Written on November 7th, 2007 at 12:11 am by Darren Rowse
11 Tips for Getting Your Comments Noticed on a Popular Blog
One of the comments on this week’s post - The Power of Commenting on Blogs - was from The Great Seducer who asked:
“Do you have any suggestions for commenting in a way that will draw interest to you? Obviously an insightful comment is the best plan…. but when there are 100+ comments sometimes they get over looked.”
In this post I’m going to suggest 11 tips for leaving tips on blogs that not only get noticed but that help build your profile and generate traffic.
1. Be the Early Bird
One of the best ways to stand out from the crowd is to be get in early. I know numerous bloggers who are great at leaving the first comment on a post and generating some good traffic as a result. Of course being first won’t help you if you don’t have anything worthwhile to say - so read on….. (warning: being first all of the time can be quite annoying both for the blogger whose blog you’re commenting on as well as other readers. I know of a few people who’ve actually hurt their reputation by being too eager to comment on every post without actually adding value to conversations.
2. Share an Example
A great way to add value to a post that someone else has written is to give an example that illustrates their main point. Quite often bloggers writing ‘how to’ or ‘instructional’ posts cover the theory of a topic really well but fail to give practical examples of how it works itself out in reality. I find that readers really love to see examples - so if you can give them in comments they’ll often be grateful and will check out who is behind them. The examples could be to your own work - or that of others.
3. Add a Point
Did the blogger miss a point on their post? Extending the post by adding another argument or point can improve the conversation and show yourself off to be someone who knows what they’re talking about. Some bloggers will even highlight your comment in an update to the post.
4. Disagree
One way to stand out from the crowd is to disagree with the post and/or what others are writing in comments. This isn’t something you will want to do on every comment that you leave (and it could be something that gets you into trouble) but it can be quite refreshing to see someone who dares to put forward a different idea to everyone else. Of course you don’t need to do it in an argumentative or attacking way - but respectfully and politely disagree (where you actually do) and you can actually create a real impressions on others.
5. Write with conviction, passion and personality
Sometimes when I read the comments left on blogs I wonder if there is anyone with personality behind them or whether they’re written by some sort of zombie like half human half robotic bloggers. Inject some feeling, passion, conviction and emotion into your posts. This doesn’t mean you need to write everything in CAPS or use lots of EXPLANATION MARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - but when a post excites you, let that feeling enter your comments, when you are happy, let your comment be cheery, when a post evokes anger - don’t be afraid to comment with a little edge.
6. Use Humor
As a blogger who has a blog with posts that can get hundreds of comments I know just how mind numbing it can be to read through them all. One type of comment that snaps me out of this state when I’m in moderation mode is a comment that makes me laugh. Of course humor can also be misinterpreted and cause offense - so be a little careful :-)
7. Ask a Question
I notice here on ProBlogger that it is often comments that ask questions that get the most responses from other commenters. I guess it makes sense - asking a question calls for a response - we’re all wired to answer them - so they do stop people in their tracks a little and cause them to at least stop and think about how they’d answer it (whether they do or not).
8. Formatting Comments
I want to say right up front that this one should be done with caution (and could make you look like a try hard spammer) - but a subtle and clever use of formatting in comments can actually draw the eye to your comment. Scan through the comments left on a highly commented upon post and see what you notice. In most cases it’s only broken up by the names of commenters. Many blogs will allow you to use html in comments - allowing you to bold words, use italics and more (for example here at ProBlogger using ‘blockquotes’ in comments will change the formatting. Do this too much and you can actually find yourself in trouble - but bolding the occasional word for emphasis, using a little white space, using a symbol etc can give those viewing the page a subtle visual cue to look at your comment. Like I say - this should be done with caution.
An example of this is to bullet your comments with different symbols. A number of readers of ProBlogger do this using symbols like ‘**’ or ‘–>’
9. Helpful Links
We’ve debated whether leaving links in posts is good practice previously - but my opinion is that when a link is helpful to those reading and when it adds value to the conversation in some way that it’s OK. I personally don’t like signature links in comments - but links as examples not only will potentially send people to your blog - they actually act as a visual cue (web users are wired to be on the look out for them).
10. Comment Length
Are all the comments on a post long? Leave a short one - it’ll stand out. Are all the other comments short? Leave a long one - again, it’ll stand out.
11. Lists/Break it down
A big turn off with comments can be when someone leaves a long detailed comment that has massive blocks of text. This can often be made to look worse than it is when the comments area is actually narrower than the area given to posts (as in here at ProBlogger). One way to break up the amount of text is to break your comment down into a list of short posts.
Keep in mind that while leaving comments on other people’s blogs can be a great way to draw traffic to your blog - that it can also hurt your reputation/brand. Read more on this in my post - 10 Ways to Hurt Your Blog’s Brand by Commenting on Other Blogs.
PS: I just noticed that Caroline just posted on a similar topic and outlined some suggestions for a blog commenting strategy.
111 Responses to “11 Tips for Getting Your Comments Noticed on a Popular Blog”
redwall_hp
November 7th, 2007 12:38 am
Great post.
Here’s another tip:
Don’t say “W00t! First comment LOL!”
P.S. You wrote “EXPLANATION MARKS!!” Shouldn’t that be “exclamation”?
luke
November 7th, 2007 12:40 am
fast enough?
luke
November 7th, 2007 12:41 am
missed it by 120 seconds
Amanda
November 7th, 2007 12:43 am
You have made some very great points here in your post. I’m not actually trying to get any attention with this post, just wanted to give you a little recognition for having such an informative and useful blog! All the best to you!
Matt Jones
November 7th, 2007 12:45 am
Can the question being asked be rhetorical?
I think so.
Sam Smith
November 7th, 2007 12:47 am
Speaking of being the early bird…
How insightful of you!
I’ve made it a quest of mine to be more active with comments. I have a rule now that simply says, if I’m going to take the time to read someone’s post, then I’m going to take the time to comment on it, whether or not I liked the writing.
There’s just no sense in NOT participating in discussions…that’s what blogs are for!
Caroline Middlebrook
November 7th, 2007 12:51 am
Sometimes the original post can be so well written and exhaustive that it is difficult to think of something to say. But one thing that is often overlooked is the continuation of the post within the comments themselves.
On popular blogs, you may find that other readers ask questions and as a fellow commenter you may be able to answer that readers question for them.
I’ve seen that happen on my own blog and it’s really nice to see readers helping each other out in that way and I think it helps to build a sense of community around a blog, rather than just a one-way conversation between the blogger and the readers.
derek
November 7th, 2007 1:05 am
I’d like to echo Caroline’s comment about answering the questions of other readers if you are able and have relevant knowledge to share.
That is a practice that I have followed on a few blogs that I frequent. This is a great way to build a relationship with other readers of a blog. As you demonstrate an ability to help other people via your comments, they will be more likely to pay you a visit. As an added bonus, doing so can actually catch the attention of the blog owner as I had happen recently and as a result has opened a new door of opportunity for me.
While I think most of these tips are spot on advice, I’ve never been a big fan of formatting my comments and am usually hesitant to add a link, particularly to anything of my own even if it is relevant. Some blogs don’t allow formatting and others frown upon the links, so I have just found it easier to avoid in most cases.
bontb
November 7th, 2007 1:13 am
That is nice to know, I wonder how many people read 20-50-100 comments on 1 post. Do they read them all? Do they click on commentators links?
Michael Woo
November 7th, 2007 1:14 am
This is a great guide :D
Peter Cooper
November 7th, 2007 1:14 am
What do you think about the name you specify? For example, all of the commenters so far, me included, have used our regular names or a nickname. What about people who use their domain name or blog title as their name? It does make the linkback stand out a bit more, and as long as they end the comment with their real name, I have no problem with it.
Luis
November 7th, 2007 1:16 am
I agree with most of you tips, except for one. If you have something to say about a topic and it’s going to be long discussion, as a blogger, I would write an article and point my comment to it. I find very rude to leave super long comments on other people’s blog. That’s just my two cents.
How did I do?
Nick
November 7th, 2007 1:23 am
I agree with Bontb, that would be a good idea for a poll on problogger I think?
Also, do leaving trackbacks get you noticed as much as comments do?
Vagelis
November 7th, 2007 1:28 am
Hey Sam Smith that’s insightful, true blog have comments so as conversations are held.
But what if there was no website block??
Darren, take this challenge, in a future post, REMOVE the ability for us to have the website link, I know it’s not a piece of cake, but man that would cut down your comments reading time!!
:)
Bobby Rio
November 7th, 2007 1:35 am
It really is basic… if you go to a block and give as good, if not better information in the comment than what was in the post, people are bound to check out your blog.
I’ve subscribed to a lot of my readers rss feeds simply because I was amazed at the insights I was given in their comments on my blog.
I think it also has to do with commenting often certain blogs. I’ve noticed that my first couple comments on a blog don’t bring me traffic, but after about 4-5 comments (on a less popular blog than this of course) I start seeing traffic
Netvalar
November 7th, 2007 1:36 am
I would be very curious about the 50+comments and how often readers read that far. Being more informative then anything else in my own posting I get very few comments could be the small size of niche too.
@Luis I agree with the long comment turning into a blog post instead. However there are also times when an article doesn’t fit within ones blogs direction. At those times I feel it would be best to leave the long post instead of confusing your readers though I do that myself from time to time.
etavitom
November 7th, 2007 1:45 am
AWESOME SUGGESTIONS! Thank you…
Dave
November 7th, 2007 2:00 am
@bontb
I find I only read all the comments if the post itself is interesting, and the value that can be added by those commentating supplements the original post.
ProBlogger comments tend to be made by enthusiastic, knowledgable people, and therefore have more value (to me) than comments made on a number of other sites that I read on a daily basis. I’m sure it has its own fair share of well disguised spam, like any site, but a trawl through the comments of most posts on here reveal that there is a generally low signal-to-noise ratio (is that the right way round - you get my drift I’m sure?)
@Peter
I prefer to see people use their real name, if only for the extra personality it brings to a comment. Nicknames and Site URL’s are less likely to have me click through to that site. I get the url by holding my mouse over it - real name + interesting domain name wins over nickname/site url + interesting domain name. Just a personal view.
jhay
November 7th, 2007 2:10 am
Another great list, but when comments really pile in, it’s quite challenging to join in the conversation right away.
There were times that I was making a reply to a comment but by the time I got hit the submit button, the blog owner just edited it out.
Being the early bird does have a lot of benefits.
Chris Jacobson
November 7th, 2007 2:11 am
I disagree with this list and can easily write a better one. See what I did there? :)
bmunch
November 7th, 2007 2:18 am
If you have something to say, say it.
That’s always been my policy in commenting on other blogs.
Though like jhay said if the comments pile up (like it always do at Problogger) it will be better to get in fast, as most people don’t read more than the first 10-20comments.
Mohsin
November 7th, 2007 2:27 am
How about think of comments as short posts where all the post formatting rules apply?
Etienne Teo
November 7th, 2007 2:27 am
Leaving a super long comment will be annoying to some commenters because it seems like a post instead of a comment. But leaving a short comment with one sentence is never a good thing.
What i have always been doing is if i have an argumentative point, then i will blog about it and drop a comment here with my maxmium of 2 paragraph of comment with no more than 6 sentences in each. I hope that helps.
AntiBarbie
November 7th, 2007 2:34 am
Number 11 is so true. I find that if the comment left on my blog is long and in one giant block of text, it bugs me so much that I’ll edit it into paragraphs myself. I guess it’s just my nature as a writer. Stuff like that gets under my skin.
Gamermk
November 7th, 2007 2:42 am
What about adding colourful characters?
(>”)> *wave*
Peter Cooper
November 7th, 2007 2:49 am
Dave: That’s what I usually do (mouseover and look at domain). Unfortunately many Movable Type powered blogs obfuscate the URL through some tracking URL which makes this impossible. I’m generally therefore less likely to visit commenters’ sites on those blogs.. which is sad really. Down with obfuscation!
Peter Buick
November 7th, 2007 2:51 am
Two bloggers walk in to a bar….
One says “I’ve just blogged about this bar”.
“I know says” the other blogger. “That’s why I’m here!”
“OH!” says the blogging blogger. “Well I’m going to blog about that right here and now using my Apple iPhone”
“I know you are” said the bloggers mate. “I just blogged about that before I came out… I only came in person so I could add the photo using my iPhone mark 2″ [sfx photo click]
Darren,
You’re forgetting (at least) one thing. “Why?”
Blog comments should add value to the original blog and not be a PR vehicle to your own rantings (cough). Or a mindless I’m still breathing. (BTW I am still breathing…) or just to big-up the ego of the original blogger (BTW very nice Daren ;-) ).
I do not really believe people discover other blogs through comments, else I’d have shed loads of traffic (LOL).
And with no follow links, there’s little benefit to commenting either from an SEO find my own blog perspective.
It’s a shame that Blogs do not promote real debate and discussion. But I guess that’s what Forums are for, if one can manage the spam.
But seriously I think the best use of comments, is simply to thumbs up or thumbs down the blog. It’s great to know that 1) somebody read it and 2) that somebody care enough to mention they liked it or not.
Do we really need a “strategy” for that?
AYK a blog is just a one way opinion of the blogger. It isn’t really a basis for discussion or interaction. It is “I think this and I’m going to tell you about it”.
In an ideal would each blog article would teach people something, or inspire them to do something of their own. AYK many blogs are not like that.
So let me thumbs down this post. You’ve tried to teach people how to comment on blogs for better effect.
1) Not because they deserve it because what they have to say is relevant, important or worthy.
2) But merely to join in to a fake community and boost the bloggers own self importance.
SO my point, is why propel myths that blog comments are even worth discussing or that a strategy is needed?
Isn’t there more important stuff to discuss than the furony.com of discussing discussion?
Like “How to change your own life in 7 seconds!” Yes I’ll be putting that blog up myself, but you’re very welcome to do your own. Then the blogosphere will have 14 seconds of quality content ;-)
BTW do you think surveys/pols are more or less popular than comments?
PS I always quite liked w00t - LOL
JM0CW
Peter
“I comment therefore I am…”
maneesh
November 7th, 2007 2:53 am
I presume we will now lead go into an era with a lot of decoration below every post on problogger ..
—~~|*77&77^^%4$$ anyone!!|—~~~– :D
Shams
November 7th, 2007 3:08 am
To be early bird you have to be sitting with your pc 24 h and moving from one blog to the other. It’s not easy.
Ruchir
November 7th, 2007 3:12 am
Yes, everyone knows about the benefit of commenting early on in posts, especially on A List blogs like yours and John Chow’s. Not only does it garner attention from the author of the blog but it also results in traffic.
But you know, the problem in commenting early, especially for people living outside the US is that most bloggers tend to post according to the time in the ‘States. For example, I currently live in Eritrea and when I get to comment on blogs, most of them are already full of them as the posts were published when I was sleeping.
Another problem is the fact that there’s so much competition for the first spot. Let me give you an example: One day I was reading my feed and suddenly a new post by John Chow appeared. I quickly went to the blog but saw that within 1 minute of the post’s publication, it already had 5 comments!
Brandon - Call Center Consultant
November 7th, 2007 3:16 am
Good post, I however disagree (an honest disagreement) with the bolding and attempt to highlight words. Your comments should not be so long that you need to highlight certain sections, short and sweet are best.
Joe
November 7th, 2007 3:29 am
That was quick towards 20 comments. Darren, I agree with you. I have seen a bit of a spike in traffic since I have started commenting on the bigger blogs. But it is true that you have to get in early because the middle comments rarely seem to get read, just those at the beginning and the end. I missed the ball on this one ;-)
Ivy
November 7th, 2007 3:41 am
I notice that commenting “guidelines” vary from blogger to blogger, but there is a mean golden rule that comments should follow the thread of the topic.
However, there have been times when I had a burning question that was not exactly related to the focus of the article, but carries significance to people reading the blog.
For example, the article here is on suggestions for commenting. Maybe what I really want to know is how effective commenting on other blogs is in driving traffic to my blog compared to social networking and advertising. Would it be violating the unseen rules of commenting by throwing that question into the comment thread?
Gyutae Park
November 7th, 2007 3:50 am
Something similar to asking a question would be to insert some sort of call to action. For example, if you want other bloggers to look into a new service, something like “Try this program and let us know what you think!” could catch the eye and spur people to do something - even in a comment.
William Lehman
November 7th, 2007 3:55 am
I would also add that if you are going to write a seriously long comment, that either submit it as a possible guest post to that blogger or write it on your own blog (if it works with your topic) and leave a trackback. Then not only are you responding, you are adding value to the original content and adding to the sense of community around that post.
Michael Beck
November 7th, 2007 3:57 am
Number 6 is near and dear to my heart. I love humor and try to sprinkle a little of it in everything I write.
And to redwall_hp I definitely agree with that tip. I see comments along the line of “w00t! First comment!” way too often for my taste and I never pay those folks any attention other than my initial annoyance.
Missy
November 7th, 2007 4:15 am
*****I’ve noticed that alot of comments here at Problogger tend to be of a congratulatory nature and not much else, after one reads 10-30 of those, well it’s abit annoying. I personally do click on insightful commenters links, have done it many times. I’ve also rec’d some traffic myself.
[TIP] Add value.
[QUESTION] How does one BOLD in a comment box?
Darren D
November 7th, 2007 4:19 am
I’d add one more to the list - don’t comment on every post! You may feel you’re a blogger’s greatest fan, but they probably think you’re a deranged stalker, and end up taking extra care locking the doors and windows at night.
On my anonymous blog I had one woman who wrote volumes after each of my posts, going into all sorts of detail about how the same thing happened to her 15 years ago, and wasn’t that the most amazing thing ever, and usually ending with how she’d like to live in Ireland too.
If you find yourself commenting on the same blog every day, then you probably need a long holiday where the sun shines and a broadband connection is nowhere to be found.
MoneyNing
November 7th, 2007 4:37 am
Let me try the suggestion by breaking it down.
1. Click my link
2. Click my link
3. Click my link and go to my website! :)
Mark Dykeman
November 7th, 2007 4:55 am
I just wrote the world’s most humorous, satirical post in response to this post. Now it’s lost in the ether. Darn.
I’ll just throw in my final phrase from that comment, although the original, full comment was funnier:
“I’m just worried about the possibility of a new generation of blogs about blog commenting optimization.”
chipseo
November 7th, 2007 5:56 am
Being that I was NOT one of the “eArLy BiRdS” my comment will probably get lost in the
shufflecrowd, but, I think another good options for comments would be to offer some added value to the post or other comments.I can’t stand comment posters that just say GREAT POST and then leave some worthless link for others to follow. :)
Leave something of added value :)
Scott
BONTB
November 7th, 2007 6:12 am
Problogger,
Why don’t you run pool and ask your readers
“Do you read all comments, just some of them, or you just comment and leave?”
@Nick: Thanks on agreement
@Dave: Got your point, I am the same way.
Dan Schawbel
November 7th, 2007 6:14 am
Adding advice and asking a question are two important ones. I think it’s hard to standout with comments, as the blog post is what is supposed to stand out in the first place.
titan
November 7th, 2007 6:15 am
Maybe. But i think many people already know about that. Its good and i can said some beginners need to know more about you talking here..
Its good if you want to get more traffic in short time..
Vote for Sciencebase
November 7th, 2007 6:39 am
Would commenting off topic be another way to get noticed?
If so, then here’s something unrelated, please vote for Sciencebase in the science category of the 2007 weblog awards. There’s some stiff competition, but I’d hope to finish at least not tenth…
http://2007.weblogawards.org/polls/best-science-blog-1.php
Thanks
db
Mark
November 7th, 2007 6:44 am
I might just ad - Think before you write - especially if you would like to flame the author.
Think about what you would like to say logically and then come back and post your views.
Natasha
November 7th, 2007 7:04 am
I disagree! lol
no, seriously that it some good advice, and which can also be carried into blog posts
Chris Marshall
November 7th, 2007 7:33 am
12. Comment on less popular blogs
Instead of struggling to be heard above the noise of 100 repetitive “great post” notes, find a smaller forum where your contributions will receive all the attention they deserve.
Martial Development welcomes your insightful commentary!
Antilogic
November 7th, 2007 7:48 am
Thanks Darren
Another top post. I think this is a part of blogging that we mostly neglect. I never in my wildest dreams thought that the length of my comments could be so easily “strategized”…
Andre
mcangeli
November 7th, 2007 8:10 am
Chris: Your addition of number 12 is a good one. Something that I’ve started doing as well, is I try to visit the blogs of those who comment on mine and read/comment on theirs.
I realize that for larger blogs (like problogger) that would be insane to try and do but for the smaller ones it works rather well. Then I can build a rapport with my “readers” outside of my blog as well.
Darren Rowse
November 7th, 2007 8:10 am
Peter - I’ll give you a quick answer as to ‘why’.
I just clicked your name to find out who left the comment that you left.
the longer answer was This post where Caroline showed that she’d had 700 visitors to her blog through commenting on other blogs - in a month. Might not be massive traffic when compared to other methods but to a new blog it’s huge growth and a great way to get a foothold in your niche - particularly when many of those visitors are bloggers themselves.
Thriveal
November 7th, 2007 8:18 am
I’m not going to comment here because my comment is so low already.
Oh, well…
CED
November 7th, 2007 8:59 am
Be civil and concise with your comments. But always be civil no matter how steamed you might be.
Emmett Jones
November 7th, 2007 9:22 am
@ Thriveal
Actually, being this low on the comment list isn’t always a bad thing. If you’re the last commenter in a long list, you just might get noticed. Especially if the person reading the post plans on leaving a comment (that’s how I noticed your post in the first place!), they will probably see your comment before they start writing.
The point? always write informative comments, because you never know when someone else might be reading, and want to visit your site because of what you said.
Dr. Pete
November 7th, 2007 9:46 am
I’d add another one: pick a couple of sites and try to become a “regular”. That doesn’t mean you comment on everything to fill up space, but get to know a blog and its community, and eventually people will recognize your name and give your comments a bit more credibility.
I’ll also second Chris M., though; no offense to successful bloggers like you Darren, but I’ve been adding more and more of the little guys to my RSS feeds. It’s easier to build community and get noticed with the up-and-comers.
TiberiusJonez
November 7th, 2007 11:24 am
Thanks for the great tips. As someone who is trying to get their gaming blog noticed I truly appreciate all of your comments on getting new traffic to your site. My wife turned me onto your site and I have this site open everyday to see what new piece of advice I can take with me to help improve my own blog.
Todd
Lin
November 7th, 2007 11:37 am
@Chris and Dr. Pete, you couldn’t be more right. Sorry Darren. I’ve found some incredible “unknown” blogs to subscribe to through comments left and stumbling.
With the bigger blogs, such as yours Darren, I can’t help sometimes but to feel that there is a “clique” atmosphere, And if you’re relatively new to the blog and begin commenting there, you may be perceived as someone commenting only to get traffic.
Darren, I read nearly every one of your posts, but I don’t comment often. Some of your topics are things I’m trying to learn, so it would make no sense for me to comment when it’s a topic I haven’t mastered yet.
And, I’m busy building relationships with other bloggers who aren’t quite so well known, and those who haven’t built up a clique-type posse. :)
Audrey
November 7th, 2007 11:41 am
Well….
Late but worth it. I’m always low man on the totem. *winks* I’ll leave off the w00t!
Interesting and highly useful advice here. Thanks.
Bob A4F
November 7th, 2007 11:44 am
Looking these over…
short and sweet (with a link) worked best for me…
http://www.answers-for-freelancers.com
Jonathan Dingman
November 7th, 2007 12:11 pm
I completely and entirely DISAGREE with you Darren. I think the best way to comment is to just leave quick little one line notes.
of course, if I really believed that, than I would be a joke and couldn’t consider myself a real blogger — ever.
Sara East
November 7th, 2007 1:16 pm
To comment or not to comment, that is the question. I read the post, read the comments and of course i have to throw in my two cents, it probably isn’t worth two cents but oh well…
Most comments I tend to see on other blogs seem to be people wanting attention to themself. That is great! The problem comes when you comment on a popular blog site. The more comments the less you get noticed. So saying something in your comment is important. If all you are saying it, “WOOT Great blog” or ” Preach it brother!” then you need a slap on the hand and should go back into your corner and try it again.
If you want a comment noticed you have several ways, this post lists a few. I tend to ignore short brainless comments and go for ones that have a bit of thought. Reading the same comment written 5203 different ways just doesn’t do it for me.
When you post your next comment, give it a second and actually use the grey matter between your ears and give a thoughtful comment, not one that shows your mental age.
Ok, that was my two cents.
Sam Freedoms Internet Marketing Controversy Blog
November 7th, 2007 2:23 pm
Who gives a CRAP? Is this information so RARE and unobvious that it has to be treated like a huge revelation? All it does is turn an otherwise BORING group of COMMENT WHORES into a bunch of maniacs who **** up otherwise perfectly good comment sections.
LOOK MA! NO LINK!
Sam
Live Like a Cat Day
November 7th, 2007 3:36 pm
Excellent article, Darren. I would also like to figure out how to get more commenters on my blogs. :)
I think it would be interesting if there were other options besides text comments. The option to leave audio comments would be interesting and an even better way to stand out from the crowd. Or… take it a step further and allow YouTube video embedded comments.
Perhaps you could test this out Darren? Could be interesting…no?
Jermayn Parker
November 7th, 2007 4:38 pm
Yeah I usually find disagreeing is the best seeing EVERYONE always agrees.
Ryan
November 7th, 2007 4:47 pm
Darren do you leave comments on people’s blogs in order to drive traffic?
Does this work for you?
Tech For Novices
November 7th, 2007 5:11 pm
Did not have time to read the 65 comments above. So dont know if some one already said this.
We comment on the speed linking post of problogger. That get us about 100+ hits on that days. Thats like gold for a very small blog like ours
Mark - ProBloggersMatrix
November 7th, 2007 5:40 pm
When you leave comments on a blog, try to add something useful to the conversation. Help out the other commenters. Engage the other commenters. Better yet, engage the blog’s author!! Ask substantive questions that enhance the conversation. Read the other comments before leaving one yourself. Take time to READ and THINK about the article that you’re commenting on.
That’s my two cents’ worth.
Blog Angel Team (Joanna)
November 7th, 2007 6:46 pm
Darren
This one’s kind of hard to control… but being last can work.
As Emmet mentioned above, people are more likely to look at comments at the beginning and the end (it’s like any piece of writing that we scan - we’re paying more attention at the start and finish)
It’s particularly good for people who come late to the party!
But if you’re going to stand out because of your position whether early bird or latecomer - you’ve got to make sure you’re adding something of value to the conversation.
Otherwise why bother?
Joanna
netvalar
November 7th, 2007 7:38 pm
O.K. I don’t usually read that many comments but I decided to come back to this post for a reason. Now what was that reason thinking thinking thinking oh yea it actually was mentioned a post on how to do a good call to action so as to get comments on your blog. I find that most of my feedback is via IM due to my contact page.
bhaswara
November 7th, 2007 7:43 pm
I’m the greatest!
my blog is much more better than yours!
.
.
.
.
get attentions? :-P
moroccanmaryam
November 7th, 2007 9:00 pm
Some excellent ideas. I wish there were ways to embed photos in comments. I am a really visual person and so this speaks to me - do you know of anything?
PS Lots of luck in the 2007 Annual Weblog Awards. You have and will continue to have my votes. My blog, My Marrakesh, is a finalist, too, in the category Best Middle East or Africa blog.
Vote for Sciencebase
November 7th, 2007 9:12 pm
Another way to write an unusual comment that might get noticed is to comment on the same thread and basically repeat oneself as anyone who read one’s earlier comment might getting a feeling of resonance.
So, please vote for Sciencebase in the science category of the 2007 weblog awards. There’s some stiff competition, but I’d hope to finish at least not tenth…
http://2007.weblogawards.org/polls/best-science-blog-1.php
Thanks ;-)
db
James
November 7th, 2007 10:03 pm
Yeah I am a believer in using you real name, or at least have your real name + site.
If you are going to disagree on a post at least come up with a reasonable argument for your decision and not blatantly insult the Blogger. I know being deliberately abusive will get more attention but is it the right kind of attention? If you disagree make sure the site/blog you link to from you name is up to a decent standard or that’s just tempting people to be negative on your own site.
Alfredo
November 7th, 2007 10:30 pm
this is a sample short comment. lol :-D
nomad-one
November 7th, 2007 11:04 pm
CoMMenting RocKS!, I recently won a premium theme & an iPOD Nano in commenting competitions. Wooo Hooo!
Mark Argentino
November 7th, 2007 11:58 pm
75 comments in less than 24 hours, there are obviously many people who follow your blog religiously.
I happened to see this post and it was the title, of course, that caught my eye. I think that we should be spending more time blogging and less time looking for traffic by commenting and hoping that someone will click our link only to find there is little content worth reading at the other end.
All the best,
Mark
Michael
November 8th, 2007 12:24 am
Oh I’m late to the party once again! Well maybe I can try some of these out anyway…
What do gay horses eat?
Hayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I hate ProBlogger! I think he’s an idiot!!!!!
Hey, check this news site that’s filled with current events: http://www.cnn.com
Ok, I’m done. Let’s see what happens.
The University Kid
November 8th, 2007 12:43 am
Nice tips mate, will be sure to remember them when I’m shamelessly self promoting my own,
Guess no one will visit mine as I’m waayyy down the list, but better luck next time I guess :D
Great Tips & How To Information
November 8th, 2007 12:44 am
Nice going on the facial hair! I may be growing a beard myself pretty soon!
Keep up the great posts Darren!
Sangesh
November 8th, 2007 2:45 am
Hey Darren,
Well I had used some of the above suggestions that you have suggested. Thankx for the other tips that you have provided.
Cheers.
Ryan Paul
November 8th, 2007 4:22 am
What about shamelessly saying I’ve got next to no readers at all, and everyone should visit my boring blog right now?
It’s not even a joke… I really do have next to no readers, and I’m quite sure if I was someone else, I’d find my blog boring as hell.
So everyone… if you want to see some boring stuff, you know where to look eh?
Kenneth
November 8th, 2007 5:50 am
Lol, so many humor on this post comment. What about posting a link? Anyway, I’m running a contest on my blog, 500$ cash..^^ Bloggers-Journey.com
Luke
November 8th, 2007 9:51 am
I am with missy on this one. On more than occasion I have had my comments censored and they were almost always critical or held an alternative viewpoint.
Ryan Paul
November 8th, 2007 11:10 am
Kenneth… that was just a lame attempt at getting traffic. I won’t and know others that wouldn’t even view your website because of your comment. YOu need to let others view your site on their own.
BillinDetroit
November 8th, 2007 11:25 am
I thought that I would mention … by way of an attention getter … that I will be donating the gross proceeds from advertising appearing on http://nmwoodworks.com/tech to the OLPC organization. Full details on the blog, but it is a 100% pass-through deal with no ‘catch’.
Seemed like a good use for a tech blog.
–Bill
PS … it’s a ‘fresh’ blog so there are only a couple of articles posted so far. Additional posts are planned on a twice-weekly basis for all of my blogs. So far, I’m exceeding that goal with a couple posts ‘in the bank’.
Gary
November 8th, 2007 1:22 pm
Really good post, I never really thought about utilizing comments before. I have bookmarked your blog.
Kenneth
November 8th, 2007 2:00 pm
@Ryan Paul, woops.. Sorry Ryan. Just pass by and was thinking to invite readers. Anyway, I’ll keep it down.. Thanks for the advice
Ryan Paul
November 8th, 2007 2:37 pm
Kenneth - in retrospect I think I was out of line. I apologise. Using money to lure people to a website seems not right to me, but go ahead and do what you need. Sorry for being harsh.
John Kolbert
November 9th, 2007 3:21 am
Here’s an idea: how about actually reading the post be for submitting a comment? So many times I’ve seen people comment where they obviously only skimmed the first paragraph. Repeate comments are ok I think, because I for sure didn’t read all 100 comments on this post.
Deborah
November 9th, 2007 5:35 am
Hi Darren it me Deborah way down here at #87.
This is a great list and I try to make sure I use all of these techniques, although it is hard to be first on your blog.
I have been first on John Chow’s quite a few times and have derived a bit of traffic from him.
Michelle
November 9th, 2007 5:50 am
Well Does commenting on popular blog can drive static traffic ?
Barbara
November 9th, 2007 7:38 am
I think it’s great if you comment on a popular blog, and can get a few sporadic referrals/visits.
However, commenting on newer (less popular) blogs is a more apt to get you loyal readers who frequent your blog often.
My regular commenters have become my cyberspace friends. We visit each others blogs often, to give each other encouragement and kudos. We all agree that one comment spawns more, so even if we do comment on a lot of each other’s posts, it seems to encourage others to “join in”.
Comments tell us that we are being “heard”.
So instead of worrying if your comment is being read on a “big name” blog, take the time to visit smaller blogs, where you know your comments will not only be read, but you will likely get a personal response from the author.
“Pay it forward”.
Dean Rieck @ Direct Creative Blog
November 9th, 2007 3:33 pm
I think the best way to approach comments is to actually have something to say and try to have a discussion rather than just go after links. As in blog posts, content is king.
The same problem afflicts my industry, which is advertising and marketing. Most ads simply don’t say anything. The ads that do are the ones that work.
The same rules apply everywhere. Show up and contribute.
Nancy
November 9th, 2007 9:24 pm
Funny - on blogs with a lot of comments, I tend to read the first three or four and the last one (Barbara, I really like your point about commenting on smaller blogs. It really helps to develop relationships) - so yes, get in first, because chances are that being the last commenter won’t last very long…
Mike Huang
November 10th, 2007 8:46 am
I gotta say Darren, this is one of your better posts about blogging.
Hmm..you mentioned that people may use HTML for the comments, but does it actually work? Do we just type the html in the comment box and it’ll automatically show up? Thanks!
-Mike
Jamaaludeen Khan
November 10th, 2007 10:38 am
I think commenting makes you part of the community. Although what you’ve said are all good and valid, and I’ll remember your tips, I still think that comments need to be authentic. I think the power of blogging and the Web 2.0 world is the human aspect and the authenticity aspect.
I think if we always keep in focus the true meaning of sharing and consideration, we’ll go a long way. This, to me, is the foundation of the success of Wikipedia.
Comments is part of a conversation. When you have a conversation with friends (in real life :)), you expect their feedback and comments to be authentic, not strategic. I think this is the focus we need to maintain, and in this, I think, lies the power of Web 2.0.
Jamaal
Collin LaHay
November 11th, 2007 9:02 am
Last? =)
Vincent Chow
November 12th, 2007 4:23 am
The comments on this post looks more like an experiment lab, a quick test after reading the tips suggested.
Interwebhunt
November 12th, 2007 1:22 pm
You should also never write in all caps obviously. Oh and unless your on a computer hacker blog please for the love of god do not speak L33t speak :)
BillinDetroit
November 12th, 2007 2:46 pm
Want to get noticed? Write well and with insight. You’ll stick out as being exceptional almost anywhere. Only 2-3 posters can have the coveted “first post” spots near the top, but we all get the same chance to impress at the tail-end of the list.
You guys are probably not my customers. Still, I want to write well for you because I -never- want to develop the habit of writing poorly.
This comment, like each of my blogs, is “product” and I never want to put a shabby product out where others can see it.
That’s like advertising a “Business Riting Servus”.
Well, it’s getting late. I would normally grab another cup of coffee right about now and keep writing through the night, but I’ve published about 12,000 words of original content in the past few days and I’m going to reward myself with a full nights sleep.
Later — Bill
Nate
November 14th, 2007 4:05 am
First!!1!
Just kidding. :)
Good list of tips, Darren. I came by way of Bob Walsh’s 47Hats.
The Ultimate Marketers Blog
November 14th, 2007 4:35 pm
I agree with BillinDetroit; I think one point that was left out is to make an honest attempt to provide valuable feedback.
saying “nice job”, “good post”, etc don’t provide any value to the blog, and don’t establish yourself as an authority.
Just my .02
-steve warshaw
Tay
November 14th, 2007 6:29 pm
Great post Darren, as always.
In my opinion commenting is supposed to be a multiple-sided thing. It is no solely intended for one person only. Some people leave comments on blogs ONLY to get traffic and that’s it. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying to get traffic from comments, actually it’s a great tactic. But some people go about it all wrong and are impolite and provide nothing to the conversation.
I think successful commenting is a skill that needs to be mastered over time, but the amount of time it takes differs with the person. Some people never catch on.
Selbourne
November 14th, 2007 10:51 pm
wow! whole loads of information out here. Thanks
Alexis Bellido
November 15th, 2007 1:17 pm
Nick has a very good question, do trackbacks are as noticed as comments?
I think it depends on how catchy is the headline for the post making the trackback and how many words of it are included.
I’ve seen many trackbacks in a lot list of comments with text like this: … and they really have a good point…, so cryptic that who reads it doesn’t pay too much attention to it.
Anyway, Darren, this was a really good idea for a post and I was wondering if the comments count on it was above average when compared to others in Problogger.net.
Cheers bloggers!
Wakish
November 17th, 2007 6:51 am
I think instead of reading such kind of tips and commenting in thus an ‘artificial” way, commenting should be done in a more natural way.. it depends on the commentator..either he gives sincere comments or he just does not comment at all..
I don’t know how many of you will agree with my point..
- Wakish -
chloe
December 1st, 2007 12:45 am
i always thought that commenting is great because there is interaction between the reader and the publisher.
Y. S.
December 26th, 2007 2:38 am
That was very interesting. Thanks :)
I think i missed the article about putting links in comments (I hope ill find it somewhere)
Tommy
December 27th, 2007 2:30 am
Darren,
Thanks for the great post. I’ve been more active at commenting on other blogs but not much has come of it. I appreciate your ideas.
Good point by Sam Smith. Why not comment if you are taking the time to read the post?
-Tommy
brian
January 11th, 2008 7:32 am
I like suggestion #6 regarding adding humor to blog comments. I find that too often people are afraid to offend others and make boring comments that could be *spiced* up a bit to generate more interest.
-Brian
http://www.CarryYourMusic.com
Mike Volpe
March 20th, 2008 5:20 am
This is a great article. Thanks for sharing these tips. I am actually leaving this comment during a live HubSpot webinar showing hundreds of people an example of how to leave a blog comment. I thought it was appropriate to use this post as an example because it is right on topic.
Thanks!
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