Photo by taliesin.
I love reading your comments.
But I’m not vain. I know you’re not writing for me. I know you don’t care whether or not I see it and whether or not I reply.
I know you’re writing for you.
Your personal brand and your wanting to share that social identity with the world is the primary motivation for you to take time out of your day and write a comment. It’s the same motivation for you to do whatever you do on Facebook. You want to add your comment to the continuing saga of who you are online.
It’s not a bad approach. Any social media strategist will tell you that a simple way to get your blog known to other people is by commenting on their blogs. Being active in their communities, linking to their blog articles, and submitting guest articles are great ways to brand yourself. They’re easy ways for you to share your identity.
So go ahead. Say what you want. You know you have something burning to get out and onto the screen.
Don’t let me stop you. I’ll read it, but I’ll read it knowing you did it out of an intrinsic desire to write from the heart and share yourself with the world.
About Ari Herzog
My commenting (for any reason) has slowed down a lot recently, so if you see a comment by me, it’s because the author of the post drew me in for a response.
Flattery will get you everywhere. Nice to see your smiling face here, Kristi.
I agree with Kristi. Theres just too little time in the day, and one or two word comments have been annoying me lately. Almost as if it was a “duty” on the writer’s part, so I might visit their blog and comment…if I have something to say I say it…or maybe it is a note of sympathy (or empathy) …now see? You got us to comment!
You must be very busy with whatever you do to say there is little time, so thanks for taking a moment and saying hi.
Gotta agree with Kristi on this one. I only write because I have an opinion on something that I want to share with the author. Sure that’s somewhat about me, but really, it’s more about the author.
And while I’m at it – can you please make your email subscriptions be full feed again? I used to look forward to getting your emails because I would take the time to think about your post, saving it for later, referring back to it, and now, it makes me want to unsubscribe and add you to my RSS feeds where I know I’ll miss 80% of your posts. The only people who subscribe via email are your die hard readers who really enjoy your work. Don’t punish us for a few pennies of ad revenue or extra clicks.
Those are my opinions and I’m sticking to them.
You are the first person to mention the full/partial feed dilemma. It’s a recent switch, sparked by this tweet from Geoff Livingston. Maybe if I increase the number of characters…? Experimenting.
I’m with Phil.
i download my emails and rss feeds. But when they are partial only, i can’t click to read more unless i’m near wifi. I don’t want to click to go to another link on your blog.
as far as commenting. lately i’ve only been commenting on friends blogs. i have no idea why i’m commenting here. Where am i? LOL.
Where are you or where am I? Two different answers.
i meant to say where are you?
Geoff is another one I was getting via email.
I respect you both a ton. I think this is writer’s arrogance. Give me an option for full. Please.
OK. You win. This time.
You have an ingenious way of bringing it out of your readers. Do I mind that I am commenting to air my mind. Nope, cause ya asked me to. LOL Great idea here.
But, Paul, did I ask you to comment or were you inspired to comment? Big difference.
Hi Ari,
I love this topic because it’s something I think about. At my blog I want you to make me work for your comment, that is; I want my post to have your reaching for your keyboard raring to type. Don’t leave a comment to be nice and well, if you want to leave it for your own exposure, I don’t have a problem with that.
At other blogs, too, I want the post to inspire me to get into the conversation. I want you to work for it too. Like you did here
Lori
And I appreciate you working it, Lori.
Ari,
Right you are for many a commenter. However, you know that for me, simply because of the infrequency with which I comment here or anywhere lately, it is not for my brand development, but rather because you wrote something that drew me in that makes me comment. I’ll admit, that was my m.o in the beginning, but lately…not the case. I no longer see the intrinsic value in the quid pro quo and feel rather shabby for supporting it. I subscribe, read, and comment because I find what you write interesting and because I have a few minutes free in my day to do it. And THAT is all.
Best,
Erica
Did I write something that drew you in, or were you drawn in because of something you read? Trivial difference but an important one. I maintain you’re commenting because you choose to comment.
Hi Ari,
When I leave a comment I do so because you have said something meaningful and valuable and I want to acknowledge it, you have said something I do not agree with and I want to add my 2 c, or you said something provocative (like now).
I value my time and I value the time of others, I do not comment to drive my brand development, but out of a wish to interact with the writer, always with due respect.
What about you? How do you interact? What is your motivation in commenting?
Have a good day, Barbara
What was so provocative, Barbara?
I think it may be a little unfair to tar everyone with the same brush. But deep down the real reason that people comment on blogs is to expose their own brand (as you mentioned) everyone just has a really good way of hiding it!
Great debatable post again though Ari, good work!
Pri
Is the debate within yourself or based on what others are writing?
I don’t think its either of those points, as i mentioned people just have a really good way to promote their business by pretending that they are really interested in the topic, when all they REALLY want is exposure!
Hey! Thanks for sharing once once more. I love trying out your blog for the rationale that you usually publish good posts. Well written article…I plan to bookmark your web site. I believe I shall subscribe to the present feed furthermore.
I think people comunicate throw comments, as it is a discussion as well.
Hey Ari,
Do you know what I think is funny? How people get all puritanical about why they do stuff online… Talking about “Oh I only do everything for the purest most, noble reasons like adding value to the community…”
C’mon at the end of the day you are on here to get PAID. Admit it, otherwise why bother?
Nobody is paying me to write on my blog. You’ll also notice that aside from a sporadic affiliate link there is no advertising.
I bother, Claire, because I care.
Hey Ari,
I might be new here but I have loads to say. Yes, I am a little selfish and I comment because I want people to recognize me and my blog and my “brand”. But isn’t that why we all are here. But I comment when I feel I have to; I like the post, I can relate to it, I might disagree, I might hold strong opinions and I would like to share them. I mean, again isn’t community the reasons behind our blogging existence?
It’s nice to have that sense of community and to share and learn and grow. Commenting is just a way to reaffirm all that.
I write comments because:
1) I like people to know i have an opinion, even though most of the time it doesn’t make sense
2) It is only in the internet world that you can say anything that you want and not seems loony
3) I really got nothing better to do
I really adore your points 2 & 3. Internet is one of the few places where you can be open & you don’t have to be scared of anyone and you are free to mount your views!
My real reason why I blog comments is to give or share my own opinion about the topic shared by the author. When I am attracted to the post that I found, I simply share my opinion for others to know about it.
Dan Lew
true we usually comment for us to improve keyword and all but it doesn’t mean we don’t like post. for me commenting is not beneficial because of rank improvement and traffic it also give me idea about latest technology post and idea about how to present are write-up or article effectively
As I am not native English speaker I use comments to learn language. I can’t push myself to write essays or articles that no one will read so I do it in different blogs. There is at least some chance that someone will read and if not I won’t know it.
But comments are good thing for blogs as they make users come back to your blog. More visitors = more clicks = more profit
i agree with you totally, most people are not commenting for your benefit, it is purely for their own gain whether is be publicising their own blog or a website…. this is fine but gets really annoying when you go onto any blog and it is just pages and pages of pointless advertising which is totally unrelated to the original post. I mean how hard is it to read a blog and post something relevant….. Just my opinion and i feel better now I’ve got it off my chest… Thanks
i do blog commenting to interact with other bloggers and to get backlinks for my blog as well
I blog comment to let know other commenter who i am and by engaging the
discussion and make some friends as much as possible.
I write online comments to make new blogger friends, establish myself online (to some extent) and also to get links (which is a common reason to all).
I write comments mostly because I find interesting opinions and want to inject mine into the conversation, that being said I also love to get my link out there in hopes of it helping my little website
Maybe someone will be interested in my topics and views as well.
I have nothing to say.
Now that throws a spanner in the ‘burning desire’ works
Before I post a blog comment, I always take the time to actually read the article and then I choose something out of it that is of interest to me. Sometimes It is also good to comment to some blogs cause it may lead to good discussion and arguments with juicy information. I also post some blog comment to create recognition of your my name and knowledge on the subject.
I do talk for me. I like hearing to myself – oh, wait… that’s what I do in the mirror. I comment on blogs because my mirror is sick of me and I need to stress someone else
I had to smile when I read your article. You are spot-on when you say that comments are an integral part of sharing your personality brand on the web.
I am reminded of an old Dr. Hook song…”On the Cover of the Rolling Stone”. It was a shameless, obvious kiss-up to get them on the cover…and it worked!
Your article on comments, has convinced 41 people before me to comment on your article…it is working. lol…it works both ways!
I write comments both for myself and for the author of the blog post. It’s a 2-way street.
How can you write for two people, Ben?
I write for myself: to express my opinion, to interact with others, to let others know that I exist
I write for the author: to let him know that his post is appreciated / disagreed upon , to make his blog more alive (i.e. there are real people who are actually reading his blog)
I think people write blog comments to market their products and services and look for other ways to improve it by having the relevant ideas of bloggers. Simply this is another way of developing a successful business.
Do you include yourself in that stereotype, Alex? What sort of business product do you try to market? And why should the focus be on marketing yourself and not having a conversation?
What I need to do personally on my blog is more interraction with my readers. I bet most bloggers spend so much time getting new content out that they forget the readers who are reading that content. Do you engage them in discussion? Questions to ask all bloggers….
Are you asking me or everyone else?
NO COMMENT! … I wanted to express my opinion in an ironic way, but setting the blog prompts me to write more words …
I am a novice blogger, I will come often to visit your great site!
(Thanks for the valuable translation google translate!)
I see comments as a sort of conversation. I’ve just read the article and I want to talk to someone about it and who knows more about the article than its writer?
Commenting on a blog post about comments… Seems odd. I think many people comment on blogs for many reasons i just wish the spammers would at least make a little more effort these days. is it just me or does it seem that comment spam is just links these days and no effort at all to join in any conversation? So yes i am commenting, but mostly because i have something to say. Then again i always do.