Sometimes I feel it’s old fashioned writing about this topic. The simple reason is that a lot has been written about it and it appears to be the easiest way for any blogger to kick off and grow so quick.
However, each time I go through my comments, I see a strong need to come back to it because blogging is growing and many more people discover and get into it daily.
Blog commenting has worked for so many folks, including me. So many of my readers in my country don’t find it easy to believe I blog from Douala and get the kind of engagement you see on my blog. The good news is, blogging is not affected by any geographical factors. You can blog and succeed anywhere in the world.
But many bloggers are wasting their time doing this thing!
There is this thing that almost every blogger does. Nevertheless, a good number of us are wasting our time on it.
You have read how it’s effective and how blogger X and blogger Y have succeeded with it. Yet, it’s not yielding any fruits for you and you are thinking “… this strategy doesn’t work at all”.
It works!
You probably are not adding a few ingredients to the mix. I’ll help you!
Ok!
This thing -> Blog commenting, is a powerful growth tool for bloggers. That’s one of the tools (I call it a tool) I use while in Cameroon to get my blog to where it is.
While many bloggers see blog commenting as a traffic exercise, I use it as a networking and engagement tool, and it works like charm.
Here is the point …
If you comment as a way to get referral traffic, chances are that you’ll make a lot of costly mistakes. I see these somewhat stupid mistakes around and I can easily tell from a hundred miles who’s here for a backlink.
Want me to list some of the mistakes that dig a pit right on your pathway?
Ok, here we go…
- Not reading an article enough to gain some knowledge before dropping your comments
- Dropping unnecessary links in your comment
- Making short nonsensical comments
- Not going personal in comments
- Not referring to some points on the blog post in your comments
- Not using a gravatar
- etc
Truth is, if you do any of these mistakes, for the most part, you are just wasting your time. Your comment will end up in spam or trash bin.
Link-hungry commentators drop a few lines of comments and then look for a way to drop a link. What a waste!
Those who know about the wonderful commentluv plugin simply say some nonsense in the comment box, pull the link on commentluv and hit the submit button. – another waste.
Some who think they are clever enough will go ahead and drop keywords in the comment form name field. Where the hell are you from?
Some actually use forum posts URLs, blog posts URLs, etc in the comment form website field. These are just some crazy things to do to guide your comments straight to trash.
Blog commenting to build relationships!
The best thing to do to help your blog is create relationships with bloggers in your niche. These relationships are simply the best factors that will grow your business.
Once you relate with real bloggers, they come over to your blog and engage. For the most part, they will share your posts, mention and link to your articles from theirs. It’s as simple as that.
Here are some tips not to waste your time commenting!
- Read blogs in your niche
I don’t recommend reading and dropping comments on just any blog. You’ll have to focus on blogs whose readers and owners will find value on your own blog. The more you locate and interact on blogs in your niche, the more your chances to attract and connect with like-minded bloggers.
- Don’t skim
I know most people rush over articles today. But if you want to really bundle value in your comments and stand out, you must be able to dedicate a significant amount of time reading those articles you want to comment on.
I recommend a slow but steady and sure growth. Why rush and drop skinny comments on 10+ blogs a day when your chances of getting something out of them are very slim?
Isn’t it better to focus on 5 or less blogs a day, read their posts thoroughly and drop meaningful comments that will not go unnoticed?
Stop the rush! Go slowly, steadily and grow surely.
- Drop meaningful comments
This is one point that has been said a thousand times. What attracts attention to your comments is the length and then the content. If at a glance, someone notices a lengthy comment, there are chances that people will try to read what’s said.
Take note that long comments don’t automatically mean there is value inside. However, take your time to say something attractive and encourage conversation. Avoid those one-line comments. These for the most part, don’t attract readers and blog owners.
Drop comments that directly relate to the content. Pick one or two points in the post and comment on them. You are free to contradict, affirm or add more to the post. That’s what makes your comments more attractive. Why not comment to give the blog owner an idea for his/her next blog post?
- Be personal
This is one point that works like charm. Don’t comment like you are some robot. The first thing you should do here is note the name of the post author and talk to him/her personally in the comment.
There is trap in this point. The blog owner is not always the post author. The author could be a guest blogger so don’t make the mistake of referring to the wrong person in your comment. You look stupid if you do this 😉
- Use gravatar
A gravatar is an inevitable way to create a visual impact on your comment readers. People want to relate with people so not using your real photo on your comments is already hurting one of your legs. I know of bloggers that will not approve comments on their blogs without gravatar picture. Go to Gravatar.com and create a free account.
I recommend you check out a post by my friend, Ravi Chahar on What Is Gravatar and the reasons you need it for your online branding.
- Reply to comment replies and other comments
Chances are that you are going to be commenting on blogs that have received comments from other readers. Pick out one or two other comments on that same blog post and reply to them. And again, be personal and talk directly to the comment author.
Once the blog owner replies to your comment, come back to the blog post and add another reply to it. That keeps the conversation going and creates a bond between you and the blog owner.
- Be conversational
If you want your comments to really stand out, use conversation triggers in your comments. Make points and ask questions. Once you ask meaningful questions, you are always going to have other readers engaging personally with you on blog comments.
Commenting on a blog for the first time!
Each time I land on a blog and decide to drop my very first comment, I get often fueled with excitement. I know ah! this is a chance to get to hookup with yet another awesome blogger.
There are things I say in the comment that really work for me and I think you should copy them. Here is what I do;
- I speak to the blog owner first, telling him or her how I got to his/her blog. If came through a comment on another blog, I mention the name of the owner of that blog.
- I then say something that appreciates his blog – logo, design, interaction, etc.
- Then I go to the subject of the posts (sometimes, I don’t write much here)
- If that blogger offers an interesting free gift, I signup to his/her list to grab a copy. Often, I will mention in the comment that I got the free gift.
- To conclude, I make a promise to come back again (And of course, I keep to the promise)
- After commenting, I go ahead to share their post on social media.
- The last thing I do often before leaving the blog is go to the contact page and shoot a mail. It’s just a simple mail to introduce myself and say one or two things about his/her blog.
Doing this has always worked for me and I end up connecting with so many awesome bloggers. While they get excited that I came around and engaged, most of them jump to my blog, engage and signup to my list.
NB: If you are product author or just promoting some product, avoid doing some sort of promotion in your first steps. This will ruin your attempt to build relationships.
Some recommended posts to read
Here are some few posts by friends to help you succeed in your blog commenting exercise;
- What Is Your Blog Commenting Strategy? by Sherryl Perry
- How to Become a Blog Commenting Superstar by Harleena Singh
- How Do Blog Comments Help Your Blog’s SEO? by Lisa and Andy of commentLuv
- How to Build an Online Empire through Blog Commenting by Ryan Biddulph (ebook)
The end!
I’m excited you went through this post to this end. Kindly share it on social media to give it some more exposure.
Do drop a comment and let me know your thoughts.
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