There is no greater joy being a blogger than having tons of subscribers. This does means that a lot of people value whatever you are delivering on your blog and are always thirsty for more.
Admittedly, it can be really frustrating when you have great contents and seeing lots of comments suggesting that your articles are of high quality, yet you don’t get subscribers anywhere close to the figures you desire. 1,000+ subscribers is an achievable feat. We will learn how we can make that happen.
1. Niche Specific
This is the vital aspect of building subscribers. You have to be focus and specific about what your blog is all about. If you intend of doing multi-niche blogging, make it known from the foundation. If you blog about sports, don’t suddenly start talking about American Idol because you will annoy your subscribers who would equally “unsubscribe” once you start confusing them.
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2. Use Large Icons
Don’t be ashame of your RSS Icons, display it and let your readers see it. Placing it on top of your sidebar is absolutely fantastic and produces unbelievable conversion. Inserting an RSS Icon above your navigation bar also works like a charm. Too little a icon and readers won’t be able to recognize it.
3. Append Subscription Request Below Post
Ask and you shall be given, it’s pretty easy. At the end of each great article, ask your readers to subscribe and you would be amazed how easy your subscription count can grow astronomically. Reflect on your previous posts which have also gained popularity, you could also append the similar request.
4. Use Email Subscription Box
Using an email subscription box works like a charm. Style the box use eye catching caption to make it attractive to your visitors. This box can be placed right below the post or preferably before the comment field.
5. Publish High Quality Articles
I am a pro-advocate of quality contents over too much emphasis on SEO. A lot of blogs notoriously known for performing over optimization have been penalized by Google. This is a proof that content would always be king. In building RSS subscribers, this phenomenon is exact. If you keep pumping great articles, subscribers would come naturally.
6. Use Feed Link
Instead of dropping your blog url to get some juice from blogs, you can as well use your Feed url. When the url is clicked, it takes them to your RSS page which provides options for subscription.
7. Run Giveaways
This is the easiest way of increasing subscription count. Run a contest that has one of the most sorted products as a giveaway. If done correctly, you can boost your subscription base by over 100%. Inform your visitors that eligibility into the contest would only achieved when they subscribe to your email subscription list. It’s that easy, trust me.
8. Write Guest Posts
I never wrote a guest post since I started blogging without success in 2007. In 2013, I read an article in onenaijablog, insisting that a blogger who doesn’t write guest posts is a lazy bloggers. It was a challenge and I have written 2 guest posts already.
That said; guest posts in high ranking blogs increases your blog’s reputation. If your article is loved by your host blog readers, there is a greater chance that they will also subscribe to your blog.
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9. Create A Subscription Page
In this page, explain to your readers what an RSS means and why they should subscribe. This page should contain all subscription icons, email subscription icons and any other bit of information that can entice them into subscribing to your blog.
10. Write An E-book
I have spent a good couple of months writing my first e-book. I haven’t yet released it because it is still under-review.
What has an e-book got to do with subscription? That question isn’t out of place. It’s that simple. Anyone intending to download my e-book for free will have to first subscribe to my email list. You too can have similar ideology. I haven’t tried it but I believe it will work because I have had to subscribe to a good couple of blogs before getting my hand on an e-book. I actually did get this idea from Dear Blogger.
11. Email Commenter’s To Subscribe
You have lost a good couple of subscribers if you have over 500 comments on your blog and have never asked them to subscribe to your blog via email. When you thank your visitors for commenting on your blog, Also ask them to subscribe if they have not done so. You could also drop a landing page on the email that would explain what your blog is really all about.
12. Create A Landing Page
This page is quite different from the “subscription page” I talked about earlier. In this page, you should have a welcome snippet telling your visitors what your blog is all about, showing them your most popular posts as well as your highly rated posts with fewer comments. In this page you could either link them to your subscription page or altogether ask them to subscribe. This page is also useful to use as your byline link when guest posting.
13. Animated RSS Icon
If you feel your readers are not seeing your normal RSS Icon, make use of animated RSS Icons, there is no way there are going to miss that.
14. Use Pop-Ups
While I dislike pop-up windows with great intensity, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if you decide to toll this path. This should be your last resort. It signifies desperation at its peak. If you are comfortable with having pop-ups annoying your readers, you can equally try this suggestion. I haven’t tried using pop-ups on any of my blogs because I am not a fan, I see them most of the time but I can’t tell if it generates enough conversion.
15. Write Series
This can be difficult, but if done properly it works perfectly. Start an article with series. Inform your visitors to subscribe to your blog for notification once the second, third and more or less of the series becomes available.
Why this is difficult is because you have to push yourself to the extreme to write an incredible article that will guarantee any form of anticipation to read the next and/or concluding part of the post.
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Your Turn
I have really said so much about increasing your RSS subscriber count, I really hope you have learnt a little from it and can apply same to your blog to get desired results. This list is no way complete; there are other great ways of increasing your email subscription that I have missed. If you know of any that has worked for you, kindly drop them on the comment box and let continue the learning cycle.
If you have enjoyed this article and want more right in your inbox. Do not forget to subscribe to my blog, it’s that simple. Thanks a lot, I love you.. 🙂
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14 Comments
Adesanmi Adedotun
Hi Nosa,
Building steady traffic for a blogger start by having a reasonable number of subscribers, when our blog subscribers are huge in number, definitely the tendency of having high unique visitor on our blog is as well very high. I used to asked my self this same question that why is that many bloggers prefer having their email subscription box below their blog post and I came to realised that it was for the sake of increasing their blog subscribers to increase their traffic most especially when there is a new update. I don’t have subscriber box below my post yet but definitely going to add that in a short while.
Nosa E Nosa
The subscription box works like a charm expecially when placed under your blog post. After a visitors reads a compelling article, he might just be more than ready to subscribe and get more contents from you.
That’s the major reason I emphasized writing high quality articles always. I wouldn’t leave my email in a blog that forces junk down my throat.
Thanks for visiting friend. 🙂
shabarish
awesome post… helped me alot…. i will surly implement
Nosa E Nosa
Hello Shabarish,
I have glad you found this article helpful. Do have wonderful day ahead.
Catherine@Time to lose
Hi Nosa!
Thx for sharing your tips. I’m not very familiar with RSS’s stuff but i will try some of your advice.
Regards
Cat
Ebenezer
On point Nosa,
I must admit that I’m a bit more comfortable at your blog than being in my own blog. Not exactly sure as to why I feel so comfortable here??? I can’t believe I’m actually reading my fourth post in your blog today 🙂
I chose to comment on this post not to commend you but to heavily criticize the idea of using pop-ups in blogs. The ugly truth about pop-up is that it drives visitors like me away (unfortunately there are so many visitors like me) from your blog. A nice subcription form just below your blog post and sidebar should do the job perfectly.
I don’t think sending email to your commenters is the best way to go. I wouldn’t subcribe to anyone sending me an email to subscribe to his email list. It leaves me with a weird feeling as to what happens after I’m enlisted to his ‘spam list’
I totally agree with you on the rest of the points. Running a giveaway is fantastic too 🙂
Thumbs Up and have a good day 🙂
Nosa E Nosa
Hello Ebenezer,
You cracked my bones there about loving my blog. It’s always a great feeling seeing a prolific blogger appreciating your works. I have equally fallen in love with your blog and I am completely impressed on what you could achieve with the Blogger platform.
On the pop-up issue, I have never done anything in blogs that have pop-ups. I see it as a very bad attitude, forcing unwanted things down the throat of visitors. All of the time, I always look for the “cancel” button and I don’t even get to see what the blogger is desperately trying to sell to me.
On the email point :), I have just started that and if I get complaints or low conversion. I will sure remove it ASAP..
Thanks for visiting friend and have a great day 🙂
Babanature
Hello Nosa,
This are indeed some nice list to increase our subscribers. Subscribers a must for all blogs to build a better readership and a never ending traffic :).
I am getting subscribers to my blog, thanks to the strategy i used. Now let me share what works for me with you; i added a shouted color subscribe button to my side bar and i also added on exactly below my post and to be honest with you, it is helping me seriously in getting subscriber. Like my Nigerians would say, 4000 subscribers no be garri, abi?
Nice article buddy and thanks for the mention 🙂
Nosa E Nosa
Hello Babanature,
I am already salivating, 4000+ subscribers is an incredible feat. Nor be garri at all . . lol 🙂 ,
I have given my subscription box a new feel and I am hoping I get better conversion from it. On the mention, it always going to happen, I appreciate people who have tried to make me improve and your article is the only reason why I have some guest posts to call my own. 🙂
Naveen Mayura
hi, Nosa this is my first visit to your blog. at first thing i want to say your blog look very professional.
secondly I clicked on above post which is having tips to increasing rss subscribers. as I am this post got idea and reminded to increase my rss subscribers. and I am sure as soon I am going implement and follow some ways of of this article. thank you
Nosa E Nosa
Hello Naveen,
Thanks for visiting my blog and I am happy you love it. I can assure you that you will get more subscribers if you can implement these tips correctly. I hope to see more of you and I hope you have subscribe to my blog already 🙂
Do have a great day friend..
Olumide
This is a very well written post. Those points are really strong points that must be noted with care. The post is also in order unlike some chaotic writers. More grease to your elbows bro.
Nosa E Nosa
Thanks Olumide. 🙂
Ade
These are great tips Nosa,
One that resonates with me is the need to keep the message of your blog consistent! This is sometimes hard for new bloggers but with time you get used to it.
Thanks for sharing!