RSS makes reading blogs more efficient. To find out about RSS, I encourage you to read What is RSS?, but the general jist of it is that RSS Feeds allow all the blogs you read to be in one place. As a blogger, you should build your RSS Readers, because they are your repeated visitors. Whilst good content and all that jazz is important, here are a few alternative, bordering on evil, ways to build your readership.
1. Comment using your Feed URL as your URL
Should you ever visit Super Huge Mega Bloggers site, you may get a few curious clickthroughs from people to your site. Instead of directing them to your site, why not put your feed URL in the “Homepage” blog. Most good browsers (and Internet Explorer) usually save your feed in the “Live Bookmarks” folder, or load it up in something like Google Reader. Bish bash bosh, another reader, who will probably at least read once or twice what you have to say.
2. Blog Exclusively For RSS Readers
There are a number of plugins that have the ability to add text exclusively to the bottom of posts, kinda like the “Feedadvertising” bit on Text Link Ads. Why not include a little extra text to the bottom of posts? A little extra bonus for your readers. A good example was over at Pureblogging: they are running a competition where to enter you had to type in a secret word in their RSS feed.
3. Use Your God Given Assets To Create A RS Breasts Button
I’m surprised a number of my female readers (**cough**Merrick**cough**) haven’t done something like this, as I’d probably do it if I had two X Chromosomes, breasts, a flat stomach, and a few bottles of wine:
Degrading? Probably. Sexist? Probably. Will it get you more readers? Abso-fucking-lutely! A little titillation goes a long way, especially in blogging. “Would you like to see more?” could easily relate to point 2, couldn’t it? So you’re not techically a liar.
Certainly, if you had a similar button on your blog, I’d subscribe. I’m shallow like that.
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Rhys Wynne, the author of this blog, is a 20 something web designer from Colwyn Bay.
not that i’ve studied that picture but it’s some shoddy air brushing on the mammories
blatantly she was holding a copy of zoo or nuts or something! *insert pun about holding my nuts*
have to agree thou.. im more inclined to click on boobs no matter where it goes. Please for the love of god don’t dress up as minietta and get any crazy ideas…..
“Subscribe to my RS-Breast feed.”
Too funny!! RSBreast…lol
Guy: She wasn’t actually, she was kinda teasingly holding her bra open.
Rich Minx: That’s what I said, didn’t I?
But I added ‘feed’ after ‘breast’. Or did you say that? I was distracted by the breast.
Probably. I dunno, I was distracted by the breasts when writing it.
Sorry I’m not really sure what your post was about … all I saw were breasts … and something about feeding them?
I think I got a bit distracted somewhere along the line.
Are RSS feeds really that popular? :p Personally I never really got into using them, although the one thing that I find useful is when sites have a syndicated feed thing on LJ.
I keep trying to convert my friends onto RSS but they just don’t get it, no matter how many times I demo and explain about the goodness.
Now I think I know where I went wrong..not enough breasts.
Man , i love the last way , this will definately increase your RSS subscribers .
And hence why I do not have a little RSS icon in the middle of my boobs: because it would be distracting, and the following RSS feed would not be nearly so hypnotic. Although that *would* make for an interesting tattoo…
I’m SO tempted to get the RSS icon tattooed on my boobs now!
If someone forced me to subscribe using method 1 I’d unsubscribe out of principal, things like that annoy me - I’ll subscribe if I like your blog not the other way around.
Hahaha! OMG … I guess I should expect that sort of RSS button to pop up eventually.
You’ve raised the spectre of an RSS button tattoo, which in itself is quite an achievement!!
Imagine a whole new generation of women with RSS tattooed boobs, Technorati on the back of their shoulder, and StumbleUpon just below their naval!
I’m not sure if that’s sexy or scary?!?
Nice post. Out of the box thinking is certainly something ppl should do more often.
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Great list
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Your last tip was the best. If that doesn’t draw attention, then I don’t know what will.
[...] Problogger Community are a humourless bunch who don’t appreciate the cheeky smut I peddle [...]
Love idea 3. I just wish Merrick would hurry up and get those buttons made for us.
Great hints! I think I’ll try number 1 right now!
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