Have you ever visited a blog and see that readers have made comments on a post, but the owner of the blog does not respond? When I see that, it makes me think the owner of the blog does not care about their readers. They do not want to build relationships with their current audience to build credibility and loyalty. How does that appear to new visitors to their blog? Will they want to return to a blog that makes them feel unimportant? I’d say the answer is, “No.”
Therefore, when someone posts a legitimate comment on your blog post (not spam), make sure you take the time to interact. It will show your professionalism, your dedication to your current audience, and your desire to appeal to new readers.
It is easy to explain why you should respond to comments and interact with your readers, but you are probably thinking, “But how do I get people to comment?” I understand it’s not a simple task, so here is a short list of a few strategies that you can try to get more blog post comments.
Ask a Question
At the end of your article, ask your readers a question. People love to give their opinions and/or share their experiences… especially when you ask for it. Some questions you could ask are:
- What do you think?
- Do you have any experience with xxx? If so, was it good or bad?
- What other tips could you add to the ones I have listed?
Post a Video
As many of you know, video has become a huge item on the Internet. People love to watch them. They seem more personal, which brings out the emotions of your readers. This, in turn, will bring more comments. Even if you do post a video, include your written content about the video and still ask a question as suggested above. You may be surprised to see what interaction you will get with your audience.
Get Personal
Even if you are writing a blog post that is serious in nature, add a personal story within the content. I see many bloggers do this. They will describe something that has happened to them that is related to their blog post topic and then go into the facts. Just like this article. I started out sharing how I have felt when I see a blog and there are no comments from the blog owner and how important that should be done.
When you share something personal, it motivates readers to share their own story. In addition to getting them to comment, it will also help you learn more about your audience.
Comment on Other Blogs
If you have read a blog post that you have really liked, make a comment for the blog owner. Many times, the owner (or other readers) of the blog will look at your website and they may comment on one of your blog posts.
I have even seen people post, “Blog Comment Exchanges” on some of the social media networks. They list their blog URL and then everyone takes the time to go in and comment on each others’ blogs. I personally have never joined in on these as it doesn’t seem “natural” to me, but that is just my preference. It may work for you! I would just keep an eye out for spammers if you attempt this and make sure you feel comfortable with the other bloggers that have listed their blogs.
Be Controversial
If you do not mind debates, write a blog post about a potentially heated topic. People LOVE to share their opinions on these types of posts. It motivates them to bring out their emotions and give their side of the story. Personally, I have not read a lot of blog posts that are geared toward this because I do not necessarily enjoy debates, but I do see posts on social media that do the same thing and they get tons of comments.
Report News
Like controversies, people get very motivated about newsworthy topics. If there is something in the news that is related to your niche, write a blog post about it with an excerpt from the original news article (with proper attribution, of course). Explain why you do or don’t agree with what was written or just be neutral and pass on the information.
Readers seem to relate to these types of posts because they have seen other articles written about it and will want to pass that information along in a comment.
Respond to ALL Comments
As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, make sure you respond to any comments someone makes on your blog post. Even if someone just says, “Great article, Missy,” respond to them and say something like, “Thank you xxx. I am glad you enjoyed it.” You could even mention another blog post that is related to the same topic and direct them there to read more. The reader may then comment again. If you do not respond to comments, the discussion will stop there. You do not want that to happen.
If you are like me, you appreciate every comment you get on your blog posts. If you are not getting the blog post comments you had hoped for when you started your blog, try some of the above strategies to give your readers a jump start on wanting to interact with you.