For me, RSS Feeds and Google Reader are rare examples of technologies that have massively transformed my general productivity as well as the marketing of all the blog websites I've created over the years.

RSS Feeds (RSS stands for 'Really Simple Syndication') are a mystery to most people, but often when I explain how I use RSS Feeds and Google Reader, using examples from my own experience, people normally "get it".

Some people have even told me that it has transformed their lives just as much as mine! So I've created a new video to show you exactly how I use 'The Power of RSS Feeds and Google Reader'

In simple terms, RSS Feeds are 'streams' of content from places like websites, or any site with the familiar orange logo (see the orange subscribe button near the top-right hand side of www.CoachesWebMarketing.com.

One of the many tremendous advantages blogs have over normal 'websites' is that they have RSS feeds built into them as standard.

Whenever you publish a new post to your blog,  then your blog's RSS feed is updated as well. This means that any website or person who is 'subscribing' to that RSS feed will automatically receive your latest post by their preferred means.

Why should you care about this?

Well, it means that your content can reach many more people than those would actually return to visit your website directly. To market your business services effectively you need to get your message to as many people who are receptive to your information as possible.

RSS Feeds, therefore, should be your new 'best friend.'

So please, if you have a message on your website that says 'please return to my website often as it is updated regularly' then get yourself a friendly orange RSS button instead.

Why? so people who want to can receive your content in the way that is most suitable and convenient for them, without being forced to come back to your website every single time.

For example, if you click on the orange subscribe button above then you will be given a variety of choices as to which service you would like to use to subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog.

How to subscribe to RSS Feeds

You can use a free service like Google Reader to subscribe to this feed, and then all of the latest posts will automatically arrive on your Google Reader web page, shortly after they are published.

Now,  if you only follow the RSS feed from one website then there's little point in doing this. But what if you want to follow the feeds from 100 websites, or 200 in my case? (as I show in the video).

It would be impossible to go and visit 100 websites one after the other, just to see if there is anything new. Often there won't be anything new to see, so your time would be wasted.

RSS Feeds, however, give you two fantastic benefits that will increase your ability to consume information that is important to you many times over:

1) They allow you to see when the content from your favourite websites has been updated, so you know what you are reading is new and not the same as you've already seen

2) You can read the content within your RSS Reader without having to go to the website of origin (No need to open 'yet another' browser window and wait for it to load up)

Again, as I show in the video, you can organize your feeds by subject (much like your browser's bookmarks), and Google Reader especially gives you some fantastic ways to share your feeds with other users. Again, I show you how in the video itself.

So if RSS Feeds are new to you, but you like to get information from websites, for business or leisure, then set aside some time and start subscribing anywhere you see the RSS feed orange button.

You can start with the one above!

Then get yourself an account at Google Reader and prepare to join RSS nirvana.

Once you have a brochure website in place, even an embryonic one with just a few pages of content about yourself and your services, then the next step is to start building a list of email contact addresses.

Most business completely underestimate the importance of having a list of customers, clients or prospects who you can communicate with on a regular basis. You proabably already have a collection of names, addresses and emails of people you have had any significant contact with, whether you are their client or friend, or they are yours. Its time to get this to start working for you!

Landing Pages

There are several ways to capture email addresses from a webpage, but by far the most effective is to send people to view what is called a Landing Page or a Squeeze Page.

Rather then give a lengthy written explanation I've made a short video to explain just what they are and how you can make them.

On your Landing Page or Squeeze Page you need to have a form for people to enter their details, e.g. their name and contact email address, or perhaps their answers to a survey or poll.

The easiest way to do this is by using a dedicated piece of software to handle your email list. By far the most widely-used email service among professional internet marketers is Aweber.

When you have an Aweber account (which you can try for free for 30 days), they show you how to quickly create a web form to put on your web page and get people to sign-up to whichever email list you are promoting. For example, you can see my current Landing Page where you can enter your details to receive my free videos on the subject of web marketing and email list-building.

Although the web form I'm using is not an Aweber one, the principle is the same. I create the web form using software called Infusionsoft. Like Aweber this then automatically gives me the html code I need to copy and paste onto the Landing Page I want.

What is the Real Barrier That Prevents People Creating Landing Pages?

Here's the real problem that stops most people at this stage…

Creating the Landing Page and uploading it to the internet.

Why? Because creating even basic 'static' web pages, especially those that look half-decent, is far more technically-involved than you should ever have to get involved with. So you either pay a web professional to do it (and pay for the privilege), or you roll your sleeves up and learn  the technical jargon required. Good luck with that…

Fortunately there is an alternative. One where you don't need to take a degree in tech-speak before you start. One that is easy to change and adapt at any stage. One that is lightning quick to implement. One that is absolutely 100% free!

To find out what this alternative is make sure you watch the video above, enter your details on this page and all will be revealed!