The Hard But Effective Way to Get More Comments

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This is a guest post by Joe Pawlikowski. Should you wish to write for this blog, check out the guest post guidelines.

A blog with lots of comments is like the kid with lots of friends. That is, everyone wants to be that kid. Yet one of the most difficult aspects of blogging is fostering a robust comments section. As with the kid who has a lot of friends, the blog with lots of comments inspires plenty of envy in the blogs that do not. We all want to be the popular kid.

Blog comments help a blog in many ways. In addition to providing an ego boost, they can also lead to meaningful discussions. Any good blogger will tell you that, at one point or another, he’s discovered an error in his thinking because of a comment. Comments can also help market a blog. After all, what looks more attractive than a big fat number of comments on a post?

There is no shortage of advice on how to get more comments, but much of it focuses on quick boosts. The only way to generate a lasting stream of comments on every post is to work at it. This involves a few things, but it involves one thing over the rest. The hard and fast rule of getting more blog comments:

Comment religiously on your own blog

This might seem simple, but it’s not. Many beginning bloggers understand this inherently. They know that if they want to bring commenters back that they have to interact with them. But so often beginning bloggers approach this in an entirely wrong way.

A common reply from a beginning blogger: “Great comment! That’s something I hadn’t considered!” If I commented on a blog and got this in reply, it would feel the same as if I had gotten no reply at all. Commenters don’t comment to be validated. Bloggers might blog for this reason, but only a handful of commenters are looking for praise. In fact, understanding why commenters comment can be important in creating a robust comments section.

Why commenters comment

Here is a short list of why people leave comments on blogs.

• To start a discussion. People generally want to discuss things, and if you’ve written something interesting chances are you’ll entice at least one person to comment on it.
• To express gratitude. Some people just want to dole out praise for a job well done. Express your thoughts clearly and someone might be inclined to comment on it.
• To tell you you’re wrong. This can come in two forms. Some people will tell you that you’re wrong, and then start a legitimate discussion. Others will tell you that you’re an idiot and leave it at that. Ignoring the latter is recommended.
• To offer a different point of view. This is related to the previous item, but sometimes readers want to chime in with something not mentioned in the article. This is good — and also why you needn’t cover every angle of a topic in a single post.
• For validation. Listed last, because it’s the least common reason.

If you understand why people leave comments, doesn’t that then make it easier to figure out how to make them leave more comments?

What types of comments to leave

At this point, you should know that saying “great comment!” is a terrible way to get someone to leave more comments. Unless they’re one of the rare breed that seeks only validation, they likely won’t leave more comments. That means the comments section has to become a discussion forum of sorts. The responsibility is on you, the blog owner, to create a commenting environment.

This means replying to almost every comment on your blog. But instead of simply saying, “great comment!” it’s up to the blog owner to continue the discussion. If they disagreed in some way, ask them questions about their points of view. If they expressed gratitude, thank them — and then ask them specifically what they liked. If they brought up something that fell outside the scope of your post, continue that discussion.

Essentially, anything that acts as dialog will help foster conversation. When you write your reply, read it back and see if it’s something you might say to a person in a live conversation. It won’t match up perfectly, since blog comments are not face-to-face. But it should be only a slight departure of what you might say in a normal conversation.

Comment frequently

How frequently should you comment? As frequently as your schedule allows. When people leave a comment they tend to check back for a reply. If they don’t see one in a timely manner they might forget about it. That means commenting as soon as it’s reasonable for you to do so. The sooner, the better.

Thankfully, there are many ways to make quick comments. If you’re not in front of your computer, you can check for comments, and then write new ones, from a smartphone. I constantly check comments with the WordPress app on my AT&T BlackBerry Bold. That way all comments have timely replies. The hope is that the commenters will read these replies and continue commenting.

What types of comments to avoid

Just as there are types of comments you should leave, there are also types of comments to avoid. There are some things better left unsaid, and if you do say that via a blog comment you might discourage others from reading. That’s the last thing you want, so there are definitely some comments you’ll want to avoid.

• Name calling. There is no need for anyone to call anyone names. If someone calls you a name, ignore it or delete the comment. There’s no need for reciprocation.
• Flaming/insults. It doesn’t matter if they started it. Flaming is still immature, and it reflects poorly on the blog reader.
• Grammar/spelling police. Take it upon yourself to ensure that your posts are free of spelling and grammar errors, but don’t hold your commenters to that same standard. Overlook small errors and focus on the substance of the comment.
• Mockery/snark. Sometimes someone will say something that fully deserves mocking. Avoid the temptation. Again, the idea is to create a welcome environment for commenters. Few people will choose to comment if the blog owner is going to mock them.

The golden rule of commenting is the same thing your mother taught you a long, long time ago: if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything. Or, in this case, try to say something positive and engaging.

It’s not easy to follow these steps. Many bloggers are simply not willing. Those bloggers, though, aren’t likely to reap the rewards of a large comments section. It takes a lot of effort from the owner to create one, but once the work is done the reward is splendid. After all, everyone wants 100+ comments on every post.

Author Bio:

Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of Prepaid Reviews, a site that provides reviews, commentary, and information about prepaid wireless services.

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