How to let your readers subscribe to your blog updates via SMS / mobile text messages.

Here's an easy way to let your readers subscribe to your blog and feed updates via mobile text messages.
This is a great option for your readers who want to receive a special alert when you post new content. And this is an even better option for your readers who don't regularly use Twitter.
Additionally, for your readers who laready follow you on twitter, your updates can easily be lost in the stream. The following approach cuts through the stream and allows your readers to be imediately notified when you create a new post.

 To enable mobile text message alerts for your blog

1. Create a dedicated Twitter account when you will post only your blog updates.

-- Most users will not want to receive a text message every time you tweet. Instead, they likely only want to get your most important posts via text message.

2. Sign up for a dlvr.it account


3. Create a dlvr.it Route with your blog's RSS/Atom feed as the Source, and your Twitter account as the Destination.

-- Now every time your update your blog, dlvr.it will post the new item to your dedicated Twitter account.

4. To subscribe to mobile text updates:

From a mobile phone text follow @your_twitter_handle to 40404
-- Now every time you update your blog, your readers will receive a text message with your update and link to click through and read your updates.
-- Text message rates / costs may apply.
-- The 40404 short code works in the United States. Here's a list of Twitter's international mobile codes.

Here's an example of how the SMS blog updates appear on an iPhone (courtesy of Rob Moseley's excellent coverage of Oregon Duck Football for the Eugene Register Guard:


Scheduling:
Keep in mind your subscribers will receive updates whenever your items post to twitter. Depending on when you post your updates, this could be in the middle of the night for some of your followers. You can control the timing and schedule of your SMS updates using dlvr.it's scheduling feature.

Unsubscribing:
Your readers can easily unsubscribe from SMS updates by texting unfollow @your_twitter_handle to 40404

Twitter & Followers:

1. Will text subscribers be listed on Twitter as a follower?
-- If the phone number is associated with a twitter account, then the user will be listed as a follower.
http://support.twitter.com/articles/110250-how-to-add-your-mobile-n...

-- If, however, the phone number is not associated with a twitter account, then they will not be reported as a follower.

2. Will the mobile numbers be displayed anywhere?
-- The numbers are not visible to you or dlvr.it.

3. if they are listed as followers, but not listed by their mobile numbers, how are they listed?
-- Again, if the phone number is associated with a twitter account, that twitter user / name will be listed as a follower (not the phone number).
-- If the phone number is not associated with a twitter account, the text recipient will not be listed as a Twitter follower.