15 Ways To Get Readers To Comment On Your Blog Yvonne DiVita’s Top 5
1. Make friends. People comment on blogs and connect to people they like. Use twitter and Facebook and your sparkling personality to support your friends – share their blog posts in tiny URLs and visit their Facebook pages to leave comments. They will do the same, for you.
2. Be original. Creativity can never be overemphasized. Follow in the steps of the Mentos guys. Add video to your blog – break out of your shell and share inspiring or educational content, be personable and friendly. Act as if you're speaking to the reader as an individual.
3. Share with your inner circle. Got a really fantastic, important post? Share it via email with a select group of your friends. "I just wrote a post on local shelters that go beyond the ordinary and I wonder if you have thoughts to share on this topic." Remember to thank people for their time, "Thanks for letting me share this with you today. Have a great one!" Don't ASK for the comment. Let them comment at will. (Caroline mentioned this also and we cannot express it strongly enough…never ask for comments!)
4. Interview someone. It doesn't have to be a celebrity (but it could be). A pet pal is fine. Find out what makes their blog tick and why they write it. They will share with their friends, and probably start the comment thread on your blog. Make sure you visit their blog post about the interview and thank them.
5. Post about a popular news topic: the bad economy and how it's affecting your budget; the oil spill and what you think should be done about it; a celebrity mishap involving pets; uplifting news from your local area – a feel-good story that has been picked up by national news resources. This not only invites comment, it attracts search engines that may send you more traffic.
Come on back tomorrow for Tom's Top 5 Ways to Get Readers To Comment On Your Blog.
Caroline and Yvonne, you’ve both provided great tips! In fact, you’ve taken several that would have been in MY Top 5.
So I’m commenting here to “illustrate” some additional tips I hope will help, too.
Coming soon …
Tom
We know you have more ideas, Tom. I get a lot of my ideas from you…
Hee hee we planned it, Tom. We wanted to take the “easy” ones and make you work!
And have many many cute pictures of CATS!!
Tom – A great way to find more readers and connect is to join the Pet Bloggers Hop ;)! Here is the link to what it is all about http://twolittlecavaliers.blogspot.com/2010/05/announcing-saturday-pet-blogger-hop.html
It is remaining open this week until Monday at 11:30PM Eastern for those who would liek to join. The more blogs you comment on the more comments you will receive in return 😉
Great list – I also suggest:
-Ask/prompt a question. When asking a question it encourages readers to think, create a dialogue and often dive deeper into your content. I love to ask questions because it also keeps readers on your site longer.
-Host giveaways. This can’t be done all the time, but whenever I host giveaways I usually ask for comments for people to officially “enter” and I get far more comments than usual because people want to participate and it’s usually pretty fun.
-Similar to interviewing someone, I encourage guest posts. Guest posts often bring a different set of readers to your blog, and a different set of readers often create new comments and new subscribers!
Wow, great content, everyone. I especially like the “have may cute pics of cats!” Hehehe.
Thanks for the extra work, Grace. Great ideas!
Hey, Brad, thanks for the tip. Reminds me of a quote I read somewhere about how easy it is to grab someone’s attention with a picture of a baby, or puppy, or kitten!
Felissa, you folks have a great thing going there, thanks for the link.
And hi, Grace. Wow, three more great tips! Are you conspiring with Yvonne and Caroline to make my list harder to write? ;-D
Keep ’em coming!
Tom
I think the tips listed in these postings are all right on the money!
To me one of the most important tips is to take the time to comment on other bloggers blog postings. I try to do this whenever possible. I must be candid and say that more often than not the favor is not returned. We all get busy, we all are following a lot of blogs, I am guilty about not reading each and every blog I am following every day, but when I do have the time I make a concerted effort to comment! There are many blogs that I comment on regularly that I don’t get a response to my comment nor do I get a comment on my blog.
Sorry, but I have to be honest and point that out.
When people comment on my blog I feel it is extremely important as you mentioned to reply to each and every comment! I feel if someone takes the time to comment, their comment is important enough to warrant a response.
I love the Blog Hop, I have found and followed some wonderful blogs there. Unfortunately I cannot post a badge on my blog because my blog is “housed” on a newspaper website and I don’t have the administrative authority to change the layout. My experience in the last 2 blog hops I have participated in where I have once again left a comment that I found them in the blog hop (and I am following them), they are not leaving a comment back on my blog or following.
We all work hard and are proud of what we do each and every day, we should all support the hard work of our peers.We can all learn so much from each other.
A little kindness, encouragement, support and consideration goes a really long way!
Thanks to those that I have met and followed that are following and commenting back!! I enjoy each and every one of you immensely, I am so happy to have met so many of you and wouldn’t trade you in for the world!