Andyrew

12 Ways to make your potential RSS subscribers, subscribe.

If a potential RSS subscriber visits your page, how do you get them to subscribe.. rather than scare them away? Very subtle differences can make a reader self-consciously lean one way or another.

Post everyday/Stay on Topic

I’m sorry. I know this is a cliché.. so I wont delve any further into it.

Use large Orange RSS button

People often associate RSS with the huge orange button. Having a small green one, like i have at the minute, wont mean anything to allot of readers. Get their attention. It goes without saying that something that is large or colourful will often stand out in a crowd>

RSS button above the fold

Everything that has any important goes above the fold in a page. The headers, the adverts, the navigation… Having your button in view when the user first visits the site, makes them aware that it’s there. Having it in the footer, isn’t going to help anyone

Subscribe by email

You know that millions of people use RSS readers, but that’s only a percentage of people that use the Internet. Giving users the option to subscribe by email will include almost everyone with access to the Internet, not just the ones with a feed reading program

Steps needed to subscribe

“Visit this page, and then this page, then click here, and here” — Noone wants that. ‘Click here’ is fine.

What is RSS and how to get started

RSS seems to simple doesn’t it? It isn’t for someone who has never used it. Can you remember where you first learned how to subscribe to someone’s RSS feed? Having a quick little guide on your site wont do any harm

Ask them to subscribe

As the saying goes, ‘those who don’t ask, don’t receive’.. Just having a little message at the bottom of all of your blog posts reminding your users to subscribe. The worst that can happen is that they don’t.

Email your commenters

If someone has took the time to comment on your blog, chances are they’re interested in what you have to say. Emailing them asking to subscribe again, can only really help you. Whilst you’re never going to get 1,000,000 subscribers by doing this - You can get a few just for the short amount of time that it takes

Interesting headlines

What’s better, “How to get traffic to your website”, or.. “10 Guaranteed ways to get traffic to your new blog”. Imagine seeing them both on your RSS program, or in a search engine.. or anywhere, which one would you click?

Offer something for subscribing

As hard as you might think this is, you’re wrong. I have found a great little program that will only show links and text to those who are reading through RSS. Having a “Please subscribe for the link to this free template” For example..

Guest blogging

Imagine blogging on a similar related blog to yours, with 1000 RSS subscribers. They are all interested in what you have to say.. they already know and use RSS, and chances are they’re not subscribed to your feed already, success!

Don’t publicise the number you have

Let’s face it. The fact that you have 4 RSS subscribers isn’t going to convince anyone that your blog is worth reading, unless you have about 150+. Keep it a secret.. at least for a little while.