RSS Marketing

I wonder if 'RSS Marketing' will overtake 'Email marketing' as a real marketing communications tool for brands?

I think it should.

All marketeers know the benefits of email marketing - relatively cheap, quick to deliver, often with decent click-thru rates. But the marketing guys sending out the emails are in charge - they decide when and how often they will 'target' you with their email.

Email marketing is generally a one-way communication. Usually you can't click on the reply button and email them back. I bet that most emails are signed off with a fake name. God forbid you try and contact back the people that fill up your inbox.

Unfortunately marketing people are thinking mostly about the 2% or 3% of people that respond, not so much the 97% that didn't. Sure you can unsubscribe but this can be a hassle. Instead, I personally just delete the mail.

But RSS Marketing would be very different. As any blogger knows, if you want people to read the stuff you have to say - you have to work hard. Content is king of course. You have to put the time into it. I don't think there is any substitute for time. Persuading people to subscribe to your feed is just the first step. You need to be interesting, relevant, insightful or entertaining if you want them to take time out of their day to hear what you have to say. And you have to be ready to respond to personal comments. They can unsubscribe anytime - without even telling you.

With RSS Marketing, your subscribers are clearly in charge.

How many brands and marketing teams are including RSS Marketing as an element within their communications mix?