Comments on: Will FeedBurner or Plain XML Get You More Subscribers? http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/ Better Looking Blogs Grow Faster Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:05:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Robomaster http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-13286 Robomaster Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:44:31 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-13286 I think that Feedburner works much better to attract subscribers. Yes, Firefox and Opera have a good RSS subscription feature (that looks better than feedburner) but not everyone has that. I think that Feedburner works much better to attract subscribers. Yes, Firefox and Opera have a good RSS subscription feature (that looks better than feedburner) but not everyone has that.

]]> By: Settor67 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-12713 Settor67 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:49:52 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-12713 They have opened the job as a full-time position, which means my temp job will no longer exist and I have to apply for the full time one. , They have opened the job as a full-time position, which means my temp job will no longer exist and I have to apply for the full time one. ,

]]> By: Webdesigner http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-12047 Webdesigner Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:13:37 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-12047 I personally prefer plain RSS since I use "good browsers" only, i.e. Firefox and Safari. But it seems that Feedburner RSS has evolved into some kind of standard. I personally prefer plain RSS since I use “good browsers” only, i.e. Firefox and Safari. But it seems that Feedburner RSS has evolved into some kind of standard.

]]> By: Electric Drum http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8537 Electric Drum Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:32:36 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8537 In answer to your question "should the browser makers be allowed to overrule what the web owner has chosen? You tell me." I think the more companies that are involved the better the chances of finding better solutions and improving on the whole process that still seems to allude a lot of people. In answer to your question

“should the browser makers be allowed to overrule what the web owner has chosen? You tell me.”

I think the more companies that are involved the better the chances of finding better solutions and improving on the whole process that still seems to allude a lot of people.

]]> By: David http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8092 David Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:11:29 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8092 I just set up a site and decided to just count all the IPs that visit the feed to see how many subscribers there is. I heard that FeedBurner can be a bit all over the place in regards to your stats. I just set up a site and decided to just count all the IPs that visit the feed to see how many subscribers there is. I heard that FeedBurner can be a bit all over the place in regards to your stats.

]]> By: Michael Martin http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8036 Michael Martin Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:23:53 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8036 Those ads scare me a little. :( What's next, custom formatting? Setting fonts for your posts? HTML? Full webpages all over again? :( Those ads scare me a little. :(

What’s next, custom formatting? Setting fonts for your posts? HTML? Full webpages all over again? :(

]]> By: Rarst http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8009 Rarst Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:32:29 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8009 Page beautifying in Feedburner is an option, not mandatory to use service. Actually they are allowing to use ads in feed for some time already. :) Page beautifying in Feedburner is an option, not mandatory to use service.

Actually they are allowing to use ads in feed for some time already. :)

]]> By: Scott Prock http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8002 Scott Prock Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:05:46 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-8002 Thanks for bringing this up, as I haven't really given it much thought before now. I've used Feedburner since they started and at that time it was the best option because the only alternative was a raw xml feed. Back then, most people would think the page was broken. Another reason Feedburner was better had to do with there being different RSS versions and formats, using Feedburner made it easier for the visitors, especially those that knew nothing about RSS. After reading this post, I'm going to be giving this some serious consideration. After looking at the Feedburner version of my blog, I have to say I'm not too fond of it. I use the Flock browser (built with the same source as FireFox) and I much more prefer the raw xml now that the browsers today can display it in a useful manner. One thing to consider ... now that Feedburner is part of the Google family of apps, it won't be long before you start seeing Google ads displayed on the Feedburner page of your blog's RSS feed. If they spruce up the page and allow blogs to monetize their own Feedburner pages then I might revisit the use of Feedburner. Enjoy ... Scott Thanks for bringing this up, as I haven’t really given it much thought before now. I’ve used Feedburner since they started and at that time it was the best option because the only alternative was a raw xml feed. Back then, most people would think the page was broken.

Another reason Feedburner was better had to do with there being different RSS versions and formats, using Feedburner made it easier for the visitors, especially those that knew nothing about RSS.

After reading this post, I’m going to be giving this some serious consideration. After looking at the Feedburner version of my blog, I have to say I’m not too fond of it. I use the Flock browser (built with the same source as FireFox) and I much more prefer the raw xml now that the browsers today can display it in a useful manner.

One thing to consider … now that Feedburner is part of the Google family of apps, it won’t be long before you start seeing Google ads displayed on the Feedburner page of your blog’s RSS feed. If they spruce up the page and allow blogs to monetize their own Feedburner pages then I might revisit the use of Feedburner.

Enjoy … Scott

]]> By: Michael Martin http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-7789 Michael Martin Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:17:53 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-7789 Those are great tools Hendry, thanks for sharing them! Those methods sound a lot easier to work with than the tip I suggested. Going to have to try them out. :D Those are great tools Hendry, thanks for sharing them! Those methods sound a lot easier to work with than the tip I suggested. Going to have to try them out. :D

]]> By: Hendry Lee http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-7769 Hendry Lee Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:14:50 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/will-feedburner-or-plain-xml-get-you-more-subscribers/#comment-7769 Two things, Michael. 1. Bloggers can track RSS subscription with Google Analytics. Setup right, they be able to track conversions accurately. http://hamletbatista.com/2007/07/24/tracing-their-steps-how-to-track-feed-subscriber-referrals-with-google-analytics/ With your method, you have to make sure you view the right "average" subscribers number (weekly or daily) and as we know the number of times a feed is requested per day or week is not exactly the number of feed subscribers. Here's how Google calculate the FB number: http://www.google.com/support/feedburner/bin/answer.py?answer=78955&topic=13075 2. Bloggers who want to take it to the next level can now track the number of people that clicks on the link within the RSS content. FB tracks clicks on the title, but not in-content links. http://blogbuildingu.com/software/rss-feed-campaign-tagger (Ok, that's my plugin) It works by tagging your RSS feed content links with Google Analytics tags. The report will appear in GA report without the need to do anything. But if bloggers want to track goals, It needs to be set up in the GA account. With this, bloggers can now track how responsive their subscribers are to their promotions. The tracking is not perfect, but at least that's a good start, I think. Two things, Michael.

1. Bloggers can track RSS subscription with Google Analytics. Setup right, they be able to track conversions accurately.

http://hamletbatista.com/2007/.....analytics/

With your method, you have to make sure you view the right “average” subscribers number (weekly or daily) and as we know the number of times a feed is requested per day or week is not exactly the number of feed subscribers.

Here’s how Google calculate the FB number:

http://www.google.com/support/.....opic=13075

2. Bloggers who want to take it to the next level can now track the number of people that clicks on the link within the RSS content. FB tracks clicks on the title, but not in-content links.

http://blogbuildingu.com/softw.....ign-tagger

(Ok, that’s my plugin)

It works by tagging your RSS feed content links with Google Analytics tags. The report will appear in GA report without the need to do anything. But if bloggers want to track goals, It needs to be set up in the GA account.

With this, bloggers can now track how responsive their subscribers are to their promotions.

The tracking is not perfect, but at least that’s a good start, I think.

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