Blogging – The Benefits of Value Commenting
Value commenting is fun!
Blogging, Writing
and
Sharing
Blogging, writing and sharing our lives isn’t an easy task for anyone. The reasons any of us decide to sit at a computer and begin the daunting task of learning about blogging varies from person to person. I started blogging initially as a gift to my son. I felt the more I was able to write about different moments in our life the more we would remember. My focus only changed slightly when others started to take notice of my blog. I now keep up two blogs, one focused on my son and our life and the other focused on life, parenting and fatherhood.
As I have learned more and more about developing your own site I discover how little I actually know. As I discussed last week, Blogging – 5 Things No One Said, my life would have been so much easier if there was an easy way to build a website and find followers. I have learned there is no “quick fix” to blogging. The only way to make a blog successful is to pour your heart into it and hope for the best.
What Not To Do
1. People will come. Sit back and doing nothing is the best option.
2. Write, write and more writing. Writing will make people find me.
3. Refuse to change. It’s not working because other people don’t value my work. I am sure it has nothing to do with me.
When I started out blogging I was a “lurker.” I would go to other people’s sites look around, read the blog posts and leave. Looking back now I realize this strategy was not a great idea! Simply stated, how are they supposed to know I was there if I don’t leave a comment? Short answer…they don’t unless they want to go through the extra work to track me down. An important lesson I learned early on in blogging is the need to comment on other people’s sites. I refer to it as value commenting.
Value Commenting
1. Learn your audience – If you are going to try to use value commenting on various sites make sure you know who your audience is. I have a parenting blog and I will spend extra time commenting on sites that fit into my niche. I know that other parents are the most likely readers of these sites. Does this mean I will only leave comments on parenting sites? No, I find value for my readers on lots of various sites, however, I will place the most concentration on parenting sites. If I leave a comment that is well thought out and meaningful it is more likely they will come to my site to see what I have to offer.
2. Time - I set aside a few hours on Saturday or Sunday to do nothing but read blogs and to work on value commenting on other people’s posts. I have discovered that leaving comments on one of those two days brings me extra traffic the next two to three days for my blog. You should also try to get into the habit of leaving a few comments everyday on various sites to let others know you are reading their work.
3. Thoughtfulness – Value commenting is all about taking the time to read another persons work. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and the only way they know their work matters is through comments. We can have traffic to our sites but we don’t know what anyone thinks without a comment. I have discovered the more thoughtful and useful a comment is the more likely you will gain a friend and a reader.
4. Read – I can’t emphasize the importance enough of actually reading the post you are commenting about. The difference between value commenting and commenting means you have to read a post from beginning to end. I have seen many comments that are short answers, “I couldn’t agree with you more!” or “Great post! Loved the insight you offered me!“ As an author, it tells me nothing about how you felt or if you actually read my content.
5. Now what – If you start to use value commenting you will find more people reading your blog. Once you have readers on your site you need to make sure you get value comments. The easiest way to receive good comments is to ask them to leave comments based on a set of questions, e.g., “Do you like comments on your site?” or “Do you set aside time each week to make comments?“
True Benefits
If you believe value commenting is only to bring traffic to your site you are mistaken. You will quickly learn that not all commenting systems will link back to your site. You should remember that bringing back traffic is a bonus for making good comments. The most important thing you can gain is the friendship and respect of other bloggers. It is this group of people who can and will help you with your blog when you need it. They will be willing to do guest posts or have you as a guest author. They will answer questions for you when you need help. It is your fellow bloggers that can make or break you. Never forget that value commenting leads to other authors that can help you when you need it.
Blogging doesn’t have to become hard. We can make it as easy or as hard as we want. How do you handle comments? Do you leave ones that are well thought out or short ones? Do you set aside time each week to make comments? Has commenting benefited you in more traffic or better friends? Be sure to tell me in the comments!
My Life In 24 Hours is featuring me as a guest author for the article I wrote Reasons To Love Parenting. Be sure to check it out!
Tags: audience, Blog, fatherhood, followers, heart, life parenting, lurker
46 Comments
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Hi there,
Great post ……. I was going to leave it there but thought better of it after reading this post.
Even though I do read many different blogs as you do and I read all of the post, if it keeps my attention. I do sometimes leave just a short comment, I’d not thought about how meaningless that is before. I know how much people like comments and thought that this was enough, but you are so right. I will amend my ways immediately. Thanks for this post.
Thanks again, look forward to your guest post.
Ashley
Thanks Ashley,
I try my best to leave comments on peoples blogs that show I am listening to them and reading their stuff. We all can get some traffic but the only traffic that matters is that which is truly measurable. Comments (good ones) are measurable. They tell me more than analytic’s ever does. I can actually gauge if a post was successful or if i need to try something else based on responses. GREAT COMMENT Ashley (sorry I couldn’t help myself)
Aaron
I enjoyed this because it said basically everything i feel and everything i’m slowly learning as a new blogger. at first i couldn’t manage my time well enough to blog, and read and comment and network – it really is a job, but now, like you suggest, i’m going to just keep doing what i’m doing and slowly reading and thoughtfully commenting. i’m appreciating making new relationships with other bloggers more than i really thought i would. so, can i end with good post?
Managing your time (especially if you young children) is one of the hardest things to do. I have found my phone is a lifesaver a lot of the times. I am able to do a lot of things on it by loading it with disqus, wordpress, pinterest, google +, facebook, twitter and a writing program I use. It saves me a lot of time because when my son is playing I can use my phone to make comments or post.
Making relationships in blogging is one of the best things we can do, I know its the people I have met that have helped me when I didn’t have an answer or need something different on my site. Building relationships will help bring the traffic to your site!
Aaron
Great Blog, every single point you have touched on is right on! I totally agree you have to be a lurker. I also find commenting alone will not bring more traffic to your site.You do have to put in the time to read the blogs on other sites.I am engaged right now in a class on Guest Blogging by Jon Morrow from Copy Blogger.
One other thing I have found quite valuable from class is thinking outside the “proverbial box” on Target Audience to increase reader traffic. An example writing on Pregnancy which can also target a Travel or food topic blog.
I commend you on doing the Blog. Sometimes it can get quite frustrating. I know how well I write. The biggest obstacle is getting people to read what I write.– Ann
It sounds like a great class to be in! I bet you are learning some great things. I guest blog some and I have my guest spot open on Fridays here for parents to write about Life Fast Forward (a very popular piece too) where they write a letter to their children in the future when they become parents. (I would be more than happy to have you write one and post it if you are interested)
Thinking outside of the “proverbial box” is something u had planned for an upcoming post so you were a step ahead of m…lol! I agree 100% I think we get to complacent in the idea that we are stuck in our niches and can’t stray out of them. If we don’t try new things though our blogs have the potential to become stale and that serves no purpose.
Aaron
I really appreciate you differentiating what you mean by comment by adding the word ‘value’ infront of it. I think it is really important when leaving comments to be honest, authentic and offer constructive criticism (if warranted). I strongly suggest you try Engagio (www.engag.io) which a productivity tool that focuses on comments from across the social web. I think you might find it useful
I believe these is a huge difference in commenting and value commenting on a blog. I have had many people stop and make the popular, “Great job” post (which is becoming somewhat of joke with people now…lol)
I would agree it is a comment but it holds no intrinsic value to me. The comments that mean something to me are the ones that make me a better blogger. Whether it be constructive criticism, agree with me or pointing me in the right direction for new productivity tools.
Engagio seems like a great tool from what I read. I am looking forward to testing it out and seeing if it makes things a little easier. Thank you so much!
Aaron
Aaron,
Commenting is such a valuable tool. In light of the fact that blogging has become much more competitive, although we dare not speak of it, we all need to be aware of the value we provide our readers and the only way we can do this is through our feedback. Even though I don’t need to make an “income” per se from my blogging, I want to know that I am producing a quality product. By extension, I want my friends, especially my blogging friends whom I regard highly to have the same high regard for me and not think me some dilettante who’s just out here, playing with the authors.
That being said, when I read someone else’s blog, I read it from beginning to end and leave a comment. I’ve had the stupid experience of trying to read 2 or 3 posts at once… Knowing me, you know where this is going. Blogger A got Blogger B’s or was it Blogger C’s comment. I dropped off the face of the earth for a while. It’s as bad as the time I submitted Andi-Roo’s story with my title and we all know that Thank God it was Andi-Roo. I would have been killed by a lesser person.
I’m not making fun. There are very, very few blog posts that I find my attention wandering. Once, or twice I’ve just stopped because the grammar or spelling was too terrible to get past. In that case too, there was an idea maybe fighting to get out. If that was the case, it fought feebly. I’m brutal.
I will always pay attention to what I’m reading. I came from a family of readers. I can think of very few arts that surpass writing. Actually, only one and I had my turn in the barrel with that one. Now, it’s time for me to pay attention. This is wonderful. I always look forward to your posts. This is how I know you and Andi-Roo, Amberr and so many others. My family. Mary. <3
Mary,
I am always happy to hear you enjoyed my posts! It brings me great joy to know that. I started this feature as a way to try and help others learn some of things I have learned but simplify it. I know as I have been learning and reading some of the items I have read i have to research for several days just to understand the concepts. I am a believer in learning but I am also a believer in simplifying,
Aaron
Commenting on others’ blogs is something into which I didn’t put much effort for the first several months writing my public blog. It just hadn’t occurred to me that this was a part of the connection with others. I didn’t even read many other blogs, and when I did, often there wasn’t much that struck me to comment about.
I don’t know if it was a change in me or a change in the types of blogs I was reading, but I began to find more to say about other people’s blog posts. I know that the blogs I access has changed as I’ve become involved in blogging carnivals specific to my main blogging topics and as I’ve grown a larger online network, especially Twitter (which is where I found the link to this particular blog post today).
I think another change was getting more comments on my blog and noting which gave me a warm fuzzy and a sense of engagement and connection and which didn’t, and trying to comment with elements of the “connecting” posts in mind. Commenting on others’ blogs does seem to have brought more traffic to my blog, but I try not to let that be the primary reason I comment. If I don’t feel like I have something of value to say, I won’t comment just hoping that someone will follow a link back to my blog (and there’s not even a link back to my blog on this comment, so you know it’s “pure”
).
I would be interested if you explained the points in your “What Not to Do” section a bit (or maybe that’s in the post that you referenced in the paragraph above it? I’ve not done that much exploring yet). I’ve gone through phases of each of the mindsets you’ve listed, and while I’ve not found any of them to really work or fit for me, I’m not sure I’ve found an alternative to any of them.
C.J.
I just noticed today that Disqus has changed some of their set-up again and it seems they have made it a little more difficult to find the links to peoples blogs. I do know that if you click the people that are highlighted in blue it will take you to their page and show you other comments they have made on my blog and it will give you a link to the site that they signed up with through Disqus. I have been considering changing systems but have been reluctant because of the amount of commenting already on Disqus.
I didn’t start blogging with a lot of emphasis on making comments but that changed when I realized I was only hurting myself by not making comments. I have made some wonderful friends that have helped me more than once because of initially commenting. It’s why I believe it’s a perk that you get more traffic but it’s not the real reason to make comments.
As far the “don’t” you are talking about it does refer somewhat to my last post. I made fun of some of the things I did, didn’t do and learned when I started out in the previous posts. I just added it for a little levity in this post (In my opinion, we can’t take things to seriously or we will lose focus on community).
Aaron
I completely agree with your point that commenting should not be done only for the purpose of getting visitors back to your site. It is definitely a welcomed side effect of commenting but my main reason for doing it is educatioal. There are some superb blogs out there with equally impressive communities that are engaged in high quality discussions not found anywhere in the mainstream media. For example, one of my favourite blogs is Fred Wilson’s AVC.com which covers technology and has a very active community. Since you are into commenting – I recommend you try Engagio – it is nice tool to focus on conversations happening across the social web (I already mentioned them once in this comment section but just in case you missed it
I leave time in my calendar for general social media tasks but never thought about setting aside some time to just read blogs, comment on them, etc. I’m still a newbie and trying to figure out how to drive more traffic to my posts/site. Making the time to read the blogs and taking the time to draft a well thought out comment, makes sense. Thank you
Michelle,
The relationships you can built based on commenting will help you in blogging in more ways than you will know. Before i scheduled the time to read and post it just didn’t work out well for me. I will try to read 3 or 4 every morning and post on them and then on Saturday morning or Sunday dedicate 1 to 2 hours doing that (sometimes both days) I like to think of the traffic as a perk of value commenting. The real plus is the relationships you built that you have to have to survive as a blogger.
Aaron
Thank you for this post Kevin.
Your message of commenting with value to establish connections on the social web has resonately with me in a timely fashion.
I
have recently started exploring the social web beyond FB and news sites
and am constantly amazed at fantastic wealth of knowledge and stories
out there.
I have however definitely been falling into this lurking
trap, so thank you for highlighting why this may not be optimal for me,
but also for those whose content I have been viewing.
I think it is
all too easy to think “I’ll do that later when I’m more comfortable or
more established” which is utter nonsense because one is unlikely to
ever completely feel those things.
Cheers Bec.
Becca,
It was a trap I fell into for awhile. Lurking is good if you are looking for web design or ideas for your site but it serves you no real value otherwise. The only value we actually get is from talking to each other and sharing our knowledge. It’s just like I mentioned about people that stop by my blog and write “great job.” If I have been to their blog many times and vice versa and we generally leave comments to each other it’s not that big of deal. It’s their way of saying sorry I am busy, I read your post and I will come back by…but people that just stop and write something like that I am not going to know who they were or if I did anything wrong in my posts. It means nothing to me overall…the relationships we built with other bloggers is always on my mind when I am commenting on someones posts.
Aaron
Aaron, I’ve just realised I’ve refered to you as the wrong person – i.e. The person whose profile I linked into your blog post off twitter from. Apologies.
Becca,
No problem! I am glad you found my link on post that was shared of mine. It at least shows this post has value with a lot of people. Learning about blogging isn’t the easiest thing to do. There are so many different things to learn and read and some things are almost impossible to learn on some of the sites unless you have a computer degree….
Aaron
I agree with you about value commenting. Even if it’s just a picture, I try to be as thoughtful about my response as possible. It’s a great way to connect with other bloggers because they sense your genuineness.
Mimi,
I appreciate that from you! I totally agree with you too! The relationship we built with each other are what helps us as bloggers (and parents…you are one of my favorite moms) I learn so much from talking to others about things I need to be doing or didn’t know I need to do,
Aaron
I couldn’t agree with you more!
Great post! Loved the insight you offered me!
Yes……
I am definitly looking for the Disqus filter for “great post” commenters …. it is my current understanding the filter works on modern day soccer moms best……
Aaron
Not a blogger but one of your readers with no ambitions to blog ! You didn’t mention it in your article (which was very well written) but I see you are doing it… and that is respond or interact with your readers.
As a reader there is nothing worse than seeing a post that you take the time to comment on and the writer/blogger appears as if they wrote the thing and just forgot about it. I visit a number of blogs and try to comment, on a couple a day. I have seen bloggers ask a question to engage their audience then abandon the whole conversation..Or if a post is somewhat controversial they act juvenile and defensive to a different point of view or start deleting posts they don’t care for, or even worse start banning people based on a difference of opinion. They ‘want’ the audience they just don’t know how to act maybe when not everyone agrees or if everyone doesn’t pat them on the back. If you don’t think you can handle a different point of view, close comments.
I like your blog- you have some good things to say. I came for a contest actually you were involved in and kept following because you have value There are a lot of blogs out there but you stand out. I hope you don’t mind a readers point of view. I normally read from your newsletter and you asked a question so decided to stop by.
Great point! It is vitally important that if we work to get a reader back to our blog we don’t abandon them. I have seen that happen a few times myself so I do understand a readers frustration. I ask questions because I want engagement with others. I want people to comment and talk to me about the various things I write about. Upon occasion, I will ask a series of questions and it might take me several days to get back to them but taking care of a 3-year-old is my top priority (I will get back to the questions)
I have never deleted a comment based on an answer I don’t agree with. I will delete the few spammers that get through. I haven’t had this happen but I would delete and blacklist someone who is being totally disrespectful in a derogatory manner to others. I believe commenting is for sharing ideas not tearing a person to shreds that you don’t like.
I also wanted to take the time and say thank you for following my blog and finding value in what I have to offer. I try to work really hard at bringing fatherhood and parenting into a positive light (through my serious and humorous side). It is something that is close to my heart so I want to share as much as I can with others about it. It always means a lot to any writer when someone takes the time to tell us we are being heard by others. Please feel free to drop by anytime.
Thank you again,
Aaron
Hello. My name is gina and I am a smart-ass. It has been 10 seconds since my last smart-ass-ness. Probably will be less before my next one.:-)
Smart-ass though I am (geez – I hope “ass” isn’t on your list of blocked words! if so, sorry about that) I’m loving your columns on blogging. It is so nice to be reminded that everyone is learning and struggling and to get insight from you. I think the reminder that just sitting there isn’t going to get you readers is so important. I like that you are explaining not just the need for readership, but ways to go get it.
It really is a great post. And, I really do love the insight you offered me. And, I really couldn’t agree with you more!
-gina
Gina –
Smart-ass-ness is definitly not one of my filtered words but I will look into it for future reference. Disqus has come a long way in filters for blogs. Did you now know they have a filter to not only remove modern day soccer moms but to place them in a van full of 4-years-olds on there way to their first soccer game…..oh but it’s not over yet….these 4-year-olds also didn’t sleep well the night before, all have to go potty (no potty in sight either) and two of them were just given lollipops and the rest of them weren’t. What can I say it sounds like disqus has a sense of humor too…..
I am so glad (I think) that you think I have “great posts!” I actually have several more planned for the series. It wasn’t even something I was originally planning on doing but I keep finding all of the various things I didn’t know how to do and thought it could be a good reminder for others.
Aaron
Great post, Aaron! Seriously. I woke this morning very despondent about my blog. I sure would love some comment love from my readers so that I know whether my content is valuable to them or not.
It also makes me want to support other bloggers out there as much as I can so I’ll also be sure to add value comments for other bloggers as well!
Tarryn,
Some of the best ways to keep your readers engaged is to end your posts with a series of questions and ask them to answer them in the comments. I know that a lot of people will stop to answer a particular question I have asked. As a writer we have to engage our audience in all aspects (including telling them we want their opinion and value it) Once you get others to post on your site never forget to engage back with them. I know it can be hard as a parent and I have even had several days pass before I got back to my questions but I always get back to answer everyone of them.
You have valuable information to share on your blog so don’t concern yourself too much about that aspect. I left you a comment and some information about http://triberr.com Its a free service to help bloggers get together and share their content with each others network. I would love to have you in my tribe (dadblunders tribe)
Aaron
I’ve always believed that each comment is an implicit link to a real person and a potential relationship waiting to be developed. If you think that way, then it elevates the value of what you get out of it.
Actually, I might be radical in saying that Commenting is not good. Discussions and conversations around comments are great. And deriving an online community as a result of that is the perfect goal because your members keep returning for more and more value beyond comments.
It’s really about the “value of relationships”.
I’ve written a fair bit on that topic over at the Engagio blog and we published the results of a survey covering the State of Online Conversations http://blog.engag.io/2012/06/06/engagio-survey-commenting-more-important-than-sharing-and-replying-is-more-important-than-liking-or-sharing/
The value of relationships can’t be overemphasized. I know as bloggers we only get out of blogging based on what we put in. I try to put in as much as time as possible commenting on peoples posts and visiting with friends. It becomes difficult at times because I am father of 3-year-old son.
I know it is commenting with people that I learn the most information about blogging and what I need to try to do or learn. I have gotten into some great discussions on various things that have helped me a great deal. Hopefully that will continue into the far future.
Aaron
P.S. Thank you for directing me to the infographic. I pinned it to my pinterest!
Thanks Aaron. Looking forward to more online conversations.
Hi Aaron, I couldn’t agree with you more about value commenting. You’re exactly right, value commenting makes a world of difference.
The biggest benefit of value blogging in my mind is the friendships you make when you comment regularly on someone’s blog. There is nothing that bloggers appreciate more than a considerate comment at their blog. It’s even more important than sharing in my mind. I am amazed at the friendships I have made through commenting.
Carolyn,
I couldn’t agree with you more! I try really hard to post on people’s blogs, make value tweets for people (and some that people come to me and ask to make a value tweet) I know that the relationships I built are teaching me about blogging and many other various things that I find a lot of value in. Who knows maybe someday it will lead me to some other exciting opportunity.
Aaron
You’re right, Aaron. You do a great job of not only visiting other blogs, but leaving quality comments. You’re a huge supporter of other bloggers and a true leader. I’m not sure how long you’ve been blogging but you clearly have developed a strong following in a short time.
Your success is well earned, Aaron.
Thank you Carolyn! I am quick study and learner which helps. I do get behind sometimes just like everyone else though (I am still a father first though) I fell behind over the last week on commenting back to people….yikes!
Aaron
Definitely like the concept of “value commenting”, Aaron – and I think you do an excellent job at it. I appreciate your visits to my blog site, and I can usually count on your input on a Bruce Sallan post (where I also frequently comment).
You also carry your value commenting to Twitter, also – in terms of rapid back-n-forth engagement around a topic. And we definitely enjoyed your participation on last week’s Hecklers’ Hangout even when you had no power!
Brian,
As you know I believe in the community and I feel the community is only as strong as it’s weakest link. It takes all of us to built the blogging community into something that we can all be proud of and enjoy. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that it could have financial gains (if for no other reason but because of the relationships we built)
I know I felt so bad about last week and #hecklershangout !! I wasn’t expecting storms to play havoc with the power and then lose the internet portions for a vast majority of the day, I did try to stay on top of it with my phone but it was still vastly slower and i would hit dead patches upon occasion.
Aaron
Great Post! And I love the emphasis on Value Commenting. Ya. I definitely appreciate comments that go far more than the one liners of Great insight as well!
Enjoyed reading your post. Cheers
Edmund,
Thank you! Commenting is the only way a blog can actually gauge the success of things we do. As I stated we can read analytics but those are only numbers it is the engagement of others that shows us what we are doing right or wrong.
Aaron
Thanks for reading it. I work really hard to try and add value to my followers. I know when I read other peoples articles I like to find value so I try to add value in my posts. The largest majority of my articles will be about fatherhood (generally with humor) but I know I can diversify some and still give quality work and value to others.
Aaron
Aaron, Great job. Despite the fact that blogs have been around for more than a decade there are many people who still don’t understand what a blog is, how they work, or that comments matter. Love the term “Value Commenting”. Engagement is so important and blogs are really important. Well said.
Victor,
Thank you so much for your support! I have called it “value commenting” for awhile now. I believe that their are comments (great job) and value comments (one’s that make me think, change a thought process or help with a new idea). I know sine I enjoy those type of comments I try to always leave others something that I think will add to the discussion.
Aaron
Seems my tweet of your post to the blogchat crowd is catching on! Thanks for adding to the community!
Janice,
I appreciate that and thank you. Man….It teaches me not to fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon. I was working on the computer while laying on the couch as passed out in the late afternoon until just a few minutes ago….yikes!!
Aaron
A few months after I started my blog (which is only 8 months old), I read a post about a blogger saying that she significantly increased traffic by leaving a comment every single time a new post appeared in the blogs she followed regularly. That completely changed the way I starting interacting with other food blogs. And the amount of `friends´ that value comment on my blog completely changed.
But the main focus should be on value comments. It´s a whole different thing than just commenting with a catch phrase. The most important thing about taking the time to read others posts and comments is that I am gradually building a real friendship with many fellow bloggers. And this, besides what happens with my blog in the future, is probably the most rewarding aspect of blogging right now.