Email or RSS – Feeding the Inbox
If you’re a blogger, how easy are you making it for people to subscribe to you?
Sure, just having the standard RSS feed is fine, and a lot of blog readers use this and this alone. Yet email subscription – or the option of one – is becoming more popular and offers your readers more choice – always a good thing.
My personal preference is email subscription. I do use Google reader but I find I can miss some great posts, as well as get swamped in the amount of updates. Maybe I don’t use it effectively, who knows?
But here’s the thing.
As I write this, approximately 30% of my subscribers use the Subscribe by Email option you see at the top of my sidebar and end of my posts. If I didn’t offer that option, there’s a good chance I’d be missing out on not only their readership, but my chance to interact with them via blog ideas, comments and more.
The best of it is, setting up an email subscription option is pretty painless. Set yourself up with a Feedburner account and claim your blog. Then use the Publicize option to both set up your email subscription form and get the code to place it on your blog.
If you’re a blogger that doesn’t currently use an email option, think of it this way. Have you ever signed up for newsletters from your favourite business or brand/product? If so, why? I’d hazard a guess it was because it allows you to keep up-to-date with the latest news from people you want to hear about.
Wouldn’t it make sense to let your readers know more about you in the same way?
Image: mkalz
39 Responses to “Email or RSS – Feeding the Inbox”
Danny, for some reasons I prefer to read updates through RSS reader. I arrange them according to categories like blogging, social media, twitter etc. I don’t really like mixing emails with blog updates. Sometimes it floods my email and makes it messy. Unless if I use two emails of course.
Aaron recently posted…. Is Social Media a Fad
Ditto. I use specific categories and trim the feeds in each one on a sporadic basis. Danny’s blog is in a CommentLuv category, for instance.
Ari Herzog recently posted…. Who are the Best Social Media ResearchersSee, you guys probably both use Reader a lot more effectively than I do. I just prefer the knowledge that I can jump into blog posts via email regardless of format – something that can’t always happen when on your phone, for example.
You’re spot on her Danny.
Over 55% of my subscribers use email, rather than traditional RSS readers. I’m always amazed when I see bloggers not offering the subscribe by email option.
BTW: I’m one of the 30% who ready your posts via the email option. Like you, I find it easier.
Thanks Danny!
Jim Connolly recently posted…. My new Social Media Project- 10-10-10Intriguing, as it’s more of a 15% rate my way. The majority subscribe by RSS.
Ari Herzog recently posted…. Did You Approve That Blog CommentDitto for me Jim on all points.
I just set up rules in Outlook to direct the e-mailed blog posts to folders so they don’t create distraction in my main Inbox.
Well thanks kindly, Jim, and agree (obviously) on the preferred method. I’m wondering if it’s because pretty much everyone knows what email is; not so much RSS?
The thing I like most about email subscribers…they tend to forward good posts and help spread your content in their private channels. It’s hard to track the results, but I know it’s happening. My preference is email over RSS, but I’m kind of an email junkie.
I also think it’s short sighted to not have both options available on your blog. There is still a huge audience out there that prefers email over RSS. I have changed my preference recently because of the availability of new tools. I used to be a die hard email only subscriber and rarely used RSS, but since I upped my game to a really smart phone (Droid Incredible), I’ve moved to the RSS side because it’s easier to keep up. The bottom line is having options so your readers can get your content their way.
Funnily enough, I was the other way round, Denise. All RSS, then switched to email for the blogs I really want to read.
Agree, having either as an option seems a no-brainer
Interesting point, Dave, and not one that I had considered. But yes, I can see it being easier to forward an emailed post as opposed to one in an RSS feed. Now having analytics for that would be a great resource… cheers!
We must allow people to receive content on their terms. I enjoy getting the most valued info via email. I enjoy browsing through google reader but it is easy to miss great content form the people I value most.
Richard Marti recently posted…. What do you Struggle with Most in Social MediaEmail is by far the easiest and most manageable way to subscribe. I’ve spoken to many people about this and with only a couple exceptions, websites saved as bookmarks, or using rss feeds, google reader, etc., means one more item added to dozens (or hundreds) to be completely lost for weeks or months at a time before it is revisited.
However, many visitors of my blog also seem to use Twitter as their preferred subscription vehicle!
David Weedmark recently posted…. Single MindednessIt’s only lost if you don’t use an organization/categorization system.
Funnily enough, David, I have a fair amount of “subscribers” via Facebook and the Networked Blogs option – wonder what the preference would be there, if I didn’t use that option too?
Danny,
I’m with you 100%. Maybe it’s the Boomer in my, but I only read–on a daily basis–the blogs of those to whom I can subscribe via email, or perhaps on a blog roll.I realize, of course, that I may be missing out on some good reads; the blogger is missing me as a subscriber.
Cheers.
Now that’d be interesting information to come across, Ken – whether RSS vs. email is a generational thing, or simply a personal preference?
You make a valid point about the blogger losing a reader, for the sake of not switching on one more option. Something for us all to keep in mind.
Hi Danny, As usual another great post. I do believe the best way to get readers reading your blog is by presenting multiple options. On my blog I present both email and RSS link as you have described above.
Sometimes if you are in the mobile world email is easier to read on a small screen then accessing an RSS link. So the key is to remember that Mobile is growing every day.
Rob Cairns recently posted…. Doctors And Customer ServiceThat’s a great point, Rob, especially since not every mobile user is on a smartphone, so the easier the reading option, the better and more likely someone is to subscribe.
I read most of my blog posts via email. I guess I am very old fashioned like that. I never really got into an RSS feed. I have one but do I ever read it. No.
Jamie Favreau recently posted…. What Role Does Technology Play for YouI believe it is really a personal choice for people on how they follow, therefore I can not agree more w/Danny on providing both options to your readers, allowing them to make the decision.
I personally use both options when following a blogger, I miss reading a lot of my RSS feeds, but I miss very few emails. Of course I have to disclaim that I have way more RSS than email subscriptions Do you think it’d be a closer ratio for missed reads if the numbers were closer together?
Hi Danny,
I would think so, however I also happen to spend more time on my email, giving me more opportunities to read posts via email. So I can not make a true statistical judgement based on my own usage.
However the reason I have less email subscriptions than RSS subscriptions, is that I want to make sure I don’t miss them. Now if I happened to equally follow both I feel I will start missing a lot more.@hoda007
Very valuable point. It’s essential to display the option to subscribe via email. Many people don’t have a clue about rss readers. For myself, I LOVE Google reader. I find I follow it more than what comes into my email box. I feel overwhelmed by the posts coming in via email, so end up dumping them, whereas I can go to my google reader and catch up on posts that interest me without feeling overwhelmed.
Leslie Nicole recently posted…. Quick Tip- Photoshop Layer Panel ThumbnailsI’m considering having a page that describes what RSS is, Leslie. I think we can be guilty of taking for granted all the tech talk, and forget that not everyone is as “geeky” as us…
Danny:
I’m with you 100%! The blogs I never, ever want to miss (including yours) are ones I subscribe to via email. In addition to making sure I don’t miss anything this also allows me to read at my leisure and if I get swamped for a week or so I know which posts I still have to read.
Feedburner makes it so easy to offer an email subscription, even if you opt to not include a visible box for it on your website (though personally, for the less techy, I suggest you do offer a highly visible “subscribe via email” box on the website).
@mmangen
Flattery will get you everywhere, Michelle – thank you.
Feedburner especially makes it easy – it seems almost more work to not have an Email Subscribe box, especially since you can tailor it to your site’s design.
I actually removed the FeedBurner email subscription option link from my blog a few days ago, Danny.
For some reason, readers were confusing that with the standard Aweber mailing list form that I also have up on the site.
Have you – or anyone else had this experience?
Kapil Apshankar recently posted…. The Hidden Dangers Of Not Having A Social Media Base CampI haven’t yet, although when I introduce my newsletter later this month, who knows?
Perhaps a clear definition and title, as opposed to a simple “sign up by email” description for both? (Not sure if you had this or not).
Danny:
I totally agree with having an RSS by email option. The blogs I totally don’t want to miss are ones that I sign up for via email. I have a rule in Outlook that sorts them automatically into their own folder so if I am busy with other things they are still being “gathered” for me but I can easily access them when I am ready and I KNOW I haven’t missed anything.@mmangen
@mmangen I’m with you on that approach, Michelle. My must-reads are all email, and any new blogs that I find that I want to keep up-to-date with all go to email subscriptions now. If that feature isn’t available, then I don’t subscribe to RSS – it’s just too ungainly (for me, anyway – I know a lot of people like it).
It’s kind of a shame both ways – as Ken Jacobs mentions further below in the comments, I might be missing out on a great blog, but the blog is also missing out on a reader. No-one wins.
@DannyBrown I wish I had thought of Ken’s words myself – so succinctly put and to the point!
Personally, I should find a better way to subscribe to my RSS feeds, but I read them through Outlook….