – unless you’re feeling very, very lucky.

The author grants reprint permission to all venues so long as the copyright and by-line are included intact.

Copyright © 2005 Preventing Identity Theft.com All Rights Reserved.

About the Author: Nikki Greene is dedicated to helping you become better informed when it comes to preventing identity theft. Sign up for her “Preventing Identity Theft Newsletter” and keep up with the latest trends, identity theft in the news, and how you can safeguard your identity: http://www.preventing-identity-theft.com/

A lot of commotion was made some time ago when webmasters discovered RSS (Really Simple Syndication) as a method of disseminating information like ezines, articles and website updates.

For a while it was even being tauted has the big
replacement for email marketing.

A few caught on to it’s potential while others passed
it off as the latest internet fad that would soon come
and go. And there for a while it looked like they might
have been right.

But, as it appears from our tracking of RSS
development I see that it’s popularity has grown
tremendously (to include blogs) and is being used
a lot more to provide fresh content for websites
and is fast being considered one of the best ways
to keep search engine spiders coming back.

Search engines love fresh relevant content. Note
the keyword in the last sentence is ‘relative’.

At first you had to be pretty tech savvy to figure out
how to set up an RSS feed and get if listed so people
could find and benefit from it. But that process has
gotten easier - a lot easier.

As a matter of fact there are a couple of software
programs that we know of that provide methods for
webmasters to get the great benefits of more search
engine traffic using RSS feed criteria. I use one and
it does work beautifully. You can judge for yourself
by going here http://www.cashway.com/rs

In case you’re new to RSS and you wonder what it
can do for you and your website here’s a brief summary.

By definition, RSS is a lightweight XML format designed
for sharing things like news headlines and other web page
content. But the bottom line is, RSS is simply a popular
and convenient method of sharing content between websites.

You see, regardless of what topic or subject matter you’ve
built your website around, there’s valuable content available
out there such as… articles and information written by an
expert in that particular field. And since that kind of content
already exists - AND a large portion of it is available through
the magic of RSS feed capability - YOU don’t have to create
the content yourself.

So how does that help you?

Let’s face it - most webpages can’t get a good page rank
because the competition is so fierce. To add to it, the
tactics now being used by everyone arn’t working very well.
RSS is still in it’s infancy, why dare I say it’s barely out of the womb. But the internet world is starting to take notice and
beginning to understand it’s impact as a marketing tool as
well as a viable way to improve a sites search engine rank.

So Now…

- You spend less time writing fresh new web content.

- Your website can be displaying quality theme-based content… automatically!

- Content is always highly relevant to what you’re promoting.

- Search Engines make more frequent visits because your site is constantly updating.

- You have more time to market your site, products, etc.

- Having quality fresh new content gets your web pages indexed faster.

- Usable on any website or as many pages as you want.

- RSS content (through topic channels) has the potential to deliver highly relevant content to site visitors.

- RSS compliments your website and marketing efforts.

That’s all well and good you say, but is there a downside
to using RSS feeds on my site?

Good question.

Not really, but there may be a couple of items you need to
take into considerations before you jump into the RSS game.

First you need to find relevant feeds for your site. Not
an overwhelming task but something you’ll want to spend
a little time searching for on Google or other major search
engines.

You’ll need a feed reader in order to display the content on
your site and make it available to search engine spiders.
You can easily do a search on google to find free rss readers
for your site.

You’ll then need to do a little copy and paste of the html
code into the webpages you want the content to appear on.
This can be a daunting task especially if you have a site with
a lot of pages that you want the search engines to spider. But
if you strategicaly place the code on pages that spiders have
visited you will have spiders looking for more pages with relative, fresh content.

In the long run once you have RSS feeds on the pages you
know are going to be spidered then all of the tedious work
is done and you can spend your time on other issues.

You can see how to automate this process by going to
http://www.cashway.com/rs or you can start using our
RSS feed on internet marketing by going to this webpage
and copying the code and pasting it anywhere on your
webpages. http://www.cashway.com/article_syndication.htm

We update our RSS feed with new articles, tips and strategies
1-2 times a week

All indications show that RSS feeds are on the rise because
of their less intrusive nature, relevant targeted content, can
be personalized, accessed through a variety of media, no extra
data is collected from viewers and the industry and developers
on the whole are making strides in increasing add-ins and features, such as ability to track results of its use, and to better integrate it for users and viewers alike.

So for 24/7 fresh content for your web pages and better search
engine recognition you should be looking at using RSS feeds in
the very near future.

Ed Duvall is webmaster for http://www.cashway.com and
http://www.instantnettraffic.com providing internet marketing
tools and resources to help you with your online business.

Reprint this article as long as resource box remains intact.

Copyright 2005 - http://cashway.com

There is little argument from webmasters and publishers that RSS brings in traffic. So once you’ve made the leap and created a feed, how do you tell your visitors about the feed?

1. Submit Your RSS Feed to RSS Directories.

This will not only increase the number of sites linking to your website and increasing your link popularity, it will also increase the RSS feeds profile. A number of RSS search engines and RSS directories exist that allow you to freely submit RSS feeds. Feeds are generally categorized and grouped together by subject. Web surfers looking for RSS feeds about a specific subject will often search the RSS directories, to locate a feed that matches their specific criteria. Topic specific RSS feed and podcasting directories are also emerging. Choose a web feed’s category carefully and only submit relevant feeds to topic specific directories.

A large list of directories is located at http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-submission.htm

Example of Topic Specific - http://www.realty-feeds.net or http://www.religious-podcasts.net

2. Explain RSS

While you have finally figured RSS out, some of your visitors may not have. The concept while brilliant, can be a bit confusing for the beginner. The concept of RSS feeds might be completely new to some of your website visitors. Hence it is generally good practice to walk website visitors through the steps of locating, subscribing and reading an RSS feed. It is generally a good practice to include a page on your website that contains a general explanation on RSS and details how website visitors can subscribe to an RSS feed.

Sample explanation page that can be used to on your website: http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-subscriptions.htm RSS specifications has authorized the replication of this webpage. It can be republished, simply insert your RSS feeds or otherwise customize the material to explain RSS to your website visitors.

3. Graphic on Website

Since the conception of RSS, bright graphic flags have been used to denote the location of an RSS feed. Now instinctively, website visitors frequently look for a colorful flag on websites. The looks of the flags have changed but a variety of options exists. When you add the image, be sure to link to the location of the RSS feed. Some webmasters use chicklets to indicate the presence of feeds, web surfers click on the chicklet that relates to their RSS feed reader or news aggregator and the feed is added to their list of feeds. Others feel that the volume of chicklets simply add confusion, and opt for a single relevant RSS graphic.

4. Press

As with any important addition to your company, it is completely appropriate to send a press release to let the media know you have RSS feeds available for specific content. This will often garner a little attention. Additionally, key news editors may opt to subscribe to your RSS feed in order to stay abreast of your latest corporate news. Considering the possibility of these subscriptions, makes a press release to signal the availability of an RSS feed simple common corporate sense.

5. Newsletters

Include a mention in your e-mail newsletter that content is now available via an RSS feed. Many newsletters subscribers appreciate an alternative subscription method and will subscribe to a web feed as well.

6. Auto Discovery

Some of your website visitors might be web savvy. Be sure to include an auto-discovery tag in the HTML header of each web page. Many RSS Readers will automatically discover that an RSS feed is available for specific content and notify the website visitor and ask them if they wish to subscribe.

7. Brand a Newsreader

Distribute pre-loaded RSS readers branded to your company name. The big benefit to brandable newsreaders is that you can include all of your RSS feeds in it. Any downloaders will have immediate access to your RSS feeds in the branded news reader.

Brandable Readers - http://www.deskshare.com or http://www.customreader.com

8. Blog

If you have a blog or know bloggers, be sure to share with them that you have added an RSS feed for specific content. Blogs are a great vehicle to spread the word. Marketers instantly understood the power of word of mouth, but few marketers understand the movement of blog to mouth. This growing phenomenon has added credibility to online blog endorsements.

In order to reap the benefits of an RSS feed, it is important the feed be properly publicized. Taking simple steps to promote an RSS feed will go a long way in ensuring a feeds adoption.

Financial institutions face constant pressure to comply with regulatory mandates designed to prevent identity fraud and money laundering while still delivering excellent customer service, watching bottom-line results, and meeting business objectives. In today’s complex business environment, this seems like an almost impossible task. However, those regulatory mandates also create many opportunities to increase efficiencies and save money. By integrating identity verification into the overall risk management strategy, financial institutions can expect to see substantial benefits to their bottom lines, customer service levels, and employee productivity.

What is identity verification?

Identity verification is defined as “the process of using claimed or observed attributes of an individual to infer who the individual is.”(1)

For today’s financial institution, identity verification is a critical aspect of establishing a new relationship. True identity verification means reviewing the truthfulness of what a prospective customer discloses by screening the data against multiple sources, then analyzing the facts to determine whether a new relationship should be started. “Know your customer” has long been promoted within institutions as a sign of personalized customer service; however, with the enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act regulations, identity verification is now the difference between success and failure in the ever-changing financial services market.

Why is identity verification important to financial institutions?

The increased role of the country’s financial institutions in securing the home front must not be undervalued. The purpose behind the USA PATRIOT Act is national security. No one will disagree that having a better understanding of the customer doing business at an institution provides increased security for the institution, its customers and the public in general.
The danger for banks is more than just monetary loss. Damage to a financial institution’s reputation created by noncompliance and the publicity surrounding terrorists opening accounts can lead to lost confidence in the institution and significant loss of customers, sales, and revenue. Recovering from negative publicity is a long, difficult, costly process.

Compliance cannot be ignored because penalties for noncompliance are severe. Regulatory penalties for the USA PATRIOT Act and OFAC regulations can range from $10,000 to $1 million per infraction.

How can a financial institution benefit from the USA PATRIOT Act?

Protecting Against Identity Fraud

Institutions need to prevent identity fraud while balancing the need to protect customer information with a customer’s requirement for quick, efficient service. Identity verification is clearly a first step in reducing the opportunities for fraud and taking action. Stopping the “bad guys” from opening a new account at an institution is the easiest and most cost-effective way to reduce a bank’s burden. That’s how “knowing your customer” can help—if identity verification becomes part of the defensive measures within the overall risk strategy, it can be a significant factor in preventing fraud.

Increasing Operational Efficiencies

The USA PATRIOT Act has driven financial institutions to review corporate policies and perform lengthy risk analyses. Identity verification technology helps integrate policies into normal routines by allowing frontline workers to gather needed information very quickly and efficiently instead of manually researching identity information by calling references and checking websites.

Improving Customer Service

The consummate benefit from integrating identity verification into an institution’s risk management strategy is a higher level of customer service.

From airline travel to school registration to doctor visits, society is accustomed to trading some privacy for the security of each individual and the country. However, customers do expect their financial institutions to protect their identity information and their fiscal assets. Identity verification programs allow new accounts to be opened quickly, creating a positive experience for the consumer while showcasing the methodology the institution has in place to protect its customers.

Identity Verification Options

Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act requires that financial institutions develop Customer Identification Programs (CIPs) that implement reasonable procedures to

• Collect identifying information about customers opening accounts
• Verify that the customers are who they say they are
• Maintain records of the information used to verify their identities
• Determine whether the customers appear on any list of suspected terrorists or terrorist organizations(2)

There are numerous options available to help banks implement identity verification programs to comply with the regulations, always aiming to make educated and proactive decisions about customers. The USA PATRIOT Act regulations allow a documentary or nondocumentary approach.

Documentary Solution

Traditionally, the use of manual or documentary solutions for identity verification has been prevalent in the financial services community. At many institutions, an employee will look at a driver’s license or passport to begin account-opening procedures. Institutions are relying on driver’s licenses and passports to be valid, but with the recent increase in forgery, it is difficult to have confidence that the documentation is legitimate.

Nondocumentary Solution

Since the enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act, technology has improved within the area of identity verification. Identity verification technology offers a simple approach to integrating a CIP into an institution’s risk management strategy. In addition, identity verification technology gives an institution a cost-effective tactic for keeping up-to-date with ever-changing regulations.

For true identity verification, it is critical to screen presented data against multiple independent sources to ensure consistency. Checking one source will not provide enough information, and there is no single database that includes everyone living in the United States. This means an institution must confirm that the name, Social Security number, address, and date of birth are valid and associated with each other using various data sources. If the information is unvarying throughout multiple sources, the institution can make an educated decision that it is truthful. By using identity verification technology, organizations can have the tools, not only to verify identity, but also to screen against government lists and document transactions. Institutions can completely comply with the regulations, while also realizing the benefits of protecting against fraud, increasing operational efficiency, and improving customer service levels.

Conclusion
For financial institutions, the USA PATRIOT Act has created many burdens and opportunities. By embracing change and integrating identity verification into their corporate risk policies, institutions can protect against fraud, increase efficiencies, and keep service levels high while remaining profitable.

References

1. Committee on Authentication Technologies and Their Privacy Implications. National Research Council, Who Goes There?: Authentication Through the Lens of Privacy, Stephen T. Kent and Lynette I. Millett, eds., 2003, www.nap.edu/catalog/10656.html?onpi_newsdoc032503 (10 March 2004).
2. Department of the Treasury. Office of Public Affairs, “Fact Sheet: Final Regulations Implementing Customer Identity Verification Requirements under Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act,” 30 April 2003, www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/docs/326factsheet.doc (10 March 2004).

About the ID Verification Expert Authors:

Bruce Lowthers is an identity fraud expert within the financial services market with a specialization in the USA PATRIOT Act and OFAC compliance. He is currently a Vice President of eFunds Corporation.

Cleve Shultz has spent more than 11 years helping financial institutions run more profitable organizations through increasing efficiencies and improving service levels. Currently, Mr. Shultz is Director of Sales for the eFunds Mass Market Team.