The Critical Keys to Start A Conversation With Your Blog

June 20, 2010 - Last Modified: June 20, 2010 by James Pruitt 1,459

Learning all the different ways to start a conversation with your blog is going to be critical if you really want your blog to succeed.

After all, a blog is all about being social, and building up a relationship with your readers.

Today let me show you a few techniques and ways that I have learned so that you can start a conversation on your blog today.

Don’t Hide Yourself

One of the biggest mistakes that I see many people making is to write articles and call them blog posts. They are perfectly written, great grammar, full of useful content and most importantly, they are BORING to read.

Don’t take my ranting the wrong way. When I first started blogging, I went at it the same way. I wrote high quality articles, which were full of valuable content. People would read them. They would even occasionally bookmark them, and share them with others. But, I struggled to get anyone to start a conversation.

Once I started writing more personally for my blog posts, I saw that this was one of the best ways to start a conversation with my readers. You need to really know who your readers are, and write as if you were sitting there talking to them. Otherwise, it won’t work. Be funny, controversial, and thoughtful. Share your experiences, and most importantly, let your personality shine.

Conversational Writing

Learn how to write as if you were speaking. Conversational writing is difficult, especially if you are used to using proper English. If my English teachers went and found my blog posts, they would probably go into a fit. Now, it still needs to read well. Try reading your articles out loud. If it sounds natural, you have hit the nail on the head.

One of my little secrets is a program called Audacity. Don’t worry, its free. I record myself talking about my subject for the post. This way, you reall are starting a conversation. Then, I just listen to the recording, and type it out.

If you can talk for 4-5 minutes, you can wind up with a 700-800 word blog post easily. And, if you don’t know your subject well enough to talk about it for five minutes, please, go do some more research

Size Really Does Matter

Hey, we are talking about your blog posts here. When it comes to really taking advantage of your blog, you need to write posts long enough to really get in touch with people. I get really frustrated when people tell me that a blog post should be like 200-300 words long.

No wonder people struggle to find ways to start a conversation. If you aren’t giving enough content to grab someone’s attention, then you don’t have much chance of getting it right.

I have some posts that are one and even two thousand words long. Now, usually when I get that long winded, I will break it up into two or three posts. But, my point is, longer is better. I can’t even see how people get by with a 200 word blog post. It takes me that long just to get warmed up.

If you can write enough about your topic to get people interested, then you have a good shot at getting them to talk to you. However, if you are going to write that long, you have to keep it interesting. Throw in a joke or two. Slide in a little innuendo, and do something that makes their eyes pop out of their heads.

Don’t Hesitate To Ask

Another one of my favorite ways to start a conversation on my blog is to finish my post with a question. In order to do this, end your post by asking for the opinions of your readers. If you create a thought provoking post, it will draw people into it. Leave the post asking for the opinions of the readers. They will be swarming to answer your questions.

For example, on one of my dating blogs, I recently wrote a post about unique gift ideas. I wrote out several ideas including certain skincare products and lotions that I know some ladies love, and making something special, for those with a little skill at woodworking.

At the end of the post, I asked for my readers to share the most unique gift they ever received. As the comments started pouring in, I stayed on top of it, and began throwing some more ideas out as well. We had a great conversation through the comments section, and I learned as much as my readers did.

These are the biggest things that I use to drag comments out of my readers. There are many other things that you can do to start a conversation with your blog, including comment giveaways, and stirring up controversy. Perhaps if you are nice to me, I might even share a few more of those secrets with you later.

So, now it is your turn. What are your favorite ways to start a conversation with your blog posts? Let me know, and we can all grow our blogs together.

This post is part of our amazing Blogging Contest, plz add a comment and tweet it to support the author.

About James Pruitt

Follow @jmpruitt75

For over 2 years, James has worked to his online business in various niche markets and blogged about Relationship Marketing Strategies that really work. I built my own brand on relationship marketing, and especially using forums and social media. Learn more about the biggest forum marketing mistakes and how to overcome them with this free Forum Marketing Strategy report! (and see Hesham's amazing Thesis Awesome Product Skin in action too)

{ 101 Responses }

christina gregoire says:

You are spot on. I was told to write articles about 400 words long. I kept going a little longer and longer until my editors stopped hassling me. Now, the site wants longer articles...after seeing that I developed a following with my longer articles. Tina
Mike says:

I saved and printed and put it on my desk because I've always struggled to get my readers involved. I usually write helpful articles, but people don't comment it. I hope to see better results as soon as I start using your advices. Mike
Dan says:

"people tell me that a blog post should be like 200-300 words long." It doesn't matter if a post is 200 words long or 700. Your writing must be interesting and have proper end. Anyways I don't know the best way to start a conversation but I think asking question at the end looks best so far.
Francis says:

Really interesting article, I've always struggled in start a conversation on my blog. I'll try to put your advices into practice!
Billy says:

What an interesting and thoughtful articles, thanks a lot for posting.
Rajnish Anand says:

Starting a conversation is not easy. One has to be ready to give something really concrete to get the confidence of the visitors. And as the last comment says it that it is a very pleasant feeling that the writer will be actively following the posts and comments. It makes the discussion all the more valuable and interesting.
Jason Fonceca says:

LOVED the Audacity tip. It's so simple, so common sense, and so... something I was not doing. Thanks James!
Roy says:

A blog post that highlights a few really important points. But, what I feel is the most important one is conversational writing. When I first started writing, a number of years ago, I would read that I had to 'engage with the reader' and have the ability to convey my message without the need for the reader to think too hard about it. Well, it's actually really simple to understand this when you think you're having a conversation with the reader. Overall, I really great post.
Tim says:

Hi James, Great blog and great post. So many lessons to learn and so little time.I hope commentluv and keywordluv revolutionize blogs and give us little guys some clout against the power that be.PS: The Growmap anti-spam plugin for comments saves alot of headaches....:) You might want to check it out.
Rae says:

This is a great post. very informative. this keys are really critical to start a good conversation. it keeps the post interesting.
james says:

What a great idea to put luv on your blog and reward all your commenters and viewers. Everyone should have this app. Iam going to do the same and use this on my blog and hopefully get somemore views and comments. Maybe make my blog a bit more popular lol thanks for the read best of luck witht the app.
Molly says:

Great tips. Judging by the readership on this blog, you obviously know what you're talking about!
Peter Fuller MBA says:

Hey James I like to write in the "conversational" style as well. I write like I talk :) For me, someone could write a 100 word post that is worth commenting on. The old quality over quantity argument. The important thing, as you mentioned, is to ask your readers to comment and give their opinion. Thanks Paul, it was an enjoyable read.
Jason Jumat says:

One of the most important things is to keep the conversation flowing by keep commenting back to all the commenters commenting on your site (or at least most of them) and also to visit their websites.
Melinda says:

I think a post includes your personality and opinion vs. an article that is completely fact driven. As a new blogger myself, I think it takes some time to find your voice and style in order to inject your personality into your writing. I think we all start out a little shy and reserved in the beginning, but I believe that comes from feeling like you are talking to an empty room..hard to have that enthusiasm without an audience. You tell a story differently when talking to one person vs. a room of people. I think an audience brings out a more animated enthusiasm to telling a story.
- Jean says:
  
  Melinda, that is a great way to put it, "personality and opinion vs. fact-driven article." And I'll try to visualize that audience while writing. Looking forward to perusing your blog. Organization is a subject I'm always interested in.
Kristi Hines says:

I just wrote on the size issue on my own blog. I've gotten to the point that I just skim short articles for their headlines - I find that 9 out of 10 super short articles are just concepts and ideas, and usually when I'm reading blog posts I want to learn something that I can apply right away, not just a here are 5 things you should do and now you should go look somewhere else on how to do them because this post isn't going into details. I'm definitely a fan of longer posts, and most of my articles prove that!
- Jean says:
  
  Kristin, I agree!
Dr Joe says:

James, I wish I read this BEFORE writing my first blogpost. I've been all "Blah, blah,blah" on topics and wondering why I can't get comments. Just yesterday, one of my team members said to me, "I read what you said on Fear and Anxiety and felt there was nothing left to add." Your point of asking a question (Don't Hesitate to Ask) will help me tremendously.
Jean says:

Well, James, you certainly got a conversation going here! I'm working hard at implementing these ideas. I hope the post I put up tomorrow will have more of what it needs to engage readers to comment. Stephanie Smith's words, "I tend to stay too closed and factual, but am having some difficulty reaching out without fearing TMI," really resonated with me!
Stephanie Smith says:

I think sometimes it is hard to show enough of yourself to connect, but not so much that you will want to crawl in a hole and die later. I mean sharing too much information about person things that come back to haunt you. I tend to stay too closed and factual, but am having some difficulty reaching out without fearing TMI. Some blogs I read (once!) are discussing things that the whole world really does not need to know! Balance is the key, but hard to achieve.
Jason Jumat says:

James, very true what you're saying here. The reason why people never want to really comment whether first or whether commenting at all - is very simple. They don't really relate to the article themselves. Especially professionally written articles. These articles, as you say, provide great information, but don't quite trigger readers' attention that much. So the solution should be that posts shouldn't be written like news articles in newspapers. Instead it needs to give a feeling of interactiveness. Writing in a style that is welcoming. More common. And to obviously express yourself commonly. It attracts.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  I agree Jason. It is all about creating a connection with your readers. That is 90% of where it is at. This is where talking with your readers rather than talking down at them will help. It also creates your own unique style and voice that will draw in your readers.
George says:

Excellent Article James. As noted in this article, it is difficult to acquire a conversational style of writing and good blogs just require that.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Hi George. I agree. It took me several months to work on it, and I still am. I found that by recording what I want to say, as if I was talking to a friend about my topic helps.
Colleen says:

All good points James. Funny thing about the length of article you recommend, is that I posted a video today where I wrote a one sentence into to it. But heck, it sure is a funny video. :)
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Thanks Colleen. A good video is always great too. The length of the article seems to be the biggest point of contention here. I guess it all comes down to personal experience, and who is visiting your blog. I have seen some that were nothing but a video, in fact I have done a few myself. Mine aren't usually that funny, but a great funny video can be a good blog post too.
Jean says:

Thank you, James. I can cook up a storm, but what I don't know about all this technical stuff could fill a couple of blogs!
- James Pruitt says:
  
  we are all learning Jean. Actually, i just learned about the KeywordLuv myself. I am a non techie, and the little I do know I learned by just diving in and not being afraid to screw something up. I get myself in trouble with that from time to time, even self destructed my blog once, but I learn a lot from doing it.
Jean says:

So, James, this way of entering my name helps with SEO, but the way I entered my name before did not? I ask because before when I entered my name as "Jean at The Delightful Repast," clicking on it linked to my blog. I'll see what this does. Is there a difference?
- James Pruitt says:
  
  if you look at what you did before, the entire name is hyperlinked. this time, only your keyword is hyperlinked helping the seo value of the link to your site.
Tia says:

Hey James - I love this! It's kind of like looking into a mirror. ;-) What you write about being conversational is dead on. One piece of advice I tend to give clients is to make the post relevant, but part of that relevancy is making it obvious, and it just can't be obvious when its bogged down by the formality of the article. My advice for people: use that fancy, great, long article as a resource on the blog. Great for indexing and long-tail keyword SEO, and then, write a summary post about it and link to it.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Hi Tia, thanks for stopping by. Thats a great idea Tia, thanks for sharing it. i will have to try that one myself
Jean at The Delightful Repast says:

Thank you, Hesham, for this great blog. And thank you, James, for this great post AND for responding to my earlier comment and even visiting my blog! (I love fruit, too, but the crust IS important to me. Wish it wasn't. That would save me a lot of calories!) PS It says below, "Our blog uses KeywordLuv. Enter "YourName @ YourKeywords" in the Name field to take advantage." I have no idea what that means!
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Hi jean. when you fill out your name fill it out as Jean@the delightful repast, and you will get seo value for your keyword, driving link juice to your blog. Personally, the fruity filling is important to me. I prefer freshly picked to store bought when I can get them.
James Pruitt says:

Thanks for all the great tips and advice guys. keep them coming. There are a lot of great comments here. @ jean I agree. with my relationships blog, there are so many things that can cross promote that niche, it is silly that people don't take advantage of it. Not only for commenting but guest posting as well.. I have posts on how learning to play guitar can get you more dates, skin care products to look good on your next date, how to earn money online, and relieve the financial strain etc.... as long as it is written in a way that is relevant to the niche, you can cross promote just about any niche. @ Jorgan That was one of the biggest struggles I had when I started too. I found that by recording myself talking for even 2-3 minutes about my topic, I can get a good conversation going.
Jean at The Delightful Repast says:

Thank you, James, for this excellent post. As a freelance magazine writer, I am used to writing articles. So as a food blogger, I have to remember the differences between a magazine article and a blog post. I would very much like to engage my readers in a conversation, so this post was just what I needed. Precilla's comment jumped out at me: "I find it disappointing that some bloggers stay in their niche when it comes to commenting. I mean, I get it. But there is so much out there, and it would be a waste if it doesn’t get discovered." Sometimes it seems that the only people who read my blog, or at least leave comments, are other food bloggers. Not that they are not welcome, but I would love to see people from other niches visit my food blog. I mean, EVERYone eats, don't they?!
Jorgen says:

Good points James, I have certainly been guilty of writing informative (read: boring) articles instead of punchy blog posts. At first, I was really stubborn and wouldn't even include photos as I thought it would detract from the message. Thanks for sharing!
Kimi says:

Great post there James, i absolutely agree with "don't hasitate to ask" That's very good method and very effective to encourange commenting, From my experience so far, it always works especially when i asked, what their opinions about my post are etc.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  hi Kimi, Thanks for your post. I agree. aside from personality, simply asking for the comment seems to be helping out the most. i have started ending all of my blog posts with a question related to the topic of the post or if it is a personal expereince post, asking to share their experiences.
Nabeel says:

Well some posts leave no room for comments. It is hard to comment on these posts. When the author asks a question at the end of the post, it is the easiest to comment on. I agree with the conversational structure of a posts. It helps in engaging the reader, and it looks like you are conversing with the writer naturally. In fact, just before this post, I read another post on menwithpens.ca, and it was about reading out aloud your posts so that it has a conversing style. Regarding the 3rd point on size, I got contradictory advice on copyblogger, that argued the opposite of what you said ("Are You Too Lazy to Write Less?"). You can read the post here: http://www.copyblogger.com/brevity/
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Thanks for your comment Nabeel, just read that post. I guess I missed that one. I read CopyBlogger all the time.
Mike says:

I find the first point is very useful because if you write articles without your personality in it, readers are more likely to think that article is like a magazine-style article, without breath of unique and opinions and they'll just leave.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Thanks for your comment Mike. I find that writing more personally is the biggest key. when you actually talk to someone like they are a friend, you can connect on whole new levels.
Asad says:

James, i agree with your points but i think that style of article writing also depends on your niche.If you are running a tech blog,then mostly you blog will be visited by people who want information on something and they will be in hurry to get that information.If you can give information to your readers in 300 words then i don't see anything wrong with it. Size of the post matters but it also depends upon your niche.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  That seems to be the consensus around here. I was talking from my experiences. I have tried short posts, and they don't seem to hit people right. When I really start writing and get into the topic, It helps. Also, I like to share a personal story, and that seems to always lengthen the post by itself.
Murlu says:

Adding your voice is really key that I think a lot of bloggers are skipping out on. Just think, if you write a highly analytical post, you're not really writing it in a way that it comes across as a conversation. However, if you wrote it from your own experiences, adding in your insight, you'll open up a casual chat with your readers that want to voice their own opinions and alternatives to your methods.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Hi Murlu, thanks for your comment. I agree. it is all about personalizing your post. actually I just submitted another post coming up in a few days specifically on engaging your readers, and talking to them on their level.
Anwar says:

Style is one of the most important part of blog posts. Yes longer than 200-400 word stimulates more thoughts in the reader. But how you present your ideas and engage the reader is key to getting allot of people rushing to respond. For example asking a questions at the end (like you said James). Asking open ended questions that doesn't just give a yes or no answer. Insightful debate is not bad, although that can back fire. But overall not everyone should agree, and when they don't, stating their case is not a lose situation, but an opportunity to engage.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  I agree anwar. another thing that I see people doing is moderating the comments that disagree with their opinion. I moderate to keep the spam out, but as long as the post is more than a few words, and relevant to the post , I don't do anything to keep someone from stating their opinions.
John Soares says:

James, I agree with m0st of what you say, except the part about length. A post should be as long as it needs to be, and no longer. If that's 250 words, then fine. I read a lot of blogs and my biggest complaint is bloggers who ramble on and on, so much so that the message is diluted.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Hi John, thanks for your comment. I think it all depends on your personal style, your audience, and how well you can cover your topic. Personally, I have gotten better results with longer content, but you are not the first one here to say that one does not fit. Thank you everyone for your comments. this is a great way for us all to learn. Please, keep sharing your experiences.
  - John Soares says:
    
    James, I don't have a problem with long content per se, as long as it's tightly written and makes clear points. Copy should be as long as it needs to be, and no longer.
The Bad Blogger says:

Well... I agree with all except "size does really matter" may be you have not yet seen those blog that just talk even less then 200 words, because you had miss out the most important option of all and that is "Style." It doesn't matter how big your size is, it's your style that does matter. Don't try to get everyone to like you, as a matter of fact there are always people who will hate you, you need to have a style in conversation that only the type of people will agree with you, follow you and creating a cult in you.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Thank you for your comment. personally I dont try to make everyone like me, but I dont intentionally set out to cause a stir either. i tried that a few times, and it bombed. I am just not a controversial person. it is all about letting your own personality come out. whether you are funny, controversial, or just an ear that people listen to.
James Pruitt says:

Your welcome Aj, and I agree. I have several blogs that their main purpose is to just build links to my other sites, and funnel traffic. I dont write them to really build a community. It all comes down to knowing what you want with your site. If you want a community, you need to focus on building it. If you just want some place to build content, and links to your main site, then just go for it.
AJ says:

You hit it right on when you talked about the fact that people tend to call some articles blog posts when really there are nothing more then articles written for search engine "eyes" and not real people. On my website I tend to do this type of thing...write really long articles with tons of great content but not really "conversation friendly", but my goal really isn't to encourage discussions...rather add relevant content to my site. If I get a couple comments that's cool though. However, as you say writing for "real blogs" is much different. Asking questions is a good way to spark conversation. Looking at sites like Famousbloggers.net, I would say the keywordluv and commentluv is truly crucial these days. Most people won't comment unless they are REALLY into the topic or if they are going to get some sort of benefit, such as "link-juice". Another thing worth stating is that once you get a comment try and get the most out of it. Ask commentators questions and get them to come back and leave another comment...the ability to subscribe to comments on this site always has me coming back. Ultimately, how important are comments to your site? To get people coming back to increase your pageviews? For content..no. Just write longer posts. Repeat visitors aren't going to be generating as much affiliate sales as new-comers...or will they?
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Hi AJ, thanks for stopping by. some people will only comment for link juice, but those are easy to spot. Getting comments going on my blog has helped me more ways than I can count. One it gets you insight into your visitors, so you can better target what you are doing. Unlike a static website, that only focuses on a one time visit, with a blog, you want people to come back and see what else you have to say. Many of my best posts were spawned from comments that I see on my blogs and other peoples. It is a great inspiration to really dive into the questions your readers have. The more you can specifically target what they want, the more likely you will be to convert them into a sale. Also, if people are engaged enough to join the conversation, they are more likely to share your post with others. Now, that one person may just be looking for free tips, but they may refer you to someone who will spend thousands of dollars over time on products you have to offer. Blogging is all about building a relationship with your community, and if you aren't attracting comments, you really aren't doing that. you have to show you care, and the fake relationship tactics that many self proclaimed gurus teach don't work as well.
  - AJ says:
    
    Yes, I wrote a comment on another post on this site explaining how many people tend to confuse "real blogs" with just "websites". Personally I run websites with attached blogs for content only (I used to run a couple blogs but it is much more time consuming). If you want a successful blog, building a community is crucial. Want those nice 500 retweets? well sorry, you have no friends... :) Running a successful blogging community is a lot of fun as well, but as I said very time consuming. Thanks for the reply James!
- fashionartexpression says:
  
  Most commentators won't post a comment if it doesn't benefit them. Their mostly searching for an answer or "link-juice". And as a blogger you have to find a way to make those benefits clear and to encourage them to engage in the community. How important comments are depends on why he or she created their blog. It can be for simply giving information or by trying to educate people and sharing experiences. By defining why you created your blog, it's easier to create a plan how to enhance comments. Also, I find it disappointing that some bloggers stay in their niche when it comes to commenting. I mean, I get it. But there is so much out their, and it would be a waste if it doesn't get discovered.
James says:

Hi, Precilla, thanks for the comment. that is the simplest thing. simply ask what people think about the post, or ask if they have any similar experiences to share. It all comes down to not putting yourself above your readers. The best blogs online are not by experts, but by real people who engage their readers on the same level.
- fashionartexpression says:
  
  Your right, the best blogs are run by people who appreciate their readers. I really like your writing style. I can see that you appreciate your readers and are sincerely interested in them. That's a plus when it comes to blogging and communicating.
  - James Pruitt says:
    
    Thanks. Precilla, I really do , sometimes to the point of costing myself money LOL. I have had people tell me they don't buy stuff through my sites because they dont need to when i lay it all out for them for free. Trying to find that ballance is hard for me. once i start writing it is hard for me to stop.
    - fashionartexpression says:
      
      LOL So basicly your so good that your not selling your own products. I know the feeling! When I have something in my head, I can't stop writing.
TJ says:

Great Post James. ever since you and I started writing together, I am amazed at some of the ideas you have. One of the probems that I have struggled with is getting out of technical writing, and engaging people in a conversation. Thanks for the tips.
- James Pruitt says:
  
  Thanks for stoping by T.J. , and for the compliment. I dont think I am that great, but i appreciate you saying so. You are doing better with engaging people, just keep working at it and you will get there.
fashionartexpression says:

hee James, great post. For me, starting a conversation is still a little tricky. I think it's because I normally don't know what the best way is to ask a question. But as you said "Don't hesitate to ask". I'm now finding creative ways to start a conversation and also keeping it going. I usually answer to all question that are asked in a post. But the one that really gets me going is when I have to share my experiences. I also love to read other peoples experiences. I learned a lot about blogging and commenting through that.
- Hesham says:
  
  I like what you are doing Precilla, more power to you for supporting others!
  - fashionartexpression says:
    
    Thank you Hesham. I love it that people are so open here. Honestly, this is the first website I came across that actually feels like a community.
    - Hesham says:
      
      You got the point! honestly and not because it my blog but we are all here so friendly people and helpful to each other (try to contact any one and ask for anything and you will see the awesome respond!) Probably because I have built this site to serve the community, and I am grateful to everybody took an action and became part of US :) I love to extend my relationship with readers and community here, so we act like one team, I hope that you got that feeling..!
      - fashionartexpression says:
        
        I defiantly got that feeling! It's always good to think about the community and not me selfish. Because it shows that you really care and appreciate. Also, the posts I found on this website are not the standard how to posts. And that's good.
      - James Pruitt says:
        
        You have done a great job at building that comunity hesham. Thanks for sharing it with us. Now if we can just get more people to join in the commmunity, and be more like this on their own blogs.
      - AJ says:
        
        I think we are all feeling it Hesham. This site really has a good sense of community. It's nice to leave a comment knowing that someone is going to respond to you and not that your comments went unnoticed. There is definitely some quality people stopping by and starting up some good discussions. Now if we could only take a share of your profits :) hehe

The Critical Keys to Start A Conversation With Your Blog

Don’t Hide Yourself

Conversational Writing

Size Really Does Matter

Don’t Hesitate To Ask

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