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REALLY SIMPLE SYNDICATION
Bridging the communications gap with RSS
By Todd Brehe
In spite of the tremendous investment made in Web sites and portals, many government and commercial organizations and their stakeholders aren't deriving the value they could from these online resources. Contributing to this situation is the "communications gap". A communication gaps occurs when new information, content, or services are added to a Web site or portal, and the constituents who could use or benefit from that information, don't know about it.
The problem stems from the fact that most Web sites and portals are passive. Many sites simply don't have a proactive way to communicate with users. Unless users remember to come back and visit a Web site or portal, they're disconnected from what is happening at those sites.
Even highly trafficked portals such as Yahoo and Google are taking extra steps to bridge the communications gap by incorporating electronic communications, or e-communications. Multiple RSS (Really Simple Syndication) channels feed topical information from different content areas, such as politics, business, and technology. And the Yahoo and Google Alerts services are excellent examples of how these portals are combining search and email to communicate proactively.
Symptoms of the communications gap
Many organizations are experiencing the symptoms of the communications gap, but may not fully recognize them. For example, large numbers of users may visit a portal and never return, or return infrequently. Users may call in repeatedly to ask about information that's already available on your organization's Web site, or they may tell you they're not being informed.
Many businesses are spending considerable amounts of money on print, mail, and fax communications. While these channels offer an excellent means for bridging the communications gap, they're expensive and labor-intensive. Complementing or replacing these channels with e-communications can generate significant and immediate cost savings.
Benefits of bridging the communications gap
The benefits of bridging the communications gap with RSS are exciting and numerous. First, it helps companies reap the full value of their online investments by increasing awareness and use of these resources. Because online services are usually more cost-effective for organizations, if more people use them, the organization's direct costs are lower.
Bridging the communications gap with RSS accelerates the flow of information to stakeholders inside and outside an organization. And because a large portion of information on a portal has a "shelf life", if it isn't used before a certain time period, it loses its value to the audience. Proactive communications can prevent this loss.
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