Creating Articles that Encourage Comments

For a person like me, getting people to comment on my articles is no easy task considering I tend to have a taste for more than one topic and not everyone is interested in every topic I like. Spending hours writing an article, doing my research, creating links, posting images and spell and grammar checking, all so no one notices you articles or are simply not encouraged to comment can make a person reconsider one’s ways of posting articles. One thing I have noticed in the articles I do get large numbers of comments is it takes a combination of things to call peoples attention and get them to comment.

First is the Title

The title needs to be catchy, and also hit people in a way that catches their interest. Usually a title that insinuates contradiction in the topic will quickly grab those who have opposing opinions of this particular topic and getting them to read and then comment on the topic. This in turn will also call those who may agree with the title to see if someone who commented may have had a difference of opinion giving them a chance to want to defend their agreement with the title. This before they even read the article itself.

Details and Links

Second is writing the point of the title, the topic, with details and links showing why you picked the title. Making the story seem like it may or may not be true at the same time can get people to think about the topic and not only agree or disagree with it but also give an opinion of their own on this particular topic. This will hopefully start a debate where difference of opinions will clash and others will be drawn into

the discussion to back up those they agree with. In turn links to more proof or proof to the contrary may be posted allowing the readers to get more information and either reconsider their current stance or completely dismiss the new evidence by either providing proof against it or simply repeating their stance. This can create a domino effect where more people will may consider throwing in their 2 cents.

Ask people to give their Opinion

Third is to ask people to give their opinion on the topic or to the contrary at the end of your article. This will more likely get people to comment as oppose to to simply reading it as another article on a page of a newspaper. Instead it will engage them, dare them to post their opinions, intrigue them want to see what others think of their opinions.
Fourth but not least is to provide images related to the topic and if possible maybe even a poll. Adding the proper images to the article will make it my interesting as not only are you catching their mind with your words but you are giving them an image to relate to these words and you know what they say about pictures. Poll can also get people talking as they see in real time how many agree or disagree with the topic and then process to see why thru the comment section drawing them in to the debate.

This is how I believe one can encourage people to comment on your articles simple because it’s what can gets me to do it and how I have seen people comment and many times respond back to my comments.