Why do you need feed readers?
Posted on : 27-01-2009 | By : Dave | In : Make Money Online
Tags: feed, feed promotion, feed reader
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Almost all blogs offer feed subscription option by default. Serious bloggers showcase their feed count and put the feed icon in a prominent place to attract more subscribers. You will often see that a lot of bloggers invite the readers to subscribe to feed at the beginning or at the end of the blog post – wow, what a way to call for action – great placement.
But did you ever consider the fact why you should promote your feed?
Please do not misunderstand me. A lot of bloggers do not know why they should promote their feeds. They do not have any clear idea about what they can get out of so many feed subscribers! I mean to say a lot of bloggers do not have a clear understanding of the very objective of increasing the number of feed subscribers.
Let us try to identify the objectives of increasing the number of feed subscribers. If I miss any point, please write a comment and I will be happy to add it in the list.
1. Turn occasional readers into subscribers: This is the best reason to promote your feed. You cannot accept that the readers have enough time and memory to remember and come back to your blog again and again to find out if you have posted anything new. However, if you can turn the reader into a feed subscriber, there are more chances that he or she will stay in touch with your blog.
2. Reader Loyalty: If you think that any subscriber is a loyal reader; you are making a big mistake. Loyalty is not developed in one day or via one post. A reader is loyal as long as you offer what he or she is looking for. However, if you can convert an occasional visitor or a first timer into a subscriber, the chances of getting more loyal readers increase. However, if you want a lasting return, give them a reason to stick to your blog.
3. Bees attract bees: This is true like anything. Once you have a modest amount of subscribers to showcase, the sheer number will attract more subscribers. And the occasional readers will think that you really have some good content that has attracted so many loyal readers. This undoubtedly increases your brand value.
4. More subscribers = more money: if you have a good feed reader count, it will help you to attract more advertisers. And, you can even integrate your regular advertisements into the feed to earn more.
To be continued: (another reason to subscribe to NBB Feed)
Roy
You make some good points there. At the moment I am trying all of those tips with my internet marketing blog to increase its reader count. Right now things aren’t too good as it’s fairly new and getting initial traffic is the hardest. However, I remember reading somewhere that blogging is like a snowball, it gets bigger and bigger as time goes on – similar to what you said about how bees attract more bees. Great advice.
All the best,
Brandon Walker
Publishing a feed is important and can build your regular traffic base. In fact I got here through your RSS feed.
But the casual reader likely doesn’t have the slightest clue what a RSS feed is or why they should care.
Hi Roy
You have given important things there. you have given so many suggestions how to increase the readers count by marketing through internet i.e., publishing feed back in blogs.
Take a look at this FOX NEWS video about managed social networks.
http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=3472956&referra
I think there is an assumption that people actually read feeds in feed readers. That may be true for blogging or tech oriented posts where the readership are into data tech, but for a majority of niches, it’s not common at all. It’s mostly bots following feeds. In some situations the feed is little more than an easy way to get crawled or to update Twitter or such. Very useful non the less.
I have a blog that has been up and runnign now for 2 months and feeds are there but to my knowledge no one has subscribed. I see your point but now I just need to get the blog noticed enough for people to subscribe.