When you create a blog, there are certain strategies for getting more blog comments that you can adopt. Blogs are meant to be a social outlet for those to express their opinions in a free and easy manner. Having a lot of comments on your blog can be one way to determine the success of your blog.
Studies have shown that the majority of online users are lurkers (observe or read without contributing), with less than 5% actively contributing. Most readers leave a blog without contributing in any way or leaving comment. If you would like to have more comments on your blog, there are ways of encouraging more activity.
The Strategies for Getting More Blog Comments
Below are 10 strategies for getting more blog comments on your blog.
1. Invite Comments
When you specifically invite comments, people are more likely to leave them at a higher rate than when you don’t. Keep in mind that new readers may be unfamiliar with blogging and thus may not know how to make use of comments. Ensure that your invitations to participate are well laid out and that the comments systems are easy to use. This is probably one of the easiest of the strategies for getting more blog comments to implement.
2. Ask Questions
Including particular questions in your posts will definitely help you get a high number of comments. Including questions in your headings is a particularly great way of evoking a response from your readers as this sets a question in their minds from the beginning of the post.
3. Be Open-Ended
If you say all there is to say on a subject, you are less likely to get additional opinions. Though you should not intentionally leave a lot unsaid, there is a way of writing open ended posts which leave room for readers to share their knowledge and expertise.
4. Interact With Comments Left
If you are unwilling to use your comments section, your readers might also not be interested. If a reader leaves a comment, it is wise to interact with them. Though this becomes more difficult as your blog grows, it is especially vital in your blog’s early days as it assures the readers that their comments are valued. In addition, it promotes a culture of interactivity. With more activity in your comments section, you may not have to be very active since readers will take over the role of answering questions.
5. Set Boundaries
A well moderated and managed comments section that’s free of spam and that handles errant people well is attractive to readers. While allowing readers to freely express varied opinions, you need to step in and bring some order when things go out of hand.
6. Be Humble
Readers are usually very responsive to posts that show your own failings and weakness rather than posts where you give the impression that you know everything on a given topic. People are drawn to humility and are likely to respond to a post written in humility. For many this may be one of the more difficult of the strategies for getting more blog comments.
7. Be Gracious
Besides humility, grace is vital. There are times when your blog might have a grammar or spelling mistake, or even a faulty argument. If someone leaves a comment that highlights your failing, it is very easy to be defensive and respond harshly. Though it’s not easy, being graceful to such comments and admitting that you were wrong can make your readers feel safer leaving comments in future.
8. Be Controversial
There is nothing that works like controversy in getting people to comment on your blog. However, controversy comes with consequences, such as putting off the more reserved members of your readership.
9. Reward Comments
One way of rewarding outstanding comments is to draw attention to them in your future posts. Acknowledging your readers who comment well validates them and also encourages other readers to put in good comments.
10. Make Commenting Easy – One of the Most Important of the Strategies for Getting More Blog Comments
Most readers avoid comment sections that require them to log in before they can make a comment. Make sure your comments section is simple and easy to use.
The above 10 strategies for getting more blog comments can help your blog become a more social and successful place to share opinions and ideas.
Tags: Blog Commenting, Blog Strategies
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on March 15, 2011 at 2:02 am
Controversy seems to bring out the most comments in any article and sometimes having a strong opinion also brings lots of comments and rewarding comments also brings repeating readers
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on March 15, 2011 at 8:18 am
I agree. When you write a controversial post, everyone with an opinion regarding the topic seems to want to weigh-in. On such a post, however, it may be necessary to establish some order if things get too heated.
on March 22, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Will you not add Commentluv or KeywordLuv in the list?
on March 23, 2011 at 8:41 am
The CommentLuv and KeywordLuv plugins are great additions to the list for anyone with a WordPress blog.
on March 23, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Agree with most of this. The controversy/humility thing could be hard to square though. Regarding these traits I think that the demographic, actual and desired, is the absolute key here.
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on May 28, 2011 at 3:52 pm
all the things mentioned by you are up to mark, and one must take care of the mentioned points while commenting, and comments must not be like this:
nice post
great info
great post,
thanks for sharing ,,
and many more…
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on May 30, 2011 at 8:40 am
Exactly. You must ensure your comments are well thought out and provide a good discussion.