How To Increase RSS Subscriptions
I’ve received a few requests to write a blog post on how to increase the number of RSS subscribers. Here are some tips on how to rocket that FeedBurner RSS counter.
Why Do You Want A Big RSS Subscription?
Before you try to increase the number of subscribers to your blog, you need to decide if this is what you want to do. A RSS feed is much harder to monetize than a blog. Income from RSS accounted for only $99.80 of the blog’s $7011.05 February income. That’s really bad when you consider over 3,000 people read this blog from RSS everyday.
Despite the low income, there are many valid reasons to increase RSS subscriptions. The main one being RSS represents a loyal reader base and as such, anything you can do to increase it helps your blog in the long run. Another reason to increase RSS is because some ad networks, like ReviewMe, take RSS subscribers into account when determining your price - the higher the RSS number, the more stars you get.
Offer A Full Feed
If you really want to increase your RSS base, then you must offer a full feed. Many RSS users won’t subscribe to your feed if it’s not full. I have over 30 feeds in my Google reader. Everyone single one of them is a full feed. If you don’t have a full feed, I’m not subscribing.
I use my RSS feed to give my readers a mostly ad free version of this blog. Do not use RSS as a teaser in the hopes that the reader will click to the blog in order to read the full post. Unless your blog is updated 20+ times per day, reader won’t sign up to the RSS in the first place.
Don’t Show Your RSS Count When It’s Small
FeedBurner offers a nice chicklet that displays the number of RSS readers on your blog. Right now, it shows 3,812 for this blog. The number represents the amount of people who access the blog via RSS yesterday. I don’t recommend a blog shows this chicklet until the subscriber counted reaches at least 50.
This is human psychology at work. People in general are like sheeps. They’re scare to step outside their comfort zone and won’t do it until they see others do it. When they see a blog with a chicklet showing six readers, their tendency is not to subscribe. It’s best to hide your RSS number until you have enough subscribers to display a decent number. Big RSS numbers makes people subscribe. Small RSS numbers turns them away. It’s not fair, but that’s how it work.
If you want to be evil, you can fake a RSS feed count by displaying someone else’s Chicklet number. Net Business Blog wrote about how to do that in How I Got 283k Feed Subscribers in 1 Day.
Make Sure Your RSS Button Is visible
Your RSS button should be placed near the top of the blog and be visible without scrolling. You want to let the readers know right away that you have a RSS feed and you can’t do that if your button is out of site. I label my button with “Full Feed RSS” to let the readers know they can read all my content from RSS. If you really want to get the readers attention, you can try integrating the world’s biggest RSS button into your blog.
Ask Readers To Subscribe
If you want readers to sign up for your RSS, then ask them. The best way to ask is at the end of the post. Add a line that says, “If you like this post, then consider subscribing to my full feed RSS.”
Instead of adding that line on every single post, an easier way would be to edit your template files. In Wordpress, you would edit the single.php or page.php file. You can also edit the index.php if you want the request to show on the blog home page.
Monetizing The RSS Feed
The best way to make money off a full feed RSS is to encourage readers to visit your blog. I wrote about that in how to get RSS readers to visit your blog.
My RSS feed is monetized with FeedBurner Ad Network and Text Links Ads Feedvertising. FeedBurner Ad Network ads are CPM based display ads that appear below a post. The CPM rates can get very high (up to $8) but the fill rate is very low.
Text Link Ads Feedvertising ads are just like text links for a blog. Instead of buying a link on a blog, the advertiser buys a link in the RSS feed. Like TLA links on a blog, pricing is flat rate so you don’t have to worry about variable CPM rates or click fraud. When you sign up for Text Link Ads, you are given a choice to add Feedvertising in your RSS. If you are already a TLA publisher and would like to add Feedvertising, you can do so by editing your listing in the TLA control panel. Feedvertising requires Wordpress 2.0 or higher.
A Feedvertising link on this blog cost $550 per month. However, new advertisers can use this $100 coupon to bring the price down a bit.
If you like this post, then consider subscribing to my full feed RSS. 
- Posted in Make Money Online, The Net, Wordpress
- 115 comments what's your take?
you read my mind . . i would also suggest the POSTPOST plugin to monetize your feed just in case you don’t qualify for the FeedBurner program
Reply to this commentWhat this POSTPOST Plugin?
http://www.mubinahmed.com
Reply to this commentIt’s by the famous Douglas Karr - http://www.douglaskarr.com/projects/postpost/
Reply to this commentIt might also be a good idea to automatically embed a sentence at the end of every post that says “If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to the full RSS feed”.
Reply to this commentI guess that is one good way to remind readers to get hooked on your feed.
Reply to this commentDidn’t John say that in his post? I guess repetition is the mother of all skill
Personal Development for John Chow’s Readers…
- Erich
Reply to this commentNo that erich.
This is another superb article from john.
has always john show us very good points on how to improve the blog traffic and readers
Reply to this commentThat plugin is pretty sweet.
Just book marked it!
Reply to this commentWhat can disqualify one from Feedburner?
Reply to this commentThe ads or just the program? Invalid feeds/ clicks perhaps?
Reply to this commentYo uneed to have a certain level of traffic on your RSS feed before feedburner will allow you to monetize it.
Reply to this commentI can’t imagine anyone placing that world’s biggest RSS button on his blog (except in the post)
Reply to this commentWell, I might try, for fun..
Reply to this commentWe will be waiting!
Reply to this commentI need to really resize the button though.
Reply to this commentWill that be anytime soon?
Reply to this commentGive me some time..
I need some time to beat that.
Reply to this commentI don’t have a large button. Nevertheless, you can’t miss it…
Reply to this commentAnother great article John. Thanks for sharing more of your knowledge with us
Reply to this commentAnother great article. Thank you.
Reply to this commentBlogger-Rising.Blogspot.com
Well, it looks like my button is weeny tiny compared to JC. Seems that I have to make a bigger one so that it’s more obvious..
Reply to this commentObviously
Reply to this commentI took of the Feedburner chicklet thing on my site and I increased in readership too. Coincidence though? Maybe…
I used have partial feeds, but now after using Full Feeds (http://feeds.feedburner.com/Tyler-Ingram) I am totally for Full Feeds because I can read it without visiting the site. But I always end up going to the site to leave comments anyway!
Reply to this commentMaybe I’ll try pulling the feed display off my site.
It’s been growing (up to 20 now) but I guess it might grow faster.
We’ll see.
Reply to this commentGood idea!
Reply to this commentI vote on that
Reply to this commentyes, just replace it with a visible RSS Subscription button like the one on my site. I think it will deliver good results over time. After a while, once you have more than like 1000 subscribers, add the subscription count chicklet to your site, but don’t remove the button.
Reply to this commentMine’s still playing around 8-14.
I don’t know why it keeps on fluctuating.
Reply to this commentOurs has been slowly creeping up this week.
Reply to this commenthow often do you update your site? if people keep unsubscribing from your feed, your doing something wrong. do you offer full feed? do you offer quality content on your site? do you update your site often (3-5 times a day) with meaning full content?
Bottom line is, people subscribe to your feed when they hit your site, but once your feeds start rolling in, they are not satisfied.
Reply to this commentWe post at least once a day, good meaningful content as well.
Our feed fluctuates as well, I think that’s just natural though, it has slowly been creeping up.
Reply to this commenttrue. I guess the more you put your readers at ease, the more they will endup participating (visiting, commenting….)
Reply to this commentFull feeds rock
Reply to this commentDidnt you post this button like twice before.
Reply to this commentI think this is the 4th time now.
Reply to this commentAh ok.. I was wondering where those 3812 readers came from!
Reply to this commentthey came from SE’s and some are returning visitors. I’m right, john?
Reply to this commentIt’s a comically huge RSS button, he wants to post it any opportunity he can!
Reply to this commentI agree with John on this completely. I had applied all the ideas that he’s mentioned and my fairly new blog has 232 subscribers today.
I would also suggest adding a new visitors page to your blog. Offer it as a button or a link, and include instructions on what is RSS, how to subscribe and navigate your site. I’ve recently added this feature to my site, and have been tracking how many people visit it. Unfortunately I can’t know the conversion that this page produces, but I’m sure it’s helping the numbers.
Reply to this commentOh, I’d also like to mention, that instead of stealing someones feed, you can make a .gif image of the feed in photoshop, and display it instead. You pick your numbers, but if you’re going to be involved in such john chow evil tactics, make sure you change it ever so often, so people don’t catch on.
On the other hand, you can always right click a feed, go to properties, and see where their feed is coming from. Evil works both ways.
Reply to this commentAre you replying to yourself?
Reply to this commentI’m still not sure that I like huge RSS icons, Big ass RSS feed icons suck links to the original huge RSS icon here…
One way I’ve found to get more readers is to use the FeedBurner email (or FeedBlitz) and run a contest giving out a prize after XXX number of people sign up. It seems to be working for me so far.
Reply to this commentyes, I think contests are a good idea to get people onboard with you.
Reply to this commentContests can be excellent, if you have a traffic base to draw from. If no one visits your blog to start with, no one will enter your contest
Reply to this commentI always share complete posts in my feed. But I don’t think RSS is a good medium of advertisement. Its better to drive people to your website than subscribe to your RSS.
Reply to this commentNot in the sense of money making, but to get good old loyal folks to keep coming back for more. Implement images/ videos so that the folks have to get to the actual site sometimes to view them. They can’t do it in full feed, i guess.
Reply to this commentRSS readership effects the price of your ReviewMe reviews. So that’s where the money for having a high readership comes from. Review Me is John’s highest earner on this blog.
Reply to this commentThere’s a nice trick I saw on Chris Garrett’s blog: he offers a free ebook, but the link for download is only available in the RSS Feed, so… you gotta subscribe to get the ebook
Reply to this commentThis is damn good but it may annoy readers
Reply to this commentdefinitely something one should think about. Makes you think about squeeze point and all…
Reply to this commentI bet a lot of people subscribe to get the link, and then unsubscribe.
Reply to this commenta good insight on rsscribe and feed count.
thanks
Reply to this commentIf you dont offer a feed than maybe you are losing out on regular readers if you do then maybe you are losing out on people actually visiting the site - its a catch 22. I think in general though most people will still visit the site sometimes anyway to comment, read comments or just to get away from the feedreader!.
I still visit the sites in my reader.
Make Money Online With A Free Blog
Reply to this commentOne tactic you can use to get your RSS visitors to view the blog, is post a video every now and then.
Then you can put in the post, if you’re reading the RSS , click here (link to the post) to see the video.
Reply to this commentI noticed the RSS subscribers flucuates quite a bit here. Yesterday it was 2900 or so, and today its 3800. Usually drops on weekends, but that is strange.
Reply to this commentIf people subscribe, but do not return to read, they will be eliminated. It works that way.
Reply to this commentNice
Reply to this commentdouble nice
Reply to this commenttriple nice,
Reply to this commentI see that you’re listening. Thanks John
Reply to this commentYou know what.. he does sometimes
He is not that evil
Reply to this commentnot that evil, come on…
Reply to this commentThat’s exactly the article I was looking for!!
Reply to this commentLikewise
Reply to this commentdouble likewise
Reply to this commentHow do you set up for a full feed with WP? I’ve just got the default setup but don’t know where/how to do this? So far as I can tell, I don’t have this setup and unsure how to.
I think this is my first time commenting and wanted to thank you for sharing the information you have been about blogging! it’s great!
Reply to this commentIf there are any PHP programmers out there and you wanted to really fake the subscribers in feedburner just use the GD Library and have PHP insert the numbers over top of a blank chicklet.
Similar way they do those crazy advertising signs or you know.. that girl who holds the sign in her hand in a webcam shot that says she loves me!
Reply to this commentI just started a contest where those who signed up for my feedblitz feed is enterd to win $100 dollars on Memorial day….I’ve gotten a decent response so far. What do you think is better feedburner or feedblitz?
Reply to this commentYeah.. I started a contest as well. You can win $2000!
Reply to this commentnice graphics, i’ll keep that in mind when I get my site redesigned.
Reply to this commenti think contests are the way to go. With a little bit of though put into the concept, it will bring you lots of readers.
Reply to this commentContests are great if you already have a userbase to draw from. If you don’t have any users, then it’s not so useful.
Reply to this commentToo many contests with so many blogs carrying out at the same time does little good for you too. My approach would be to take note of some of the others around my niche and set up contests when there are minimum carrying out.
Reply to this commentYour famous biggest RSS button that you took from somewhere else again.. you should hire a graphic designer to do a custom one for you!
Reply to this commentThat button was created for ReviewMe, it showed on their home page right after the site launched.
Reply to this commentProbably the best post I have read in a while, exactly what I was looking for.
Reply to this commentI have to agree with that statement.
Reply to this commentyup, RSS is one of the areas people usually underestimate as far as their potential to create loyal subscribers.
Reply to this commentThank you John!! This was a very informative post
Reply to this commentI took down my feed counter the other day, since it was low enough that I felt it might drive some people away. Good thing I did, too - a few days after I took it down, I had major problems with my feed, and it dropped down to 12 subscribers for one day! Luckily, it bounced back right after I fixed it, but it might not have it I’d had that counter up!
Reply to this commentYea, it’s better to take off the feedcounter if it is too low. Might make readers think twice before subscripting. Numbers speak louder in this case.
Reply to this commentThis is great article about RSS feeds. Plus i love the BIG RSS Button!
Reply to this commentBig RSS button ROCKS
- S
Reply to this commentI first saw this at Jason Neuman’s post as the RSS Desperation Button.
Reply to this commentThank for the nice info.
Reply to this commentHi John,
What do you think about email subscriptions? their capacity to be monetized is as low as the one of rss subscriptions?
Nice post as usual
Reply to this commentDon’t know about monetizing, but the nice perk of email RSS subscriber is that you can track them, you have their email addresses, so you can run a variety of incentives (random prize draws, and others) to boost subscription. I think here the main goal of having RSS subscribers is to necessarily to monetize the feed itself, but to create loyal readers that regularly visit your site.
Reply to this commentIts good to have a list of quality e-mails.
- S
Reply to this commentOkay, I got my BIGGEST upside-down RSS button up as well in response.
http://esplanade.sg/2007/03/31/worlds-largest-upside-down-plus-blog-owner-picture-rss-feed-button/
Reply to this commentGreat article John. This way we can all gain from your experiences with RSS
Reply to this commentGreat post, John! I took your advice and immediately changed my single.php page so that a request for subscription was at the end.
Reply to this commentanyone knows if feedburner includes the number of “RSS by Email” subscribers in the total number? or is the number displayed on that chicklet only reflects subscriptions with an RSS reader?
Reply to this commentIf I’m not wrong, that’s for readers.
Reply to this commentAll subscribers are summed up!
Reply to this commentAs others have said, they’re all together.
Reply to this commentGreat post, John! I love the ‘call to action’ at the bottom of each post. I’ve implemented it today.
Reply to this commentRemoved the Chiclet, lets see if my readership grows through April.
- S
Reply to this commentIs that big rss button royalty free?!
Reply to this commentWe had added the count in the middle of last year and I had us take it down towards the end. My impression was exactly that - the low number scared people away. Love to put it back when it gets significant;-)
I’m still coming to terms with the full feed idea…
Reply to this commentthere are actually good tips I am going to have to impliment the dont show it when its small. especially when it fluxes between small and even smaller
Reply to this commentThanks for the tips, I will be trying to initiate them on my website!
Reply to this commentIsn’t it a problem that a lot of people like to count visitors on their website with different counters, and the RSS visits will not be counted with most counters? Can this lead to this people ignoring the use of RSS?
Just a thought.
Reply to this commentThat is one big RSS button alright. I can see it all the way across the room — just brilliant!
Reply to this comment