In 2008, the blogging community celebrated something called RSS Appreciation Day — an informal holiday designed to raise awareness about RSS feeds and how they worked. One blogger organized a cross-promotion event called FeedaPalooza, where bloggers agreed to promote each other's RSS feeds to grow their subscriber bases. Participants got free bonuses for joining in, and everyone's subscriber counts went up.

The specific event and the people involved are relics of a different era, but the underlying strategy — cross-promotion between content creators with overlapping audiences — is one of the most effective growth tactics available in 2026.

What Made RSS Cross-Promotion Work

FeedaPalooza worked because it was built on a simple principle: if two creators have similar audiences, promoting each other costs nothing and benefits both. A reader who subscribes to one internet marketing blog is likely interested in another. By coordinating a promotion, both bloggers expanded their reach without spending a dollar on advertising.

The specific mechanism — asking people to subscribe to RSS feeds — is mostly obsolete. But the principle translates directly to modern content platforms.

Modern Cross-Promotion Strategies for Content Creators

Newsletter Swaps

The most direct descendant of RSS cross-promotion is the newsletter swap. Two creators with similar audience sizes agree to recommend each other's newsletters to their subscribers. Platforms like Beehiiv, ConvertKit, and Sparkloop have built-in tools for managing newsletter recommendations and even paying for referrals. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow an email list in 2026.

Podcast Guest Exchanges

Appearing as a guest on another creator's podcast — and having them appear on yours — is the audio equivalent of a newsletter swap. You get introduced to their audience, they get introduced to yours, and both shows get fresh content. I have done this many times on the Late Night Internet Marketing podcast, and it consistently brings in engaged new listeners.

Social Media Shoutouts

A coordinated shoutout campaign on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, or Instagram can drive meaningful traffic and followers. The key is authenticity — only promote creators whose work you genuinely respect and whose content will actually benefit your audience.

Joint Webinars and Live Events

Hosting a joint webinar, live stream, or virtual event with another creator combines both audiences in real time. This works especially well when the two creators have complementary expertise rather than identical content.

Making Cross-Promotion Work

The reason FeedaPalooza worked in 2008 — and the reason cross-promotion works today — comes down to a few key principles.

• Audience alignment matters. Only cross-promote with creators whose audience would genuinely benefit from your content. Irrelevant promotions annoy subscribers and damage trust.
• Reciprocity builds relationships. The best cross-promotion partnerships are ongoing, not one-off transactions. Build genuine relationships with other creators in your niche.
• Offer something valuable. Whether it is a free resource, an exclusive piece of content, or simply a strong recommendation, give the other creator's audience a reason to check you out.
• Track your results. Use unique landing pages or tracking links so you can measure which partnerships actually drive subscribers and engagement.

RSS Appreciation Day is long gone, but the spirit of content creators helping each other grow is alive and well. Find your people, promote their work, and watch your own audience grow in return.