Testimonials and Expert Opinion

Comment: these testimonials and opinions relate to the original version of the e-book, published in 2004.

"Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS" has been critically acclaimed as "the best and most comprehensive" guide on RSS for marketers, by RSS industry leaders, marketers and other internet experts. It is the only guide on RSS supported by both the RSS industry and respected marketers and bloggers around the world.

Featured Review

Complete E-book On-line Review

"Rok has done a fantastic job of capturing the state of RSS and how RSS is trending up in use and application.

What is so phenomenal is the sheer volume of information that is both easy to follow, easy to understand and practical to apply.

This piece of work doesn't just tell you what RSS feeds are it completely explores the whole paradigm-shift to distributed Internet content publishing and the changes that are influencing the increased usage of RSS feed for marketing.

This is the definitive guide on the marketing and publishing power of RSS."

T. L. Pakii Pierce, How to Blog for Fun & Profit!
[T. L. Pakii Pierce is a Senior Information Technology Engineer for a major IT corporation located in Northern Va. T. L. is a speaker, motivator, coach, author and technophile who publishes two blogs. T. L. is also a founding member of the Professional Bloggers Association.]

Featured Opinions

"Rok's book is the most comprehensive guide on RSS for marketers.

A milestone document that clearly defines the role of RSS in the marketing mix and gives concrete instructions and tips regarding how to best leverage this powerful and game changing capability."

Dick Costolo, Feedburner
[leading provider of mass-market RSS metrics and other RSS management online services]

"Rok, What you did is not fair!

You've left everyone else nothing more on the subject of RSS to write about.

Now I understand why Pakii calls your book the 'best on the planet' - I agree. It is the most comprehensive, detailed and complete writing on the topic of RSS feed marketing and publishing I've read.

My notebook has tons of notes to myself, made while reading your book - in ONE sitting, lasting just under 4 hours. I simply couldn't stop. There'll be a lot of changes implemented soon on my various RSS feeds, thanks to what I picked up from your guide.

I will be telling my list about it, and referring them to your site when they ask me the uncomfortable questions about RSS marketing I didn't have ready answers for :)

Thank you very much for writing "Unleash the Marketing and Publishing Power of RSS"

All success,

Dr.Mani Sivasubramanian
Author: How To Profit From RSS Feeds
http://www.RSS-Marketing.com"
[Dr. Mani is the author of one of the first books on RSS marketing, a respected online marketer and heart surgeon]

"Rok,

What a fantastic book. Buying it would be a no-brainer at twice the price, and you can quote me :)

Eric Ward, EricWard.com"
[Eric Ward is one of the pioneers of internet marketing, who among others helped launch Amazon.com. His clients include Volkswagen, Dell, Yahoo!, BBC and many others]

"MarketingStudies.net has put together the most comprehensive guide on RSS I've read to date.

It has everything you need to know about RSS from what it is to how to use it as a marketing tool. I highly recommend this guide.

Bill Flitter, CEO of Pheedo, Inc., RSS & Weblog Marketing Solutions
[Bill Flitter is the CEO of Pheedo, the leader in RSS advertising, which launched some of the first RSS advertising campaigns online, with clients like GoToMeeting.com]

"European e-marketer Rok Hrastnik spent the last year or two researching an exhaustive review of syndication technology on the web, finally releasing to Marketingstudies.net a 550-page definitive ebook on RSS and the marketing uses of syndication.

The advance copy sent to MarketingVOX is written in a detached, rational tone, in some contrast to the sales pages' hard sell copy.

Of particular interest will be the technical background information and the near comprehensive set of interviews of industry figures, which serves as an indication as to where RSS is heading and what significance it has to marketers and publishers."

MarketingVOX News
[MarketingVOX is the leading news source for online marketing and advertising news and developments]

"Rok has managed to create an insightful perspective of the emerging world of content syndication and its present impact on Internet marketing.

This is a must-read book for anyone contemplating an e-marketing strategy in 2005 and beyond.

Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS a great desk reference for technical and non-technical people that must integrate their content strategies with the emerging world of syndication."

Bill French, Co-founder, MyST Technology Partners
[Bill French is the co-founder of MyST Technology Partners, leading RSS corporate services provider, whos clients include Intel and Verisign]

"There is nothing like this I have seen before.

This is a pretty monumental guide to RSS/Atom newsfeeds and their effective use for online marketing, business and publishing."

Robin Good, MasterNewMedia.org
[A successful art and design director, film and videomaker, radio broadcaster, DJ, TV producer, information designer, computer graphics and multimedia production specialist, Robin Good has set himself to be a pioneering interdisciplinary explorer of the unfolding new media revolution.]

Submitted Opinions and Commentary From E-book Readers

"Hi Rok,

Man, you have left no stone unturned with this one-of-a-kind manuscript. Unless someone has been on another planet vacationing the last year or so, they have heard about the power of RSS and what it means to the future of content distribution and communications.

I found something on page 299 that will make me an absolute fortune over the next six months. Thanks!

It doesn't matter if you are a raw newbie with RSS or a seasoned veteran. Rok has something for everyone and it is well worth the price of admission. Get a copy today.

Rod Beckwith,
http://www.misspelledkeywords.com
MrJV.com"

"Hello Rok -

Just a note to say I love your material on RSS. (You have new fan here!) IMO, you do a wonderful job of explaining exactly how RSS can help grow a business . One of your articles several weeks ago prompted me to have a look at your site.

I bought both your "Unleash the Marketing and Publishing Power of RSS" and the [competitive print book title removed from the letter] book. From a marketing-relevant standpoint, your book blows the other out of the water.

Anyway, saw another of your articles come through today and thought I'd drop you a line.

Regards,
Bobette Kyle
http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.com
Marketing Plan and Web Promotion Information"

"This eBook is, without a doubt, the best I've read on the subject.

The exhaustive research and forward thinking takes RSS well into the future as one of the most promising content delivery and consumption vehicles to-date, with applications that surpass the current momentum of present thinking on the topic.

Thanks so much Rok, for the exceptional eBook, all the insight you bring to the table regarding RSS technologies, and the expertise in the field. Keep up the great work.

Joe Halbrook, Permission Technologies [EZ-Feeds.com]

"Hello Rok,

I recently purchased your RSS ebook. As a software developer/webmaster, etc and so far unsuccessful internet marketer, I have been extremely interested in RSS, Feeds, and Blogs for sometime now and have purchased a number of ebooks and regular books on this subject.

Most of the ebooks had good information but were far more expensive than yours and probably not worth the cost.

I wanted to congratulate and thank you on the truly EXCELLENT ebook that you have produced.

I have only reached page 100 (but have browsed the whole doc) and the content is spot on for anyone wanting to learn more about RSS. I have already gotten a lot out of it and a lot of great ideas.

My opinion is that Request Marketing is the wave of the future. While email will never go away, I just can't see that as a major competitor to RSS or similar methods in the future.

Thanks again for a great resource!

Warmest Regards,
Danny Lowell, TravelMountain.com"

"The definitive word on why an online business should start producing RSS content.

The examples and interviews alone, will give website owners plenty of ideas of how they can incorporate this technology into their businesses."

Jim Gray, Co-founder of Quikonnex (RSS publishing solutions)

"The guide is the most comprehensive I've seen on the subject of using RSS as a marketing tool.

This is 'must read' for any marketer working in the online space ."

Alex Barnett, International Program Manager for MSDN and TechNet, Microsoft

"This is the best, most comprehensive review of RSS for marketing I've seen (and I've seen a lot of them).

Marketers who want to catch the wave shouldn't miss this. "

Derek Scruggs, General Manager at ClickThruStats.com, founder of Escalan marketing agency

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm loving your book and would love to refer it to others if you have a affiliate program that I can join as I can't find it on the site.

I'm having a hard time putting your book down (I printed it out) and thanks to you, I'm not sleeping as much as I need to because every line I read gets more and more ideas running through my mind as how to employ RSS for doing business online!

I've read a number of books that have a lot of "fluff" in them and yes I do think after just getting half way through yours that I've wasted a lot of money on the other books and I can say in all honesty that your book takes RSS to a whole new level.

Thank you so much!

Bill Edwards"

Published Commentary and Reviews on Other Web Media

"I've been reviewing Rok Hrastnik's new eBook, "Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS" and it is hands down, the most comprehensive resource for marketing via RSS and blogs.

This book would be worth many times the prices Rok is asking ..."

Lee Odden, TopRank

"Rok's numerous examples of how businesses can utilize RSS to market themsleves and their clients is unrelenting. You can't think of a question that can't be answered in this tome (or should I say e-tome). The interviews that he has with experts in the RSS field are also well worth the read. In fact, that was one of my favorite portions.

This is not a book to read all at once. In the library business (yes, it's a business - don't be fooled by others who say otherwise), we love a good reference material. One that is full of facts, Q&As, and good substance. For publishers, editors, public relations professionals, this is such a book."

Steven M. Cohen, Library Stuff

"A new E-book on RSS is available from Rok Hrastnik.

This one isn't full of hype and promise of domination with RSS, or instant riches, or instant search-engine ranking; it's just good, solid, practical information.

The title is "Unleash the Marketing and Publishing Power of RSS." A modest title considering this ebook has more than 500 pages and is inexpensive to buy.

I found a number of useful tips, and I thought I was fairly up to speed on all this.

There's always something new to learn. The author provides additional interviews with people in the know about RSS to further your understanding and help you get a sense of what's to come in 2005. "

Tom Parish, 4 Web Results

"Having read an advance copy of the book, I can say that I'm honestly blown away by the thoroughness of Rok's approach the subject, from both a technical and marketing perspective.

Rok literally left no resource unchecked and no stone unturned as he put together this seminal resource on RSS.

The best thing is that It's a living document - Rok has committed to constant updates that will be available to purchasers."

Dana VanDen Heuvel, Danavan.net

"Since then, he's been working on a new ebook, Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS that provides a great primer on RSS and how it can benefit your business."

"So anyway, Rok has put out a great resource on RSS that covers the ins and outs of RSS in 550 pages, and he'll be updating the ebook as necessary."

Shawn Collins, AffiliateTip.com

"The reason this guide matters and will be a milestone document is that RSS will become a critical tool for marketers, yet today most marketers still 'don't get' RSS.

This guide exactly what is needed to close this knowledge gap."

Alex Barnett, Alex Barnett Blog

"Rok Hrastnik from MarketingStudies has authored the most comprehensive electronic book I've seen to date on everything you need to know about RSS.

I had the privilege to review one of the first copies.

I was blown away by how in depth he covers RSS.

It's a steal for only $39.95. It speaks to small and large business marketers and publishers. I encourage you to get a copy before I encourage him to raise the price.

He is giving it away.

I sound like an infomercial, don't I?"

Bill Flitter, Pheedo

"I don't want to over-hype the book, but I must say it will give you all the knowledge and expertise you need to use RSS successfully for marketing purposes. I think it might be particularly useful to small businesses.

If you've relied on email marketing to get your message to consumers, you will really want to learn the advantages RSS has to offer, and how it can compliment your email marketing efforts."

Paul Chaney, Radiant Marketing Group

"Unleash the Marketing Power of RSS - Everything you wanted to know about RSS but were afraid to ask.

The 550 pages e-book is probably the most comprehensive review of RSS for marketing to date."

Heiko Hebig, Six Apart

"Rok Hrastnik 's RSS e-book: Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS is now available.

If you're looking for a single stop resource on the use of RSS in marketing and business, then this is for you."

Dwight Shih, Ideoplex

"A recent trend has been for some "gurus", who've recently discovered RSS, to jump on the bandwagon and promote their own RSS How-To Ebooks.

I've seen these go from $97.00 to $397.00. Not only have I seen erroneous information released, but they barely scratch the surface of the power this technology possesses.

For $49.95, Rok provides you with 550 pages covering all aspects of this technology."

Jim Gray, GrayScales Blog, Quikonnex

"Hello Online Marketers! Okay, finally the ebook we've all been waiting for: Rok Hrastnik's Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS!"

Kim Bloomer, Kick The Email Habit

"This is a big, big book- more than 550 pages (comprehensive is the word that comes to mind) - but there's also a short version available for those readers that don't have the time to explore RSS in-depth and are only interested in setting up their RSS feed as soon as possible.

The e-book also includes more than 55 real-life examples and case studies that will show you how it all works (from the marketing and publishing viewpoint) to help you get the most out of RSS in the shortest possible time."

MyST Technology Partners

"There is a new e-book in town, this one covers RSS in depth from a publishers/marketeers point of view, and you can pick it up over at MarketingStudies.net right now.

The book, Unleash the Power, covers all aspects of RSS, how to make your feed, RSS vs Mailinglists, how to promote it, how to use it. The author Rok Hrastnik has picked the brains of 30 odd people, marketers, publishers, RSS developers, consultants, yours truly included, so that you don't have to."

Adland

"Rok Hrastnik has written an incredibly comprehensive e-book about RSS for marketing, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in it. Check it out."

Derek Scruggs at Ask Derek Scruggs

"Incidentally, I have just started reading Rok's book, Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS, which has already been called "the most comprehensive resource for marketing via RSS and blogs." It is certainly leaving no stone unturned.

Yeah, I mentioned this in a previous post in that, even where marketers are jumping up and down all over the place about the *magic* of RSS, many of them have still missed the point and, along with it, RSS real long-term strengths.

Without getting right through the guide, I can tell it is the right guide to using RSS in your marketing plan. I read a lot of feeds. I know who knows their stuff, so I can make a pretty good judgement, just by looking at the list of contributors.

These are not the misguided marketers who are barking RSS to make a fast buck, neither are they the "commercially-alergic bloggers" who wouldn't have a clue how to apply this to money making: these are the RIGHT people to learn from.

Get your own copy of Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS and read and apply it before I do! I am certain that I will be talking about this a lot more in future."

Pamela Heywood, Online Business Journal
[site no longer active]

Download the e-book for free!

Learn how to take full marketing advantage of RSS and get all the expertise, knowledge and how-to information for implementing RSS in your marketing mix, from direct marketing, PR and online publishing to SEO, traffic generation and customer relationship management.

"Unleash" starts with the basics, but also goes beyond to advanced RSS marketing topics not covered elsewhere, such as using RSS for direct and affiliate marketing, RSS metrics, RSS promotion and SEO and even internal communications.

Just don't forget - it was written and published so long ago, that many things have changed since. While it still has its uses, look at it first as a piece of internet history and not as a reference guide for 2011 and beyond.