By the time you read this sentence, there may or may not be a comment below. If there isn’t one, you might have a pearl of inspiration to be the first. If not, don’t worry about it; for someone else might have that inspiration.
If there already exists a comment, or more than one appear (as two and three typically follow one), add another.
The time will come (as the time always comes on different blog posts by different authors) when there will be multiple comments. Most will be in direct response to my content here. If this is true when you scroll below, I ask you to click one of the black REPLY buttons (created through CSS code that tweaks the standard WordPress button) and add a comment in response to someone else.
Create a conversation and generate a spark between the two of you, at which point (which always happens) a third or fourth comment will appear, in response to either the original one or your reply.
Many blogs employ comment nesting, whether there is a black reply button or some other mechanism. Don’t merely comment to the author, but comment to each other. By responding to each other, we build a community.
I always watch new comments as they arrive, and I add my thoughts here or there. Don’t be discouraged if I’m not commenting back to you. Let the comment section be as much about you and your relationships to each other as it is about whatever inspired that first comment.
If you haven’t signed up for a Gravatar, connected your blog to the CommentLuv directory, understood how to contextually link keywords to your website, or read about the importance of sharing links, you might want to learn how to comment better before reading the next sentence.
Who wants to start things off — and who wants to add the next comment?
About Ari Herzog
Is this a ploy to get more comments?
Commenting to other commentors is a great way to build community on a blog. I really enjoy seeing this on great blogs I read and it happens on my site too.
.-= From Keith to you: Drooling On PageRank =-.
Keith, I was here but then jumped out to practice this method on a blog and now back; somehow I kinda feel glad that you commented first, took out the pressure.. lol..
To me, commenter is the asset of one blog that emphasizing on network building and engagement. I couldn’t be happier to see them participating in the discussions with one another, get the flow going with momentum.
By the way, I do have one question though: how do you guys feel about receive notification to ‘this comment only’ comparing to the general ‘whenever someone replies’? Is that going to affect any activities in the comment section?
If it was a ploy, it worked.
No, not a ploy.
I agree Keith. Living in the UK, one of my favourite things is waking up in the morning to find that a whole conversation has been had while I sleep. One of the big plus points for not moderating all new comments
.-= From Eleanor Edwards @ UK Charity GiveABrick to you: 1 Minute Motivator: Think of Abraham Lincoln =-.
Another good pitch at getting commenters engaged. I sometimes, okay often, wonder why folks just visit and click away. Heck, some visit everyday. Why not a comment tossed in here or there?
Fear I believe holds them back. For me I sometimes don’t think I’m going to add much to a huge list of comments.
Either way, I found this encouraging for me even.
.-= From Todd Jordan @ Social Networking Tips to you: Time Magazine Sports Illustrated iPad Future =-.
Good question. Whoever’s reading this, click up to Todd’s link there and click it. Click around. Why wouldn’t you comment?
Then, of course, there are those of us who don’t like being told what to do.
The only way your going to get conversation on your blog is by creating the opportunity for conversation, excellent post as always.
.-= From Extreme John @ Blogging CEO to you: A Day in the Life of.. Episode 4 [video] =-.
You implying I don’t write non-excellent posts?
Great point Ari. I use the @ sign and the commenters name on blogs without nested comments. It seems to have carried over from Twitter.
.-= From Debbie@SLR Camera Bags to you: Foto Friday | 2010 Winter Olymips =-.
I have never quite why some bloggers make it so difficult to comment on their blogs. Registration, word verification and all the other hoops that are created make it unlikely that people will take the time to share their thoughts.
.-= From Jack to you: The Ghosts of Our Past =-.
I agree with you, Jack, about how difficult some people make it to comment on their blogs. On the other hand, I have over 1000 spam comments that have been blocked because of these methods that “get in the way”. Somehow we manage to leave a comment when we have something interesting (in our own humble opinions) to say. I love reading people’s comments on my blog posts.
.-= From cheryl @ thatgirlisfunny to you: How boxing and martial arts landed me on the cover of “50 Athletes Over 50 Teach Us to Live a Strong, Healthy Life” =-.
Threaded comments do help considerably. I always had many comments on post on DSWM, which tripled easily with threaded. I love seeing visitors talking to one another as well as to me.
Now I’m wondering why commentluv seems to be on the fritz on 1 out of every 2 blogs I comment on today. lol
I keep installing threaded comments plugins on my blog but it doesn’t seem to thread the comments. Is there a secret or does threaded comments interact in strange ways with other plugins or is it just me?
In the administration panel of WordPress blogs (like you have), click on Settings->Discussion and there is an optional checkbox to enable threaded comments. You can further opt how many levels deep; I keep experimenting with this but it’s currently set at 10.
He’s apparently using an outside plugin, not the one within WP.
.-= From Dennis Edell to you: I am Unsubscribing From Your Blog – Again =-.
Depending on the plugin, sometimes they act bad with other plugins, or even some themes.
What exactly do you mean, there’s no “reply” button under each name?
.-= From Dennis Edell to you: I am Unsubscribing From Your Blog – Again =-.
Blog commenting is truly first and foremost about creating a conversation. Unfortunately because of the desire to create linkback to their blogs many bloggers get the whole idea wrong.
I also use the nested comments plugin on my blog but, apart my using it, hardly is any of the commentators using it!
.-= From Chadrack@Home Business Blog to you: How to Grow Rich Online With Niche Marketing! =-.
Nice way to get a buzz going on your blog. I’m still waiting for my readers to engage with menhirs often. It’s only on the pillar posts that I have conversation going.
Thanks for your conversation on twitter, I did however not subscribe to the other post that I commented on. I’ll have to find it when I’m on my computer, this iTheme doesn’t allow me to see your whole site.