(Editor's Note: RSS innovator, Royal P. Farros, CEO of MessageCast, describes Alert Engine Marketing, defines RSS and tells how it will trigger the future of advertising -- think no spam.)

There's a tidal wave about to hit the shores of Interactive Advertising, one that may knock paid search out of its beach chair.

It's called Alert Engine Marketing.

The catalyst is everyone's favorite TLA (Three Letter Acronym) these days -- RSS.

RSS is nothing more than a really simple way to share data, which, funny enough, is what RSS stands for: Really Simple Syndication.

And that's what a lot of people are doing these days: Sharing data.

Go to just about any Web site -- NY Times, CNET, CBSMarketwatch, Microsoft, Yahoo, and every blog you can find -- and all are making their information available via RSS.

So what's that got to do with you?

Plenty.

Whether you know it or not, virtually all information will be delivered via RSS.

So, unless you decided to completely check out of modern communication (tempting at times!), RSS is in your future.

But it's a bright, SPAM-free future. RSS is an anonymous way to get information. You control which RSS publications you subscribe to. You can’t get random, unwanted messages.

That's the best holiday gift any of us can get.

How does AEM (Alert Engine Marketing) fit into all of this?

Simple.

The vast majority of information will be free. RSS will universally "trigger" it all. And to pay for it, you'll view ads that accompany the alerts.

Not loud, obnoxious ads, but helpful, relevant ads, the kind you like to see in the yellow pages. Or in Google.

So it's the best of both worlds: Relevant information for consumers and a new, explosive, highly targeted channel for sponsors. 

How will AEM stack up against SEM? Welcome back to the "push" vs. "pull" wars!