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

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.