You spend hours writing up a good blog post, hoping it would go viral, spread across social networks, attract tons of search engine traffic and eventually a great number of comments but then what happens? No single share, no comment and the post wasn’t as great as you had hoped. Even if it means just one comment on a post, it means a lot to a blogger since it shows that write-ups are readable and your blog is an interactive one. Let me make this clear, getting comments on a new blog can be a challenge but if you’ve been blogging for quite a while and you’re still not getting any comment on your blog, something is definitely wrong.
So, how than can I get people to comment on my blog posts?
There are ways to get comments from first time visitors and there are ways to win readers who will always comment on your posts. There are certain things you can do to get both these categories of people to comment on your blog.
1. Spark a controversy
This type of posts attract comment and I can bet my a*s on it. Just take a look around you; there are certain popular misconceptions you can address through a blog post, going against popular beliefs you know that are wrong. However, you shouldn’t overdo this and you must be careful else, you may lose some readers.
The fact of the matter is that these type of posts often generate comments. There are several topics in your niche you can write on that are controversial and I recommend you should consider this approach.
2. Publish original ideas
One of my most popular posts that generated over a hundred comments was something I personally discovered. Prior to when I published that post, it wasn’t available anywhere on the internet (based on the Google search I ran before publishing). The comments was mostly “thank you” and the likes, but it went a long way in boosting my ego.
3. Publish complex and educative tutorials
If you’re a tech blogger, you should be able to challenge yourself by writing tutorials, I mean complex ones and explaining them in clear terms. Apart from getting comments on this kind of posts, they get shared on social networks and public forums. Sometimes, I check my referrals to see them coming from forums I don’t even know. Most of the posts shared on forums are tutorials and when you write yours in such a way that even a baby can understand, be sure to get comments.
4. Join blogging communities
Hold up, wait a minute! Before you read this, let me inform you that I do not use BlogEngage actively but bloggers who do get loads of comments on their blogs. Using BlogEngage isn’t free but if you go for the paid membership and your posts gets to the first page, you’re bound to gain lots of comments especially if your post is related to Blogging tips.
5. Question your readers
After your blog post, do you ask your readers for feedback? Do you question them on the subject matter? Does your writing style encourage commenting? You need to change your writing style if need be. Check blog posts that get tons of comments and how such bloggers write, it helps.
6. Avoid typos
A couple of typographical error is pardonable but loads of them in a blog post is an unforgivable sin. When your blog post is rife with errors here and there, no one will bother to drop a comment even if the article is very informative and educative.
7. Reply to the few comments you get
You must treat your comments as personal messages that must be replied. Replying to comments encourages more comments and you must bear this in mind.
However, if your blog gets to a certain level, it would be also impossible to reply all those comments but you should still try your best all the same
8. Gather lots of followers
Apart from getting Facebook fans, your personal Facebook and Twitter profiles too should help you get comments if well managed. Adding like-minded people as friends and those who will be genuinely interested in your articles is a great way to get comments on your blog posts.
9. Change your commenting system
The way your comment box looks matters but lots of bloggers do not know this. If you’re on blogspot, you may want to try disqus and other third party blog commenting services. Also if you’re using WordPress, I recommend you should use commentluv plugin.
These things look small but believe me, it actually attracts people to comment on your blog.
10. First impression counts
This comes last as an added thought. Your blog must look friendly enough to encourage commenting. The color combination, ad placement, widget arrangement and general design matters. If your blog looks ugly, your bounce rate will be high and that won’t get you any comment. Remeber: less bullcrap, more content.
If yours is a new, low-traffic blog, some of these tips may particularly apply to you but engaging some of the tips will go a long way in getting you those comments you so much desire. Also, you should realize that getting more traffic also increases the number of feedback you get. There are definitely more ways to gain comments but can you share what other strategies you use on blog?
