Why Google is Syndication Shy

For over a year now I have been wondering why Google hasn't more openly embraced syndicated feeds - be they RSS or its splintered sister, Atom. When you look at how MSN and Yahoo are partying with RSS like it is 1999, Google is like the nerd sitting in the corner in the corner with no one to dance with. Link: every Blogger blog and Google Group publishes a feed. In addition, Gmail Google News or Google Web Alert feeds. On the flip side Yahoo and MSN are offering RSS feeds that not only drive users away from their properties (such as news alerts), but also the kinds of feeds that also alert users when they have posted new content that is relevant to them (such as Autolinking? I rest my case. Feeds may be Google's greatest enemy. If Google did offer feeds that connected users with the information they are looking for from the Web they would miss the opportunity to advertise to them. What will remedy this? Google will incorporate contextual Adwords ads into these kinds of feeds, much like Steve Rubel is a PR strategist with nearly 16 years of public relations, marketing, journalism and communications experience. He currently serves as a Edelman, the largest independent global PR firm.

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