The aim is to get more people reading my blog.
But Nielsen says: offer email subs
Despite my own preference for subscribing by email, God’s advice on the matter and the fact that Twitter relies on readers either i) having a Twitter account or ii) bothering to sign up for one, I feel that the number of email subs my blog generates justifies the experiment. We’re talking a handful here, far fewer than my RSS subscribers.
Compare this with my work site, where the email newsletter is extremely popular. The difference, I think, is quite easy to explain. Nearly 90% of visitors to my work site use Internet Explorer (and just under 40% of them are still using IE6), most use Windows and a fair few are either not using Flash or haven’t updated for ages. The return visitors tend to be senior managers, probably aged 40+. In short, they’re not particulalrly au fait with things like RSS and Twitter: A fact born out by our recent membership survey.
Emails are old hat
You, on the other hand, are at the cutting edge of modern internet technology. How do I know that? Well, for a start, you’re reading a blog about web design. It’s unlikely you’re using Internet Explorer (12% likely). You’re almost as likely to be using Safari (10%). You’re probably using Firefox (65%). More and more of you are using Chrome (5%).
As for your operating system, only 64% of you are using Windows, 27% are using Macs and a heartening 9% are using Linux.
You know what RSS is and, the chances are, you’re either on Twitter or you’re well aware of it and probably willing to give it a go.
Pros and cons
A cult. Yesterday.
I’m aware that it’s slightly presumptious of me to make you sign up to something not directly related to the blog just to follow blog posts. I guess the answer to that is to use the RSS feed instead. And it’s not perfect from a usability point of view: entering an email address and hitting Subscribe is a lot quicker than going off site, registering and then hitting the Follow button.
Twitter is all about setting up communities. I’m not arrogant/egomaniacal enough to think that I’m going to start a vast cult based on me, but if I can follow a few readers’ links/thoughts/rants etc. then I think that’s worthwhile.