Email or RSS – Feeding the Inbox

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

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.

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.

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.

Email 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!

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!

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

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

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?

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

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.

I 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 :)

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.

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.

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.

Email 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!

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.

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.

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!

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.