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How to get More Comments

Posted by jackpayne • 5/19/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Tags: con artists, con man, con men, law, legal, legal thriller, scam artists

50 comments the first week from my May 12 post. How?
Six months ago, when I was averaging only 10 comments per post, I started commenting on others' blogs--all those who commented on mine. I did an analysis of this May 12 piece and found that 48% of the comments came from bloggers on whose blogs I had commented--a return of nearly 1 for 2. A very good percentage, I think.

What do you think about ways to increase your comments?

User Comments

5/19/08

carlgalloway

Its great to see someone making this work and having the evidence to back it up, thanks for sharing Jack, and congrats!

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5/19/08

ekim941

I have to wonder who the comment benefits more. If I comment on your blog it may be a stroke to your ego but it is a link to my blog.

Don't get me wrong, I love to read my comments and I enjoy leaving comments just so people know that I read what they wrote.

The larger advantage seems to come to the commenter. When it comes to comments, it is truly better to give than to receive.

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5/19/08

JillSaxon

That's my strategy. I comment a lot... and I get a lot back. But I like to talk, so commenting gives me the chance to state my thoughts on something. I like anything that lets me do that. I like to think I'm spreading the awesome, one comment at a time.

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1. 5/19/08
  
  carlgalloway
  
  you're just a motor mouth, go on, admit it!
2. 5/19/08
  
  ekim941
  
  And Humble
3. 5/19/08
  
  JillSaxon
  
  @ Carl - Hahaha. 'Tis true. I'll admit, it's ashame when your comment is longer than the post you're responding to.
  
  @ ekim - Modesty... is for the modest.
5/19/08

DocNicole

I think finding blogs that you like to read and leaving comments on them is really the best way to go as far as building up a readership that comments. I want my site to be interactive so comments are really important to me, that is what sets it apart from other alternative medicine sites. Not many doctors actually take the time to respond to their readers questions. It is really important to me to do that, so having comments always makes me happy unless I am running behind on time....but even then I will respond in a few days or so.

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5/19/08

robertstevenson

Very interesting, Jack. Do you folks respond to all your comments? I don't want to take up precious real estate with my words. I'd rather let the others have more time in the sun. Then I start thinking, I want these guys to know I appreciate their comments, so I leave one every now and then. What do you do.

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1. 5/19/08
  
  ekim941
  
  I figure I've said my peace with the post. I read all of my comments but rarely feel compelled to reply.
  Occasionally someone leaves a real shocker and I just can't hold my tongue.
2. 5/19/08
  
  robertstevenson
  
  Good advice. That's what I will keep on doing.
3. 5/19/08
  
  BennyGreenberg
  
  Like responding to the one you left me...
  I like the "keep it going whenver" I can in the comment section...
  
  Although I see many people kinda drop and run...
4. 5/23/08
  
  sanjidas
  
  I always respond to comments unless I forget in a hurry. I feel that it is unfriendly not to respond - but maybe that's just me!
5/19/08

BennyGreenberg

I also do the comment on other blogs. But I also try to make it a running discussion. So it is not just a name drop on my blog or the other. You can comment - but I will comment right on back to you and try to get a dialogue going...

And I will visit the blogs I left my comments on to see if I can keep the dialogue going there as well!

Ben

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5/19/08

Anok

DocNicole is on to something. I find I get much more in the way of comments if I interact with folks on my own blog.

You can actually see the difference in my comments sections - posts where I don't respond have few comments, where I do - there are much more.

Although commenting on other's blogs do bring in some comments - I find that because I don't include an actual link - this doesn't work as well.

Of ocurse, pursuing a topic that will garner discussion always helps, too.

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1. 5/19/08
  
  ThriftShopRomantic
  
  I have the same thing on my blogs. And I've actually had some folks lately come back and continue the "conversation." It's creating a nice sense of community.
  
  I think readers enjoy knowing you're really out there, paying attention.
2. 5/19/08
  
  Anok
  
  It probably depends on what kind of topics you write about too....some niches are good for running commentary, while others are not.
5/19/08

jackpayne

The last month or two my "Comments" section has been becoming almost a forum unto itself--lots of back-and-forth banter. I'm to the point where I'm doing so much commenting on the comments that I'm having little time to write posts.

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1. 5/19/08
  
  markstoneman
  
  Let 'em talk to each other and you do your thing.
5/19/08

HighlanderCMI

I prefer a dialogue in commenting whether on my own site or others. Although with music it is harder to say more than a cursory 'thanks' unless it is really something you have been looking for (in which case you can 'gush'). The political stuff is always better discussed if only for the additional input or alternative take.

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5/19/08

jackpayne

Think you're right, Mark. I've got to get back to writing posts. My inventory is low.

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5/19/08

VeGE

I have actually done that in the past , but unfortunately while I think they do come to check the site, I have not seen my comments increase.

But I will try doing this again and see what happens! One can only keep trying.
www.vernasmith.blogspot.com

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5/19/08

Lieblingartcrafts

Great advice, the only thing that's worked for me so far has been doing a giveaway. I can't do giveaways all the time! Besides, its fun to get out there and check on what other people are blogging about. It's addictive!

Jess

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5/19/08

kevingoodman

I always enjoy reading the comments on your post. You do such a great job keeping the dialogue going.

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5/19/08

jackpayne

So much of this has to do with just plain old habit. Are you quick with the trigger finger--to leave a comment on somebody else's blog? If so, it will pay off for you. This, I have found.

Thanks for the observation, Kevin. I do try to keep the dialogue going...and, it usually works.

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5/22/08

jackpayne

Aw, c'mon now. Somebody else out there, beside me, has to have kept track of how your commenting on other blogs paid off for you in increased comments on your own blog.

Share.

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5/23/08

nardeeisms

I guess that I am in the minority. I am happy with the amount of comments I currently get. A nice comfortable amount. Any more could become unmanageable for me - Nards

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5/23/08

morgantj

Getting commenter's is only half the battle. The challenge is keeping them, getting them to come back.

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1. 5/23/08
  
  sanjidas
  
  "The challenge is keeping them, getting them to come back."
  
  i can't revisit a blog if I forget the blog url! I like writing comments in new and interesting blogs and I like to do it quite a lot. So much so that it's quite hard to remember all the blogs. This is why I signed up with cocomment. It allows me to automatically keep track of all comments I make in any blog, and so I can later visit the blog again to find more great stuff. Cocomment is very cool!
  
  You will find a review of all the cocomment features here:
  shongjog.wordpress.com/2007/11/18/keep-track-of-all-your-comments-in-cybers...
2. 5/23/08
  
  EavesdropWriter
  
  @ Sanjidas, I'm glad to read your take on Cocomment. I'm considering that or IntenseDebate for my eavesdropping blog. I get some very thoughtful comments and do my best to respond in kind. I'd like a better tool for community building and I think one of these comment aggregators is the next level I'm looking for.
5/23/08

bianca

Most of the people who commented on my page are guys. i wonder where all the girls are especially since my blog is catered more towards women? = )

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5/23/08

kashifmahmood

Interesting content and a little bit of exposure can get you plenty of quality comments as well as spam so watch out !

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5/23/08

jackpayne

I can't figure it either, Bianca. So often, the people you expect to be regulars on your Blog are not, and those who you wouldn't expect to be are. In my case it's lawyers. Like my novel, Six Hours Past Thursday, strangely it is in more than 100 law libraries in the U.S. alone, the same goes for my blog. An unusually high percentage of the regular commenters are lawyers.

Go figure.

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5/23/08

perezstudios

I think that is a very interesting study. What did you base your statistics on?

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5/23/08

jackpayne

I don't quite get it, Perez. Statistics on what?

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5/23/08

MissMae

I do try to comment on others. I've also joined Entrecard and try to do that. When I drop the card, I'd like to comment, but have noticed that all blogs seem to be equipped with it, and I can't understand why that is.

I'm also on a traffic generator, and that is time consuming!

Some folks have fantastic blogs, but mine are just my own personal ramblings!..LOL..

MM

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5/23/08

jackpayne

I still don't get it--has nobody kept records of how many return comments they've received as a result of commenting on other people's blogs?

This is inconceivable to me.

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6/22/08

VeGE

Given your suggestion, I have started visiting a number of different blogs and am looking forward to see how it turns out.
www.vernasmith.blogspot.com

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6/22/08

mariamichelle

Sounds like a great idea to me and the little bit of commenting that I've done in the past 5 weeks has often resulted in me receiving comments back.

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6/23/08

jackpayne

Comments on that May 12 post are now up to 55.

I've got a new one--just put up today--that might challenge, or top, that figure. It will be interesting to see how far pure content alone can take something.

I will report accordingly.

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