If you’re completely new to blogging and don’t know what the RSS fuss is all about, RSS just means Really Simple Syndication and is a family of web font formats that is regularly updated automatically. So in blogs, this is usually in the form of blog posts. Every time you publish a blog entry, anyone who subscribes to your RSS feed, whether through bookmarking or email, will be automatically updated or notified of the new post. Simply put, that’s the easiest way to understand RSS…

What do we mean when we say optimize your RSS? Let me explain –

when i’m talking about optimizing your rss I mean taking steps to ensure that your RSS is working effectively, to attract new subscribers to your content, otherwise known as your blog. We’ll see –

Tips to optimize your RSS

1. Return them with mind-blowing and happy awesomeness…

First things first, if you don’t provide exceptionally good quality and witty content, the remaining 5 tips below will be worthless to you…

2. Complete RSS offer

Give your readers both options to subscribe, either by RSS bookmarks or by email to receive RSS updates.

3. make it unique

Think about the design of your RSS icon and the design of your RSS email subscription form. make it unique; add some extra copy or incentives to entice readers to subscribe. Don’t bombard it to look like a banner ad, just make it stand out.

4. Make it visible and easy subscribe

While you can make your RSS unique, don’t back off by making it a challenge for readers to find your RSS subscriber icon or sign up.

I visited many blogs where I enjoyed reading the content, but I was very frustrated because I couldn’t find the RSS subscription form or icon. In the footer there is a no!, hidden in a page in another place of your blog no, no, no!, not having any… even worse! The top of the sidebar and below your posts are usually the best places to have an RSS icon and a subscription form.

Also make it easy for readers to subscribe, don’t give them quizzes or a list of radio buttons to check out, just make it really simple.

5. Let them know what it’s all about

Don’t assume that everyone knows what the big square orange RSS logo means. Consider teaching your readers about RSS; write a couple of posts or make a video tutorial explaining what it’s all about and the value of subscribing to an RSS feed. Education is the best policy in any blogging niche…

6. Don’t give them too many other options

My last piece of advice is for those who want to significantly increase their number of RSS subscribers. Don’t offer your readers too many other options to subscribe. You will see a lot of bloggers putting RSS feeds with social icons and whatnot, this is not a bad thing so don’t get me wrong here, but if you really want to increase subscribers then put RSS near the top of the sidebar and put the rest, that is, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube below.

So just to recap the tips for optimizing your RSS using bullet points, because we all love bullet points, right? That’s what I thought…

• Offer readers amazing content

• Complete RSS offer

• Make it unique, visible and easy to subscribe

• Let your readers know what RSS really is

• Don’t give readers too many other options (if you want to increase RSS subscribers)

What you think?

Well, those are my tips to optimize your RSS and make the most of it to get more subscribers. Now I want to hear your thoughts, or maybe you have some tips of your own that you’d like to share. Please do so in the comments section below, as always.