RSS complements email marketing

There's been quite a bit of discussion recently on RSS taking over the job that email traditionally has done in marketing.

Rick Bruner made a good case last month for why you shouldn't just switch to RSS with One (Percent) Reason Why Not to Switch From Email to RSS. His post generated some good comments.

Here's another view I've found, from Christopher Knight last May. He says RSS will never replace email - 22 Reasons Why Email Is Not Dead

I wouldn't agree with him that RSS will never replace email. But Christopher is an email list marketing expert, according to his blog, so he does have a vested interest.

My view is that RSS is a complementary tool, just another communication channel (as blogs are, for instance). But technology moves so fast that nobody can say RSS will never replace email.

Comments

[Christopher Knight]

You said, "I wouldn't agree with him that RSS will never replace email."

If you think RSS will eventually replace EMAIL as the dominant form of communication -- would you care to share with me which decade you think that might happen?

Brother, I love RSS too. In fact, I see new applications for it every day. I just don't see it replacing EMAIL for many, many, many years.

:-)
-Chris

[Mary-Ann Horley]

Doesn't Neville mean for permission marketing purposes rather than general use?

[Neville Hobson]

Chris, I don't believe RSS will replace email. My point, though, is that you can't say 'never.' The way the technology is developing, and the way in which we distribute and use information, is changing fast.

While RSS is complementary to email, it could be that, at some point, RSS may replace email in the marketing communication area.

Mary-Ann, thanks for the clarification! That's what I meant. I should have been clearer in my original post.

I just saw in one of my RSS feeds a comment about another interesting article on RSS

"The potential benefits of RSS" - http://www.natterjackpr.com/2004/09/17.html#a1170

Just glanced through it, looks interesting. Need to read it thoroughly, may post some thing here.