Being a blogger is all fun and games until you receive an un-subscription email which reads ‘X has now unsubscribed from your blog and will no longer receive your emails’. It’s deflating.
You suddenly begin to wonder what you did wrong. Especially when this is the third person un-subscribing, and the blog is not even three months old yet.
From the subscription report, I know that not many people click on the links – may be about 20% – still higher than the industry average. But I often assure myself that it is because they have read it earlier, or will come back to read it later, or they simply type KacheeTee.com in their browser.
To un-subscribe though, I thought this must take some high level of un-interest. Such that simply receiving the emails and instantly deleting them, will not suffice.
I decided to explore further, and seek feedback silently praying I won’t collapse under any potential negative criticism or harsh words like ‘Well I just don’t see the sense in what you write’.
I was also slightly panicked because one of the un-subscribers had in the very early stages of the blog told me she loved it. Did she suddenly not love it any more?
The first person claimed it had to be a mistake and she could never have unsubscribed from my blog. I believed her – somewhat. Now I really do believe her because she’s tried to re-subscribe at least three times after that, but the subscription software won’t just re-add her email!
Phew. That didn’t go so bad.
Second Un-subscriber:
*2 days later*
Phew!
I explained that I had honestly forgotten, and I apologised that I hadn’t got back to him. I suggested that a reminder to me might have been a better option to un-subscribing. We talked it through. I provided the information he had earlier requested. He said I could re-subscribe him to the blog. ‘Don’t worry, I said, remembering the issue with the first un-subscriber above. Just check the blog often when you have some time!’
At this point, I remembered that the third un-subscriber had also sent me an email that I hadn’t replied to. ‘Oh dear!‘ that must also be the reason she had un-subscribed.
And then I made a silent promise to try as much as possible to reply emails and messages on time, and generally not keep people waiting for a response. It gets hard because sometimes a million things are happening at the same time, but it’s worth making a conscious decision.
If people will support us, we must support them.
As the Igbo proverb says ‘one hand cannot wash itself thoroughly; the left must wash the right, and the right the left’.
To my surprise, the situation with the third un-subscriber was not as imagined.“I un-subscribed because I don’t need the emails to remind me to check your blog. I check it all the time”.
And then it hit me, what I actually want to build is a blog where most people don’t necessarily need my emails to prompt a visit to the blog. The way I routinely type in BellaNaija.com into my browser almost every morning was the same way I wanted people to type in KacheeTee.com. The subscription list will then be exclusive for invitations to grand parties, freebies and all-round awesome stuff!
I’m not exactly sure what the future of the blog holds, and if that’ll eventually be the case. But for now, I’ll dream big dreams and be thankful for this one person who already routinely checks this blog.
Are you one of the awesome people that generally reply emails, DMs, and social media messages on time? Do you blog? What reasons do people give for unsubscribing?
Love,
Kachee… Xx,
ps: We hit 100 subscribers yesterday (the above un-subscribers don’t count)! I’m so excited because we were on 99 for so long. It might seem small, you already know I celebrate all my small successes. I must have cajoled at least 15% of the people who subscribed. But the other 85% was pure free will. It feels surreal. Thank you guys for everything. You have no idea how much you’ve made me grow in these 2.5 months. I can only hope I’ve made a fraction of a difference to your life!
ppS: I’ll really like to give something to this 100th person. So, Oluchi N, if you read this please send me an email, and maybe we can tick something (little) off your wishlist!
pppS: Even Tee doesn’t click on my links! I know this from the report. But at least he’s the compulsory unpaid editor of all the posts.
cassandra ikegbune
April 26, 2016 at 10:31Yay! Congratsssssssss!! That’s a really good milestone in just how many months.I’m also slow with emails because I usually let them like and when it’s time to reply, the sight of it all weakens me.lolI’ve had a few people unsubscribe from mine too and it pained me at first oh but now I just unlock and keep doing the good work the Lord has called me to 😂😂😂😂😂😂www.cassiedaves.com
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 26, 2016 at 11:10You finally commented! Thank God it worked. As in, we’ll all just keep doing this good work He has called us to do. Lol!
Kola
April 26, 2016 at 12:04awww congratulations!!! And good on you for being brave enough to ask for feedback. When people unsubscribe from my blog, i dont even know because I refuse to check Looll
Motun
April 26, 2016 at 12:05Just went through my wish list just incase Oluchi N has bad internet connection.
henrietta iwuji
April 26, 2016 at 12:16Lol
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 26, 2016 at 17:44Loool!! You can send me the cheapest thing on your wish list! I’m nice like this 😉
RuthsTravel:Because I Believe
January 18, 2017 at 18:44😂😂😂I’m sorry but this had me laughing out real loud.
wawa
April 26, 2016 at 12:12Congrats dear.100 subscribers in this little while you’ve started. It can only get better.I reply my mails promptly but not my social media messages.lolI believe the messages are sent when it is convenient for the sender so I also reply at my convenience which may be immediately or after days.
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 26, 2016 at 17:46Thanks love! Amen. Actually that’s a fair point re replying social media messages at your convieniece, esp if it’s nothing overly important.
BagosMutendiBlog
April 26, 2016 at 13:34Yaaay!!!!*dancing round the office with wide grin
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 26, 2016 at 17:46*dancing with you*!
Precious Nkeih
April 26, 2016 at 13:34Congrats on 100 subscribers! Your blog is picking up well. One person unsubscribed from my list shortly after subscribing. I can’t help but wonder why especially as she sent me a message saying she loves my blog. And yes I want my blog to be mostly visited directly from browsers too. As you grow, more people will love you and more people will hate you. It’s the bitter truth but we gotta do what we gotta do.Delicious homemade ice cream
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 27, 2016 at 12:55Thank you Precious! You’re absolutely correct. I checked out that icecream, it looks so good! Xx
Samuel-Biyi
April 26, 2016 at 15:3020% is a pretty good click-through rate too.
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 26, 2016 at 17:47You think? Lol. I thought it was poor. Thanks for letting me know!
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
April 27, 2016 at 12:56Thanks K! Loool @ refuse to check. To be honest many people unsubscribe because their inbox gets so full. Xx
Cara
April 29, 2016 at 20:10Compulsory editor of the posts, Hahahaha! I know what you mean though. For me my other half is BANNED from the blog. Seriously. I accuse him of stalking if he dares check anything out. But I know he still does that on the sly. A hundred subscribers, whoop whoop!! :)Carawww.xocara.com
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
May 1, 2016 at 15:16LOOL @ Banned! Ofcourse he does that on the sly! What are husbands for if not secretly checking out and admiring their wives.Thanks love! Xx
Nedoux
April 30, 2016 at 11:09Hi Kachee,I love how mindful you are of your blog, you pay close attention to both your content and the engagement level of your audience. Well done!You have a lovely blog, most times people unsubscribe because it swells their mail box. I use WordPress, it allows subscribers manage their subscription so that they can choose to receive new post notification either via email or in the reader feeds or both if they prefer. One of the lessons that I’ve learned as a blogger is something that you noted in this post “If people will support us, we must support them.” You are doing a great job at this comment-wise, I’ve been seeing a lot of your comments across my favourite blogs. :-)Have a great weekend.
Kachee || KacheeTee.com
May 1, 2016 at 15:33Hi Nedoux,Hope you’re having good bank holiday. Thanks for your kind words.I totally get that people unsubscribe because of too many emails. I’m trying to set up bloglovin so in the alternative people can just follow the blog on there.I hardly ever commented on blogs, because strange as it sounds I just didn’t know how to. But now I get the hang of it, its much easier. Plus I also first-hand understand why bloggers like to see comments on their blog. Lol. Xx
Tamie
May 10, 2016 at 16:06This is the first time I get to post a comment tho I read your blog.I read so many blogs ,maybe 30 or more ..but I’m only subscribed to 1. I’m one of those people who do not like plenty random mails. I normally bookmark blogs I like and would want to visit again or add them to my WordPress reader,or bloglovin. So if I were one of the unsubscribers I would fall in the 3rd person category.:-)Congrats on 100hits!!Cheers.
Tamie
May 11, 2016 at 12:25Where did my comment go to??