Knowing When to Comment
Today i read an interesting post from Yuwanda. She talked about how she decides whether or not she will comment on a blog, and for her, its whether or not the blog can deliver some traffic as a result of her comment. I have decided to take a slightly different angle on the same subject, and talk about the quality of the comment you leave, after you decided its worth leaving the comment.
After you spend some time lurking around the blogosphere, you may want to add your own voice to the mix. When you add a comment to a blog post, you become part of the dialogue. You can distinguish yourself with smart comments that bring up new points or add new information. Or you can brand yourself a flack by blatantly trying to drive traffic to your own blog or Web site.
You definitely want to bring readers to your site, but you need to do it by creating genuine interest rather than using a straight-out advertising message. You must create buzz by demonstrating your expertise and knowledge, and by simply getting people interested in what you have to say.
When you comment on another person’s blog, you’re usually asked to include an e-mail and/or URL address that is then linked to your name. Let that link be your calling card — don’t include links and sales language in your comment. Unless you’re commenting on your own product, other people’s blogs aren’t a place to make blatant sales pitches.
Don’t fool yourself by being complimentary in order to get your name and link on a prominent blogger’s site, either. Saying “I agree!” or “Nice site” doesn’t further the conversation and won’t pique the interest of others.
If you want to be accepted in the blogosphere, concentrate on creating valuable content. The links to your blog that push traffic, generate buzz, and maybe bring you sales, will follow, but only after you’ve proved yourself.
Go on, try it out by leaving a comment to this post, try to bring up some new points, or add to the conversation, put across your idea’s or opinion, and see whether you get some incoming traffic as a result.
The Freelance Writer's Blog | February 27th, 2008 at 8:45 pm #
Andy you are dead on with this post. I pass on commenting on a lot of blogs because I have not salient to add to the conversation. Many feel that just because they “stop by” it gives them a right to leave a comment.
As you say, if you can’t further the conversation, just move on. If you must leave a short, irrelevant comment, humor works best. One-line zingers that make me spew coffee through my nose are the best.
Thanks for the link love … and all the way from across the pond too. Hot dang!
Yuwanda
Jim | BloggingStartup | February 27th, 2008 at 9:48 pm #
I have found that the best way to promote your own blog in the comments you leave is to simply demonstrate the value of your writing by leaving a meaningful, relevant comment. The bottom line, if the comment does not further the conversation in some way (even by asking a pertinent question), don’t leave a comment. The comment related traffic I’ve received are from comments that don’t mention my blog.
I do believe there is one other exception (when wisely and sparingly used) to when it is okay to mention your blog or product…when that mention is highly relevant to the conversation. For example, if a post states there is no software to calculate automobile tax rates and you sell such software, by all means, mention it. Just don’t make it a sales pitch. Simply state that the software does exist and give a link.
To see my own example of how good commenting can benefit your own blog, see
James Mann | February 28th, 2008 at 5:12 am #
Hey nice article.
Hey nice site.
I agree totally come visit my site now.
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I would say attempts at leaving a comment on one of my blogs like the three above just get the comment set to spam so the eager commenter is just wasting their time and mine of course.
I have DoFollow set on my blogs so I tend to get more people trying to leave pretty useless comments. I am not getting as many as I thought I would.
Personally I try to leave comments when I want to be associated with a specific blogger and I do try to have something useful to say.
In my mind I would think that leaving a dumb*ss comment just shows that perhaps your link isn’t even worth visiting. Leaving comments like the three I listed at the top just tell me they have nothing to add so I delete them and of course wouldn’t bother going to their site.
Also when I comment it usually means the post was worth the read and my time to comment so I usually Stumble the post as well. A gift from me to the post writer or site owner.
Andy MacDonald (Post Author) | February 28th, 2008 at 1:34 pm #
Thanks guys for all your comments and your view on this subject.
When i saw your comment at first James, i thought, oh, here we go. Typical, somebody just leaving one line comments, then you went into the rest of your comment, lol. nice one.
Cheers guys.
Federal Watch | February 28th, 2008 at 5:32 pm #
Now I’m listening and watching some tutorial videos on how to get the most in web 2.0. One of the topics they discuss is blog commenting. They point out that it is very important to give information first to other bloggers. Just like give first so you’ll receive. Don’t just post comments like “Great post!, etc”..it’s important to give tips to others and try to help them out first.