Disqus - Latest Comments for phollows

Re: Google Feedburner Stats & Emails Stop Working For Days

phollows — Thu, 12 May 2016 08:23:11 -0000

Switching tools available for RSS and email from my company, FeedBlitz.com

Phil Hollows
CEO
FeedBlitz

Re: 10 Weird Things Brits Do in America

phollows — Thu, 07 May 2015 17:27:53 -0000

22 years and really only two on this list. Toni needs to settle in a bit! The flag stuff and stalking is icky. Really.

Re: Deflation

phollows — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 11:51:26 -0000

I can't find the link now, but a recent Economist article made this remark, which made me stop and think. It was along the lines of: Oil is a fuel. Renewables are technologies. Oil prices will be controlled by the markets and geopolitical intrigue, but demand will lessen as efficiency, environmental drivers and renewable usage increases. Renewables will create their own version of Moore's Law, and that's what will make the difference.

Re: Migrating From FeedBurner to Feedblitz

phollows — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 09:40:41 -0000

Thank you for the mention, Chris, and welcome aboard!

Re: New Media Expo 2014 Photos and Highlights

phollows — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 18:27:22 -0000

Great seeing you again, Linda, and thank you so much for the photos!

Re: Parenting

phollows — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:25:33 -0000

Happy Father's Day, Fred.

Re: Goodbye FeedBurner!

phollows — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:48:39 -0000

Appreciate the reply. Most people don't have the skills, resources and time to do what you're doing - it's typically much more cost-effective to outsource especially as the "loss of control" feat is allayed. But good luck! We live in interesting times :)

Re: Goodbye FeedBurner!

phollows — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:33:51 -0000

Hi Andrew: Thanks for mentioning FeedBlitz! I wanted to address a couple of really important points you raised.

Firstly, in our migration guide to help people move off FeedBurner, we're really clear that feed subscribers should be following a feed URL on your own domain (which we then serve, track and optionally monetize), so that you don't have to go through this headache again. We want to serve your audience, not have you cede control of it to us.

Secondly, while privately held, we are also both profitable and cash positive - and we intend to manage the business to keep it that way. We've stuck it out competing against Google for years, building this business because we believe in RSS and email marketing. Our commitment is to your site, your audience and your business. I guarantee that's not going to change.

Re: Google Reader closing: wider implications most missed

phollows — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:53:13 -0000

Real implications downstream for FeedBurner. This will ruin many publisher's reported FeedBurner metrics, allowing Google to claim that its usage is declining and kill it too. This is the last nail in 'Burner's coffin, now that AdSense for feeds was killed in December, giving Google zero revenue from Feedburner from now on. My 2c here http://www.feedblitz.com/ri...

Re: Getting AVC Via Email

phollows — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:46:23 -0000

Not without its challenges - thinking out of office replies, for example.

Re: Getting AVC Via Email

phollows — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:45:40 -0000

Hi William:
The authentication models for Twitter DM (OAuth) and email (confirmed dual opt-in) are radically different. It's too confusing for the casual subscriber to get both in a single UI. If you revisit the form and you can get a DM too.
Yes, our pricing model is publisher-centric. We don't charge consumers. Happy to be reached for more detailed product inquiries as @phollows on Twitter or phil@feedblitz.com

Re: Getting AVC Via Email

phollows — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:36:29 -0000

Dale: That's basically what we are now delivering for Fred.

Re: Getting AVC Via Email

phollows — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:11:46 -0000

Hi William:
Fred changed the schedule from overnight a while back - the emails are sent shortly after the post goes live now. Come on back!

Re: Getting AVC Via Email

phollows — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:11:06 -0000

Hi Fred:
Thank you for the shout out! We'd love to enable that feature; please hook us up with the right folks at Disqus.

Re: 5 Benefits of Using FeedBurner With WordPress

phollows — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:01:58 -0000

Google shut down FeedBurner.jp without notice. Details here http://www.feedblitz.com/wh...

More importantly, unless you're very careful (and it isn't mentioned in the post) you will cede control of your RSS readership to FeedBurner, making it a time-consuming process to bring them back. We had to write a 40+ page manual to help people do this - it's that hard.

Readers should know that Google has done nothing but take features, services and the ability to monetize away from FeedBurner in 2012. They closed the API, gave 2 months notice about AdSense for Feeds ending, shafted everyone on FeedBurner.jp, shut down the twitter account and the Feedburner blog. Be very careful.

Re: The Best Science Fiction Books of All Time

phollows — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:51:13 -0000

I'm a sucker for anything by Iain M. Banks

Re: The Slow Death of Feedburner Accelerates

phollows — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 11:08:41 -0000

Thank you and welcome! We're thrilled to have your audience join us.

Re: Why I Stopped Using Feedburner to Serve My Blog Subscribers

phollows — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:40:47 -0000

If we're emailing 19,000 people on your behalf then the fee is $140 per month. Active email subscribers are what count. It doesn't matter what triggers the email.

Re: Will Your Social Media Service Tell You When It Hits The Iceberg?

phollows — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 14:34:15 -0000

Thanks for including my remarks! More nails in the Feedburner coffin - AdSense for Feeds is being discontinued on December 2nd. So the only way Google makes money from FeedBurner is going away by the end of the fiscal year. http://www.feedblitz.com/ad...

Re: 54% Say FeedBurner Will Be Shut Down Within 12 Months

phollows — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 22:02:18 -0000

Hi Barry: Google announced the end of AdSense for Feeds. We at FeedBlitz will announce a replacement ad revenue-share program next week. Link: http://www.feedblitz.com/ad...

Re: Why I Stopped Using Feedburner to Serve My Blog Subscribers

phollows — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 16:19:20 -0000

Email is automatic. RSS only readers can be automatic or a process, depending on your current setup. More info is in the Migration Guide, available at http://www.feedblitz.com/th...

Re: Is FeedBurner Doomed? Next On Google's Hit List?

phollows — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:45:48 -0000

It's no better - or worse - than an email being viewed in Outlook preview pane and that causing an open counter to change. Obviously, what you use the metrics for, if anything, determines their value to you. I wouldn't describe a readership count as merely and ego-boosting number (that's what Klout is for ;) ) . It's very important for sites that monetize via ads. YMMV to be sure.

Re: Is FeedBurner Doomed? Next On Google's Hit List?

phollows — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:31:03 -0000

Thank you, sir. Appreciated.

Re: Is FeedBurner Doomed? Next On Google's Hit List?

phollows — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:30:49 -0000

The "reach" metric from FeedBurner and FeedBlitz tells you whether the content was read - it's analagous to email's open rate. A tracking image or a link must be interacted with to cause a "reach" to be recorded.
I wll agree that FeedBurner's metrics have been unreliable. When Danny Brown moved over to Feedblitz we "found" an extra 8,000 subscribers that FeedBurner wasn't tracking. It may not be important for some sites, btu for others where audience size is critical to monetization and media kits, accurate metrics - and accurate feed metrics are part of that - are vital.

Re: Is FeedBurner Doomed? Next On Google's Hit List?

phollows — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:47:41 -0000

hi Barry - if you'll forgive the plug, we have a Migration Guide for folks interested in looking for alternatives here: http://www.feedblitz.com/th... - we were also first to break the new about FeedBurner.JP here http://www.feedblitz.com/fe... and here http://www.feedblitz.com/wh...