Best way to add followers

Hi there!

That’s really up to you. I’d recommend you to add the subscription widget to your site. That way, whoever signs up will receive emails with new content on your site. There’s nothing else you would need to do as those emails are generated and sent automatically. Here’s more information about this:

https://jetpack.com/support/subscriptions/

Hi – thanks for the reply! Saw somewhere that there are downsides to adding jetpack (reduced/conflicting functionality elsewhere), do you know what these are specifically?
Also, will I see a list of the contact/emails that have subscribed to the blog?

Thanks!

Saw somewhere that there are downsides to adding jetpack (reduced/conflicting functionality elsewhere), do you know what these are specifically?

Not sure where you saw this and what they were referring to, I’m not aware of any conflicts coming from the subscribe widget.

will I see a list of the contact/emails that have subscribed to the blog?

Sure thing, you can see the list of your subscribers by going to your Dashboard.
Click on Jetpack → Settings → Discussion. There you will scroll down to the “Subscriptions” section and click on the link to “View your email followers.”

Hi – thanks for the details! Will definitely give it a shot.

So as far as you know, Jetpack shouldn’t interfere with any other opt-in or contact forms on the site (Mail-Chimp/WP forms, etc?)

Do you know if I’ll lose all of my existing comments once activating Jetpack comments?

Also, how exactly would followers get notified of new content via this method? An email that says “site name” has posted a new article/blog” etc, with a link to new content?

Thanks!

So as far as you know, Jetpack shouldn’t interfere with any other opt-in or contact forms on the site (Mail-Chimp/WP forms, etc?)

No, it shouldn’t. Lots of our users also work with MailChimp and other plugins.

Do you know if I’ll lose all of my existing comments once activating Jetpack comments?

What system do you use for your comments right now? I don’t think you would lose them but it may depend on the plugin you used and how it behaves after you disable it.

how exactly would followers get notified of new content via this method? An email that says “site name” has posted a new article/blog” etc, with a link to new content?

Exactly ?? When you publish a new post, the subscription email includes a “by [author]” section below the post title. This uses the public display name settings from your site, which defaults to your username if you haven’t entered your real name. To change this, go to Users → My Profile and enter a first and last name, then you can change the Display name publicly as setting, to display a variation of your name instead of your username.

You can also choose if you want your subscribers to receive a full post or just the excerpt. In order to only have a short excerpt show in the subscriber emails go to Settings → Reading in your dashboard, and locate the option for “For each article in a feed, show” and make sure that’s set to Summary.

With the “Full text” option enabled, your followers will get the full content of your posts.

Hi – thanks this is some great info ??

Not using any special plugin for the comments, just the default WordPress one…Do have Sassy Social Share and Like buttons plugins though?

Where would the actual follow button be placed? Is it customizable throughout the site? Hoping to maybe put one on the home page and/or blog page…and then others after each post, perhaps even in the side widget…Is this easy to accomplish? (using Astra theme with Elementor).

Thanks again!

Not using any special plugin for the comments, just the default WordPress one…

You should be fine then ??

Where would the actual follow button be placed? Is it customizable throughout the site?

You can add it to any widget area but you can also use the Subscribe Form Block and add it to any page or post:

https://jetpack.com/support/jetpack-blocks/subscription-form-block/

Ok will give it a shot, appreciate your tips!

Hi – sorry had another question for you! I’ve enabled the widget for the subscription option…wondering if there’s a way to add a simple “follow” button as well? Maybe after each blog post — perhaps even one that might have capability for following via Twitter/Facebook etc as well?

Thanks!

Not really but you can also add the Social Icons widget if you haven’t done that already:

https://jetpack.com/support/extra-sidebar-widgets/social-icons-widget/

Ok thanks. Do you know of another plugin/widget that would enable a “follow” button for the blog?