(Left Photo Credit to: josemanchado)
Starting a new blog is an adventure in risk and in overcoming fear. You’re putting your thoughts out there for the world to see, and that’s scary. On the other hand, you might hope for the world to be reading, but it’s likely that…
There’s No One There
At All !
And then it happens…you get that first comment, and you feel like you’ve won the lottery. Then another one comes, and another, and another, and suddenly…
Your Blog
is Alive !
This is the bond between blogger and commentators, and it’s important that this bond not be understated. Comments bring legitimacy to your writing efforts, which is why it’s important that…
You Keep Them
Coming !
Here’s how I do that:
1. Comment Back or Reply Back
The most simple way to reward your most vocal readers is by replying to their comments. It’s a small gesture that goes a long way, and early on, can separate you from A-List blogging types that have become…
Too Good for
Their Audience !
2. Post Comments After the Fact
One of the reasons I like Fred Wilson is that he takes comments seriously, and many times, he’ll go back to edit a post after he’s received comments in order to add to the conversation. If you write a good comment, there’s a chance he’ll reward you with a spot in the post.
That’s Brilliant !
3. Do-Follow
If you really want to make your commenter happy, consider making their comment links Do-Follow. Use this with discretion, and perhaps on an individual basis. There are many plugins that make this easy, but it’s a great way to say…
“Thank You !”
4. Contests
I’m not really a very big fan of contests, but when used right, they can be a fun way to give back to the community. As for what to give away, I’ve seen everything from new hardcovers like Linchpin and Crush It, to flagship products, like Clay Collins’ Interactive Offer.
5. Respond in Post Format
An even bigger honor than receiving a comment back is having a post written in response to a comment. Though you won’t want to do this often, it’s fun to engage with an audience in this way because it shows that you are listening, and adds to the give and take that makes a blog and its comments section…
A Great Place to Be !
6. Sidebar Widget
Any time I see my name in a top commenters plugin, I get a little excited. Sure, it’s just a small token of appreciation, but it’s one that works to keep me coming back to ensure my name stays on that list. Many plugins do this well, and you can activate it…
In Just a Few Seconds !
7. Guest Posts
If you have a very active commenter on your blog, why not approach them to write a guest post for you? This is probably the greatest honor you can give them, and if they’ve worked hard to bring your blog to life, perhaps it’s time to give them a bit of time…
With Their Name
in Lights !
Stay Cool,
The Bad Blogger
Also Known As The Cool Blogger
Article by Wong Chendong aka The Bad Blogger
This bad boy delivers the oohs, ahhs, and woes of money matters like any man would... rough. He's frank, to the point and likes it raw. There's no sugar coating here, except for the taste of sweet success and the beautiful women who love it just as much. TheBadBlogger.com is a blog pictured and accented with the likes of lovely ladies and while the dames tend to be a delightful distraction, The Bad Blogger always takes care of business first.Find out how you can improve your marketing tactics, money matters and blogging techniques by Subscribing to his RSS Feed to get the latest update of his blog post or go direct to his blog at www.TheBadBlogger.com. You may reprint this post provided you leave the content, links, author, and "about the author" section at the end intact.
has written 255 awesome articles for us at The Bad Blogger
Twitter: @@TheBadBlogger | Facebook
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
To expand upon your suggestion for #3, I’d just like to throw Commentluv and Keywordluv out there, as these are two of the most popular methods for rewarding commentators.
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 22, 2011 at 6:15 am
Yes, both plugin are the best and I believe almost every blog have it. Thanks for the expansion…
Twitter: slbphoenix
June 22, 2011 at 7:54 am
I liked your article very much. I am just beginning to get more people to leave comments, and I have been wondering what to do. I think I will find a good plugin to help people see who are the top commentors. Thanks.
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 22, 2011 at 8:36 am
Yes, that will be great, but remember to also use “commentluv” plugin too, this is one of the greatest plugin ever created for bloggers, so is good to use it. It will benefit you and also your commentators too…
Twitter: slbphoenix
June 22, 2011 at 9:53 am
I already use this so I don’t know why it doesn’t work on your site. I have been using it all day on other sites. I’ll have to check this out.
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 22, 2011 at 10:30 am
Hey, sorry, I didn’t know my comment luv was deactivate by default after update… this is so stupid for such a good plugin, I believe you use it now, try it!
Twitter: india_darshan
June 22, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Hi Wong,
Nice article, I think reply back to your commentators is very important as commentators should not feel that no one is listening their points and views. If they feel so then they even leave your blog for forever. By keep replying back you can easily create good relationship with your readers and make them permanent.
Sam recently posted..Summer Holidays in India, Tour Packages
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 22, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Yes, I always try to reply back as many as possible though sometime, there are comments that I doesn’t really know how to reply, I mean comment such as those one sentence comment.
Twitter: donechute
June 22, 2011 at 7:33 pm
Great Stuff. I have just about all of those in play, plus I am using Punch Tab Build Instant Loyality Program |www.punchtab.com| on both of my blogs. Easy and Free, just like I like my ladies
Aloha!
Don E. Chute recently posted..DON E PUNTS ON MONDAY
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 23, 2011 at 6:24 am
Hey, I went to take a look at the instant loyalty program and was surprise at how this stuff is rewarding, I will try it out on my blog and see the results of it, and wow… thanks for introducing this…
I wonder if sometimes plugins like commentluv encourage people to come and comment without really engaging with a site. Of course it does encourage more comments but are they from the wrong kind of people?
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 23, 2011 at 6:27 am
I can’t say you are wrong, but at least nowadays you can approve comment and disapprove comment, so I think is best to have the commentluv plugin and in the dashboard you choose who gets approve and who gets not.
I believe this is the only way though, anyway, thanks for reading and commenting my post and ya I approve you:)
Hi Wong, I have got comment luv enabled in my site, but I find it hard to increase the number of commentators for my blog post.
Shree recently posted..ICANN approves change in Internet’s Domain Name System
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 24, 2011 at 9:19 am
The reason why you are not getting much comment is because you are not getting enough traffic, I recommend you to read this section first:
http://www.thebadblogger.com/category/blog-marketing-secrets/traffic-blogging
Once you are getting traffic, here’s what you need to know about getting comments:
http://www.thebadblogger.com/category/blog-marketing-secrets/commenting-tips
Hopefully this will solve your problem and if you need any help or advice feel free to ask. Don’t worry, you can ask any question and I will do my best to give you an answer to it, so any question for me?
Thanks a lot Wong! I will go through the referred articles straight away. Other questions might be coming your way soon.
Shree recently posted..Google Update in PR For June 2011
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
July 2, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Feel free to ask anytime
Hi Wong,
It’s nice of you to share these wonderful ideas of how we can show our appreciation to our readers who take the time to leave their comments.
I remember the first time I received my first comment and it was an incredible feeling. It’s the same whenever I leave a comment on a blog and the owner acknowledges it.
As you pointed out, this kind of interaction is important to keep the love alive in the blogosphere.
Cool stuff, thanks!
Theresa Torres recently posted..Class of 2011 College Students Majoring in Debt
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 24, 2011 at 9:29 am
Yes, the feeling is great when you got the first comment, I still remember the first post I ever written for this blog got it’s first comment after a few hours of publish and I was “wow…” as I never expect to get any comment at all for the first post. And you are right, comments is what makes the blog alive.
Twitter: ExtremeJohn
June 25, 2011 at 12:04 am
Solid tips as always Wong. These are indeed simple yet effective tips. For me, the top ways to reward my readers are through the Do follow tool and the sidebar widget. There are instances when time is not enough to reply to all the comments so the best way of saying thanks is the Do follow tool. The top commenters plugin also makes it a fun and exciting way to appreciate the readers. Even I as a reader loves to be at the top commenters so I know how it feels to be appreciated very well.
Extreme John recently posted..Friday Free For All: Do You Interact on Twitter?
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 25, 2011 at 6:39 am
Yes, I too feel great to being as a top commenter in the top commentators plugin and hey, I recently started to use this:
http://www.punchtab.com/
I’m not sure if this is a good way of increasing reader, but this stuff seems to interest me, I’m still testing to see if it’s good, may be you should try it out too.
It’s always nice to know your blog is being read, but when you comment on someone else’s blog it’s exciting to know your thoughts are being considered. The best way for bloggers to get an audience is by supporting other bloggers. Getting a dialogue going is a PR move as well as a sign of courtesy. Having a top commenters section showcases your more loyal fan and also inspires competition amongst your readers. It appeals on several levels.
Jane recently posted..Jun 24, Why Buy Heirloom Seeds?
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 25, 2011 at 9:11 am
Ya, knowing your blog being read is really a great feeling and leaving comment and get reply is nice way to start a conversation. But have you try out this:
http://www.punchtab.com/
I just knew recently as it was introduce by Don E. Chute.
This plugin looks promising… though I had just use it for a couple of days but still you might want to give it a try.
Twitter: earningdiary
June 29, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Nice post.I think respond in post format is the best and using top commentator plugin like you also another best way rewards blog readers.
Lakhyajyoti recently posted..3 Areas To Direct Your Readers To
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
June 30, 2011 at 8:33 am
I still prefer to use top commentator plugin because itis a good way to promote commentators to fight for the top position spot as being feature as a top commentator for that particular month.
Twitter: barrywheeler
August 21, 2011 at 2:10 am
I’ve contemplated going “dofollow” with comment luv installed, but it worries me the nature of the readers you will attract.
It does draw traffic, but it is worth it?
Barry Wheeler recently posted..Make Your Blog Load Faster
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
August 21, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Well, to me every traffic counts, but what type of traffic is worth, this is personal decision and if you ask me… well, it’s worth when he or she place a good comment…
Wong Chendong aka The Bad Blogger recently posted..5 Amazing Ways to Get More Emails Seen and Opened at a Rate You Won’t Believe! (Use it At Your Own Risk)
Twitter: learnblogtips
March 5, 2012 at 2:41 pm
Great way of telling
I really got admired looking at your blog as this is the first time I am into your blog. You really have SEXY skills buddy
Rahul kuntala recently posted..Do You Want More Comments In Your Blog?
Twitter: TheBadBlogger
March 6, 2012 at 8:56 am
Thanks for coming to my blog, and also thanks for saying I had a sexy skills, and hope you will enjoy reading my stuff just like others have
Wong Chendong aka The Bad Blogger recently posted..How Tweet Deck Increase My Productivity and Why You Should Use it!
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