Are you building your list of blog subscribers? No doubt you've heard that list building is a critical strategy for building your business. And there are many tactics you can employ to grow your list.
Back in the olden days of the Internet (I got started in 1996!), your list meant your database of subscribers to your electronic newsletter (ezine). Now, there are many kinds of lists that comprise your business universe: your customer list, ezine list, special reports lists, twitter followers (yes, that's a list of people in your world), Facebook friends, Facebook "likers" (fans), LinkedIn connections, YouTube channel subscribers and of course your blog subscribers.
I think many bloggers neglect their readers. They offer an RSS feed on their blog but don't offer an email subscribe option. Did you know that most blog readers still prefer email over RSS? I do. And I consider myself to be a tech savvy, sophisticated blog reader. I realized a while back that though I subscribe to blogs with Google Reader, the blogs for which I receive email updates are the ones I read the most consistently.
In just about every presentation or teleseminar or blog review I do, I talk about the fact you must have an email subscribe option on your blog. Otherwise you're neglecting a lot of people who may want to stay on top of what you're writing.
There are several options for offering an email subscribe option. I use Feedblitz (fee) and have since it was launched in 2005. There's also Feedburner (free) and Aweber (fee), the autoresponder service, offers an RSS to email option for blogs.
How do you get readers to subscribe?
Like building an ezine list, it helps to offer an "ethical" bribe – a gift in exchange for subscribing to your blog. For example, when you subscribe to Build A Better Blog, or any of my blogs, you get a gift. Sometimes it's access to a teleseminar recording or a transcript of a program I normally sell.
Feedblitz makes this really easy to do. They have an option to create an automated message that goes to your new subscriber as soon as they confirm their subscription. In that message you can provide a link to a page where they can download their gift. You can also set up the subscribe system to redirect to a download page as soon as they confirm. I recommend doing both as a way of ensuring they get their gift.
I also like Feedblitz because I can fully customize the template for the email my readers receive with their updates so it's branded with my blog banner and other information or marketing messages.
You can set up a similar process with Aweber through their autoresponder function.
However, Feedburner is not quite as sophisticated. You can set up for notifications to pull your logo into the email, and you could add a link to a download page in the confirmation email that subscribers get before they actually confirm. I couldn't find any way to redirect to a special page or send a follow up email.
Where there's a will, there's a way. With so many sites and so much content competing for your readers' attention, anything you can do to show appreciation for their subscription will help. You want readers to subscribe because those subscribers are the ones who will return time after time to read your words of wisdom. They are the ones who build a deeper, more intimate connection with you. They are also the ones who drive more traffic to your blog by "liking" and sharing your content. A little reward can go a long way.
Are you rewarding your blog subscribers? If so, what is your system or process? What do you give your readers when they subscribe? Please share your tips in the comments!
Want to learn more about how to build a big, responsive list? Join me at the Irresistible List Building Summit – Version 2.0. I’ll be speaking in this virtual event so be sure and catch my exclusive interview:
Harness the Power of Your Blog: How to Easily Generate More Leads Every DayThere are 17 more top heart-based marketing experts in the summit, including Robert Allen, Maria Andros, Lisa Sasevich, Kendall Summerhawk, Christian Mickelson, Christine Kloser, Adam Urbanski, Milana Leshinsky, Vrinda Normand and more…The Summit is free and begins on March 13. Register now and reserve your free spot!
Hi Denise, One question, one comment.
First the comment: Mailchimp is another service that will allow you to set up an RSS feed for your blog. It’s also an email/newsletter provider so you can do both and there is a free level that’s more than enough for those in the beginning stages.
The cool thing about it compared to some other services is that people go on to a list (like Aweber) so you can also send a separate email to them, to promote a course for example, in addition to them getting your RSS feed when you post.
Question: Do you find that having a generic “get a free gift” works as well or better than something specific such as get X report or X template?
Hi Cheryl, thanks for stopping by and thanks for mentioning MailChimp. Forgot about that service (probably because I don’t like it very much, even though it’s free). I don’t find it to be very intuitive or user-friendly.
I mix it up on the free gift thing. Sometimes I say what it is, sometimes I don’t. I haven’t noticed any more or less subscriptions either way.
Thank you for your tips. I never heard of Feedblitz, but will check it out. I’m currently using Get Response and do give incentives like free webinars, free opt-in video series, etc on my list. I find it working ok so far, but I just started it two months ago, so I can’t really analyze true results yet.
Thank You
Donna
Hi Donna, does GetResponse deliver blog updates via RSS feed from your blog?
I’m not sure. I have an opt-in on my blog that is linked to it. I have someone doing it for me so I’m not sure of the nuts and bolts.
Hi Denise,
I offered a free story by a well-known author for six months with ok results. This week I replaced the free story with a new free incentive… Six Sizzling Tips. I’ll promote it over the next month and see if it’s a fit for my target market. If not, I’ll try something else.
It’s always a work in process, right?
Cheers!
Ande
Ande, I routinely swap out my gift. I’ll be interested in how your hot tips do vs. the story. I think the tips might be a better incentive because people like to get information that helps solve a problem. Blog on!
Thank you Denise – I la la LOVE how you walk your talk – you are the BEST of role models in this industry, which is why I’ve been following you for three years… even when I wasn’t building an online business. Your generosity of spirit as well as info means a lot to many – thanks. Ande
Wow! Thank you, Ande, for your generous words. I appreciate it!
I *just* started a list on my design site, and by offering the Facebook cover photo template, got a lot of signups right away! On another site where I had no freebie, I got 4 signups in months! The freebie pays off.
Nice job, Louise. Most people can’t resist free and a template is very useful. Blog on!
Hi Denise,
I started on the internet much later than you did but I only cottoned on to list building fairly recently.
Now though, I reward my email subscribers by offering a free report I did on some little tips that make using Twitter much more effective. But beyond that, I also share a lot of freebies with them especially when I come across something I think will really add value to their businesses.
Thanks for stopping by Sharon. Does your free Twitter report generate a lot of subscribers for you?
Just a bit. Not as many as I would like so I am beginning to wonder. I haven’t had any unsubscribes though so I take it it’s a good thing right?