An RSS feed is an electronic communication format where the information contained within is generally transmitted in binary form. The length of the content is often only a few lines. This makes it easy for the user to consume and display the content in any compatible viewer of that software.

The important purpose of an RSS feed is to allow publishers and affiliates to easily distribute and receive relevant information from their subscribers. It also gives the possibility for customers to sign up for periodic updates by simply placing their subscription in an online subscription service. The newsletter is sent at intervals and for the moment the system has some limitations with respect to the number of messages per day.

In its original form, the RSS format used only a simple text based data encoding. There was no automatic delivery, although that later evolved into the variety of delivery options that are available today. The sender can only send the message once to be read, thus it would have to be passed on to a computer or an automatic feed reader for storage.

The development of RSS technology is not going to be seen as a final solution to save the life of the web, however it does offer a chance to control the distribution of information through websites. By using RSS, you can integrate functionality so that all new content becomes part of your website. This approach is based on the concept of building interest. An RSS feed does not need to be manually updated as well.

Very common means of distributing articles through RSS is by creating an email automatically. The entire list of subscribers can be sent a letter or an email at regular intervals to make them aware of the latest updates. In this way, the information remains relevant and interesting to the consumers.

Some service providers do not take responsibility for the content of the feed and the publishers may receive spam or dangerous content on their websites. To combat such situations, the publishers of RSS feeds must sign up and provide their names to ensure that they do not become a victim of spam. Some servers also use filters to check the subscription lists for illegal activities.

It is not difficult to create an RSS feed. The majority of the providers require only a few elements like a title and an XML attribute. The processing is completely automated, which makes it ideal for small online businesses. Those who have more resources can also buy a system for running the whole process.

However, most of the small companies that want to use RSS feeds for marketing purposes prefer the manual approach. This gives them the chance to monitor the feeds while they have the time to do so. The companies could increase their exposure through RSS feeds if they are used properly.