How To Get More Subscribers By Not Asking For Them

Seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?  How do you get subscribers without asking for them?  Well, that’s not exactly what I mean–I was just using an example of a catchy title (more on that later).  What I was really referring to is the idea of avoiding use of the word “subscribe.”

Most blogs today have some sort of feed icon (like the one in this post) with the word “subscribe” indicating a place where visitors can sign up to receive their content.  Subscribers can typically subscribe via RSS feed or email delivery.  Best of all, the service is typically provided for free by providers like FeedBurner.  The problem is that most web visitors still think of the word “subscribe” as an action that requires money.  After all, very few subscriptions in the off-line world are really free.

Free Daily Updates

So instead of using verbiage around the word “Subscribe,” I recommend using another method to entice readers to sign up for your automated content delivery.  “Free Daily Updates” works well, as does “Receive Via Email.”  Neither option sound like they cost money, and that is what you want to sell to potential subscribers.

One way to test this service is to create a dedicated subscription page and name it “Subscribe” in your menu bar.  After a month or so swtich the text to “Free Daily Updates” and see if you have more subscribers (as a percentage of traffic) at the end of the second month. If not, experiment with other terms like “Get By Email.”

When you find something that seems to work well for your readers, be sure to update any subscription buttons or links with the same text.  Also include a similar tag in your email signature and any off-line marketing materials you might distribute promoting your blog.

Photo courtesy of St A Sh

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