SEO BLOG

Dear Readers!

If you’re still with me say “Yeah!”. I can’t hear ya! Say “Yeaaah!!!”. All the ladies say “Heeeey!”. All the gents say “Ho, ho!”

Why? I’m sick and tired! Not of blogging particularly. Or rather I’m sick because of being too tired. That’s why I blogged less and less on SEO 2.0. This is really a shame as last week I finally submitted to Google’s power and installed Feedburner to get accurate subscriber stats.

And do you know what? Yes, you know, you read the title already: I got many more subscribers than last time, exactly two months ago. Also take into account that last time I only counted Google and Bloglines RSS subscribers. I even forgot the Atom subscribers at Bloglines as they are counted separately.

So even if you only take those two RSS readers I basically doubled my subscriber number. It means that 333 people have chosen to get each post of mine delivered to the screens of their personal computers via remote subscription services (my own definition of RSS)!

It might sound pretty contradictory to get twice as many subscribers by only blogging half as often. Yes it is on the first glance so I ask you to examine the top 5 tactics that allowed me to accomplish this daunting task.

To get more subscribers focus on the subscribers. While at beginning of SEO 2.0 I had to concentrate on social media to get the word out, I later, after achieving social media success at StumbleUpon and Sphinn, had to offer a lasting and recurring value to those who chose to stay with me.

While blogging for social media is like a one night stand, blogging for your subscribers is more like a lasting relationship.

So to please the casual one night stand social media participant you have to look spectacular or at least appear to be spectacular.

Your long term partner on the other hand prefers you neat and tidy while also offering new insights and ideas, instead of just looking spectacular repeatedly.

So what exactly must be done to make your subscriber happy?

• Cover the same topic again and again, while not repeating yourself but elaborating each time a little more. Add the experience you gained in the time that passed since the last time you covered it.
• Try to reach a consensus on what each of your subscribers agrees more or less and start your posts with retelling what the consensus is. This can be a very broad one. For instance on SEO 2.0 I guess most of my subscribers and returning visitors agree that something really has changed about the web, hint 2.0! ;-) and thus SEO as we “know it” can’t remain unchanged.
• Be true to your established style. Most probably your subscribers have subscribed to your blog because of your style of blogging which must be unique in some sense. It’s about what information you choose to convey and how. For instance on SEO 2.0 I won’t bother you with what Matt Cutts said on paid links. I’m way beyond that. In contrast I will tell you which social medium or Web 2.0 service is a must try instead. I do not review such services every day so if I do you know I must have good reasons for that. Besides I make you laugh! Why? How dare you ask, you infidel! It’s just because I’m Tad Chef the funny money maker, Tad Chef the SEO destroyer! I’m Tad Chef, the first SEO rock star! Sorry, I digress…
• Socialize with fellow like minded bloggers by supporting them, joining bloggers groups at social networks and supporting each other with tips. For instance Fred of Newest on the Net had a basic SEO question last week and I replied. A day later he tipped me off that a post of mine has been ripped and submitted to Mixx as someone elses. Other bloggers are most likely to subscribe to your feed as they all use RSS readers in the first place to cope with the amount of information the net offers each day.
• Ask your subscribers what they want, offer some choices! You wonder who is most prone to comment on your blog? Your most ardent readers, those who apparently subscribed, like David here, or at least your often silent subscribers who seemingly get informed instantly each time you publish something, like Glen does. This time I want to ask you again which post do you want to read next:

1. 10 Ways to Improve CLIQ
2. 10 Ways to Improve Mixx
3. Why Bloggers Should Use lijit as their Internal Search
4. Web Design for ROI Book Review
5. 7 Blog Posts Which Inspired Me Most Last Month
6. MSN Webmaster Tools Review
7. RankSense SEO Software Review
8. SEO vs SEO 2.0: Top 10 Differences
9. 25 SEO Companies That Sport a Great Web Design
10. How to get Every Single Post of Your Blog Stumbled

Well, just to name a few as usual ;-) Choose up to three favorites and tell me your choice in the comments! Say “Yes, yesss!”

Ah, btw. 50% of you use Google Reader or iGoogle, 10% Netvibes and 10% Bloglines.

Related posts:

1. How to Write for Subscribers: 10 Rules of Advanced Blogging
2. Feed Stats: Do Your Subscribers Really Read Your Blog? Increase Item Use
3. 100+ RSS Subscribers! Or How to Count Them
4. Hail the Returning Visitors and Subscribers!
5. How Trust Made my Blog Triumph: 1000 Subscribers

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