Tuesday, September 16, 2014

4 Easy Ways to Increase Your Blog Comments

So you write your blog post, marvel at how perfectly crafted it is (or maybe wonder if it is good enough to publish), put it online, and wait for a comment that will show you that someone out there in the wide world reads your work and appreciates you.

{crickets}

Anybody out there?

visualpanic via Compfight cc

Has this happened to you? It definitely has happened to me. So how important are comments, anyway? If you don’t get them, does it mean no one reads your page? Or nobody loves you?

Let me put some of those fears to rest. Comments aren’t nearly as critical as you think. While they’re great for a writer’s ego (as long as they’re positive), they aren’t necessarily a good indicator of whether or not readers are engaged with your page. That’s why we use analytics. They are, however, a great way to start a conversation.

Comments function as a way to communicate with your readers. If you love to engage with argumentative readers, you can push them to comment by posting more controversial content. It can be a great way to start a discussion. Be sure to stay true to your voice and the tone of your blog. You are building a community of like-minded people, and those are the ones who will come back again and again.

There are two trains of thought on comments right now.  The new trend among some larger blogs is to turn off comments altogether. Much of the time comments on posts become a forum for self-promotion. (“Hey, I loved your post, and I’m a professional, too! Try my new app blah blah blah! And visit my website!”)

The massive site Copyblogger has removed its comment box completely, citing a 96% spam rate in its comments as one of the reasons. Seth Godin’s blog has never allowed comments (making some people to question whether it should even be called a blog.) And Jay Baer’s website, Convince and Convert, plans to stop allowing comments in the near future. 


There are still many more defenders of comments out there. After Copyblogger’s announcement, many bloggers wrote about why they are still valuable. 

 photo by miss miah via flickr
photo by miss miah via flickr
The comments on your blog are the opportunity to create a community. It’s a chance to show your readers that their opinions are important, and that they can contribute.

Remember that just because people aren’t commenting, it doesn’t mean that they don’tlove what they are reading. 

There are a few things commonly done on blogs that might be hindering your readers from making a comment.

If you want to increase your comments, make sure you have your blog optimized and set up specifically to make commenting both simple and rewarding.

Here are some tips to help:


1. Make it easy to leave comments

Don’t make your reader jump through hoops just to leave a comment on your site. If captcha is turned on, turn it off. Don’t make them register just to comment. A convenient option is a login with Facebook Connect  or Twitter Connect (both for Wordpress.)


2. Ask a leading question

At the end of your post, ask a good question of your readers. They often have great ideas. One obstacle to comments is to sound too authoritative in your post. If you have all the answers, why should anyone give you a suggestion?


3. Respond to comments

As a blogger it’s very important to respond to every comment you receive. People are less inclined than ever to comment on a blog, so reward their efforts accordingly. When you respond, you have the opportunity to turn the comment into an engaging discussion. Try to respond as promptly as possible, and when you can, ask a question that will draw them into a continuing conversation.


4. Comment on other blogs

Connecting with other bloggers and blogging communities is a great way to increase your own community. When you comment on other bloggers posts, they will often return the courtesy. You might even find yourself in the position of guest posting on other sites, which will increase your authority and your exposure. That will bring more readers to your site, who will hopefully feel compelled to comment. 


I agree with those who think comments are still useful and important to blogging.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have any suggestions for increasing readers comments, or if you think comments are no longer relevant. I really want to know.

17 comments:

  1. Thank you for this. I obsess over the comments (or lack of) and at times I want to just give up blogging because I feel like no one is out there! =)

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    1. I hear you! Don't give up - I love your writing and your blog.

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  2. I love it when I get comments! As long as people aren't promoting their own stuff I don't see anything wrong with them.

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    1. I do, too, Colette! And I agree with you. My spam filter works well, and I haven't had any of the problems the big sites have.

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  3. Asking a leading question really is key to getting comments. If they don't know what you want them to ask, they won't ask anything. Or else you'll get that obligatory, "Hey thanks!" and that's even more awkward.

    Can I request a blog post from you on analytics? That would be awesome, oh wise one.

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    1. Oh, and I'd also say that those spam checkers when you have to type letters/numbers in are a really big turn off for people as well. (Not saying this to attack personally) but through blogs I've read over the years, I've found that to be something that everyone complains about.

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    2. Good advice, definitely. That's what I meant by "captcha" - that spam checker. Annoying for people, and sometimes they leave before having to complete that step.

      And as for a post about analytics, good idea! Thanks for commenting!

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  4. I agree with your suggestions, Natalie! CAPTCHA is the devil. I alternately shut it off and turn it back on over on my own blog. The reason being that once an automated system somewhere decides to post adds for meds on one of your blog posts, it will return every day and post them. Forever. BTW if anyone needs online meds (oh, I'm sure they're safe O.o) head on over to my blog and look for one of the ones with about 400 comments.

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    1. Oh no! Sheesh! I've been going back and forth on it myself. I'm going to try it without, but now I'm worried I'll get some crazy post! Haha :) I'll let you know if I do!

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    2. For the most part they tend to stick to the same old postings for spam. I'm wondering what the downside is to having 400 ads for the big V on a blog thread...anybody? Anybody?

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    3. Hahaha - That's an interesting discussion to start! Can't they be a little more creative? They need to read up on content creation! :)

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  5. I had a friend tell me tonight that she reads and follows everything I write. I had no clue. She said she hadbeen for years. I think that may be more common than not.

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    1. I think you're right, LaDonna. Many people are faithful readers, but don't join our email lists or comment. Thanks for commenting ;)

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  6. Very interesting. While I can appreciate that some may not desire comments (especially when I read some of the comments out there - the bizarre, the profane, the self-promotional, etc.) I do agree that it provides a great way to interact. And many people online these days want to interact. Thanks for a well-written discussion Natalie!

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    1. I'm with you there. I think comments serve an important purpose. Unless I suffer from a deluge of crazy comments or spam, I will definitely leave them on. Thanks for your comment!

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  7. Such a great post! I couldn't agree more that comments are a great way for engaging and creating community. :)

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    1. Thanks, Kirstin! I'm so glad you stopped by and took the time to comment :)

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