Twitter, Facebook or RSS Updates: Which One Is Better for Your Blog?
Social networking websites are gaining much popularity in recent days for their outstanding features that are beneficial to the bloggers, especially. For those who want to update blogs for their business, social networking websites functions as an excellent marketing tool. But to get benefited majorly from the social networks, it is not only important that you sign up for an account, but it is more important that you engage and spend time on those networks.
But now, the question arises about which social networking website would better suit for your blogs update? Since there are many popular social networking sites, you may have to make the choice by considering the website’s user base, ergonomics and highlighting features. But remember, though few websites are worth to join, you may see the same friends even there. To list out few, Facebook, Twitter and RSS Feeds are now being popularly used for blog updates. To choose the best among, here are some distinguishing features:
Facebook, Twitter and RSS
Facebook was started in 2004, February and now it has more than 500 millions of active users. Mark Zuckerberg along with his friends who are computer science students found this social networking website.
Twitter offers microblogging and social networking service. This website enables the users to read and send messages that are called tweets which are the posts based on text of about 140 characters.
RSS refers to Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication. RSS is a simple way to catch up with any website’s updates.
Distinguishing advantages of Facebook, Twitter and RSS for blogs updates
Facebook enables to find friends quickly, application mash up, instant messaging, send email, share video, images and more. It makes it easy to find and get connected with friends quickly. It enables to send mail directly to your fans simultaneously. It has a large user base. Businesses can use this website as a platform for their promotion and advertising and it provides a detailed insight on users.
Twitter enables to create many new contacts and also to extend your network beyond your existing friend’s social network. It features an uncomplicated and simple user interface. This website allows communicating with others directly. It enables searching the tweets for keywords that are relevant to the business. The users are free to connect with anyone even if they don’t know them. This website is very interactive and helps the users to update and navigate easily.
RSS benefits both the web publishers and readers. The users can get the latest updates about the products. It does not use the email addresses for sending any updates. RSS enables you to keep up with updates in real time, saves you few clicks if you use a reader like Google reader and therefore saves you time. It provides an alternate communication channel which creates an opportunity to connect with customers.
Facebook, Twitter or RSS?
Facebook uses a very conversational tone, whereas Twitter doesn’t. Twitter limits with 140 characters and therefore limits you with conveying few messages (but of course, people are used to conversing and chatting there). This of course has an other advantage of sticking to the point. In turn you can easily catch up with Twitter, while Facebook needs some extra effort on your side to connect and engage with people.
However, both on Twitter and Facebook, you cannot be so successful if you just post your own blog posts. You have to be creative, generous and in a networking tone.
With Twitter you have an added advantage – trending topics!
Now RSS is a passive and hands free way of updating your readers with latest information. You don’t have to do anything on your side except setting up an RSS feed properly. After that, if people subscribe they get your updates on autopilot and on real time (almost). You don’t have to bother about finding connections, followers, retweeting, liking, engaging with people etc..
Having said that, you cannot choose one best method to update your readers. You cannot choose one from Twitter, Facebook or RSS. You need all of them and even more! The more social you are the easier it is for people to find you.
Jane writes about Blogging Tips, Relationships and Self Improvement at her blog Find All Answers. She offers two free Ebooks upon subscribing to her blog. She wishes is happy to share coupon for hostgator and coupon code for Easycgi with you.
Actually why not have them all..?
I think everybody is using all of them..no?
I agree with Michael. Why do you have to choose? Why not reap the benefits of all of them? Thank you for sharing
Hey Mic and Lyn,
Yup that was my point actually
Thanks for your comments 
Jane.
Having them all makes sense but does need more time and does expose you to one danger. If you dont regularly update all of them then the ones you ignore will become dull and make it look like you are not around.
Its true what you say, go with all of them, but only if you are going to dedicate yourself to keeping all of them updated.
I totally agree with this post Jane. We cannot choose just one from these three social networking tools. We have to have all the three of them and having all the three is not enough, engagement must always come along. For me, all the three social networking serve their own purpose and thus have different advantages that are incomparable with each other. Hence, the best advantage for any small business is having all three of them.
I’ve been on both sides…the hesitant, nervous blogger wondering if the “big” bloggers would be annoyed if I asked for a hug.LOL!