HootSuite launches an RSS reader, Syndicator, for social media managers

Adobe, Digg, everyone’s developing RSS readers in anticipation of Google Reader dying next week. But HootSuite’s looks like it could actually be useful, especially for social media managers.

HootSuite is integrating RSS reader technology into its social media management tool. It’s called HootSuite Syndicator, and it’s available as a simple integration via an app in the company’s App Directory. Add it to the Hootlet — a Chrome plugin — and you’ve got RSS content streaming right up into your HootSuite interface:

“When you’re under pressure to push content through your social channels, the number one challenge is producing high quality, relevant content,” HootSuite says. “The HootSuite Syndicator can help by providing you with a library of content that you can selectively choose to share.”

With HootSuite Syndicator, social media channel owners can easily stream any content from any RSS feed right into Facebook, Twitter, or other social networks. I just tested it, and it’s super-simple:

I haven’t been impressed with any of the Johnny-come-latelys jumping on the RSS bandwagon now that millions of Google Reader fans are being forced to find new RSS homes. Feedly, which has tripled its users in the last three months, has been doing RSS for a long time and does it right.

But this product from HootSuite is not a stand-alone RSS reader, it’s an addition to HootSuite’s existing social toolkit. As such, it’s a great addition. In fact, it could even compete with ContentGems, which recently became available on HootSuite’s app directory.

But the timing is certainly right:

“Content marketing and curation are rising in popularity among brand marketers, even while popular RSS readers are being closed down or withering into obscurity,” HootSuite says, winking at Google. “The new HootSuite Syndicator app now puts full control of content curation into the hands of the dashboard user.”