This is day 20 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog,a group project 60+ of us bloggers are doing together in an effort to help each other become better bloggers.
Leaving comments on other blogs is a practice that many of the 31DBBB participants have already been doing for nearly 20 days. Leaving a comment on another blog in your niche is a great way to get yourself noticed and is probably the best thing since yellow hot-shots.
What is a yellow hot-shot?
A hot-shot is basically an electrical device used in the agricultural industry to make an animal move from one point to another. It delivers a small electrical jolt via two prongs. When used correctly, this little zap can get a cow or other animal, such as a blog, moving in the right direction. But when used too much or used incorrectly, it ends up being counter-productive and just makes things worse.
Commenting on other blogs in your niche is just like using a yellow hot-shot. When used correctly, it can really add value, not only to you, but to your blog also. Using your “comment hot-shot” effectively takes a little more effort than just zappin’ everything in sight.
Without copying and pasting all the great information, here are the things that stand out if you want to hot-shot comment effectively.
- Add value to the post you are commenting on. Just because you can comment doesn’t mean you should comment. If you don’t have anything other than “Great Post!” or something similar, keep your hot-shot in your truck.
- Add questions about the topic. These can be directed right at the author, or to be even more engaging, ask a question that other visitors might try to answer. Blogging is about engaging the reader. The more you can help in the discussion, the more credible you become. Use your hot-shot to keep the conversation going.
- Add a disagreement about the post. Obviously this needs to be done out of love, but there is no better way to get people’s attention than to disagree. Be cautious in using this hot-shot method. Your comments are a mini-resume about you.
- Add a link to something you have written that specifically adds value to the post. If a Christian blogger is writing about King David, don’t throw in a link about your cousin David’s dog and the time you used the hot-shot on him.
There are so many ways to comment ineffectively that I won’t list them all here. There are a few no-brainers to avoid such as putting 6-7 links in your comment, one or two word comments, bad grammar and bad spelling, and dominating the conversation.
All in all, commenting effectively can sure get your own blog and your credibility moving in the right direction. When you add value and substance to a conversation, people will start to take notice. By commenting intellectually and effectively, you will have people drop by your own blog to see what else you have to say. Who knows, you might even be asked to write a guest post on a big blog one day.
Discussion questions:
- When you leave a comment on a blog, do you subscribe to the follow up comments so you can stay in the conversation or do you just perform a “drive by comment” and leave?
- Do you try to comment on every blog that you read?
- After reading today’s topic, do you think you will comment on other blogs more or less?
- Would you be more apt to comment on a post that you agree with or when you disagree?
The Extra Mile
A few other things you can do to take your blog, other bloggers, and this project even further today…
- Reply & give other bloggers feedback on the little things they do.
- When other bloggers include a link to a new article they’ve posted today, click, read, and comment on it.
- Check previous posts in the series for new comments.
- Tweet, share, & bookmark this post.
- Please review Janis Van Keuren’s blog, Open My Ears, Lord, and give her some feedback.
Kevin Weatherby is takin’ a look at God’s Word from a meat and tater’s perspective instead of fish eggs and fine china. He blogs at Campfire Cowboy Ministries and you can follow him on twitter at @CowboyMinistry.
69 Comments
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