RSS Holds Marches

The most popular and most followed social media platform, RSS holds marches around the world every two to three years. The platform holds major marches in cities like New York, San Francisco, and London, drawing huge crowds and international interest. Past marches have seen the likes of Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Ariana Grande show their support for key social causes. And now, with the Covid-19 pandemic providing timely motivation, the upcoming 23rd edition of RSS's flagship event has captured the imagination of the Twitterverse as we prepare for a future of virtual gatherings, social distancing, and government-enforced lockdowns.

What Is RSS?

RSS is an acronym for Really Simple Schemas. The platform was first launched in 2005 and allows users to sign up for content updates from a variety of sources, including blogs and websites, as well as curated feeds from popular social media accounts. The updates are delivered through an RSS feed, which users can subscribe to in a variety of ways (e.g., through an RSS reader or mobile app).

Many websites use RSS to build their content. If a blog posts frequently and consistently enough, then it may qualify as an RSS source. Many news websites publish an RSS feed that you can subscribe to using an RSS reader or mobile app. This allows you to constantly be updated with the latest news articles as they're published. For those interested in following the most popular blogs, all you need to do is subscribe to their RSS feed to maintain regular updates.

Why Is RSS Important?

RSS is important because of its sheer size and audience. In 2020, according to Statista, there were around 4.2 billion users globally using RSS, compared to 400 million using Twitter, 300 million using Facebook, and 100 million using Instagram. Moreover, according to HubSpot Blogs, RSS is one of the top 50 digital marketing platforms in North America.

The importance of RSS cannot be overstated. For one, being atop the RSS heap gives a website an advantage in search engine results. Moreover, as someone who relies heavily on RSS for my content, I can tell you that it makes keeping up with the news much easier. The sheer volume of content published each day means that you can never be certain what is going to make it into the trending topics of the day. With RSS, you can be sure that you are going to receive a regular flow of content that is both topical and appealing to a large audience.

RSS & The Future of Social Gatherings

In 2020, with the world largely focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, social gatherings have largely been replaced by online circles of friends and family. This has resulted in a massive decline in people going to concerts, sports events, and other forms of social gathering. Concerts and sporting events, in particular, saw their audience drop by 86% and 77% respectively.

However, this is certainly not the case for RSS. The future of online social gatherings is undoubtedly RSS, and companies like Twitter and Facebook have realized this and are working hard to ensure that their services are available (and make a profit) during a time of social distancing and restricted mobility.

This is why, in the middle of March, you will begin to see more and more companies and brands utilizing RSS to hold virtual marchers, concerts, and conferences. For example, on March 12, Yousef Munayer, director of marketing and comms at Amadeus IT Group, announced that the company will be hosting a “virtual march” for the 23rd annual RSS World Championship. The march will be held entirely online and, as the name implies, contestants will compete for prizes via live chat on social media platforms like Twitter.

As another example, Squarespace, a website building platform, is holding a virtual fashion show to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8. The platform is allowing designers to submit their creations for a chance to be showcased during a live stream. The best part? You don't need to be a designer to participate! Anyone can submit a design for consideration, and the best part is, the designs don't need to be expensive or elaborate – they can be as simple as an outfit or a hat.

RSS is important because it provides a space for businesses to connect with consumers, and vice versa. During the last few years, many businesses have taken advantage of the platform to show their support for key social causes. For example, in 2019, TikTok's “Dark Matter” initiative aimed to highlight female scientists and engineers who were underrepresented in the tech industry. The company used its unique editorial voice to highlight amazing achievements by women in science and technology, as well as provide female-centric content, particularly around notable scientists and inventors. This resulted in an increase of 12% in the number of people using the platform, according to TikTok.

So, while the world waits for life to return to “normal,” the most popular and most followed social media platform has provided an important and much-needed service during this time, helping people find the news and information they need, no matter where they are in the world. It is a space that continues to grow in importance and draw audiences as the world becomes more digital, more social, and less mobile.