Getting more blog comments

There are few things more conducive to the success of a blog than a flourishing community of commentators, particularly if you engage with them. Not only can you get ideas for new posts and new directions, as mentioned above, but you will also begin to formulate a loyal and interested audience base. A decent number of comments is also good for your morale, and will help you retain the enthusiasm needed to keep writing content. If you practice the hints below, you should be able to build up a good number of comments on your posts within a few months of beginning your blog.

  • Ask for contributions. It seems obvious, but the best way to get comments is to make it clear that they are not only welcome, but encouraged.
  • End with a question. The logical extension of the first principle is to make sure that the posts on which you want to encourage comments end by asking the opinion of the reader. As mentioned previously, this could also serve to give you valuable feedback and information for your next posts.
  • Be controversial. As long as you don’t go over the top, a little bit of controversy can be a good thing. People are much more likely to post if you stake out your position clearly. They will either have a burning desire to tell you that you are wrong, or will be delighted to see that someone else has stated their own opinion so clearly. Either way, a discussion is bound to ensue!
  • Reply promptly. Part of the point of encouraging comments is to build up a loyal and active audience base for your blog. This will not happen unless you engage with those who comment. Reply both on the thread and in future posts, and show that you truly value feedback and the opinions of those who read your blog.
  • Reduce barriers. Make sure that there are no reasons that potential commentators might be put off from engaging with your posts. Try to leave a few comments yourself, preferably from a few different web browsers. Is it simple, or time consuming? Do commentators require a certain type of account or ID to engage with your blog? The easier you make it, the more comments you will receive.
  • Engage with other blogs. Remember, the online community does not begin and end with your blog. Your writing is part of a wider world, and people will be more likely to engage with your blog if you are visible and active in commenting on posts by other people. If you have a strong opinion, make sure you express it, particularly on the most popular blogs in your field. Even better, write a blog post about the subject, and then link to it from your comment.

 

Categories: Blogging

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