Apr 22, 2015 / Intermediate

Kick-Start Your Comments

A vibrant blog with active commenters takes more than “If you write it, they will come.” Take the time to create a blog that’s ripe for comments, and your fans will find you.

Blogging is 50% self-expression, 50% community — bloggers who don’t want to connect with others are few and far between, and most of us get a little frisson of excitement every time we’re notified that one of our posts has moved someone enough to leave a comment.

If your comment section is populated mainly by tumbleweeds, never fear! Try one (or all) of these to up the odds of starting a conversation with your readers:

  • Have an opinion. Opinions are the lifeblood of blogs — your unique perspective gets us reading, and reacting to that perspective gets us commenting. You may want to appeal to the widest audience by keeping your blog blandly balanced, but you’ll miss out on the thing that makes blogs compelling: point of view. Without a point of view, you won’t get negative comments… but you won’t get positive ones, either. (Worried about being too blunt? We’ve got some tips that’ll help.)
  • Share a personal story. We read blogs because we get glimpses into the minds and lives of the people behind those blogs. When you’re open about your life, it creates a welcoming atmosphere for readers to open up, too. Humans are storytellers; we love sharing and comparing our experiences. Get more personal in your posts, and your readers will start doing the same in your comments.
  • Link to and quote others. Can blogs have two lifebloods? Let’s say they can: if opinions are one, links are the other. The internet without links is like a road with no intersections; blogs thrive on interconnection. Link to other posts, or quote other bloggers. The person you link to will likely pay you a visit to say thanks or expand the discussion, and they might just tell their own readers about you, too.
  • Ask a question. We don’t just love reading others’ perspectives, we love sharing ours. Your readers will eventually get comfortable engaging with you via comments, but you can give them a gentle nudge by asking them questions. Stay away from vague questions like, “What do you think?” and try asking something specific and direct — solicit readers’ stories, and watch your comments section grow as people react to you and to other commenters.
  • Leave comments. The best way to encourage people to engage with you? Engage with them. Read others’ blogs, and leave the bloggers real comments. Say “Thanks!” or “Great post!”, but then go further and leave something substantive; be specific about what you enjoyed, ask a question, or offer a counterpoint. If reading and commenting isn’t already part of your blogging routine, work in small chunks of “engagement time” each week — call it an investment in your blog.

Once you’ve got some conversation going, make sure you nurture it. Take time to respond, prune out irrelevant or offensive comments, encourage commenters to engage with one another, and show your readers that you’re really listening by grappling with their ideas in future posts.

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  2. It’s always a pleasure to have your work read and appreciated by other writers and readers. But for a few it’s all about expressing their self which is taken more seriously than the marketing part. Your post gives a level yet reasonable amount of insight to over come this short coming. Truly a commendable post !!! Kudos to u. Looking forward to read your blog as well.

    Like

  9. Thanks for your post about engaging the blogging community in a substantive way. One of my favorite parts of blogging is the threads. They let me exchange off-the-cuff ideas and feelings and get to know another blogger in greater depth.

    Like

  14. I’m trying harder to make time for other blogs – not easy to do but well worth it. Sometimes it can feel like I’m standing in a stadium full of people but no one hears me shouting. Thanks for the tips.

    Like

  16. The only time that I received comments from others on my blog was when I was an active participant in the Blogging 101 course! That is also the only time I received new followers. This article is very helpful, thank you! I’ve spend some time today leaving comments on other’s blogs!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Just started my blog and this is great advice!

    Would love to read some lifestyle/inspirational or personal blogs, which is what I’m interested in and also tend to write about.

    I would also like to get some input from this community, if any of you have the time 🙂

    You can check mine out at dreamdocumentary.wordpress.com
    and also leave blog suggestions for me to read if you have any.

    Thanks bloggers!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Just started blogging today! I have a lot of ideas and stories but I’m confused with the technicalities/entire lay out. Tips? Tips especially in regard to creating a good community would be helpful

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Great post and advise! I’m a new blogger and enjoy reading about tips. Will definitely read the one called “work in small chunks of engagement time” … mine is in Spanish, but if you can pls stop by. Thanks 🙂

    Like

  22. I am extremely sorry, if I have done anything wrong, by notifying the bloggers about it.
    I truly appreciate your fruitful feedback and sharing the other links.
    One more question,
    Can I press the LIKE icon to as many bloggers as many I wish?
    In fact, my intention is very clear to encourage new bloggers and since I too have got lots of support from WordPress community, happiness engineer and from you too during the time of my “BLOGGING U” course, so, I am trying to give back to the community what I have got from all of you.
    Any way, thanks a lot for your feedback.
    Wishing you all the best……………

    Like

    1. Yes, you can like as many posts/comments as you’d like. I completely understand and appreciate the desire to support other bloggers and connect with people; if you’re leaving comments on their sites, that’s fantastic. When you also notify them here, and do it repeatedly for many commenters, it makes you look a bit like a spammer, which is not what you want! (And for most bloggers, a comment/like on their own site is far more exciting and motivating than a reply on someone else’s site.)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks a lot for your feedback, I certainly got your point, and now, I can understand the logic behind it, yes, you are right, sometimes it may create wrong impression, thanks a lot for your timely and true feedback.
        Do I need to say one more time, how much I respect and admire you?, because, for the bloggers like us, who hardly know anything except posting, you are last resource of help.
        Thanks a lot…………

        Like

  23. This is brilliant. Im a newby when it comes to blogging and struggling slightly with how to reach a wider audience. I always try and write things as i would say it so my blog has a bit of personality. I suppose it takes time to build followers, likes, and comments but I’ll definitely be giving some of these a go!

    Liked by 1 person

  24. I had a vibrant blog and recently had to reinstall and recreate it. I’m still in the process of adding things to the website, as well as blogging. Goals: trying to establish myself as a travel writer and an effective writer in general. I know of some problems with the blog and website, Traveling Light, (www.rhondawiley-jones.com) that I have yet to accomplish, but I would like feedback on
    1) the overall look and feel of the site,
    2) your interest in the story that I am blog posting in installments, Behind the Gates of San Miguel,
    3) any suggestions as to whether I should create a “blog” menu item on the website or just let it come up on its own or let folks find it on “recent posts,” and
    4) finally, whether I should promote my book more aggressively and if so, how? Thanks for any feedback on any or all of my questions.

    Thanks in advance for your time and effort. Rhonda

    Liked by 1 person

    1. This isn’t really the best spot for this kind of question; I suggested checking out the Community Pool, a weekly open thread that starts each Monday where you can ask for feedback on any aspect of your blog:
      https://wordpress.com/dailypost/category/community-pool/

      If/when you do post there, I’d suggest paring down this list of questions to start; you’re asking quite a lot of folks, and are more likely to get useful help if you narrow the scope a bit.

      Like

      1. Thanks, I’ll put out one of my questions tomorrow. I thought I WAS on the community pool. I’m typically quite competent at figuring these things out, but have been quite confused on your site. There is no obvious place to “submit” a question or “start” a thread. I looked and looked and looked and looked and couldn’t find a “place” to submit my question. I just jumped in where I could ask my question. My apologies.

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      2. It’s just a regular comment thread; you participate simply by leaving a comment. You’re not missing anything — there’s no separate/specific place to “submit” anything.

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  25. This is great advice. I’ve been blogging for a few months now, I get some good comments but I find that my problem is interacting with other bloggers. I’m trying to remember to like blogs and leave encouraging comments like people do with me!

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  26. Returning after months and just can’t get going again. Your blog has inspired me today! I am already reading other blogs and have found some interesting ones where I was considering leaving comments. Now I will… kick-starting indeed! Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

  29. I will try to follow your suggestions and see if they will work to make my blog more attractive… Right Now, beside my efford, not many people gave me a somewhat feedback.. Thanks!

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