So here’s the MarketingVox article – check it out >>

How-To: 7 Tactics for Getting Online Readers to Stick

This article was written by CEO Nate Whitehill of Unique Blog Designs. It works best for those seeking to build brands through blogging, but is also adaptable to companies wishing to maximize their online content development.

Here are seven tried and tested methods to get visitors to become regular readers, be it through RSS subscriptions or simply by reading a good amount of posts. All of these methods, used in conjunction, tripled my RSS subscriber count in April.

A note on traffic.

“Steroid traffic” is a term I coined to mean quick surges of traffic that don’t necessarily average more than 1.1 pageviews per visitor. It has short-term benefits and the visitors rarely stick around.

In contrast, natural traffic — traffic from search engines or referrals — averages well over 2.0 pageviews per visitor and generally become repeat visitors. This piece focuses on generating natural traffic.

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1. I’m psyched to be part of an industry that is growing 27% a year for the next 5 years to go from $18.4 billion this year to $61.3 billion in 2012. If we can’t grow our company by at least 27% per year then we’re doing something wrong.

2. Search is strong. The big winners are search media giants Google and secondarily Yahoo, MSN, and a couple others. Email is growing, but at a slower pace.

3. Interactive agencies and media are disrupters. The report forecasts, “Interactive’s share of total ad spend is forecast to increase from 8 percent in 2007 to 18 percent in 2012.” Things move so quickly in the interactive world that we need to continually educate ourselves on the next Facebook, SpotRunner, MySpace, or disruptive community site or technology that may accelerate this trend.

Some 50-70 percent of respondents say they manipulate various response elements in every email campaign, primarily the offer, the call to action, and the subject line; however, 5-40 percent do not at all adjust the various elements.

Some 50 percent of respondents segment their email file to boost response, saying they do so consistently and reporting that segments based on purchase/response drive the highest success; demographic targeting is used by 70 percent of that half, with mixed results.”

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In Q3 of 2005 we notice that the middle of the week is the low point, as far as read and click statistics go. Noticeable high points in the week occur on Sunday and Friday for both stats. So from this quarter we reaffirm again that sending volume is inversely related to how reads and clicks are going to react with the one exception of Saturday.

Why is this shift in behavior occurring? As we close in on the holidays, consumers are beginning to think more of how they are going to spend their money this holiday season. While we anticipate these stats to start even out more as we come closer to December and through the new year, this behavior shows marketers are getting an early start and secure the consumer awareness and solidify a place in their, um, your, wallet.

Overall By List Size
This quarter eROI takes a different look at day of the week stats. When looking at aggregate stats we see less dramatic changes in read and click statistics and they are not always applicable to large and small senders. eROI decided to take a look at day of the week statistics by list size.

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Leveraging your own in-house email list continues to top the list of most popular and effective online marketing tactics along with search engine optimization and marketing. Viral marketing (aka “grassroots marketing”, “word of mouth marketing”, “word of mouse marketing”) is quickly becoming the new new thing in the world of online marketing. Blogs, RSS, Podcasting, viral microsites, short video clips, and advergames are just a few of the tools and technologies that are making this such a dynamic medium and industry.