RSS in Guerrilla marketing

RSS is an acronym usually defined as Really Simple Syndication. RSS is a type of XML which allows Internet browsers and other feed readers to display information from the file, usually from a website. A website provider can therefore use website not only for incoming visitors from search engines, referral sites or directly through URL address, but it is also possible to increase the traffic by sending automatically generated news feeds to those visitors who have general interest in the website.

RSS is very often used by Internet savvy users who use RSS for decreasing the time needed for regular checking of daily updated websites and other online information resources. RSS communication channel allows users to easily stay informed by retrieving the latest content from the sites they are interested in. RSS users save time because they do not have to visit each site individually but they see all of the updates in their RSS reader application.

RSS is a communication channel that businesses can use to keep steady contact with loyal visitors and customers and it is very often used channel for informing about new discounts, new products offerings or about new articles about the company. RSS is currently commonly used tool that is implemented in many social networks or website portals. Using RSS for guerrilla marketing is even described in the book Guerrilla marketing: easy and inexpensive strategies for making big profits from your small business from the authors  Amy Levinson, Jeannie Levinson, (2007) however no specific campaign examples are provided.

RSS may be used for Guerrilla Marketing activities as a supportive media of communication where RSS feeds may help to attract attention of the readers and raise their interest to come to the webpage where more information are available.

Creative concept #6
RSS News feed text in reverse

The usual RSS feed is designed at the same format because the format is always influenced by the RSS reader used by the user. These readers are in example Google Reader, Microsoft Outlook RSS reader or others. The RSS is containing a title and the beginning of an article or news. Therefore, there are no many possibilities how to clearly differentiate one RSS from another when it comes to appearance. However, when a user get used to read still the same format of the feeds even the smallest surprise may be efficient, as this Guerrilla marketing online example shows.

A typical RSS feed have standardised format and can look like in the following image:

Image 22 RSS in Guerrilla marketing, Example of RSS feed captured in Google Reader, the message created by the server CIO.com with no particular relevance to the study

Guerrilla RSS feed in reverse text for bringing new people to a shop

Image 23 RSS in Guerrilla marketing, Example of RSS feed with reverse text graphically edited by Vit Horky for the client Hastens Beds, www.postele-hastens.cz provided by Google Reader, graphically edited by Vit Horky for Hästens beds

Using RSS feeds enriched by an unusual order of words or characters may significantly increase the rate of reading however it is necessary to consider potential negative impact of loose of reliability, proficiency or even the loose of interest of those potential customers who were not excited about it. The campaign should be used only once and especially for such an occasion where an element of fun is relevant to the information provided. The campaign is an example of alternative marketing and ambush marketing but cannot be used without website presence where the particular marketing message will be explained. 

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