Blogging Best Practices: Build and Engage Community with Comments

Welcome to our series of posts on Blogging Best Practices! Each Thursday for 10 weeks, we'll debut a new post designed to help you create great content, share it with the world, and become a better blogger. Check out other posts in the series here!

As a blog writer and a blog reader you'll find that one of the most valuable practices you keep revolves around the comment form. It's not enough to simply open commenting on your own blog, waiting for random blog cruisers to pop in and comment; you have to be a commenter too.

The effort made in making relevant, high quality comments on blogs you read will help build an audience and reputation for you as a commenter. In creating or joining conversations on the blogs of others, providing value with your voice and thoughts, you will find that your commenting peers will want to know what else you have to say. How do they do that? By turning to your blog. In time, you will notice that the community surrounding your own blog will begin to grow.

As you receive more comments on your blog you'll need to put forth the effort of replying to comments left for you. If you want the conversation around a post to keep flowing, make sure your comments have content and aren't just a "thank you!" to your reader. While enthusiastic replies can be nice, the conversation ends when nothing of value is added.

If you're not certain what makes a good, or even great, comment, there are invaluable resources available via a quick search for "how to write a great comment." One particular link that you might find useful is How to Write a Great Blog Comment by Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty. Do your own search to read what others think brings value to a comment, then try them out for yourself. Not every tip may be suitable for your specific blog, but remain open to trying them and seeing what works best for your blog's community and the communities to which you belong.

Remember that great content doesn't have to stop at the end of your blog post; often times the best content happens when engaging with your audience after that post goes live.

Comments

[bizworldusa]

really it,s a good thought.It is very good thought comments is one of the best thing what opposite person think about me.It is really good.I really appreciate this post.

regards.
bizworldusa

[Lydia]

I would add one more point to this very helpful post. With social media so popular now, especially for those readers who do just want to say "loved your post" in a fast and easy way, I find that my blogs get fewer actual comments (but more overall engagement by readers), and that means each comment gets more attention from me and from other readers. Commenting is a great opportunity to add value to the conversation started in the blog post, and with fewer comments overall, the comments you leave will have greater impact.

[Elaine]

When I first started my blog, Random Jottings, the only people who dropped by were family and friends so I did exactly what is recommended here, I visited other blogs of interest to me and there were plenty. Found so many kindred spirits it was great to leave comments and thoughts and in due course the flow started coming in my direction and so it goes on. Takes a while to build an audience and then you have to make sure you write enough so that they keep coming back., I always reply to comments. I have made so many friends all over the world through my blog and they keep coming! I also have my blog linked to Facebook and Twitter and thus push more traffic my way.

[Bri]

That's a really good point, Lydia. Social media networking, if that's something you use, has forced us to evaluate what we want to say and how we want to say it. You can still converse, and add value, even with 140 characters or less; it can help you learn how to write a good comment since you have to concisely make a point. Longer conversations can always be moved to the comments feature of a post, too, so the flow of communication doesn't have to stop, or be limited by, the medium.

[Bri]

That's so great, Elaine! Your experience is a prime example of how what you put into your blogging communities will work in your favor as well. Meeting kindred spirits, making friends or business connections, and expanding the community you create and take part in--it's all exciting and great fun! :)

[Suratinfoline]

Yes, i think Commenting is the best way to get traffic in business or aware to people.

[Account Deleted]

I am often frustrated and disappointed when viewers "like" a post but don't say why they like it. Maybe they dont feel comfortable expressing themselves? When we critiqued each other in art school, we always had to tsay why we liked/disliked the work presented. Feedback is important. One thing that irks me is having someone "like" your post simply because they want you to like them in return, AND they want you to buy their photographs, crafts, or check out their shops. I enjoy blogs that are created because the writer has a genuine desire to communicate. I also learn from and connect with others through their writing.

Thanks, Typepad!

[Elaine]

I have regular visitors who seem shy of posting but then they will finally do so on a post which is of particular interest to them. I receive remarks along the lines of Oh have been following you for ages but have never commented before. When I receive a comment like that it gets an immediate reply and a welcome and encouragement to carry on! If the hits I get each day resulted in a comment on a post I would be a happy bunny.

Last year I visited Australia and met one of my blog followers. We got on like a house on fire, had a wonderful time and she has now been over here and I am returning toOz next year. When I visit the US I now have friends all over and am planning visit next year to NY and will be fully booked. Blogging is a wonderful experience and I really love it

[Shannon]

Not that I'm impatient or anything (well ok, maybe just a little), but how long did it take for you all to establish a significant amount of traffic or followers. I love blogging, so even if I never get a following I'm still going to do it. I wake up looking forward to posting! :D

[Alexandria, Professional Bagpiper AFM Local 349]

I think people are sometimes afraid to comment for some reason. I don't get many comments.

[Anastasia]

Thank you for this very helpful post. As far as I am concerned, I always comment on blogs I read if I have something to say. Similarly, I reply to my commenters when they ask a question or if I feel I need to add something. On the other hand, I never comment just for the sake of commenting or because I would like the blog owner to comment back on my blog. This would be a terrible loss of time. Cross culture may also hinder comments.

[Anastasia]

Having a lot of followers doesn't necessarily mean that you will get a lot of comments, especially if your blog doesn't have a niche like mine. It took me more than 4 years to establish a significant traffic and build an audience.

[Rohit Pendharkar525]

In spite of social sharing website blogging website has it's different meaning and importance for the people. Social netowrking site keep engage you with your friends and family activities. Blogging website give you news, updates, opinion.
MedeCure