How many times have you read a blog post followed by a stream of
comments that initiated a powerful discussion in itself? One of the
quickest ways to judge the effectiveness of a blog is to see if the
readers are leaving their comments. A steady stream of comments is cue
that the content actually resonates with the readers. Consequently, user
comments and feedback can prove to be invaluable for you to strengthen
your marketing efforts.
Even if your blog has great content or
generates a decent amount of traffic, unless readers are prompted to
leave comments... it paints a poor picture of the blog. So here are some
great ways to increase user participation and encourage more comments
on your blog:
Create a Regular Posting Pattern
Be
serious about your blog. If you post twice a week and then skip 2 weeks
before you post anything, it creates an unprofessional &
ill-maintained picture of your blog. So, create a posting schedule and
stick to it. This way, visitors know when to expect a new blog post and
will wait for next-time. It'll do a world of good for your readership!
Invite Comments
If
you want it... don't shy away from asking for it! It never hurts to ask
your readers to leave in their comments and feedback on your blog.
Phrases like a 'So... What do you think?' or 'Please tell us your views'
or 'We'll love to hear from you' go a long way in encouraging readers
to participate in the discussion and comments.
Ask Friends & Family to Kickstart the Comments
If
you are finding it difficult to encourage visitors to start commenting,
just ask your friends and family to set the ball rolling by leaving in a
comment or two. This will encourage readers to share their two cents
and be a part of the discussion as well!
Respond to Comments
Be
grateful to users who leave comments on your blog! Make sure you
respond to comments as soon as you can. This not only shows readers that
their comments are valued but also promotes a culture of interactivity.
This goes on to promote your blog as a highly active place and increase
your value in the blogosphere. If you moderate comments on your blog,
make sure you are monitor them and approve them as quickly as possible.
Responding to each and every comment would get harder as your blog grows
but if you have played your cards well, you will see that readers take
over the responding responsibility and create a question/answer
community of their own!
Write Irresistible Content!
Compelling
content is a surefire way to ignite readers' interest and make it
difficult for them to leave without leaving a comment. Here are some
great tips to spruce up your content:
Choose Popular Topics – It all depends on what you talk about and whether it resonates with
your readers or not!You have to pick your subjects well if you want to
attract comments. While there are so,e subjects people don't have an
opinion on, there are others that they simply cant stop talking about.
You need to find out the interest areas of your target audience and then
write a compelling piece on it!
Ask Questions – An
effective way to encourage comments is to ask specific questions in your
post. In fact, when you include a question in your heading, it sets a
question in the readers mind from the first instance itself and they
ponder it over as they read through. Also, make sure you don't ask broad
general questions. It pays to be specific!
Leave your Posts Open Ended – It is tempting to offer you authoritative opinion on certain things.
But if you say everything that needs to be said about the topic, you
don't leave anything for the readers to say other than just 'Great
Post!' But more often than not readers comment if they feel they aren't
contributing anything! Writing is an art... and you should write your
post in such a way that you leave enough room for your readers to share
their opinion as well!
Share Experiences – People love
reading about others' personal experiences. So instead of writing
something that looks more like a thesis, share with your readers how you
tried something, your failing, your weaknesses and how you came over
it. What's more? You can expect readers share their experience as well
in the comments section!
Be Controversial – With caution
though! Controversy is the mother of discussion and a great way to start
to encourage reader participation on your blog. But be very careful
when you write controversial pieces. Be ready to face a lot of flak and
make sure you you know how to steer it in the right direction!
Write Fresh Stuff – If your post seems like something readers have already read 10 times on
the web, they will hardly pause to reflect. So make sure you write
content that's fresh off the oven and offers a new perspective to
things. While you can recycle topics, you need to provide an original
opinion!
Make It Easy for Readers to Comment!
If
your readers feel the slightest desire to comment, you should seize the
opportunity right there. And this you can do by making it super easy for
them to comment so that they don't need to put in any extra effort.
Make sure your comment form is easy to use and doesn't require readers
to sign-up or register before they can post anything. Keep you comments
section as simple and usable as you can!
Reward Popular Commenters
Who
doesn't love recognition! You can either highlight comments that have
high value or offer the commenters a link to their blogs or websites.
This will encourage other readers to post valuable comments as well.
Let Readers Subscribe to Comments
Its
pretty difficult for avid bloggers to keep track of all the comments
they around the web. So make sure you allow readers to subscribe to
comments. This keeps them informed about the follow-up discussion and is
a great way to bring them back to your blog!
It takes a
great deal of effort to make and keep a successful blog! Follow these
tips and create an environment on your blog that encourages readers to
comment and open the floodgates to a healthy and valuable discussion!
