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Three Ways to Improve Comments On Your Blog
“Who? Oh. Yeah. She doesn’t comment on our blog. Or any blog, for that matter.”
“Neither does so-and-so. I never see him comment,” I mused. “I wish he would. I like to hear what he says. Like Naomi. I love when she comments.” I grinned into the phone. “I love when she comments to me. Makes me feel like I’m special.”
I’m sure Harry rolled his eyes. He knows I like the red-carpet treatment. “Yeah, but so-and-so has too many comments to handle… Still, a blanket “thank you” like Brian Garder does when he has a lot of comments goes a long way. Nothing wrong with that.”
Did your name come up in our discussion? Were you one of the remarkably absent commentators? Was your blog considered one where good discussion went on, a must for our reading list?
Where and how you comment affects your blog’s success. If you are a comment hog, you may adversely affect your reputation or become tiresome for other readers. You don’t want someone to think, “Yup, there she goes again… I knew she’d put in her two cents.”
And if you aren’t commenting enough, you create a negative impression of yourself or your business. “What’s his problem? Does he think he’s above taking three seconds to acknowledge all the people who commented? Sheesh.”
You also don’t want to be known as a comment spammer, the kind who continually drops links to drive traffic or just wastes space with a dumb one-liner. Comments that don’t add value are useless.
Take a Good Hard Look at Yourself
Comments from blog owners are like manna to the masses. There’s nothing quite like being singled out in a thread by the owner – it’s a good feeling and makes people feel special.
Taking a few seconds to think on how you treat your readers and commentators is important. Don’t believe me that readers pay attention to your commenting habits? Check out the comments that arose from Chris G’s post.
Replying to comments on your blog can:
- Make people feel good about coming to your blog
- Show thanks and appreciation that people made the effort to comment
- Encourage further discussion and conversation
- Clarify, add to or debate a point a commentator brings up
- Help you be proactive in your blog’s success
Pay attention to the people who come to visit and who take time to drop comments. Ignore them, and you may send the message that your commentators don’t matter or that their views aren’t important.
Be There or Be Square
Taking the time to comment on other people’s blogs is equally important. When you visit other people’s blogs – especially those of the people that comment on yours – you accomplish many goals:
- You show appreciation to those who commented on your own blog
- You offer an active role in developing a mutually-beneficial community
- You give a good impression of yourself and your business
- You brand yourself, your blog and your business image
- You encourage people to come visit your blog for more information
When your presence is distinctly absent in the blogosphere, you may portray the impression that you’re all about you. You are notable – because you are not there. Is that really the lofty impression you want to create?
You might adversely affect your own blog by not reaching out to comment on other blogs. People might stop commenting. Why should they? You don’t comment on their blog. Respect is a two-way street. Less comments means your posts aren’t discussed, conversations fall flat, and readers aren’t encouraged to speak up.
Use the 52 Cards in Your Mental Deck
There is nothing more boring than scrolling down 50 or more comments that all say, “Great post!” Unless you’re a few cards short of a deck, you can probably come up with something better. Even the deck-challenged write interesting comments.
Add something to make your comments more interesting to read for everyone else who comes along. People scroll, sure, but they’ll slow down and pay attention if the thread provides good entertainment or thoughtful comments.
We’ve been receiving quite a bit of feedback on our comments. We’re honored to receive praise such as:
- “You make me want to click through to see what else you have to say on your blog.”
- “Your comments – while I don’t always agree with them – are interesting, insightful and well though-out.”
- “You leave great comments. That’s how I found you, actually; I found myself looking forward to your comments on XX’s blog!”
Very cool. That’s the kind of feedback you want to hear about the comments you leave on blogs – both your own and others. Remarks like those are a good indicator of whether comments are outstanding or lacking.
So come out already. Go forth and comment. What are you waiting for?
Help spread the word!
Welcome to our community. Kick back, put your feet up and join the discussion.
21 Responses - Leave your comments too!
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You’re quite right about the importance of commenting on the blogs of your own commenters. Doing so goes a long way toward building a real relationship with your active readers. And they’re especially important, since they’re the ones most likely to spread the word about your blog in the first place.
I couldn’t agree more…
…the best way to build a community is to build relationships, and the best way to have a relationship is for it to be two-way.
By commenting on other people’s blogs and actually putting in the thought that their post deserves, you (hopefully) leave an impact. Unfortunately, too many people think that having a top 3 post on a big blog will get them all the clicks they’re looking for…hence the “FIRST”, “great post”, and other useless replies.
Where do you think the line is between commenting often and commenting too much?
Once I find a blog that I enjoy, I try to leave a comment on every post that I enjoy, but only if I have something to say…is that being a groupie?
Ahh, the groupie question. Good one.
I label someone a groupie when:
I think that if you’re making a point of leaving valuable comments, adding to the conversation or asking relevant questions, it’s tough to be labeled as a groupie. If you’re getting involved, most blog owners love that – you’re helping them keep the discussion going, after all.
When I post a comment, I’m mindful of how often I’ve posted and what I say. If I can’t add or really have nothing to offer but “good post”, I try not to do it – unless it really is an amazing post.
In a discussion, I also take breaks – I may want to post a comment reply so bad my fingers itch, but I let other readers get a few in and then take my turn.
(You’re not a groupie; don’t worry.)
@ Joshua – Bingo. And readers who like commenting with you will feel a bigger bond and make the effort to comment more.
Wow, I hope I wasn’t part of that discussion.
I have a block-commenting habit. I might read and say nothing for weeks, and then I go on a tear and comment on four posts at once. I think it’s a focus thing for me. I don’t do it for any other reason than enjoying the discussion, which is probably evident since my own traffic is kinda pathetic.
…and then you have guys like me who come in after James has said all the good stuff already.
@Chad: I’m the same way. If I have nothing to say, I don’t comment for the sake of commenting. And then there are the times when I’m too tired, it’s late and I know I have no business being at the keyboard so I let it go until the next day.
@Susan: my commenting comes and goes in phases too. If the conversation is good, it holds my attention and I’ll have more to say. If it’s just a thread of a bunch of people talking just to see their own words in print, I won’t bother.
It’s interesting because I almost never think to answer comments in my OWN comments. I answer–pretty much always–but via e-mail. Which now that you mention it, doesn’t really foster conversation among readers, so much as a one-on-one between me and a reader . . . but which usually only lasts for 3 or 4 e-mails before petering out.
And, wait, I could be a groupie? At last, my rock-and-roll groupie dream comes to fruition!
@ Deb – You are very correct. Because, oddly enough, I’m sure that people would be thrilled to know the virtues of chesterfield versus couch, settee, divan and sofa (not to mention grey and grey, or illegal English software in a French-Canadian province.)
Blogs are funny like that
And yes, you can be our groupie. Chad didn’t seem to want to snap up the honor.
We get groupies? Man, this job gets better everyday.
Here’s what I want to know. How do the groupies even know there’s content up yet? My feedburner subscription sends me an email notification of my own blog post about 36 hours after I post. How do they know I wrote an article before I know I wrote an article? What software are they using? I. Want. That. Software.
36 hours? Mine works in minutes (though I don’t use email subscriptions). Google alerts is also useful for hardcore groupies, though it isn’t instant.
What gets me is the groupies who can read your mind. They come and ask a question, and you look up from the post you’re typing and say… “Damn. How’d they know I was writing on that?” Creepy.
Hmm. I use Google Reader, and usually get updates in less than five minutes.
Gee, I guess I’m a groupie of this blog! When I find a fountain of knowledge in a forest of mediocrity I tend to spend many nights reading the material. It’s like getting a book from Amazon (not the Dummies series). The ideas are fresh and, for a time, the material drives you forward.
Cheers again,
Kim
@Kim: Yay! Another groupie! Bring us offerings of green M&Ms and small bread!
*ahem* Sorry, obscure movie and 80s hair band references (anyone care to guess which I’m referring to?)
I like that “fountain of knowledge in a forest of mediocrity”. What do you think, James? A new tagline?
It’s okay, folks… I’ll give him a beer and he’ll be fine. *pats Harry fondly on the head*
@ Kim – You have confirmed that I’ve succeeded in my goal of achieving a blog worthy of such grand accolades. I am humbled. My only concern is meeting your standards of driving you forward towards success for more than just a time.
Thank you for your kind words.
My pleasure . . . but I’ll take the M&M’s and the beer!
Greetings,
There was a blog I read rather regularly, and which had a largish community of regular commentors. The discussions were generally almost as interesting as the post itself. Then one of the commentors mentioned in way of thanks that the blog author always replied to every single comment made. I had not really noticed it, but the effect was still there.
After that I made a deliberate effort to reply to every comment on my blog (not that hard, so far). It has made a tremendous difference, sparking several good conversations, and some good friends as well.
However, quality is key, not quantity.
With joy and peace in Christ,
Sir Emeth Mimetes
Sir Emeth Mimetes´s last blog ..God’s Changes in My Life
@ Sir Emeth – Responding to comments does make a difference. It’s a lot of work when the blog is a large one like ours, but the value of reaching back to people who reached out is so worthy that it’s a must, for me – and for everyone trying to grow a blog.
James. That’s a nice thougt you got there, and i may say that you take your blog seriously.
I doesn’t do so much in answers on my blog, cause there are to many dumb comments and that’s a waste of my time