Blogging: Start by Commenting

One of the biggest issues I have to explain to the people who come to me for Blogging Training is getting them to understand why they need to spend time commenting on other people’s blogs.  The reasons (or excuses) people have for not commenting on anyone blogs cover the spectrum from..’I Don’t have time to blog, when would I have time to comment?’..to…’What difference will my comment make?’.

Commenting on someone else’s blog is important to drawing traffic to what your blog about.   Comment Reading is part of the review process many consumers will use to find out what other people are saying about someone else, or, on an issue related to the blogger’s business.  Even in a totally social environment, viewers will read the comments made to someone’s blog to gauge the acceptance of the bloggers opinions.  Nobody want to be associated to someone who is not popular and comments are the measurement many consumers use to decide who they will do business with.

The time it takes to comment should be part of the Social Media routine of the blogger.  Knowing the ins and outs of commenting will save time and make the experience much more rewarding.  Many of the bloggers I see today close their comment and should take notice of the importance of commenting on other people’s blogs.

Commenting Tips

Here are some tips for Writing Comments which also explains why comments are important.

First of all, the act of posting a comment isn’t as important as the content of the comment or the ways in which the content is presented.  By posting thoughtful, ethical comments, you’ll attract viewers back to your blog.  Keep in mind these Tips:

1. Format the comment just as you would format the post on your own blog.
2. If you feel a challenge to the bloggers theory posted is needed then go for it, but without attacking them. Kindness will show the comment readers your maturity and will improve your authority regarding your niche.
3. Make sure the comment brings relevance to the discussion instead of rehashing something that was already posted.
4. The best blog comments are carefully constructed and clearly state your point.

When To Get Involved in the Discussion?

The best time to comment on a blog post is when the post has not yet received a comment. By being first to comment future readers of the article will be more likely to notice your comment.

It’s also wise to allocate the majority of your blog comments to posts that are shared often on Facebook or LinkedIn since more people are apt to read a blog from a friend or colleague than from a ReTweet on Twitter. This will ensure your comments receive as much reliable exposure as possible.

How to Get People to Post Comments to Your Own Blog

High quality comments on your blog indicates to your readership you actually care about the content you posted in their comments. This enthusiasm can in turn generate additional repeat visitors.

Here are several ways to encourage commenting at your own blog:

1. Always answer comments promptly. When an someone sees their comment was taken seriously, they will be more likely want to comment on future posts.

2. Post relevant information and include links to other websites. Linking to other sites will establish your site as a strong player in your niche, as opposed to the onslaught of narcissistic blog sites that only cares about their site’s traffic.

3. Always be courteous when responding to comments. Be respectful, and don’t hesitate in telling someone you don’t know the answer to a question.

4. Stay away from words and phrases such as “maybe,” “probably” and “I guess”.  They indicate uncertainty and  damage credibility.

5. Keep the comment areas clean of Spam, ridiculously negativity comments placed to draw attention to something irrelevant to the subject; or (this is most important) comments attacking other commenter’s. Blog articles followed by a series of rude, immature or off-topic comments will run off the more respectable readers which will cause them to be less likely to post comments of their own.

Additional Blog Commenting Tips

The following tips can further increase the value of your comments:

1. The purpose of commenting is to build credibility as an expert.  Building Trust is the first challenge facing a commenter.

2. Always post a photo of yourself in the comment profile information.  This is the absolute most important piece of credibility and respect a blog commenter can demonstrate to the blogger.  Many bloggers who get large numbers of comments made by people without Photos in their Avatar will delete their comment no matter if it was relevant or well written.  This is done to keep from promoting spammers and other undesirable person’s-places-or-things.

3. There is no reason or need for blatant self-promotion comments. People who post promotions in Comments portray an image to others of desperation.  Self promotion comments devalue a blog and if not controlled will cause the blog to be ranked lower.  Don’t be one who kills someone else’s blogs by posting your self promotions.

4. The posting of useful, relevant information directly related to the niche subject shows intelligence.  People will naturally find your site when they learn something from the comment you made.

5. Using a ‘username’ or pseudo name as a targeted keyword most of the time will send off the wrong message.  It is best to use your real name. This gives your comment a human touch that average Internet readers will respect. 

6. Linking back to your blog in every single comment post will also work against you. Only link to your blog when the link is relevant.  Your username should be the only thing in your comment that links to your website or blog.  Remember, Blog readers are not Stupid..they know how and where to find the link to your site.

7. Always add real value in your comments. Otherwise, do not comment.  Commenting just to comment is also something people will see through real quickly and will mark you as a Spam Commenter, Heckler or Stalker.

8. Getting actively involve in a discussion is encouraged, even if your opinion differs from that of the previous poster’s. Just make sure to stay positive.

9. The constant repeated of phrases like “I definitely agree” and “you are absolutely right” are not interesting, and will give readers little reason to check out your site.

10. Also avoid simpleton comments such as “very good post” without elaborating. Instead, show some commitment and proof you read the post by choosing a specific part of the post on which to comment. 

11. Also,explain why you disagree or agree with the original previous commenter while adding your own take on the information.

Getting comments to your blog is just as important as giving comments to others blogs.  Following these simple tips will improve your chances of getting comments to your blog.

Happy commenting and let me know how I can help.