The post "10 ways to get more comments on your blog" first appeared on Problogger.
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Only 1 in 100 readers comments on your blog
A study by Jakob Nielsen once showed that in an online community, 90% of users are covert (read or watch without contributing), only 9% of users are "at least", and 1% actively contribute.
Only 1% of your blog users are active on your blog?
And the rest (preferably) random participants?
The study is a bit dated and it's not just about blogs so the actual numbers could be higher or lower and will no doubt vary from site to site anyway but I'm sure the general principle still applies...
Most of the readers leave the blog without leaving comments or feedback.
Some bloggers really like it and delete the comments. Read about how to enable or disable comments and the pros and cons of blog comments here.
But comments and interaction are the first step in building a community around your blog, and I think it's very important.
When it comes to comments, there are several ways to encourage more engagement and engagement on your blog.
10 ways to increase comments on your blog
1. Invite comments
I find that when I invite people to comment, people leave more often than when I don't. This confuses me to some extent because most of my readers know that they can comment on any article, but I think an invitation to comment will elicit a reaction. Also remember that new readers who are not familiar with blogs are not always aware of comments or how to use them; Invitations to participate in well-organized and easy-to-use comment systems can help get them involved.
2. Ask questions
Including specific questions in posts will definitely help you get more feedback. I find that adding questions to headlines is a very effective way to get a response from readers, especially if they already have a question from your first post.
For example, here are nine questions to ask on your Facebook page to get more feedback.
3. Be open
If you say everything there is to say about a topic, they are less likely to add their own ideas because you will hide what others have added. While you don't want to deliberately leave too much unsaid, there is an art to writing open posts that also leave room for your readers to become experts.
4. Interaction with comments left
If your readers refuse to use your comments section, why should they? If anyone comments please contact them. This will be more difficult as your blog grows, but it's especially important in the early days of your blog because it shows your readers that their comments are valued, creates a culture of engagement, and makes other readers feel like you belong in the section. of comments. . As a blogger, this is an active place to be appreciated. As activity in the comments section increases, you may need to be a little more active as readers take responsibility for answering questions and building a community, but don't ignore comment threads entirely.
Whether you're trying to communicate or be entertained, blogging is an important aspect of blogging, so here are 12 ways to become a more interactive and approachable blogger.
5. Set limits
Shortly after setting up the rules for my comment section (along with the comment policy), I noticed that my number of comments increased slightly. I'm not sure if this is just a coincidence or if readers react to what is acceptable and what is not. This is just a theory, but I think a well-functioning, spam-free, moderated comments section that works well with people offline will engage readers. Personally, I don't mind when people express different opinions in comments, but if I feel like something is getting out of hand and too personal, I often step in to clean up the situation (I sometimes delete comments without spamming). ). I find that people react to this and comment threads are often constructive because of it.
6. Be humble
I find that readers respond better to posts that highlight your weaknesses, limitations, and knowledge gaps than to posts that make you think you know everything there is to know about a topic. People are drawn to politeness and are more likely to respond if it is written in a harsh tone.
7. Be nice
Grace is associated with humility. There are times when you as a blogger find something wrong with your posts. It could be spelling or grammar, the gist of your argument, or any other aspect of your blog. When someone makes a comment that shows you're losing, it's very easy to react aggressively and defensively. We have all seen potential flames. While it's not easy, admitting they're wrong and taking a positive approach to commenting where others are right can make them feel more confident leaving comments.
8. Be a debater (?)
I ask because it doesn't always work (and I personally avoid it as much as possible these days), but there's nothing better than controversy to get people to comment on your blog. Of course, along with the controversy, there are other consequences, one of which is the risk of alienating the darker members of your readership.
9. Comment "Prize".
There are many ways to recognize and "encourage" good comments, from simply "good comments" to adding them to other posts you write. Capturing the attention of your readers with comments will ensure this, but proper use of the comments section will also capture the attention of other readers.
10. Simplify the idea
I leave a few comments every week on many blogs, but I rarely comment, even if the article is worthwhile, there are blogs that require you to login before you can comment. Maybe I'm just lazy (maybe I'm not really) or maybe there's something in me that bothers me about giving out my personal details, but when I see a comment section that requires registration, I almost always (95% or more) leave. . the blog without leaving the comment I want to make. While I fully understand the temptation to request comment subscriptions (mainly to combat spam), something inside me resists participating in such comment sections. Registration is a hurdle you put in front of your readers, and some of them will want to get over it, while others won't (the same goes for the other comment section requirements above the basics). Make the comments section as simple and convenient as possible.
So what do you think? How did you increase the number of comments on your blog (should have asked)?
Also check out my tutorial "Four Pillars of a Blog: Create a Community" to increase reader engagement and unlock the power of community.
This article was first published on October 12, 2006 and was updated on September 22, 2022.
The post "10 ways to get more comments on your blog" first appeared on Problogger.