September 15, 2012 by Emma Tomlinson

7 Ways You Can Obtain More Blog Subscribers

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Blogging can be a ridiculously lonely business if you cannot reach an audience. I mean, it is the reason why you publish content online, is it not? This is why you need to have subscribers, who are a dedicated number of people interested in reading what you have to say.

If you are just starting out, it is definitely hard to gain an immediate following. However, by implementing a few (or all) of the techniques listed below, you can be on your way to establishing a relationship with thousands of individuals who share your interests.

#7 Add a Subscribe Option

This is the most obvious thing you have to do, and one popular method is adding an RSS feed. Most of the blogging platforms on the Internet already provide this option, so you do not have to break a sweat to do this.

If you have not taken advantage of this nifty add-on, you should absolutely start now.

But if you already have one, good for you. However, you should also be aware that placement is the key. You should position your icon somewhere the visitors can easily see.

When you get a desirable number of subscribers, you can then show this off. This way, you can entice more people to become regular readers.

#6 Give Email a Chance

A lot of people would rather opt for subscription through RSS. However,“it is a truth universally acknowledged” (to borrow a few words from Jane Austen) that some people have not yet adapted to the latest trends in technology.

And if your aim is to reach a wide audience, you should take this minute population and cater to their needs. So, if tip #7 asked you to put up a feed, this one would beg you to add an email option.

#5 Return the Favour

Here you are pleading to people and asking them to notice you, but you don’t give something back.

You have to be aware that some of these Web users are also bloggers looking for the same thing—an audience to communicate with. So, it is very important that you keep track of those who have subscribed to your blog. This way, you can return the favour by enlisting on their site too or adding them to your network.

Note that it only requires one click of a button and you’ve gained yourself a new online buddy.

#4 Write on Someone Else’s Blog

The good thing about sharing interests with a lot of other people is that they are writing the same stuff as you. So, what better way to spread the word about your expertise and knowledge than by creating a post on their site? If it is compelling enough, you might just get the attention of their loyal readers.

If a blogger with a similar niche requests for a guest post, do not hesitate to grab that opportunity as it is a perfect way to market your own blog.

#3 Offer “Good Bribes”

Without a doubt, the word “free” is sweet candy to the eyes and ears of almost everyone. Wouldn’t you jump at the chance of getting something without paying for it, especially if it is an item you really want?

I know that bribe has a negative connotation but this is all in a positive light. You could run a simple contest, wherein the winner gets a prize. Or you could offer free eBooks to new subscribers.

#2 Bite Into the Social Media Hype

Create accounts on well-known social networking sites such as Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Afterwards, use these pages to announce that you have fresh content to deliver. By doing so, you can greatly increase your visibility.

More importantly, you should add these sites’ widgets to your blog to allow easy social sharing and navigation for your visitors.

If you are worried about the number of platforms you have to maintain, do not fret. There are free tools, which allow you to create and publish a post automatically to your Facebook and Twitter page.

You can even take your social media marketing campaign a notch higher by adding the icons of well-known social bookmarking sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, and Delicious to your blog. So when readers like a certain article, they can click on any of those buttons. Then, you can gain instant exposure through “digging” or “stumbled upon”.

#1 Create Quality Content

It has been said many times and in various ways, but the age-old adage “content is king” always rings true. If you constantly put out well-written and informative posts, people will definitely come back for more.

Apart from publishing great content, you should blog regularly. As they say, a dry spell is always bad for business. So, keep it fresh and updated, and plenty of subscribers will soon follow.

So, keep these points in mind and, who knows, you might be the next trusted voice on the Internet.

About the Author

Emma Tomlinson is the Head of Retail at Smart Traffic, an SEO Bristol company listed at the Top 10 of the Microsoft Tech Track 100 for 2011.

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