I’ve always been a proponent of using graphic related icons and
creative calls to action to entice consumers to sign up for e-newsletters on a web
site – rather than just a box saying “Subscribe Here”. It is best to pull users in visually and then
sell them on the features and benefits of receiving your information via
e-mail. The web sites with the
best placed iconography and catchiest call phrases, always generate the most
subscribers.
What about RSS? If you’re reading this, I probably don’t have to explain what it is or how it works. But, as you know, many consumers are still struggling to grasp this easy to use application. An idea that came out of a recent brainstorming session was to position the feeds with text that read something like – “Get Updates as Soon as They Happen!” – rather than just “Subscribe Here”. It was one thought to communicate the message and help consumers navigate through the apparent technology obstacle.
Ann Smarty, of SEOSmarty, recently came up with some excellent examples of creative RSS buttons. It follows with our ideas of graphics and iconography for e-mail, except it integrates the obligatory orange RSS image. Here are a few of Ann’s tips on developing a creative RSS graphic:
- a non-traditional RSS button should be preferably orange, as that's the standard color for it
- a creative RSS button should resemble a traditional-looking one in form and feel
- a creative RSS button might be supported by the call to action
Great observation, Ann! The image above comes from the Soccer Weblog. Visit this link to view Ann's post and see additional examples.
