About Tia PetersonMy name is Tia Peterson and I'm the founder of bizchickblogs.com. Feel free to drop me a line at [email protected] if you see something you like (or do not like). To keep in touch, please join our communities:
I think it's the lack of promotion and wrong readership for me. I'm going to work on these two things ASAP. Thanks for this.
Hi Tia,
Without a shadow of doubt. These are all very important points. The blogging world is a social world, so without interaction, you're missing out on so many ways to connect with new readers, new reads, brands, potential clients, etc. It can be time consuming, but it can also be fun, so if you make the time, it can work for you. Patience is indispensable to success.
Thanks. All the best to your Internet business!
Thanks for these precious tips Tia
Excellent Post thanks for sharing Awesome tips This post helps me a lot
Hi Tia,
thanks for another great article. I get most of the points you make, but could you just elaborate a little more on the "post during the week"? Why is that better than during the weekend? I am also with Ms Freeman - CommentLuv is great, adding KeywordLuv and Top Commentator is even better. Also, make sure to make your blog DoFollow if you do add these plugins - makes no real sense without it. :)
You know, I've just found that I get a higher response rate when I post Monday-Thursday, although over the past couple of months, Sundays are also good traffic days for me, even though I do absolutely no promotion over the weekend. It's very bizarre.
Sunday mornings, in particular, seem to bring in a lot of traffic and a fair amount of comments. Maybe people like to read blogs with coffee. :) Since I don't date my posts, though, it really doesn't matter anymore.
Agreed on all 3 points about the blogger luv with commentluv, keywordluv and top commentator. And dofollow. I've started to wonder about keywordluv myself - just about using it myself on other people's blogs, but I love having it here for my readers.
commenting on other blogs of same niche , so they come back using your home link ..
Thanks for the tips. I'm working hard to learn this whole business of blogging.
Thanks for your Detailed Information.. I have added advertisements everywhere in my blog.. could u tell me how do i optimize it properly.
I think the niche is the main attraction for visitors. Write with sincerity and passion it's the largest source of visits that you may have.
Great post. I think providing amazing content will sure fire up some comments. Anyways mind looking at my blog and see what I can improve on and how to get more comments
My recent post How To Build The Ultimate Personalized HomePage (VIDEO)
Hey Edwin,
I checked out your site. In terms of comments, you're doing really well. You could try expanding your circle (try commenting on blogs outside of your existing circle) to see additional comments coming in. Whatever you are doing, continue, but just add to it.
My recent post Blogger Qs Answered: How do I add my picture to my comments?
I think my biggest problem has always been promotion. I've had the blog going for about 8 months now and had some decent readership, but the true followers are friends, friends of friends, and a few randoms.
Meanwhile, I've also had huge weeks where one post will get a thousand unique visitors. Both of these posts pissed people off massively (one, about being a "respectable breastman" pissed off feminists, the other pissed off men looking at breasts on a blog of naked ladies). The response was great, but I'm not sure how much it did to gain me any regulars or spread the word.
I'll have 40 comments on one of those, and 0-2 on most of the others.
I suppose I really need some lessons and investment in promotion.
Wish me luck ModernSophist.com
.-= ModernSophist´s last blog ..Coast Guard Gets .04Miles/Gallon Burning Oil Slick =-.
Hey ModernSophist - Sorry this ended up getting caught in the filter! Yeah I too have noticed really up and down comment counts. There are hot button issues and then things everyone just probably nods their head at, and unfortunately we can't see them nodding their heads. :)
I like your blog. Thanks for stopping by. I think investing in promotion is the best investment one can make. And nurturing the friend and friend of friend relationships, since those are the truest and best for your blog anyway.
I think many bloggers forget one of the most important aspects of blogging and that is carrying on a conversation. When someone takes the time to read your post and then takes more time to leave a comment, that's a big deal. Many bloggers seem to just expect it.
Rather they should acknowledge their commenter. First by using CommenLuv like you said, but also add a Top Commentator widget to the sidebar, these two things will help the comment rate immensely.
But, the number one way and I mean #1 way to get and or increase comments left on you blog is to....
Reply to all the comments that your readers leave. Don't ignore your readers, they are after all the life blood of any blog regardless of it success. ;)
.-= Ms. Freeman@Baby Steps of an Internet Entrepreneur´s last blog ..Stop fighting it! Just write it! =-.
Hi Ms. Freeman: Exactly! It's about conversation, and I cherish that part of it. If you're going to take the time to write something and publish it, you might as well acknowledge what someone has to say about it.
Replying to comments has always been something I try to keep up with, even before it was the latest thing. :) It's courteous and a pleasant way to interact, and it helps to build a community around your blog.
Heh... all the usual suspects I see...
Having the second post trump the first. Yes. Sometimes, I do this because I want the second to trump the first.
I have some older material that I update and republish. I usually follow those articles with something timely. The older material gets refreshed, search engines are happy, everyone who isn't specifically interested in the older material focuses on the second post. Perfect!
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..The Fear – And Consequences – Of Failure =-.
Ha! That is actually a great strategy. :)
Hi Tia
Not a blogger on the planet who doesn't need to read this post.
Well... maybe one or two.
Too much to take in at one time but it looks as though I'm stuck in the SEO rut and not promoting my posts.
A sure sign of an old fashioned html site man.
Will work hard on the promotion side.
Blimey! just noticed that you have a comment from Andy Bailey.
Looks as though you've made it big time Tia.
Great plugin that CommentLuv... love it to pieces.
Hi Keith! Thanks for that. I don't know about making it big time, lol. We'll see. :) Just having you as a fan is good enough!
I got the link to this post through Dragon Blogger, good points also its good make commenting easy , eg a blog that requires you to register to leave a comment and therefore this makes it not so easy for readers to comment.
Hi there Biodun! I totally agree; I even put out a little tweet about that, something along the lines of how we will walk away if people don't make it easy to leave comments.
@points2shophelp - Stellar! You are doing the right thing hanging around those bloggers; I just got introduced to that crowd and can already feel my brain waves expanding just by hanging around.
@commentluv - LOL!!! That is an awesome comment. :) And I'm honored that you would stop by. Thanks!
what a great post! all bloggers should have to read this before they're allowed to start a blog :) it would certainly save me some support ticket time every day!
.-= Andy Bailey´s last blog ..CommentLuv Search Engine Update Coming =-.
Hey Tia, great list! I found this post on DragonBlogger's site, and I'm really glad I did. I think the most important thing I took from this post, the line that really hit home for me, was from tip number 4:
"complain that it is not “working.” Here’s the thing: blogs don’t “work.” You’re supposed to do the work."
I'm not saying I social bookmark too much, but maybe I WORRY about it too much, and that time that I spend worrying, I could be writing new content! Thank you for making me think of it that way, I'm really new to blogging and need all the advice I can get right now. Luckily I have some good teachers: John Sullivan, Dragon Blogger, Kikolani, Kissie, Growmap, a really good group of friends I've made lately. They're teaching me to be patient!
I'll have to check out the rest of your site since DB recommended this article. :D
Steven (greenlants)
.-= greenlants@Watch Television´s last blog ..American Idol – Season 9 Episode 32 – Top 7 Performs – 4/20/2010 =-.
This is the first time I comment on your blog and I have to say that this is one the best articles I have read in a while regarding the subject of getting more comments. I will definitely apply 6, 7 and 9 very quickly as I seriously think that there could be an unexplored avenue right there. Never did think about changing readership. I have been concentrating on the most popular ones and probably it is somewhere else. Kudos. Will include in my weekly echo..
Hi DiTesco, thank you so much for your compliments. Please do come back or email me at [email protected] and let me know what ends up working for you. I'm happy you found the article! Cheers, Tia
Wonderful post. My blog isn't being frequently commented, but it's fine by me. Although who doesn't want tons of comment on their posts and start interaction with your readers?
Anyway, my blog is about dialysis and I know that might sound "uninteresting" enough, but I like what I write about, and I guess that's what matters most.
.-= Julius´s last blog ..El Niño – Maximum Tolerance for Dialysis Patients =-.
Hi Julius - Thank you! It's good to be content with how your blog is going! But if you want people to comment, you're on the right track. You've definitely got your site structured well and it looks like you're getting connected (from the badges you've posted). So depending on what you're already doing in terms of getting the word out, you might turn that up a bit. You might try removing the blog title from your Twitter update, too, so it's just the title of the post and the link. And do try http://su.pr. I'm telling you, that is a wonderful tool.
I'd say dialysis is actually a pretty personal and interesting subject to many, many people.
Creating back links from commenting is a great tool. The best way to find these are to go an use googles operator for example: In the google search box enter the following: intext:”powered by wordpress” AND “KeywordLuv” OR “CommentLuv” this will pull out all blogs that provide the plugin and to filter out non blogs we incorporate the “powered by wordpress”
Thanks, Melinda. I feel the same way. I love passing on good info. Everyone can benefit from having a lot of great content out there.
I do think people comment more when there are comments. Unless you are blogger and like to talk and don't think twice about being first. :) I am loving CommentLuv on my blog. I think it does make a difference, and I like being able to help fellow bloggers by showing their last post. Makes the comments more interesting when you see what they are writing about.
When I am on blogs I try to remember to Stumble or Digg it if I really enjoyed the article. Finally getting in the habit of it. I can appreciate the work that goes into a great article, and I like to do what I can to promote it.
.-= Melinda´s last blog ..Dinner in fifteen minutes =-.
The very best way to generate both comments and traffic is to go out visiting other CommentLuv blogs. Find a recent post you find interesting (and idealing relates to your own site and leave a comment. Select YOUR most relevant post to feature in CommentLuv.
If you wait until your comments are approved and then share those posts across your Social Network accounts you will drive traffic to both those sites and your own. My process is to review them at StumbleUpon and then use TwitterFeed to feed that review to Facebook and Twitter.
I have my StumbleUpon RSS feed in my FriendFeed account so the reviews also show up there. This strategy can increase visitors by 50-100+% and with those additional visitors come far more comments - especially from CommentLuv savvy bloggers. The post in my Most Popular section titled Blog Traffic Up 54.87% in the Last 30 Days: Our Proven Traffic Improvement Strategy explains that in detail.
Have you considered adding KeywordLuv to your blog? We have a strong DoFollow CommentLuv KeywordLuv community and are always looking to collaborate with and support more serious bloggers. We have a private blog collaboration you may be interested in joining.
.-= Gail from GrowMap´s last blog ..Social Media Marketing Monday – SMM Overview =-.
Thanks, Gail. I would love to understand how StumbleUpon is sending so much traffic to your blog. I've seen it work really, really well for brand new sites but not so much for individual blog posts. It hasn't been all that useful for me. It was a couple of years ago but not anymore. I'm going to read your Blog Traffic Up 54.87% post and check it out. Sounds great.
Hey Raphael - Thanks. Glad you like the post. It depends; I have worked on sites that have been ranked high on search engines in just a few weeks. It depends on strategy and long-term goals.
Hi SBA - I'd still stick with CommentLuv. As more thoughtful bloggers come, you'll see it really helping.
I stand by #10 --- newer bloggers are so anxious for comments that some get very discouraged and downright desparate --- not pretty LOL. Taking stock of visitors helps put things in perspective --- e.g. use Analytics, see if folks are bouncing around the site or not. Promote at the spots that send the most potentials. Promotion of course includes reading, backlinking and commenting on other blogs or forums. I did a study once about 'zero comments' not being unusual. Even the big boys and girls get only 1 to 2% of comments when you factor in the thousands of readers who subscribed.
I have a WP and a blogspot blog. The latter is mostly Blogger hacks and tutorials. I can tell folks use the Blogger tips but may not leave a comment (and I do beg.. I mean ask!). You learn to accept if that what you want to write about and you have a day job. Response on WP blog is much better but still not what I'd like. I like 'meaty' comments and since installing commentluv a few days ago, I'm getting some on- liners from same 2 or 3 bloggers.
.-= SBA´s last blog ..How to Create Smart Dynamic Sidebars =-.
I understand it takes about 6 months to start getting recognized by the search engines. I try to blog 4 to 5 times a week on various topics. Nice post to make one think...
.-= Raphael Guerin´s last blog ..Do N.E.L.A Home Sellers Know Their Real Estate? =-.
Ms. Freeman - Good point! There can definitely be lulls in the conversation - it's natural.
Jessica - Thanks! I like the new design, too. And you'll like CommentLuv. I use it as a way to easily go back and visit the blogs of people who stop by here.
Eran - Thanks for your comment! It's definitely scary to be who you really are - and I don't know that you can *always* say what you feel like saying. Ties are very weak, but if you build up a following of people who become regular readers, you can open up more and trust that they'll interact, rather than get turned off.
Great post Tia - and I agree with Mars. I have found that the more of "myself" that I include with my blog postings, the more they are read, commented on, and passed around. It's scary as heck, but also quite freeing at the same time :)
.-= Eran´s last blog ..Weekend Wisdom #5 =-.
Thank you for this post. It's very helpful! I just installed CommentLuv and I really like it.
I also really like your redesign. Excellent work!
.-= Jessica´s last blog ..You are Fundamentally Okay: Happiness =-.
I definitely believe that comments correlate to reader relationship and community strength along with post quality. Although comments aren't the end all to good blogging it sure does feel good to receive them doesn't it. Responding to comments left on a blog is key to receiving repeat visitors and conversational and relevant comments on a regular basis.
But, there can also be a lull in the number of comments left at times as well.
.-= Ms. Freeman@Baby Steps of an Internet Entrepreneur´s last blog ..How to keep socks on their feet and food in their stomachs =-.
@DragonBlogger & Kristi - Thanks for stopping by (go Arizona!) and I love both of your perspectives. That is an interesting point, Kristi about a post being really comprehensive and perhaps there is little to add to it. That's a good thing.
It brings up another thought: having enough confidence in your writing to know that when visitors come and read what you have written, they are walking away with something of substance, whether or not they leave a comment.
Ileane - Thanks for your comment. I realize that I left out that 11th tip about asking for comments; I think this is important and can be done creatively so you don't appear to be begging.
Some nice tips, but none of the really deal with how you write them.
Personally, I always abide by those :
1) put your entire personality into your posts - no censoring !
2) Have a strong stand
3) Don't write for everyone
.-= Mars Dorian´s last blog ..Why YOU Should leap into the Unknown ! =-.
Thanks, Mars! That's great info to add. And if people do your #1 and put some personality into their posts, they will probably conjure up some response. Ultimately, though, if no one reads your posts you can put all the personality in there that you want and it won't make a difference. Bloggers must learn to connect with their readers and build up a following.
Tia, asking your readers a question or for their input at the end of the post, like you have done here is a great way to get comments. Also, look for blogs that have posted about the same thing you're writing about and leave comments for them. They might not be DoFollow but others might find what you have to say worthwhile and click your avatar
Thanks for these tips.
.-= Ileane´s last blog ..HootSuite Tutorial Video =-.
Sometimes it just takes a little patience. I have made posts that I think are excellent, but they don't get comments for a few hours. Then they start to happen. Sometimes it is just the promotion, other times it is because the post is too comprehensive and there isn't much to add. It's also important to make that action call, inviting people to comment just like you did at the end of this post,
.-= Kristi Hines´s last blog ..Latest WordPress Hack – Symptoms, Solutions & Resources =-.
Excellent article, and I agree with every point. When you blog about news or time sensitive articles you may also gain some interest and visits, but they would be short lived. You should tailor your articles with "longevity" in mind. Write information that will be relevant six months from now when people search for it if possible. I always try to think about the longevity of the article.
That being said, throwing your opinion into the mix for hot topics, political stuff is very useful for establishing your personality as a blogger. If you are going to report on news, direct a user to read a real news site for more information, but make sure you put your spin and opinions into the mix. Remember they visit you for your point of view and what you know about it, if they wanted info about the news they would go to CNN.
When I do report on current event stories, I always point out the source I read it on, and share my own take on it.
I always publish my posts at 7am on dragonblogger, 8am on my personal blog, and noon on my poetry blog. Every day like clockwork, I will write the posts ahead of time, but queue them to always launch on those times.
I occasionally will do a 2nd or third post on my blog, but this is really uncommon. Visitors tend to not want to visit the same sites multiple times per day, but this could be a way to get people interested in different topics or articles to visit your site on the same day.
Again, great post and spelled out well.
.-= Dragon Blogger´s last blog ..WinX DVD Ripper for Mac Giveaway =-.
Really nice post. Enjoyed reading it. Its something I'm really struggling with at the moment on my blog as well. But I starting to notice certain things so I'm working on changing that now.
Really, you would think a lot of it is common sense but it's not... so thanks for posting this.
Will stop by more, hope you have other interesting articles like this often.
.-= Tola F. @ SEO For Beginners´s last blog ..Updated Google Webmaster Tool for Keyword Research =-.
Hi Tola! Great to see you, and yes, I plan to post often so you'll have plenty to read. :)
Yes, it is common sense but the old adage is that common sense is not really common, right?
Thanks for your comment!
Tia,
This was a great post! The suggestions provided were very useful. I agree that we shouldn't stress out about the fact that comments can vary--one day you're a hit, the next day you're a hick.;-)
And too, there's no "perfect science" to successfully blogging.
Posts that I think will be well received, (that I've labored diligently over) get few comments.
Others that I don't expect to attract much traffic break records! Go figure. :-)
.-= Jennifer Brown Banks´s last blog ..BLOGGING FOR PLEASURE OR PROFIT =-.
What to do When No One is Commenting: 10 Tips
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This post is the third in the the 6-week long Common Sense Blogging Series.
It’d be great to be able to say “The number one reason you’re not getting any comments is…” but there are so many factors at play. It could be one huge reason or a lot of really small ones. (If you’d like me to take a look at your blog and help you figure it out, reply to this post with your URL.)
Instead of talking about why you’re not getting any reactions (and all bloggers have experienced this) let’s talk about what to do going forward.
Photo Credit: net_efekt (flickr)
1. Stop spreading the news and start really blogging.
Seriously. I find this happening most with business owners who are genuinely confused about how to go about blogging.
Unless you are a reporter, you’re probably not doing a better job than the newspapers and television stations are doing. If you have something newsworthy that is related to your business, that’s one thing. But don’t talk about your community or upcoming events unless you play a significant role in what’s going on.
Focus on creating useful content, editorial or commentary. Above all, try not to be generic. List posts and how-to posts work well, but you can also try writing borderline “snarky” posts
.
Note on authenticity: Be comfortable with whatever you are putting out into the blogoverse/blogosphere because blogging karma is real.
2. Post during the week instead of on the weekends
Unless your site gets tons of regular traffic, you’re better off posting during the week. This ties into how you successfully promote your blog, and it’s important. You can certainly write anytime it’s convenient, just be sure to schedule the publishing for during the week.
3. Avoid posting twice in one day
The second post of the day is going to trump the first if your blog is laid out in the traditional way. Posting twice in one day is fine; just know that the older post has a lesser chance of getting noticed.
4. **Promote your posts**
Seems like a no-brainer, but unfortunately, I have seen this many times in my work: Someone will start a blog and complain that it is not “working.” Here’s the thing: blogs don’t “work.” You’re supposed to do the work. You can create a blog promotion system, so it’s a lot less work, but it is still up to you to make sure that your posts are being seen.
Only a percentage of people who read your posts are going to comment on them. If no one is reading your posts, you can’t expect any comments.
5. Approve comments quickly
This is a difficult one, as I know that you can get busy (I can relate). With WordPress, you have the option to moderate a reader’s first comment and then automatically approve the rest. If you choose to moderate all comments, just make sure you approve the ones you receive very quickly.
6. Analyze your posts
If you’ve written a lot of posts and have gotten no reactions whatsoever, take a look at your posts. What’s the common thread? If your goal is to get reactions, change up whatever you are doing because it isn’t working. My gut feeling is that if you have a lot of posts and you’re getting no response it’s probably the lack of promotion that’s killing you.
7. Remove distracting advertising
Advertising is a wonderful, terrible thing.
When placed appropriately it can make you some money. When placed inappropriately it will annoy your readers and make them leave.
Then again, if you’re doing that, you probably don’t care about comments. But if you’re in the small percentage of folks who are doing that without realizing it, just take another look at your blog and get rid of distracting advertising spots.
8. Share the luv… CommentLuv
CommentLuv is a great way to encourage comments from other bloggers and it’s available for WordPress and Blogger. There is certainly the potential to draw more spam by using it, but you can filter out spam, so that’s OK.
My theory is that the more appreciation you show to your readers, the better. Agree?
BizChickBlogs has a number of blogger-friendly things you may have noticed: CommentLuv, dofollow links, Twitterlink, and the Top Commentator list are the ways I like to encourage connection here. What do you use?
9. Change your readership
Really. You can easily change who’s reading your blog by changing where you promote it.
Try this: change one or the other. If you like who’s reading your blog, start writing content they can use or talk about. If you don’t like your readers all that much, stop traveling in the same circles. Reach out to some new networks and get your blog in front of different eyeballs, ones who will appreciate what you have to say.
10. Go Easy on Yourself
Not all posts are created equal. Sometimes your writing will not inspire commenting, and that’s okay. Try not to develop a complex over it. Sometimes a post will totally bomb – e.g., if you’re used to getting 20 comments, one day you may only get 2 – and that’s really okay, too.
Your Turn – Are you getting the response you want?
Massive comment numbers, in my humble observation, are typically reserved for probloggers, super-connectors, and people who’ve been around a really long time. So my advice here is not to look for huge numbers. At the same time, no one likes to blog in the dark (remember the beginning blogging days in Julie & Julia?). We all get a bit of a rush from receiving the first comment of the day.
If you have more advice for people, please feel free to share it. If you need help, please leave your URL and be sure to describe the kind of promotion you are doing (if any) and whether or not your site is getting any traffic.
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