Be a Hero: Introduce RSS to Your Company
Looking to impress the boss before the upcoming holiday Bonus time? Looking to improve learning across your organization? Did you recently delete valuable data and need to make up for it?
The answer to all these problems is simple: introduce RSS. A recent Forrester report shows that only only 11% of people use an RSS reader, which means that there is a very good chance that the vast majority of people in your company are not RSS users.
To make things easy for you, I have created a sample email you can send to anyone and everyone in your company that should advantage of RSS. All you need to do is:
- Find a few sample feeds that your target audience will find useful, then export and attach them as an OPML file. Make sure you find a set that well represents the types of feeds they will like and that will make the value of RSS immediately obvious.
- Edit the message for any changes in tone and content as appropriate. Look for [BOLD BRACKETED TEXT] to replace
- Be there to help them out. People will have questions, make sure you let them know that you will be happy to help them.
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Subject: Everyone should use an RSS reader
Do you feel like you can’t keep up with industry changes? Do you find you are spending too much time searching for new content on the Internet? Get an RSS reader! An RSS reader is what allows you to keep up on topics and trends that interest you in a very easy and very efficient manner. With an RSS reader, you can spend less time searching for what you need to know and more time learning what you need to know.
We are all very busy, but in order to [LIST WHAT YOUR CORE BUSINESS IS HERE], we need to keep on top of what is happening in a rapidly changing industry. An RSS reader is an invaluable tool to help you maintain your keep informed/keep working balance.
Since I think everyone in the company should be using RSS to keep ourselves current and informed, I put together a quick how-to to get you started.
What is RSS?
RSS is a way for websites to list when pieces of content (such as news) is updated to their site
What is an RSS reader?
An RSS reader is a program that periodically checks RSS “feeds” which list updates to the sites. They track what you have read and what you have not read so you are only presented with new content.
What is a good RSS reader to use?
I’ve been using Google Reader for a couple years (http://www.google.com/reader/). It is free to use, performs well, and has a nice UI. Plus,since it is web based you can access the same list of feeds from any computer or smartphone. Log into Google Reader now and take a look. I’ll wait…
How do I add RSS feeds?
When you are on a site you would like to receive updates from, there are a few things to look for:
Browsers will often display a standard RSS logo in the toolbar:
If you don’t see an RSS link in the browser toolbar, check the page for a similar icon or a link that says “RSS” or “XML” or “Syndicate” (usually in the page header or footer).
When you click on the link, it will ask you how you want to subscribe. There will normally be an option for “Google Reader” which will add it to your list of feeds.
Using Google Reader
- Click on the name of the feed you want to read new items from
- Read items in the reading pane. As you scroll past them, they will be marked as read.
Getting started
- I attached a file you can use to import a few feeds I thought you may find useful. To import it, use the “Manage Subscriptions” link and click on the “Import/Export” tab to upload the attached file. [MAKE SURE YOU ATTACH A OPML FILE]
- Start adding feeds!
Ways to find feeds
- Go to sites you visit on a regular basis (or wish you had time to visit) and look for an RSS icon.
- http://blogsearch.google.com/ allows you to create a feed for blog search results. This allows you to create a feed that will show anytime anyone posts on your search terms
- Do a web search for items something you would like to follow. Check the good-looking results and see if they are sites that cater to what you are looking for and have a feed
- Yahoo web search results can be turned into a feed
- Use the “Discover >>” link on Google Reader to find feeds that it thinks you will like based on what you are subscribed to
- Use the “Discover >>” link on Google Reader to browse and search for feeds
- Keep an eye out for RSS links as you browse in general.
Advanced Uses
Once you get the general idea down, you can look into additional features available including starring items you like for easy retrieval later, sharing items you like with other people and reading what others have shared, categorizing and tagging your feeds and items, and more.
If you have any questions, be sure to let me know.
