Last week I did a Social Media 101 presentation at The Central Exchange in Kansas City. Good friend and social media networker extraordinaire Amy Hoppenrath asked for a focus on creating strategic, fresh blog content (btw - if you'd like to have me talk about a strategic approach to blogging / Twitter / social media with your group or organization, let me know).
In response to my expressed dissatisfaction with the blog eliciting infrequent comments, one attendee suggested a possible factor: readers are unsure or uncomfortable in leaving comments.
Reasonable point, especially for people new to blogging, so here are four basics on commenting applicable to most blogs:
- To leave a comment, click where it says "0 (or some number of) comments" at the bottom of a post. Clicking will open a dialogue box where you can type and submit your comment.
- "Thanks. This post was helpful." is a great comment! It doesn't have to be any more than that to put a BIG smile on a blogger's face for the rest of the day. If you want to do something more in depth, that's cool also.
- Identify yourself with your name. You don't have to sign up for anything to leave a comment here, but it's great if you at least leave your name so follow up comments can be directed to you.
- If you're really uncomfortable commenting, go ahead and send the blogger an email. Anything that provides some type of feedback and breaks the virtual silence is a positive.
Writing a blog can be a pretty isolated experience. Take 30 seconds to break through and leave a hint you visited and enjoyed what was there. As I said before, it will make a blogger's day!
P.S. If you're a blogger, visit this Chris Brogan post for a great overview of approaches to try and generate comments.
2 comments:
Thanks. This post was helpful. ;)
Claire
Thanks for the comment Claire. I hope you'll come back again and share your perspectives!
One email reader suggested that often people get blogs via email or RSS and simply don't make an effort to click through to the original post to comment.
I agree that this is the case in many instances. But there's a new expectation with social media that wasn't there with print media: active dialogue implies vibrancy. That's why the frequent questions and approaches to get more interaction going on Brainzooming!
Post a Comment