A large number of RSS feed subscribers provides great advantages to the internet marketer. They represent qualified sales prospects, bring steady traffic, and become a list that you can contact.
There is also important data that can be derived by examining the RSS subscribers such as what content is most popular, traffic patterns by day of week and time, and a correlation to your marketing efforts. Consider these tips to increase blog RSS subscribers.
Post Great Content Every Day
Why do people add an RSS subscription to your blog? There is really only one valid reason and that is because it provides valuable information or interesting content.
There is something of value to be found in the posts and they are updated daily, giving the subscriber something new to read each and every time they visit. This is the most important factor and it cannot be overstated. Provide good content and update your blog often.
Pick A Topic And Stick With It
Visitors to your blog know what to expect. They are arriving at your URL based on keywords, or perhaps a recommendation from a friend or via social media. Knowing they will always be treated to a post regarding a particular subject matter is what makes them add an RSS feed. Don’t disappoint them. Stay on topic.
Subscribing To RSS – Make It Easy
You won’t get too many blog subscribers if visitors can’t find the RSS button. Make it prominent and place it toward the top of the post; you may also want to add another button at the end of each post and certainly to each and every page. Go ahead and ask visitors to subscribe, too, with a short line like “If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe to my blog”.
Don’t ask for too much information. The quicker and easier the process to subscribe via RSS is, the more you will increase the number of those signing up.
You may even want to write a short, static post explaining what an RSS feed is and why visitors would want to add this option to their toolbar. You would be surprised at the number of internet users who really do not understand the how and why of this service.
Respond To Communications
If a visitor takes the time to leave a blog comment or send you an email, don’t let this opportunity slip by without asking them to become a subscriber. The personal contact lets them know you read your messages and comments and makes a visitor much more likely to come back again and again.
Incentivise Subscriptions
If you really want to gain a lot of new subscribers, offer them an incentive. This could be something simple like an ebook, a research paper, or a list of tips related to the content of your blog. People love getting something for free and this could well be the factor that entices them to add an RSS feed.
Social Bookmarking
Spread link love for yourself far and wide with social bookmarking. Bookmark your great posts and feed your RSS feeds into web 2.0 pages and blog sidebars. Consider submitting your RSS feed to directories as well.
Don’t miss out on any opportunities to increase blog RSS subscribers. The benefits are many and the techniques to do so cost little, if anything, making this a very beneficial form of internet marketing.
If you enjoyed reading this post, there’s plenty more on the way. Why not subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss out 
About Sean Rasmussen
Hi Sean, I’m really starting to enjoy my own feed ‘supply’, and I find myself ‘helping’ some of my friends who don’t know about the feed button, when they want easier ways to keep up with various posts. I agree with the comment you make about making the RSS button available and visible. I am often surprised to find some even well-established blogs/sites where one has to really search all over the page for the RSS button, and that’s not including the ones who choose to have none at all.
Hi Sean,
It’s also a good idea to have an explanation as to what RSS is – as not everyone knows. Alternatively including the option to subscribe via email is also good.
Great ideas David
Hi Sean,
This is great advice. I’d like to increase my RSS subscribers to my blog. I’ve been looking at ways to offer incentives to encourage visitors to subscribe to my blog.
Thanks for the ideas on what I can use. I guess I can always change the incentive if I don’t feel like it’s working.
I have also read a few places that once you have over approx 50 subscribers to include a widget that actually displays the number of subscribes you have?
This is suppose to entice others to subscribes as they can see that others are follower you. A dramatic increase in followers in suppose to follow. I have not got to that stage as yet..
If you have a good amount of subscribers, that may be a good idea Cemil. I believe Feedburner has a widget that does exactly that
My next task to make sure I have a RSS button on my blog. One that is easily noticed so that people may want to subscribe. It’s a good idea to offer and incentive, like you say, offer a free gift. I’ll have to think about something nice to offer.
Hi Sean,
great suggestions to increase the number of RSS subscribers. I wouldn’t be able to follow all the sites I am interested in without that anymore myself, and RSS is a great way to get your content spread.
I will have a look at the Feedburner widget you mentioned as I think it’s a great idea to show it off (once you have reached good number of followers)
I remember the day Renee when I use to bookmark or add to favorites sites that I wanted to revisit and get more info, etc from.
RSS has been one of the best technologies invented – without it there is no way I could keep up with the content that is available these days.
RSS certainly is a wonderful tool Cemil, not only for internet marketing purposes, but also to keep up with the news and information that we as individuals are personally interested in.
You say, write a short, static post explaining what an RSS feed is and why visitors would want to add this option to their toolbar. Sounds like a good idea to me. Do you have such a post somewhere? Perhaps include instructions for Digg.
Rss Feed is the latest way to increase web traffic. If you want to get more traffic from your website and blog, the remarkable way is Rss Feed.