Question: I know why RSS is good for the consumer, but how can it be good for the web designer? I know why RSS is good for the consumer, but how can it be good for the web designer and site owner?  Doesn't it end up keeping people away from your website since they simply subscribe to your data and don't have any reason to visit?\n\nYes it's good that people are reading your data (blogs, etc.) but your hits go down and ad revenue dwindles if people stop coming.\n\nIsn't that what a commecial site owner would be thinking about RSS?

Answer: Yes, and some sites provide "partial" feeds via RSS, requiring the user to go to the site before being able to read all the data.\n\nThe argument for full feeds more or less runs like this:  You need to entice users to your site.  By providing a full feed you are giving your users what they want, and they will be more inclined to look upon you favorably.  So rather than directly forcing eyeballs to your site, you are working on the reputation of your site for quality data, and hoping the users will pass along your site to others through bloglines or deli.cio.us, and getting new  eyeballs indirectly.
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