< Don't blame others if you're not getting traffic : Connect with bloggers at your level >
When you start blogging, people don't just turn up and start reading your posts and leaving comments. You have to tell people about your blog or they won't know about it!But even when people start reading, the first few comments can seem very tough to get. So, what do you do?
Find some other blogs.
Look for blogs that interest you. They can be relevant to your own blog or nothing to do with it - just find blogs where you like the content. Join Entrecard if you're having difficulties finding good blogs.Find some posts that interest you.
To begin with, try to read a few posts on the blogs you like. Consider the author's viewpoint and think up some of your own comments or questions that could be posted in reply.Leave a friendly, insightful comment.
If you're commenting on a blog for the first time, try to avoid saying "Nice post!" or something similar, even if that's what you think. Add a bit of info about your own experiences, and add things that the author may have missed.Make sure you're not repeating what's already been said in earlier comments. Focus on writing a good quality comment - think of it as a mini-blog entry. Why write it if it isn't worth reading?
Linking to your site.
If there is a URL field, include your site address in that field. Do not include the URL of your site in the body of your comment. This is often frowned upon and can make you look like a spammer.Subscribe to the site.
Start by reading my Google Reader guide. This explains what you should look for when subscribing to a site. After you've subscribed to a site, you'll be shown the latest content on that site.Now, click on the "star" icon next to the blog entry you just commented on . You can revisit the page every so often via the "starred items" link to check if anyone else has replied to your comment. Thanks to GorillaSushi for this excellent tip.
Keep at it!
Keep looking for sites that you like, commenting and subscribing. Soon, people will start commenting on your blog. Just make sure that you write good quality comments and that your blog has good quality posts and you'll be fine!Did you like this post? Subscribe today!
Tags: comments, reciprocal comments, entrecard, subscriptions, google reader, rss
Posted by Ben on January 20, 2008 11:17 / Edited: Never
Comments
I think you've laid out some good advice. I would also mention that its good to sometimes email questions privately to other bloggers. I've just begun a blog, and I've encountered tremendous support when I asked questions privately.
This not only shows support of their blog but also can build a lasting relationship.
You may also not want to overdo the commenting because then you will be a spammer and we wouldn't want that xD. I do try to send 5-10 comments a day though.
Thanks everyone for the comments. :)
Wogan - problem is, WordPress uses "nofollow" by default, and many blogs do not alter this. I wrote about this in Linking to other sites in your blog entries.
As I'm not using WordPress (I use my own system - Majestic I'd need to add in the reply notification feature. I don't usually subscribe though as it floods my inbox. Google Reader allows me to keep track of new blog posts and comments without taking over my inbox. ;)
Jason - that's a good idea, and I haven't tried that yet. I may start doing it. Thanks for the tip. :)
Colt - good point, I should have mentioned that! Thanks for covering it!
I find that I can go for days not thinking of a decent blog post, then feel like doing two in one day.
Adding photos of note is something I want to do more of, where relevant.
Yes, you have to give to receive.
The plugin that Wogan mentioned is a good choice but some people find it annoying because some posts get really busy. I will install it anyways :)
Great post, as always.
PS. Come to my blog and comment about it's new look.:)
Thanks Steve and Djakson for the comments. :) Djakson, I will have to get back to you on that, my latest blog entry explains why: Take some time out to reflect
I agree with what you are saying about comments. The idea came to me last night while I was at work to write something about it. Yours is better. I found your blog through entrecard and it is one the blogs that I find I keep coming back to and reading something that interest me. Keep up the good work and I wish I was just as articulate.
Thanks Carol, glad I can keep your interest. :) As for being articulate, it helps that I have a very clear focus for my blog. I used to run benbarden.com as a personal site and the blog wasn't very good at all, it hardly got any comments. I decided to change things around and hey, people started commenting. Sometimes it's good to try something new. You could always open a 2nd blog if you don't want to change your existing one. :)
Nice post!
Heheh. But it's true. The more good comments, the better. At the very least, Google sees an incoming organic link from that site to yours. It's the link you entered, but that makes no real difference to the bot.
Also, most wordpress blogs have a plugin that lets the comment author be notified of replies to his comment via email. Saves you the trip to Google Reader :)
~ Wogan