FISHING FOR COMMENTS

The second biggest complaint/question/concern/issue with blogging gets filed under “Comments.”  People get very worried when they don’t get any. Some get very upset when they get negative ones, and others try and figure out ways to get more.

First off you can’t judge a blog by its comments.  That being said a blog that has been consistent and up for some time and remains for the most part commentless, should be looked at under a  blogoscope.   Consistent is at least two to three times a week for three to six months.  When you get to that point and no one is chiming in then you might start to question what you are doing and how you are releasing it into the world.

One of the key things to remember is only one to two percent of your readers will say anything.  That is why I say you can’t judge a blog by its comments.  Commentors also tend to be consistent. Go look at any well trafficked blog, you will see the same people commenting day in day out.  And when a blog really hits its stride, the commentors tend to know each other and start talking, attacking and engaging with each other.  This is what most bloggers want.

The truth is most people will say nothing. Some will say horrid things but don’t let that get to you.  As the moderator you don’t have to put them up.

Fred Wilson who is not only a big-time Internet Venture Capitalist but a serious blogger, he posts every day no matter what is going on in his life; he recently changed a part of his blog and let a few of the regulars help him moderate. Fred gets hundreds of comments and responds to almost every one.

He told the moderators in waiting to keep the haters up.  I wrote to him and said you are a braver person than I. I will put up negative remarks, but personal attacks I tend to mark as spam.

Fred said, “Haters will hate.”

And he is totally right about that.  Haters can spark lively debates, which is what you want and they show someone is paying attention. From now on I will post all my haters.

You will also often times get personal emails in response to your blogs. Most people do not like to put their opinions on the web. They consume information but they don’t generate any themselves.  I get five personal emails responding to a blog for every comment on the site.

Sometimes I will say, great point, put it up as a comment, most times they won’t.

Which brings me to a big point; a sure way to not get anyone to comment is to stand begging with your empty comment bowl held out.  I have tried this, it does not work.

People will tell you, end your blogs with a question.  Like, “Tell me how you feel about this.”

I have never seen this work.  In fact it somehow has the reverse effect.

People like to say something when they are in the mood, they do not want to respond because you would like to see 32 comments at the top of your blog.

I tried it recently after Steve Jobs died.  I didn’t come out and ask for comments, but after I talked about my first Apple product, I said “What was yours? I would love to hear about it.”

OK, well, when I write it I see I did ask for a comment. I think I got four. I thought people would be dying to tell the story of their first iPod or iPhone. I thought I would wake up to fifty comments. WRONG!   That will be the last time I do that.

Make it easy for people to comment.  Disqus is a great tool, it allows for you to moderate easily and reply to each person’s comment.

Reply. Reply. Reply.

I try and reply to most people who comment and always to first timers. Welcome them to your site and call them by name.

Think of it as inviting  someone into your home. That is essentially what you are doing. You are inviting people to join you in this world you are creating on the web. So unless they behave like total assholes, welcome them like you would any guest.

If you want people to comment on your site, go comment on other sites. It’s a two way street. You can’t sit back and expect people to respond to you if you are not responding to them.

Follow some well trafficked blogs and see how they do it. Read their postings, read the comments, see what ignites conversation or personal responses.

I’m not saying to copy them, you want to be unique, but understand what works and what doesn’t.

And be careful how you ask people to follow you. It’s much like asking for comments.  Don’t go on other people’s sites and suggest they follow you. It’s tacky, it’s like stealing friends in front of people.

Be smart, be interesting, and be consistent and make sure you somehow get to the people who care about what you have to say.

Talk honestly and openly and soon they will start to talk back to you.

31 October 2011 · Comments