9 Comment Boosters For Your Blog
Comments to a blog post are no less than oxygen to our life. The magnitude of engagement of readers is known very well through comments. Along with revealing famousness of the blog, comments are useful to share information, feedback, and experiences.
It surely adds traffic to your blog, but we aren’t looking at that aspect here. It is helpful in many other ways to a blogger and the readers as well. Maybe I will write a post about the usefulness of comments very soon.
However, let me reveal 9 ways to boost the number of comments on your blog.
- Encourage Discussion:
Do this. At the end of every article, ask your readers to discuss the topic and share ideas on the post. Let me repeat, THIS ISN’T FOR TRAFFIC. This helps you tremendously to become a better blogger. People share new ways of writing. They let you know where you went wrong. Many of my readers have experienced what I haven’t. So I learn from them. You learn to look at an issue from numerous angles with the help of comments. - Leave your Blog:
And visit other blogs. Comment there. Don’t just sit back and wait for comments. They will come to you only if you do it to others. Get out of your blog and get involved.
- Interact with readers:
Replying to the comments is the most important element of a blog, most often forgotten by bloggers. I would prefer talking to a streetlamp than to someone who ignores me. If some reader has asked a question, reply at any cost. If you don’t know the answer, don’t be ashamed to say that you don’t know much about it and you will get back to him/her after researching on it. - Value added comments:
Whenever you post a comment on other’s blog or reply a comment on your post, remember to provide some piece of information in it. A comment cannot be of 2-3 words. It has to be 2-3 sentences without grammar mistakes, with person’s name, a question (optional), and information. - Connect with them everywhere:
It isn’t important that your blog reader cannot be your chat friend or cannot contact you by email. In fact, you initiate contacting them through various sources. Let them feel a sense of belongingness and unity. - Keep it simple:
Commenting on you post shouldn’t be a tedious process. Don’t ask them to login or fill a captcha entry or fill some weird form just to leave a comment. This would avoid most people from commenting. If you are concerned about spasm, get a spam filter. - Rewarding them:
Reward your readers for commenting on your posts. You can opt to advertise their posts on your blog or provide page rank. You could also promote their twitter status. And there are various other options for rewarding them. If they get something, people will happily comment on your blog. - Display your top Commenter:
Create a separate tab on your blog that mentions 5 or 10 names of ‘top commenter’ on your blog. These names have a direct link to their blog. This will boost their ego and their page rank. They know it and hence they will comment more. - Lastly, do something different:
The above mentioned steps are generally adopted by many bloggers. However, to get a real boost in the number of comments on your blog, be creative and do something that no one has thought about. May be offering an ebook on blogging to the top commenter of the year. Or something like that. Make sure that it’s exciting.
That’s it. Let me know what the other ways to increase comments are.
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Chris on 
I do like everything you mention Chris – especially replying to comments.
One thing I like to add is – make your content worth commenting on. Simple advice but sometimes very hard to achieve.
Andrew
Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..50 Tips For Bloggers Who Work From Home
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:15 am
Very important point Andrew. Following the above mentioned tips can be effective, but only if the content is good. Thanks Andrew, you always mention some very good points.
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Out of the 9 comment boosters I mostly like the “Interact with reader” option.I actively reply to all the comments at my blog.By doing so I build trust on my readers
Blogging Tips´s last blog ..Random Posts Widget for Blogger
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:21 am
Thats right. Interacting with readers makes them feel important and builds a long-term relationship. A blog is always effective, if it encourages two-way communication.
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I think I follow everything you mentioned above. Its really a booster.
Agent Deepak´s last blog ..MARKETING vs SELLING Your Blog
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:24 am
That’s good news Deepak. Keep up the good work, and try to use all the tips. It will definitely help you. Thanks.
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Greta tips Chris, most of which I do and have seen great results, a blog without comments looks so dead, so we all need to pay attention to the comments.
JR´s last blog ..Last Chance to Buy The Best Spinner Tool for Half Price
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:26 am
Exactly. Along with working on content, it’s important to attract comments. Thanks.
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Hiya Ricky!
I found your blog from your comments on other blogs, and continue coming back because you interact with people on your blog, and because you make it worhwhile for me to come and post comment here.
Keep up the good work, and may you go from strength to strength!
Regards
Jacques Snyman
PS – I sent you a facebook friend request yonksa go, and I see it is still pending…..
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:41 am
Exactly. I too like visiting blogs that encourages discussion. Everyone likes it. However, we can still see many top blogs, receiving dozens of comments every post, avoid replying. It’s quite harmful for their long-term vision. Thanks for appreciating Jacques. And i will accept your request on Facebook asap.
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really useful tips Chris. You are really doing cool
bookmarked and subscribed
smashingtips´s last blog ..20+ incredible Gigapixel Photography Inspirations
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Nice tips Chris! I definitely agree with your point “Leave your Blog”, nowadays many people has the thought which you comment, I comment back. So we just go wherever we can to leave a valuable comment, and we will most probably get a comment in return. Also, blog commenting can build our brand as well.
Good tips Chris!
Cheers,
Lee
Lee Ka Hoong´s last blog ..100+ Free Blogger Themes For 2010
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Hi Lee. I agree with you. Interacting with your readers and other bloggers is the most effective way. Moreover, i guess it’s very interesting. Writing content can be sometimes boring, but discussing with your readers and other bloggers is really fun. It gives an opportunity to interact with the blogger directly. Many good points, sometimes better than content, emerge while discussion. Thanks Lee.
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Chris,
Great post.
If you use a WP theme, you can use WP plugin Nofollow Free. It would encourage your readers to submit comments.
Paul@make money online´s last blog ..Traffic: Will the Expert Interview Increase Traffic to Your Blog or Site?
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Chris Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 12:37 am
I am planning to do that pretty soon. Thanks Paul.
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I’ve once run a contest for about 60 days where I gave away free stuff, and even cash, to the top 5 commentators, and that drawn some response.
I think the #1 source of quantity and quality comments is still your content; it’s either king, or invisible.
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