Creating Web Pages > Creating Your Blog > Subscribing To Blogs
     
 

Subscribing To Blogs

 
     

Blogs are designed to be ongoing, dynamic tools that attract customers to return to your site again and again to read your latest posts. Those that are interested can also "subscribe" to your Blog, so they can be notified whenever you add information to your Blog. This is a great way to keep them coming back, and to create additional marketing opportunities.

     
  Note: The Blog Subscription feature requires the XSellerate marketing tool.  
     

When a customer is reading your Blog, a Subscribe to this blog link is displayed beneath each post. Clicking this link takes them to the subscription page, where they can fill out their contact information. While only their Name and E-mail address are required, they can provide additional information as well.

Clicking Submit sends their information to your XSite's Contacts database and sends them a confirmation e-mail message. At the same time, they're included in your Blog subscription tool. Now, each time you add a post to your Blog, XSellerate sends them an e-mail notification, with a brief summary of the post and a link back to your Blog.

     
 

Managing Subscribers

 
     

From time to time you may need to add or remove people from your Blog subscription service.

  1. From the XSites toolbar, click Blogging in the XSite drop-down menu.
  2. In the Blogging menu, click Subscribers.

  3. Add or delete a subscriber - or group of subscribers - using the steps below. Then, scroll down and click Save.


To add a subscriber...

Select the contact in the Available Recipients list on the left and click the green arrow to add them to the Selected Recipients list, or just double-click that contact.

     
  Note: A contact must be in your Contacts database before they can be added to your Blog subscription.  
     
     
  Hint: In addition to individual contacts, you can also add entire Groups and contact types to your Blog subscription. Click the Groups or Type of Contact headers in the Available Recipients list to display these contacts. For more information on creating Groups, consult the Contacts section of this guide.  
     

To remove a subscriber...

Select the subscriber in the Selected Recipients list on the right and then click the blue arrow to remove them from your Blog subscription service.

     
  Note: Removing a contact from the Blog subscription does not remove them from your Contacts database. Nor are they removed from any other XSellerate campaigns in which they may be included. Open the Contacts database to remove any contacts completely.  
     

 

     
 

Selecting a Blog Subscription Template

 
     

Whenever your Blog is updated, everyone who has subscribed receives a notification in their e-mail. You can edit that template in your Blog management tools.

  1. From the XSites toolbar, click Blogging in the XSite drop-down menu.
  2. In the Blogging menu, click Subscribers.
  3. Scroll down to the Select Template section of the screen and click the desired template style to select it.

  4. Click Customize Template to open the XSellerate Content Editor. From here, you can add your own touches to the standard message.
  5. Click Preview to see how your Blog notification will appear to your subscribers.
  6. Click Save to lock in your changes.


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