3 simple tips to gain more RSS readers
AdvertisementsApparently, the amount of RSS readers a blog has decides its status 
It’s highly important that you concentrate on increasing the number of RSS readers of your blog, so here go three little, yet highly efficient tips to build your RSS subscriber base:
Place the RSS icon in a prominent position
RSS icons – there are loads and loads of them but people fail to put them in a good place on their sidebars. The best thing to do would be to place the icon on top right – most people who subscribe to your content can do that straight away.
Don’t put them anywhere else other than in the main fold – that’d make things difficult for readers.
Tell visitors what your blog is about, short and sweet
Yes, this helps. Display a short description of your blog and what your articles are about, visitors will immediately subscribe if they think that content is relevant to them.
Put up an email subscription form, not just a link
If you use a feed service like FeedBurner to deliver content to your readers, you can make use of the Email subscription service to deliver content to your readers via email.
You can either place a subscription box on your blog, or else go off with a simple link that takes you to the subscription form.
There was a debate going on over Daily Blog Tips on what’s better.
My personal view is that subscription forms are a better option, than just simple links because it’s a more easy and faster way of subscribing – links would take a bit more time, but these forms are more noticable.
Hope these tips helped you. Any more tips that you can add?
Nice tips there Shankar
I am thinking of developing some unique subscription box for my new theme that would make it easy for my readers to subscribe
Nice tips out there. But if you ask me , its just content and they way you interact with your readers which can increase the readers. One article over stumbleupon and rss readers increase to high number which unsubscribe in few days coz they dont get what they expected. Well, unless you concentrate on content and relationship with reader, its very difficult to increase subscription.
Nice tips Shankar , according to me , the placement and accessibility of the RSS button is very important .
All these tips only try to increase the number by 5% or so.
If you want to have really good readership, I feel we need to:
1. Good content.
2. Educate users.
I removed the email subscription box and placed a link, but I’ll bring it back as soon as my redesign is complete. Nice article.
Nice tips shankar. But how far placement will effect subscription?
While I agree to some extent that subscriber counts seem to determine a blog’s status, I do not support that thought.
Typically, if people look at their Feedburner stats they will notice that less than a third of their total subscribers ever actually view the feed, so your content isn’t reaching all of the subscribers. You have to factor in people that subscribed in more than one feed reader, as well as Live Bookmarks and people that don’t ever check their feed readers.
Oh, and I think the subscribe form is more convenient than a link, but the link can be nicely integrated into a theme, where as a form usually won’t look very good and takes up a lot of additional room.
Great post!
Thanks for commenting, everyone.
@Dj Flush: A subscription box would surely get you more readers
hehe with the new theme around, it’s just gonna be better.
@Kanak, Ashwin: I agree with you, content is the king. Yet, placement can affect the readers count a bit. But it’d just be good to get a few extra readers, wouldn’t it – with a right placement?
@Madhur: Absolutely, the placement affects subscribers a bit.
@Nirmal: Great, will be looking forward to see the look when it’s complete.
@Kyle Eslick: Thanks for sharing your views on this. The form, of course occupies more space than the link, but I think it’s an efficient way to gain more readers.
@Ram: The placement won’t affect the readers count a lot, but still it can gain you a _few_ extra readers.
Usefull Tips !
looks like i ve to design a new RSS button to make it more prominent:D
I agreed with Kanak, if someone want to subscribe your blog, he will find the link where ever it is. I generally subscribe blogs by writing blog name in my feedreader.
Great Design there, Shankar! I’m amazed by your new logo design!
This tips is a live-example. you have point out something important!
@Shashank: You’ll have to
@Ashok Arora: Hmm that’s a good point you’re making there.. proving that content matters.
@Ken Xu: Thanks, glad you liked it
Nice logo Shankar. That color is one of ym favourites
BTW, this is a very nice post. I do agree with you that the placement of the RSS button is very important. I keep experimenting with my RSS button, and have seen the increase/decrease in the number of feed readers.
@Haris: Thank you, experiments are the best things to do.
Good post. I like your new logo buddy.
@Brown Baron: Thanks buddy
Good tips. The about me section near RSS Icon will help a lot.
@Ram: Of course, it will.
[...] Ganesh – 3 Simple Tips To Gain More RSS Readers RSS icons – there are loads and loads of them but people fail to put them in a good place on their [...]
[...] 4. Feed Button: Place the feed link/icon in the first fold of your blog. The feed icon should not be too big or too small. Use a medium sized icon depending on your blog layout. For more tips, visit Shankar’s place. [...]
[...] 4. Feed Button: Place the feed link/icon in the first fold of your blog. The feed icon should not be too big or too small. Use a medium sized icon depending on your blog layout. For more tips, visit Shankar’s place. [...]
[...] 4. Feed Button: Place the feed link/icon in the first fold of your blog. The feed icon should not be too big or too small. Use a medium sized icon depending on your blog layout. For more tips, visit Shankar’s place. [...]
[...] 4. Feed Button: Place the feed link/icon in the first fold of your blog. The feed icon should not be too big or too small. Use a medium sized icon depending on your blog layout. For more tips, visit Shankar’s place. [...]