Google Fuels the RSS Fire

Google has bought FeedBurner. This means that the big G needs a better tool for reading RSS feeds.

Did I say read? I meant to say index and monetize RSS feeds.

Increasing amounts of the world’s information lie within RSS scripted (and other) XML feeds. Sure, Google still wants to index your website – that’s like taking a picture of your house and writing down your address to remember where you live. The RSS feed is your mailbox and the flag is always up.

Now Google, recognizing the value of this easily accessible information, wants to be your mail carrier.

According to its website, FeedBurner has handled 736,494 feeds as of May 29th, 2007 and boasts, “The most RSS feed inventory on the Web today” (which I assume means the largest).

Google knows that RSS feeds are quickly and quietly becoming the arteries (and veins) of the online organism.

With the FeedBurner purchase, Google also acquires the company’s advertising network for RSS feeds. FeedBurner addresses the obvious next question in its FAQs:

Q. Will the feed-based ads continue to be sold on a purely (cost per thousand) CPM basis, or will they be sold on a (cost per click) CPC basis like most AdWords ads?

A. As this is a recent acquisition, it is too early to say what the ads pricing will look like. We will explore a variety of options to determine what is best for our users, advertisers, and publishers.

My recommendation to you dear reader? Figure out how to create a RSS feed.

More importantly, figure out what a RSS feed is used for. Then put it in action.

Otherwise it’s as useless as a website that doesn’t invite its visitors to step inside and warm themselves by the fire.