This is a given - you will lose readers and you will lose RSS Feed subscribers, but how soon will that happen? When my current contest is over, will you unsubscribe the next day?
It’s a given that there will be people who will immediately unsubscribe, and I definitely understand if someone does not like my content, but would you go through the entire hassle simply to enter a contest?
I was talking with Maki of Doshdosh (on Twitter) briefly about contests and he mentions “Contests are useful once in a while but my experience is that putting effort to teach/help others matters a lot more for readership.” In addition, he adds “If you don’t put effort to write excellent content, gigantic contests or hours spent doing social media ain’t gonna help. Remember that!”
Yes, I will remember that. And I’m sure a lot of you guys reading this should to. You can promote and market your blog/content all you want and get tons of readers and visitors, but it’s your content that keeps them coming back.
Of course, Maki has never held a single contest on Doshdosh.com and look at how well he’s done. He is an A-lister, he writes great articles, he’s well-known and I’m sure he makes a pretty penny on top of that. And to add to my ass-kissing, I am one of his 14,821 subscribers!
I’m not going to compare my posts but I do feel as though my content is good enough and I hope its good enough for people entering my contest to stay subscribed. I use contests as a way of pushing that daily reader to actually come back once a day rather than once a week. I feel it’s more of an incentive to get them participating but I don’t want to force anything on people.
I know a lot of people who sign up to peoples RSS Feeds simply for contests, and not less than a day after the winners are announced, they unsubscribe - even if they are one of the winners! So, are you one of those types of people?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have unsubscribed to RSS feeds before, but then again, I don’t normally subscribe simply because of a contest. I subscribe because of the content.
So, if you subscribed strictly for the contest, I’ll know exactly who you are within a week after the contest is over. And I will have future contests so I’ll see if you re-subscribe or not.
And for those people who subscribed to my RSS Feeds for the contest but actually like my content, I appreciate it. And if you subscribed to my RSS Feeds just because you like my content before any contests I have ever held, you are one of a kind and I’ll find some way to thank you!
Good article…the picture made me laugh…but you know, I don’t think people plan on unsubscribing, I think they forget the reason they subscribed in the first place and they no longer find value in our blog as they did in the beginning..just a thought. By the way, I like your content, so I won’t be unsubscribing (a little brown nosing myself!)
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That’s one of the reasons RSS contests aren’t really that beneficial for your numbers - people just leave when it’s over. Sure, your count might spike, but it probably won’t be consistent.
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I’m definitely one of those people, but only for one reason, and I think it’s one that many people will agree with.
I don’t want email rss deliveries.
But this is always the prereq. of contests, because it’s the only way to actually track people.
So I unsubscribe from email, but you never know, I might still have you on my reader
(In your case, I do :P)
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Now that you’ve asked this question Jay, I’m planning to unsubscribe from your RSS feed right away. I’m a subscriber just because you are organizing this contest, and nothing more…
No, seriously…I was joking man. Hope you didn’t took this too personally. In fact, I won’t be unsubscribing from your feed once the contest is over ( heck, I don’t even participate ! ). The reason why I’m subscribed to your blog is because of the content. I really don’t care if one is gonna hold 100 contests in 1 month, as far as he isn’t able to produce quality content, for example. I’m not there to “hunt” the prizes.
So rest assured: I will be a subscriber for a long time here at DatMoney.com
Cheers bud!
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I don’t subscribe via email. It’s annoying. Are you going to be giving the updates only via email feed or will we be able to see it in a reader?
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I have been a subscriber of yours I think since maybe Dec or Jan, a contest brought me here and I liked! I am still a subscriber, now I don’t get here but maybe once a week or so, but at least I know your in my reader so I can check you out once inawhile! I am mostly a reader, on my time.
hey why isn’t comment Luv working for me, everybody elses is, and I have it checked when I post!!
Contests are one of the reasons I subscribe. And if I thought that the content I subscribed for doesn’t fit my needs, I’ll wait until the contest period is over to unsub..
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am still subscribed to you,, lol,, you do give great contents and very helpful indeed,, I never really subscribe because of your contents,, but someday, I’d really want to be like dosh dosh
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No worries, I just subscribed! Funny picture too — I like using stock photos on some of my blogs — eye catching and memorable.
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I don’t feel that most readers will unsubscribe the day after a contest; once the RSS feed is in your menubar, I find that it usually stays there for the most part.
I fell that most people put it in the menubar and leave it until they need to make room.
I’ll unsubcribe when I think you’re just another scammy whammy bammy MMO idiot. Dont think that yet. hopefully I won’t anytime soon, Or , oh yeah when you sell your blog then I’ll unsubscribe
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lol
But sorry, i have to unsubscribe
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