When you find a blog you like, which do you do?
RSS or Email subscription?
Do you have a choice?
The answers to those questions warn us of the danger of assuming too much.
Simple Assumptions
For some, setting up blogs and how readers subscribe may fall into false assumptions, like —
- RSS (or Email) is the only way to go
- Everyone knows what RSS is
- Readers will take whatever we offer
Denise Wakeman of Build a Better Blog, did an unscientific poll of which method readers preferred. The results are from 2009, so if someone knows of something more recent, please share.
Here is what Denise’s poll showed.
- 52 percent preferred email subscriptions
- 44 percent preferred RSS
- 4 percent chose another response (they use both or Facebook notes)
Denise admits the responses are skewed as the readers are mostly seasoned bloggers.
What does this all mean?
Simple Answers
Parroting the above assumptions, here are alternatives —
- Readers prefer a choice
- Not everyone knows what RSS is
- Some readers click away when they don’t get their preferred choice
Simple Solutions
1. Offer both
If the idea is building a larger community or reader base, why not offer both RSS and Email?
2. Help readers understand their choices
The goal of this blog is to Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours. So, while I have number one down, I could do a better job of helping readers understand the choices.
I know there are plenty that do. But, as someone who not that long ago, had no idea of what RSS was, let me explain.
Seasoned users – skip over this part.
- RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication
- It helps you track your favorite sites
- It provides updates called feeds
- Feeds let you know when there is something new at your favorite sites
You need an RSS feeder to receive your updates.
It’s like the mailbox for your updates.
- You can go to your mailbox (feeder) whenever you want to
- You can let your mail (updates) sit there until you do.
You have choices (yay-choices) for setting up your feeder.
- Click on the icon button on your favorite site (like those shown above)
- Go directly to a feeder to sign up (e.g., Google Reader)
- There are Windows and MAC feed readers
- Subscriptions include free and fee-based options
- Sign up for your web browser feed reader
Some of the features of a feeder include —
- Delivers the headlines of feeds for easy viewing
- You can organize your feeds into categories
- You access them when you want to
This probably stems from my corporate days.
I hate volumes of email.
As soon as I figured out what RSS was, I was all over it. I love it.
That brings up another benefit – you don’t end up on another email subscription list.
3. See #1
Unless your blog is REALLY special, someone who prefers an email subscription is not likely to go out and learn about RSS because that’s all you offer.
Again, why wouldn’t you offer both?
The Moral of the Story
New readers and bloggers sign on every day. My mother didn’t get her first computer until she was 85.
- Don’t assume everyone is on the same knowledge level
- Don’t assume everyone wants the same thing
Keep it simple, clear and uniquely yours.
Do you offer both?
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I do offer both, but maybe not in the way you’re talking about. I offer an RSS feed via a reader (like you, this is my personal preference), but for those who prefer email, I offer an email subscription through my mailing list provider. Ideally, this is how I want ALL my blog subscribers to receive my updates, because it allows me total control over what and when they receive updates from me.
As you said, though, the important thing is to remember that not everyone wants (or will use) the same things. Some prefer RSS, some prefer email. The only sensible thing to do is to offer both, I think.
Great idea, Cindy. I have not done a lot with email subscriptions (yet) so I am grateful for the suggestion.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing another approach.
Cathy,
I’m an email person all the way! I create an outlook folder and then file each new email notification there. Luckily, when I first started this, a reader mentioned to me that I should have a choice because, as you said, different people like different things. We should offer choices.
Yesterday, I was talking to someone who mentioned reading my blog. I told her I was glad to know she was reading it because my fan count is low. She told me that she and most of the people she knows bookmark sites and then take time to sit down on occasion and read numerous posts. So another point to consider is that not all your readers have the desire to subscribe but they are out there reading what you write.
We should offer all the choices but realize that some will choose none of them!
Hi Jen:
See, that’s why we need choice. I’m kind of weird in that I want updates to comments on blogs that I follow to come to email instead of an RSS feed. But, when it comes to the update that tells me there is a new post, I want that in my RSS feed.
I wonder if your reader knows about the RSS option. With bookmarking, you have to keep checking back on your own, even when there is no update., With RSS, you can see when there is an update and either read it in the reader or go to the site. It’s especially helpful for sites that don’t post every day.
Feel free to share this post with them 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Jen, and sharing another point of view.
Funny Cathy, about your preferences. Everyone has their own way!
She did seem to know about RSS and even said that she doesn’t really know why she does it that way. My guess is that it boils down to comfort zone. People tend to do what they have always done and feel secure about. I think this security can also stem from the way they manage current functions in their job. If they have sites marked for research or competition that they don’t necessarily follow regularly, they may carryover the process to the things they view for pleasure or “non-work” time.
It is funny though. I really don’t like RSS at all and I can’t even explain why! And I like the email because I can scan the subject in the preview pane but if I’m going to read a post, I HAVE to go to the site to do it. I just cannot read a post in an email and what kind of sense does that make? 🙂
We are funny creatures, aren’t we, Jen? 🙂 But, that’s what makes life interesting. Just like I can’t explain why I hate comment feeds in my RSS, but I do.