Nov 19, 2009
5 ways bloggers can make subscribers really happy.
- Post regularly.
- Post readably.
- Always be interesting.
- Be funny sometimes.
- Syndicate your whole feed. Readers don’t want to… Read More
What else?
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Theme based on Derek Punsalan's Grid Focus.
Include pictures.
Keep it short. (my downfall)
Your 5th point is appreciated. I never click “read more”, even if I want to. It just reeks of begging for ad revenue.
But did you click it in this post? Come on!
Click it. Click it. Click it.
You are *such* a dork. I can just hear you laughing right now…
I thought it was hilarious
He certainly made me laugh. Too similar to my own dorkiness there.
I think it’s hilarious that nobody but your wife would probably call you a dork on here! Sounds like mine…
I think you should have 11 words before the click and 11 after.
didn’t click on it until I read your tweet, then I went back to see what the joke was. made me laugh.
I totally agree with point 5. Very annoying.
I’d add “6. If you are going to post video, don’t use a video host that only people in north america are able to access” It is so frustrating to get so many blog posts from other bloggers centered around video content i can’t view because of my location.
YES thank you! YouTube does not work where I live.
If you read great stuff elsewhere, link your readers to it. I’ve discovered most of my favorite sites by way of other sites linking to them.
I clicked it. And laughed heartily.
Have to disagree on #5, but only because of content hackers that prey on full feeds. Seems like partial feeds are the only way to stop them, at least that I’ve found so far.
Or have a thriving commenter community. That’s why I always click thru to here.
…Though I suppose that doesn’t really keep YOUR content from being ripped off.
I agree on the no read more if it is a short post. What if it’s a long post. Check out my blog site willadair.com. My most recent poem would look horrible in the layout if the more tag wasn’t used.
Doesn’t it make a difference between long and short post? Or should I simply change the design?
True, but the syndicating whole RSS feed has more to do with accessibility. Can people read the whole post in a reader over via email?
Can still have a tag (in WP) that makes the real site say “Read more…,” but doesn’t affect the full/partial feed dynamic.
I wonder how to do that any suggestions?
i clicked it only after reading some of the comments…clever :)
*like*
I fall way short on number one. But then I really don’t think anyone’s reading it anyway. :)
And that’s why I keep reading this blog. You follow through on all 5, Abraham. :)
I am surprised that nobody has yet said: “Give away lots of free stuff.”
Oh, one out of five. That’s not good.
I recently had a few bloggers in my feed reader switch to truncated feeds and I immediately unsubscribed. I just don’t have time to click through and see what they have to say.
Then did you really care what they had to say?
6. Interact with commenters.
I agree with all five points, and I also like the comments about including pictures (in moderation) and linking to any posts referenced (sharing the love!).
Wish I were as skilled as you are at saying a LOT in such a small amount of words. My latest post seems to be a lot of words just to say, “Let’s get deeper.”
1. Link to your sources.
2. Never auto start media players.
3- Be humble.
4- Appreciate readers.
5- Be honest.
6- Be fun.
7- Be visually appealing.
Totally agree on 2. Most irritating blog feature ever.
Lol, I completely agree on point #2.
And Abraham’s point #5 gave me a good chuckle
Oh man … yes, the auto start media players can be really obnoxious.
I am so laughing at #5 … I just don’t like clicking the read more EVER. I knew what you were going to say, so I didn’t click it … and then I went back and clicked it. :)
I like how you worked #4 and #5 together in this post. Thanks for leading by example! :)
Hah! Very Clever! I struggle with the ‘interesting’ part. On my blog, not yours of course!
I know others have said it, but I have to reiterate – NO MUSIC that auto starts! I usually am playing itunes while I am reading – and I hate when I have to scroll thru the whole thing just to click the music off! A music player (or video) with a song they want you to hear for a specific reason is great, but not the background stuff you are forced to listen to.
I know some folks need to make money on their work, but too many adds really turns me off and I click away from them. I was just at one site, where she was asking how come no one is commenting – the pages are just so busy its hard to get to the content.
Use a font color that is readable and not over the top of some background. EIther you want to show the picture or the words matter – decide what is most important.
I hardly ever click the read more …
I have a hard time with the
read more . . .
I mean really, I’ve got it on a feed for a reason. If I had time for all that clicking through, I’d just visit everyone on my blogroll personally ;)
Your readers had some great additions too.
hardy har.
#6: Occasionally include controversial stuff about which people can get really upset.
And now I have to add:
#7: Probably talk like a normal person. (E.g. End your sentences with prepositions so you don’t end up saying “about which” at any time.)
Snort.
I agree with Molly. I could practically hear you laughing on this post.
(You didn’t embed that as .wav file, did you?)
You crack me up…
You have to click through to read DG articles, and that’s worth it. :)
You only click through on the Ask and See articles, because they’re different than the blog posts. It’s to keep the website organized.
Whoops, Taste and See. I knew I should have checked before I commented.
I hate those “scrapbook” backgrounds. TACKY!
I appreciated thinking on how to be a better blogger as a result of this post and the interactive illustration for point number 5. Thanks.
I’m still figuring out the purpose of blogging. I love when I hear others are encouraged by a post…but I’m still mainly doing it for my own sanity at this point.