When I first started my blog, I assumed that my very first post would magically be noticed by the Internet gods and I would receive several insightful comments right off the bat. I cannot begin to tell you how wrong I was.
A month went by before I received my first comment (thanks to Brenda @ Mummy Time). Sure, my very first post has a comment on it, but look at the date…Nobody commented on that post until five months later. So, I asked myself the question…How do I get people to care what I am writing about? How do I start a conversation with my readers?
Here I will share with you my tips on getting meaningful comments on your blog posts and start a dialog with your readers. This article will focus more on quality than quantity, but I will also share how to actually get people to your site as well.
Start the traffic flowing
The first thing I did that actually got people to my blog was join in on daily memes (or blog hops). There are some really great memes out there just begging for people to join in. Many of them even give bloggers a prompt and tell you what you can write about. You can see some examples of the memes I regularly participate in by clicking here.
Don’t confuse traffic for readers
You may notice that I run a few giveaways on my blog. That started from the misconception that if I drove in traffic, I would gain readers. But, you have got to be careful with this. I am a firm believer that giveaways will bring you traffic, but only real meaningful content will keep them coming back. Giveaway comments are not quality, they are quantity. I still do them, though, because they are pure fun.
Start the conversation!
You cannot write a blurb about your trip to the post office and expect to receive meaningful, insightful comments. You have to start a conversation with your readers or relate to them in some way. Take your trip to the post office and turn it into a conversation starter! Make it entertaining, thoughtful and fun! Ask your readers to share their experiences. That’s right…Ask for comments!
Visit other blogs and comment
You would be surprised how much traffic you can bring to your own blog just by visiting other blogs that are similar to yours. Show your interest by commenting on someone else’s blog and they are likely to check your blog out and find something there that they can relate to and leave a comment.
Remember why you blog
Even though I just told you several ways in which to draw out comments from your readers, don’t forget why it is you blog in the first place. Your readers are more likely to enjoy content that you enjoyed writing more than they will enjoy forced content that appears aimed strictly at driving traffic.
Basically, when all is said and done, blogging is about community and relationships. People will leave you comments if you write posts that are worth commenting on and if you make the effort to put yourself out there. That, my friends, is how you get comments that actually say something.
Image credits: Say something
Twitter: bizchickblogs
says:
Hey Lindsey! Thanks for linking to my post!
Ugh, I totally feel you re: waiting for comments and how the first step is getting the traffic flowing, and then of course NOT confusing traffic for readers.
Congrats on figuring out some ways to get people talking!
It’s important for any blogger but especially new ones to focus on engagement over traffic. Traffic will come and high traffic is not a guarantee that people will read your posts and interact with you (take StumbleUpon traffic, for example).
One of my biggest pieces of pride with my blog is that while it is not the busiest highway in the blog world in terms of traffic, my traffic to comment ratio is pretty high, and that says something.
Tia – BizChickBlogs recently posted..How to Engage Readers: Answer the So What and the Now What
Twitter: Lindsay_Blogs
says:
Tia, you are so right! Getting a good traffic to comment ratio does say something pretty awesome about the quality of your content! Once I figured out that traffic did not equal readers, my perspective changed a lot. I’ll be working with that knowledge as I re-work my own blog in the coming weeks/months.
Lindsay Blogs recently posted..Jaguars Don’t Wear Panties!
Twitter: TweePoppets
says:
This was a great post! I loved the part about starting a conversation. This is something I’m really trying to work on with my blog. It’s tough, because I write mostly reviews/giveaways, but whenever possible, I’m trying to include questions in my posts, in hopes of starting discussion. Thanks for the tips!
Twee Poppets recently posted..Review and Giveaway: OCEAN Complete Sinus Irrigation
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
Thank you! Starting a conversation with your readers can be tough when you do mostly giveaways, but at least with reviews you can ask about the readers’ personal experiences with a product or brand. On a side note, I really like your blog. You’ve got a lot of great giveaways going on right now!
Lindsay recently posted..Vote for ME in the FamousBloggers/ComLuv Cash Contest!
Commenting on blogs and posts are especially meaningful for the creator of the site. Not only does it mean that you came to the blog but that you actually read what was written and took the time to comment. High traffic is great but nothing beats an interactive format between the author and the readers
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
Thank you Joscelyn. Comments really do mean a lot to a blog writer. It reminds us that someone out there is reading our stuff and connecting to it. Thanks for your vote!
Lindsay recently posted..Vote for ME in the FamousBloggers/ComLuv Cash Contest!
I have been considering doing some of the blog hops…guess I should stop procrastinating and just take the plunge! Thanks for the advice!
Angie recently posted..6 Degrees of Separation? The Director and a Family
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
Angie, dive in! Not only are the blog hops great traffic generators, they are also super fun! Just be careful not to get TOO caught up where hops are all you do. People still love to see original content and heartfelt writing too.
Thanks for your vote!
Lindsay recently posted..Vote for ME in the FamousBloggers/ComLuv Cash Contest!
With any new venture, the waiting for the first comment or first customer is the hardest. That is why you see so much advice about being patient. I am sure being part of commentluv has helped your traffic. It is how I found you. It is an excellent concept. Good luck and be patient.
BestWicklessCandles recently posted..Scentsy Bars, Scents of Summer
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
For sure, all social media outlets are a big help when trying to generate traffic and readers. A big part of blogging is community, after all. Thanks for your comment!
Lindsay recently posted..Post-It Note Tuesday: Caffeinated Edition (#PINT)
Twitter: ditesco
says:
Yeah! I still remember the very first comment I got and jumped up and down like crazy
Mind you that it was a SPAM and I still approved it. Beginners thing probably. Anyway as time went by, I found out that commenting on other peoples blog is one very powerful way to get noticed and eventually drive people on to your blogs to leave their comments as well. Two things, when you leave a comment, make it meaningful and related to the post, lol and second, provide good content for readers… Obviously, having your blog comluv enabled is already a given 
DiTesco recently posted..WordPress Thelonious Version 3.0 Released
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
LOL that’s funny! I will admit, though, that I felt like kind of a big deal when I got my first spam comment. It was like the spammers thought they could get something from ME and I was big time! I guess I didn’t realize that they post to ANY and EVERY blog they can find!
Lindsay recently posted..Post-It Note Tuesday: Caffeinated Edition (#PINT)
Twitter: GrowMap
says:
LOL @DiTesco’s comment – say thanks to him because it got your post an extra Tweet from me. I’m scheduling three unique Tweets for tomorrow morning from three different Twitter accounts for every entry so far so watch for them and RT them to get the most visits and hopefully comments.
One of the very best ways to get a lot of visitors and comments is to go visit the blog of every commentator you have and leave them some great comments.
I wrote a post once about how commenting first and then once the comment was approved then reviewing each post I had commented in on StumbleUpon and sending it to Twitter doubled the traffic to my blog.
If I were eligible to compete in this contest, the number one thing I would do is write one or more blog posts about a contest sponsor and then go visit all my favorite blogs and feature that post in CommentLuv.
Comments in those posts count toward winning too. See the latest post about how many bloggers will win for details.
You can’t easily share your entry post but you can share either a sponsor post (be sure to use a title that will get more people to visit) or share a post saying you’re in the contest that links to your entry and asking for support to win.
Gail recently posted..How CommentLuv Grows Businesses and Blogs
Twitter: GrowMap
says:
LOL @DiTesco’s comment – say thanks to him because it got your post an extra Tweet from me. I’m scheduling three unique Tweets for tomorrow morning from three different Twitter accounts for every entry so far so watch for them and RT them to get the most visits and hopefully comments.
One of the very best ways to get a lot of visitors and comments is to go visit the blog of every commentator you have and leave them some great comments.
I wrote a post once about how commenting first and then once the comment was approved then reviewing each post I had commented in on StumbleUpon and sending it to Twitter doubled the traffic to my blog.
If I were eligible to compete in this contest, the number one thing I would do is write one or more blog posts about a contest sponsor and then go visit all my favorite blogs and feature that post in CommentLuv.
Comments in those posts count toward winning too. See this post for details on that.
You can’t easily share your entry post but you can share either a sponsor post (be sure to use a title that will get more people to visit) or share a post saying you’re in the contest that links to your entry and asking for support to win.
Gail recently posted..How CommentLuv Grows Businesses and Blogs
you are correct, the commets should contain some content and has some value.
any blog owner spent time to write post, not want to get yes or no, but they want to know your opinion in details.
communication is not say yes or no.
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
You are absolutely right. As a blogger, I really enjoy the CONVERSATION I get to have with my readers. Nothing bugs me more than a commenter who clearly didn’t read my post in the first place. I once wrote about how I was feeling abandoned by my father and received a comment that said “fun fun fun fun blog!” I was floored!
Lindsay recently posted..10 Reasons Why I Love My Husband
Twitter: lambdakennels1
says:
The traffic versus commenters thing is hard to get at first. You are just glad somebody is reading your blog, even if they do not say much. Then you realize they are not reading it very closely if they do not comment. Very frustrating realization. Glad you mentioned it.
stephaniesuesansmith recently posted..Multiflora Rose in Bloom
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
True. Back in “the day” I was grateful for any comment…not picky at all about the content or relevance of that comment. Now that I know the difference, it’s kind of a “downer” to get those fluff comments on a piece that I thought was well-written.
Lindsay recently posted..10 Reasons Why I Love My Husband
Twitter: PrecillaSedney
says:
Hi Lindsay!
good post! And I’m glad you have found your flow in getting comments.
I also thought comments would magically appear, but I quickly learned that it was just a dream. I then started to work had by commenting on other blogs. Not just “I like this” comments, but real comments. Ones that add something.
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
Oh bless you for leaving real comments! I have no doubt that those bloggers you commented on truly appreciated your input and recognition.
Lindsay recently posted..10 Reasons Why I Love My Husband
Twitter: PrecillaSedney
says:
I hope so. I do see a change in the comments I get in return. Their also much elaborate and they also ask questions back.
sweetbee recently posted..How to Invite Readers to Comment on Your Blog?
Twitter: simplehomeorg
says:
I can so relate to @DiTesco’s comment. I can remember running around the house shouting “Someone commented on my blog! Whoo hoo!!!” Oh the thrill of the first comment. Mine wasn’t a spammer..but I would have approved it, too. LOL
I think we bloggers tend to comment more than the average person because we know how much it means to the writer to know people are reading their work. Good writing like yours deserves to be complimented.
simplehomeorg recently posted..How to turn those dusty books into cash
Twitter: Lindsay_Blogs
says:
You’ve got to be right on that. I don’t think I commented much on blogs until I had one of my own and realized what they meant to the writer.
Thank you so much for such a sweet compliment!
Lindsay Blogs recently posted..Miracle Moma’s Blog Party
Twitter: junevaa
says:
@junevaa, Retweet is done, if you like what I have done
Thank you again for great blog
macist recently posted..Spain vs Portugal Match Prediction
Its funny, when I first started blogging I got tons of comments- from people who were leaving the equivalent of hate mail because one person I knew felt the need to badmouth me to her “friends”. That went on for months, and the rude and hateful comments inspired a slew of people who were suddenly there to defend me.
After that, I had a lot of comments from people who were having a great time reading about my sex life… who knew that might be a popular topic? lol
Now I write for me and no one else. Its my $50 a year hosting and domain ongoing therapy session. I don’t get many comments, but its fine by me, because that’s not why I do it. It was for a while, but not anymore. And now I have a blog that I wouldn’t be embarrassed if my mother found out about it.
That’s the best part.
If I get a few good comments too? Its the icing on the cake.
Throckmorton Jones recently posted..Ancient History… in Pictures
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
AMEN! Before I hit “publish” I always ask myself if I would be embarrassed if my mother or pastor read the post. If the answer is “no” then I’m good to go!
Lindsay recently posted..I am a Theta Mom
Twitter: kikolani
says:
It’s very frustrating, especially for first time bloggers, to correlate the amount of traffic that comes to your site to the number of commenters and subscribers. If you find you’re getting more traffic, but not more interaction, you have to take a serious look at your content and make sure that whatever is bringing visitors to your site is going to fulfill them, whether it is coming up in search results, links in comments, etc.
Kristi recently posted..Strengthen Your Article Marketing With CommentLuv Links
Twitter: prfuller
says:
Hello Lindsay
I am actually going to write my first blog post to join a meme today.
I am glad I read your post because I almost wrote about my trip to the post office.
I had no idea it was boring
Twitter: z3olyte
says:
at first I couldnt tell that the first comment I got was spam, but I added it anway and eventually deleted it after I got a few decent comments
Its true, you cant just write good content and wait for comments to pour in… you really have to get yourself out there and let them know you exist, and start a good conversation.
Cindy recently posted..Social Media Discs
I voted my dear. Best of Luck! You are the best blogger!!
Twitter: gamommy2two
says:
Oh thank you Karen! You are too sweet! I really do appreciate your vote!
Lindsay recently posted..Vote for ME in the FamousBloggers/ComLuv Cash Contest!