Mar 8, 2009
A Connection Forces Me to Subscribe to Your Blog Posted by Jamie Harrop - 17 Comments
Why do we subscribe to blogs? This question is one I’ve been thinking a great deal about in recent times. As bloggers and blog readers, we so often go through blogs and blindly press the subscribe button without thinking about why we’re doing so.
Looking down my list of feeds, I seem to have some sort of connection with each and every blogger. For some of the blogs, I speak with the blogger on a more personal connection during blogger meetups, conferences and email/instant message.
For others, I can simply relate to their story. The story they so eloquently write on their about page.
For some, they just stood out which forced the connection with me. Maybe they welcomed me with a video or audio on their Web site, or maybe they handed me a quirky business card. Either way, they stood out and forced the connection.
But the one thing it all boils down to is connections. I’m connected in some way to each and every blogger.
If I write a comment on a blog for the first time and 12 hours later the blogger writes a comment on my blog, then emails me to tell me about a broken link or image on my blog, I’m connected. And away I go back to their blog to subscribe.
First impressions count too. Make a good first impression via communication, relationship building and connections, and I’ll subscribe. Give me excellent writing with no face (metaphorically. Doesn’t have to actually be a photo) and I won’t subscribe. Give me a hard working, passionate person who is going to build a good relationship with me, but only has half-decent writing, and I’ll subscribe.
Relationships. Connections. It’s what makes the world tick, and makes a far bigger impact than any piece of unique content.
So why do you subscribe to a blog? Why did you subscribe to my blog? Please let us know in the comments.
Thanks to Carl Ocab guest blogging at John Chow Dot Com for inspiring this post.
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I'm a 23 year old blogger, community and customer service specialist with 10 years experience running and managing blogs and online communities.
I usaully subscribe because I enough what they write about, plain and simple. If you bore me I might as well watch paint dry. Meeting you all those years back helps too.
You have to keep my interest peaked for me to follow your blog.
BTW there is a display issue in IE7 under your comments box. Email me if you want a screenshot.
I subscribed to you when you started arranging meetups without much clue about what you would write about. Now I’m subscribed I reckon I like your style of writing and your attitude can be quite inspiring sometimes. Especially with the Yorkshire weather the way it is.
Andrews last blog post..POLL: Which WordPress sites do you visit regularly
Hi Jamie. Why did I subscribe to your blog? Connection is the word.
Some blogs I subscribe to because they make me laugh. Some make me think. Some confirm what I “know”. Some educate me. Some I’m curious about what’s gonna happen next, and just keep coming back. But, they all form some kind of connection just as you’ve said. PS, thanks for telling me about the broken link on my about page.
Davinas last blog post..25 Words That Connect Us — Frosty Sunrise
Hi Jamie,
I subscribed to your blog because you’re interesting, and you write well. I subscribe to most blogs that make me think on a regular basis — and have a positive tone. Your blog easily meets both criteria.
-Erica
Erica Douglasss last blog post..Manifesting A Trip to Tahiti, Income Goals, And Other Weekend Fun
Hey Nick,
Yep, there’s no better connection than face to face. It certainly helps.
The display issue is with the checkbox, right? I’ll have a play with that today to see if I can figure out where the problem is. Thanks for reminding me, Nick.
Morning Andrew,
The Yorkshire weather is just too good eh?
(You mean that kind of attitude? 
)
Hey Davina,
Heh. That was a perfect comment. Telling you about the broken link was that perfect connection. Hundreds of people have read that post and many no doubt clicked the link, but it took just 30 seconds of my time to stand out and get noticed, and make that connection.
Hey Erica,
I’m glad I meet that criteria.
I like a blog that makes me think. All too often people are repeating the same old things. Something new is what I’m after.
Face to face is always the best, I keep wanting to go to some of the meetups in my hometown but I’m never available when they are being held.
Yeah it’s an issue with the “a feed could not be found…” that checkbox and your popular posts & top commentors sections.
Hi Jamie – LOL here – thanks for letting me know about that link today.
This is really weird because I was just thinking this morning how I’ve met so many great bloggers through your blog. You really have connected me to a lot of people.
One of the first posts I remember reading on here was the one about the tramp millionaire and I remember thinking it was one of the smartest posts I ever read.
Cath Lawsons last blog post..YOU Have Never Been More Powerful
Hey Cath,
Wow. You’ve made me go all red.
No worries regarding the link. Always happy to help.
Thanks for the very kind comments too. They’re always good for my self confidence, like we were talking about earlier.
Hey Jamie,
I’m subscribed here for the content. I think there’s definitely something to be said for personal connections – I honestly can’t remember if we first connected via twitter/email, or whether I read your blog and then we connected.
I am pretty ruthless though – if someone’s blog isn’t good, after a while I’ll unsubscribe, or at least push them into the “Techcrunch Pile”. At the end of the day, if I don’t feel like reading all my posts, that’s the folder where I “mark all as read”
I just did an RSS purge – cleared out about 40 feeds =)
Hi Jamie
(Sid’s comment reminds me I need to do an RSS Purge too – over 1,000 unread items in Google Reader, that’s a pretty big clue!
In the past I mostly subscribed to work-related blogs (WordPress, SEO, that kind of thing). Maybe I’m mellowing with age, but I’m increasingly finding blogs are a way of connecting with interesting people. And vice-versa, meeting people at the WordPress North group has lead me to their blogs too.
Cheers, Jon
Jons last blog post..Internet Salon Marketing – 10 reasons to use Facebook
[...] often talk about how blogging is all about relationships and how we shouldn’t forget our current readers while trying to attract new readers. Today is [...]
Excellent site http://www.jamieharrop.com and I am really pleased to see you have what I am actually looking for here: this .. as it’s taken me literally 1 hours and 59 minutes of searching the web to find you (just kidding!) so I shall be pleased to become a regular visitor
Great advice. I have written a blog for about 6 months now but get very few comments.
I gonna try some of your tips and let you know what happens.
Cheers,
Mark
@Mark Hey Mark. I hope the tips work out for you. The best advice I can give is to ask questions at the bottom of your post. Prompt users to comment.