Commenting is always on the list of things to do in order to promote your blog, but there usually isn’t a mention of exactly how or when you should comment. It is always said to just comment on “top blogs,” and you will get noticed eventually or at least drive some traffic to your blog. The other most common tip is to always say something that adds to the conversation.
I believe that those are both great tips, but today, I’m going focus more on developing an effective strategy to get the most out of the time you put into commenting on other blogs. This is important, because I don’t always have the most time to post comments all around the Internet.
Focus Comments Upward
As I have slowly moved up the blogging ladder, I have met more and more people, but it wasn’t always this way. Everyone starts at the bottom and must work upwards. You start out commenting on blogs that are bigger than yours from the beginning, but as you grow, your comment focus should as well. As my level has moved up, I have stopped commenting on blogs that I have gotten closer to in size and readers.
I haven’t just quit trying to meet these people. Several of the blogs I began commenting on I have made good connections with the authors. Therefore, in my opinion, I can slowly back off the comments on that blog. I accomplished my goal of driving some traffic and networking. I must now refocus my comments on the next level up.
Some people may think commenting on huge blogs is the best way to go as you get the most exposure, but it is very hard to make an impact on such a site without having somewhat of a network around you.
Have Core Blogs
Just like focusing upwards. You must focus on a manageable amount of blogs. The shotgun approach of hitting every blog you subscribe to will either take too much time or will result in poor comments because of the rush to get through your blog list. I have found that it is much easier to have a folder within my Google Reader that contains the blogs I want to comment on. This way I can work on building relationships with the readers and writers of certain blogs one at a time.
Focus on Similar Blogs
The focus on similar blogs comes from your knowledge. This is a topic you know a lot about and will be able to provide the best and most insightful comments. The stronger your comments, the easier it is to get noticed by the blog owner and start making new connections.
Even with a strong focus on similar blogs, I will contradict myself and say that it is ok to comment on blogs that aren’t in your niche. Any exposure is good exposure, and it could open new doors and connections somewhere you weren’t looking in the future.
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June 25th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
This is some great advice. The one that do not do well with is “Have Core Blogs”. Unfortunately, I subscribe to so many of them, and it is not because I want to comment on all of them to gain traffic. It is because I am genuinely interested in the content, however, I need to cut back because it gets very overwhelming and I end up not reading most of them anyway.
June 25th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
It’s definitely hard to make that core list. I did have to unsubscribe from a few feeds, but I mostly just reorganized my feeds and focused on those core blogs.
June 25th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Some is trying to be the first commenter to get traffic, but that traffic is low quality because they just come for curiosity.
But commenting is for another good thing. That is relationships, it means you vote for that blog.
Great post.
June 26th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Focusing forward is a smart strategy and within that point you suggested a method of progressive steps to better recognition and ultimately a better result. I think this is key to building better relationships and thus a more engaged following. I’m guilty of having posted to the biggest blog in the world earlier in my blogging life, just for (hopeful) recognition. You find little or no return in something like that.
I’ve since stepped down my assault on the big boys and focused more on my content first, and building relationships second. These steps, in that order, seem to be building a better following across the board.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I completely agree. You really have to have the content as well.