If you’re brand new to blogging and don’t know what all the RSS fuss is about, RSS simply means Really Simple Syndication and is a family of web font formats that is regularly updated automatically. So on blogs, this is usually in the form of blog posts. Every time you publish a blog entry, anyone who is subscribed to your RSS feed, whether through bookmarking or email, will be automatically updated or notified of the new post. In a nutshell, that’s the easiest way to understand RSS…
What do we mean when we say optimize your RSS? Let me explain –
when i’m talking about optimizing your rss I am referring to taking steps to ensure that your RSS works effectively, to attract new subscribers to your content, aka your blog. We’ll see –
Tips to optimize your RSS
- Bring them back with mind-blowing, blissful awesomeness…
First things first, if you don’t provide exceptionally good quality and witty content, the remaining 5 tips below will be of no value to you…
- Full RSS Offer
Give your readers both options to subscribe, either by RSS bookmarks or by email to receive RSS updates.
- make it unique
Think about your RSS icon design and your RSS email subscription form design. Make it unique; Add some extra text or incentives to entice readers to subscribe. Don’t bombard it to look like an advertisement, just make it stand out.
- Make it visible and easy subscribe
While you can make your RSS feed unique, don’t back down by making it a challenge for readers to find your RSS subscriber icon or sign up.
I visited many blogs where I enjoyed reading the content, but was very frustrated that I couldn’t find the RSS subscription form or icon. In the footer there is a no!, hidden on a page elsewhere in your blog no, no, no!, not having any… even worse! The top of your sidebar and below your posts are usually the best places to have an RSS icon and subscription form.
Also make it easy for readers to subscribe, don’t give them quizzes or a list of radio buttons to check, just make it really simple.
- Let them know what it’s all about
Don’t assume that everyone knows what the big orange square RSS logo means. Consider teaching your readers about RSS; write a couple of posts or make a video tutorial explaining what it’s all about and the value of subscribing to an RSS feed. Education is the best policy in any blogging niche…
- Don’t give them too many other options.
My last piece of advice is for those who want to dramatically increase their number of RSS subscribers. Don’t offer your readers too many other options to subscribe. You will see a lot of bloggers putting RSS icons with social icons and everything else this is not a bad thing so don’t get me wrong here but if you really want to increase subscribers put RSS near the top of the sidebar and put the rest, that is, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube further down.
So just to recap the tips for optimizing your RSS using bullet points, because we all love bullet points, right? That’s what I thought…
- Give readers amazing content
- Full RSS Offer
- Make it unique, visible and easy to subscribe
- Let your readers know what RSS really is
- Don’t give readers too many other options (if you want to increase RSS subscribers)
What do you think?
Well, those are my tips to optimize your RSS and make the most of it to get more subscribers. Now I want to hear your thoughts, or maybe you have your own tips you’d like to share. Please do so in the comments section below, as always.
