Don’t Be Ashamed to Want More Blog Comments!
Everyone wants comments on their blog, right? Why? Because blog comments are proof that you are providing content that is interesting and thought provoking enough that readers feel compelled to reply. They read what you wrote and engage in a conversation. This gives your blog more depth, extra dimension and is one of the signs that you’re running a successful business blog.
So, how do you elicit more blog comments? We’ve scoured the Internet and done our research, and this is what we suggest:
Write with passion. The more energy and life you pour into a blog post, the more likely you are to inspire a reader to respond. Believe in what you write. At the very least, make sure whoever is writing your business blog cares about and understands your blog content and believes in your products and services.
Be genuine. Seriously. If you sound too salesy or fake, readers will move on. Avoid gimmicks.
Offer value. You need to give a little to get a little. Give readers information they need, and they might be more willing to post a comment in return.
Ask a question. When you begin or end a blog post with a question, readers often will feel the urge to respond. Take it a step further and ask a controversial question. Or even issue a challenge, asking your readers to challenge you back.
Get in the right mindset. Put yourself in your target audience’s shoes. Are they high heels? Loafers? Toms? Flip-flops? What do you think your followers want to learn? What would interest them enough that they would post a comment? Go ahead and ask them. They’ll appreciate that you care enough to question them.
Make sure it’s easy for your readers to leave comments. Requiring readers to sign in or validate a security code increases the chances that they will get frustrated and leave the page without commenting.
Leave comments on other industry blogs yourself. Take the time to say something insightful or answer a question; doing so will likely prompt a return visit from that blogger to your blog. It’s a way to get the ball moving and to develop industry relationships.
Once you start receiving comments, read and respond to them regularly to keep the momentum going. Always, always, always respond to a comment. That personal touch goes a long way in developing a relationship with your readership and a return visit.
Negative comments. They happen occasionally. Don’t delete them! Respond, take the high road, and try to turn something negative into a positive. Solve the problem, don’t ignore it.
What has worked for you? Any suggestions we might have missed?
I have been writing for three years and some times I get comments and sometimes I don’t. I think people think that leaving a comment on your fan page or where you post the link to your blog is enough. Any suggestions to change that trend?
People leaving comments on your fan page or wherever you post the link definitely counts! The point is to engage your readers in some way, to start a conversation, which it sounds like you’re doing. Nice!
great post. thank for sharing.