An RSS compiler will gather headlines and descriptions from a number of websites and then paste them to a web page or a standalone or built-in RSS aggregator, such as Firefox or Apple’s Safari browser. Users may subscribe to the RSS feeds of their choice, such as those of XBiz.com or CNN.com, and have the day’s headlines appear in a list format.
Surfers may also subscribe to feeds of a certain topic, compiled from dozens of different websites.
RSS aggregators of late have been fertile ground for marketers. Like Google’s AdSense and AdWords programs — and similar offerings from other search engines — an aggregator might place a contextually appropriate ad in a series of RSS listings.
"Over time, as RSS continues to become more mainstream, we think it has the potential to compete with email as an advertising medium," said Christian Romney in the New York Times. Romney is a senior manager for e-commerce technology at Continental Airlines Vacations. "You can bet companies will be moving into this space as providers — just as they did in the email industry."
Companies like Yahoo and the startup Pheedo can place RSS ads in regular feeds. The debut of Microsoft’s Longhorn operating system late next year will make RSS a standard feature in both Windows and Mac environments.
Among other attractive elements, RSS advocates say no personal information can be gleaned when a user clicks on a the link of a feed.
With RSS becoming commonplace, however, it is in danger of losing the one feature that makes it unique: the illusion that the user has control over what arrives in his inbox.
"Anything that's done to hide the technology and just make a more relevant user experience will grow the RSS market and grow the advertising market," said Scott Rafer, the chief executive of Feedster, the RSS search engine and advertising network.
"Within five years," he said, "everyone with a broadband connection will be using [RSS] whether they know it or not."
