Reply To Comments Appropriately
Commenting is an essential element of any blog and it’s been explained, emphasized, and proved repeatedly. Along with you, it permits your readers to share their opinions and ideas in public.
And sincerely, it’s quite appreciative when someone goes through your entire post, scrolls till the bottom, and comment after analyzing it.
Recently, I met a friend who realizes the importance of comments on our blog and sincerely appreciates it. He, like me, wants to personally reply each comment he receives from his readers. I believe it’s a nice and genuine idea to make readers feel special and attended.
Replying to each and every post is quite lengthy and challenging. However, the efforts are worth in the end. So, we decided to come up with a list of things to be kept in mind while commenting. Every lengthy task requires planning. The list is definitely helping us. However, this list is also targeted to many bloggers, whom I have noticed, are replying to their comments in a dire comportment.
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Addressing the commenter by their name:
Knowing your readers personally is indeed one of the most effective ways to build a decent affinity. And it starts with addressing them by their names in your reply or emails. The best way to start a reply is “Hello ‘Commenter’s name’”. Now, that isn’t as robotic as you think. It’s quite courteous.
I really appreciate when someone addresses me by my name. I feel they care about their readers and have enough consideratenesses to get the name right. And I like when someone addresses me by my first name. What do you prefer? First name or last?
A subscriber recently asked me an interesting question about commenting. He got many comments on his first blog posts. However, many amongst used their site name to comment, instead of first name or last. His question was “Is it okay to address them by their site name?”
It is, but only after making sure that you have tried enough to get the name and couldn’t find it. However, sometimes it may sound strange to address someone by “Hi Earn $100 every hour. How do you do?” Instead, you can click on the link and visit their blog to know their name. Most often, you will get it in the ‘About’ page. Or
you can try visiting their recent posts and comments. Chances are high that you will find the name.
However, if you are not so sure about the name, or can’t find it at all, you can opt to use the website name. But phrase it in a way that doesn’t sound funny.
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Talk to all the commenters:
This is what I have learned from my experience. Replying to one commenter and not to the other for the same post isn’t chivalrous at all. The person who doesn’t receive a reply will definitely feel ignored and aggravated. See, how easily you lose your readers.
Okay, I agree many comments just says “Good Post”, “Great article”, or “Hey, it’s amazing”. Understand that although these are very small comments, at least they took the pains to write something, unlike thousand others who visited your blog but didn’t bother to comment. It doesn’t take much time to reply “Thank you for stopping by”, or just “Thanks”.
The probability of getting a response again on such comments would be very low. It’s also possible that many wouldn’t ever visit your website or check your response. However, you need to remember that there are many other readers who visit your posts and check the comments and responses. For them, you are doing a great job.
Bear in mind that responding to ever comment is quite difficult to manage, especially if yours is a blog that attracts huge traffic and numerous comments per post. So while preparing a schedule, allocate some time for replying to comments.
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Ask them:
If you really want to give a personal touch, don’t do the regular commenting process. If you don’t understand a particular comment, ask them to clarify it. Remember, it’s like a chat session. You need to interact with them openly. You can also be casual, but within limits. Asking questions is also a good way to keep the conversation going on.
These are some essential points that we have come up with. We occasionally keep adding points to your list of ‘replying essentials’. I would really appreciate if you can contribute some points to enhance the quality of our list.
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Chris on 
Chris,
It amazes me how many of the really big bloggers don’t respond to any of their comments. It’s almost they have ‘gone the other way’ and think “I have 200 comments – how can I respond to them all – so I won’t respond to any”.
It’s a hard line between responding to none and just a few when you receive that many comments.
I don’t get as many as that (yet!) so I do my best to respond to all my commentators.
Andrew
Andrew @ Blogging Guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme
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JR Reply:
January 14th, 2010 at 11:09 pm
You are so right, none of the “biggies” do it and it’s too bad. Or even worse, they will reply to like the first 3 and then silent for the rest. This is why Chris here is so impressive, he definitely has well surpassed the “big time” as far as subscribers go and he still responds all comments.
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Jacques | Web Design Reply:
January 21st, 2010 at 3:31 am
Hey Andrew. I can not agree with you more. Sometimes we get gifted a quickie comment, but the big boys seem to be too busy making money to mingle withj us plebiam\ns too much
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:24 am
Hey Andrew, JR, and Jacques
Thanks for commenting friends. For any blog, comments are an indispensable part. Valueable information, sometimes more than the post, is acquired from comments. And if people take such pains to add value to your blog, it’s your basic responsibility to reply them.
If replying to all 200 is not possible, one needs to make sure they at least reply to the most important ones. However, i would suggest, if you can spare time to write posts, you also need to spare time for replying.
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agree with your points, a blogger should appreciate commentators by addressing by their names in conversation or while replying any comments.
This makes your blog look lively and shows good interaction between both
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:33 am
Adding names in a comment makes it more personal. Everyone likes it. Thanks for commenting.
I went through your website. I must say it’s very detailed and offers a vast variety of products. You are doing a great job.
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I agree replying to comments make a personal connection between you and the reader. It makes the reader feel important that you decided to reply to his comment. It can lead to great discussions and makes your blog look more lively.
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:40 am
Along with providing feedback and appreciation, the discussion through comments helps to throw more light on the subject. A blog isn’t complete unless it receives comments and each of them is answered. Until then it’s just a source of one-way communication like any other website.
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Good Tips!
Nimit kashyap´s last blog ..Find Affiliate Offers To Promote Using Offervault
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:42 am
Thanks for stopping by, Nimit. Hope it’s helpful for everyone.
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Totally agree with you.Replying to comments is very important and builds relationship between reader and owner.
Blogging Tips´s last blog ..New Layout of Blogging Tips
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:45 am
Exactly. And that’s what a blog is all about. By not replying, you disrespect commentors and ensure that they won’t visit your blog again. Building relationship with your readers is an essential part and without it one cannot expect their blog to grow.
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I completely agree with you and great post. I have practiced this on my blog and it really makes a difference. I always welcome new readers and interact with them and the comments they make. It is great for business and helps to build relationships and network with other bloggers as well.
JR´s last blog ..Check Your Websites and Blogs – You Might Be Losing Money
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I always address commentator by his/her name. It helps me become really close to them. They feel comfortable with me.
Good for increasing Loyal Readers.
Agent Deepak´s last blog ..I Will NOT Comment on Your Blog
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:36 am
A good choice Deepak. Comments are the only source to develop a personal relation with your readers.
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A good interaction between readers and owner is really important it definitely affects your future success. I always try to reply every comments left on my blog personally, but sometimes I would skip meaningless comment, i.e. “good list and article!”, especially from regular readers. I’ll still approve but just I don’t reply their comment.
Cheers,
Lee
Lee Ka Hoong´s last blog ..30+ Outstanding Twitter Icon Sets
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Chris Reply:
January 23rd, 2010 at 3:01 am
Hi Lee,
Fair enough. However, you can simply reply “thanks” to those short comments. It wouldn’t take more than few seconds but a simple “thanks” will make them feel good and encourage them to comment again on your blogs. That’s relationship, isn’t it?
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Thank you so much for this advice Chris. I have suddenly been getting lots of comments on my blog, and this really is very helpful with how to manage them.
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