How to Obtain Comments on your Blog?

June 16, 2010 - Last Modified: February 14, 2013 by Stephanie Smith 1,460

No matter what topic people blog on, they have all gnashed their teeth over blog comments at one time or another. In some cases, it is too many comments. Most of the time, however, it is not enough comments. I know I was embarrassed when I ran a contest and got a grand total of five comments. One of those was my answer to a question and one of those was the guest poster’s reply to a question. Absolutely mortifying.

I did what research nerds do and started researching the problem. Advice varied on how to elicit more comments. Post controversial topics was a common suggestions. I write on gardening and intersperse product and book reviews with my garden posts. Not exactly controversial topics here. On to another technique. Ask questions that readers can comment on. A good idea, except that I am trying to educate readers on best practices or tell them my experience with a product or book. While good quality comments are welcome, wing nuts telling how great uncle Bob used some creosote to kill crawdads (and polluted the water for miles around) are not exactly welcome.

Comment on other people’s blogs

One technique was to comment on other people’s blogs in the hope that they would reciprocate. That one made sense to me, so off I go to comment on some blogs I read. In doing so, I found a little box called “ComLuv” on some blogs. This box used my website information to post my last blog post beside my comment. I thought that was cool. Then I got a gravatar, which used my email to post my picture beside my comments. Finally, I followed the “ComLuv” directions to register my site and can now choose between the last ten posts I have made when making a comment. If the last post was not particularly germane, I pick one that was.

How to obtain comments

On the same webpage, ComLuv mentioned a contest. In conjunction with FamousBloggers, they are running a blogging contest about how to obtain comments. Points are awarded for originality, number of comments, number of retweets, and just cause. The observant among you will notice I do not have ComLuv on my blog. That is because currently ComLuv only works on WordPress and Blogger, not GoDaddy. I have asked about getting it for GoDaddy and hope that it will become available. Perhaps entering this contest will remind the programmers of that request and get them to expand the types of blog platforms that ComLuv will work on. WordPress and Blogger are the 800 pound gorillas of the blogging platforms, but there are lots of other platforms that people use, and GoDaddy is a significant one. I want my readers to be able to link to their posts as a way of encouraging comments. That also provides me with a linkback, something the ranking systems like. And, of course, I would not turn down any money this contest offered me as a prize for my post, either.

What is your ways to obtain encouraging comments on your blog?

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

About Stephanie Smith

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Ever been pooped on by a rattlesnake? I have. I use experiences such as that and the solid research skills I gained getting my Ph.D. in clinical psychology to turn out informative, helpful nonfiction articles on such diverse topics as dogs, gardening, woodworking, and bugs. That way you can stay at a safe distance from the snakes in life and avoid all the other pitfalls there, too. What article may I write for you?

{ 198 Responses }

David Wakeman says:

Stephanie, What a great post. I have been trying to figure out how to get more comments on my websites. I just recently signed up with CommentLuv and started using this great plugin. My main website has to do with golf and although I do get a few comments from time to time, the volume is nothing to write home about. I would have to say that my lack of time and interaction with other blogs probably has a lot to do with it. I found your site because of the Andy Bailey and his book "a Grands worth of grand articles". I will be back to read more. Thanks so much! David
sara angel says:

Hi Stephanie, I still really new to the blogging world. There are still lot of thing I need to learn. Today I read several great posts from you regarding social implications, blog comment, building our blog community, including this great post for ComLuv. I am now join the ComLuv community, read more blog post and try to add useful, nice and polite comment. Hopefully I can encourage someone to comment on my blog. ;-) Its superb.
Sudeep Acharya says:

wow thanks for the tips and tricks. i am sure that this tips and tricks will really help for us to increase a lot of comments{excluding spam :) } in our blog.
Farrah says:

Obtaining comment arises from the quality content of a blog, post, forums and article. It substantially will have positive and great comments specially when it's educative. Hope to see a lot of post that will help me do best on SEO marketing.
Mark says:

I will have to agree with you, Stephanie, the CommentLuv plugin is an absolutely great way to get fellow bloggers interested in you content to comment on you blog. For me, it makes the difference between hanging around or not. I have enabled both CommentLuv and KeywordLuv on my blog and have definitely seen an increase of activity simply because of the keywords associated with finding these plugins. I hope GoDaddy lets you eventually add it to your blog. Mark
David says:

Seems like it's prett obvious that ComLuv gets alot of comments, what's nice is that they are usually pretty good quality. Seems to me that people take their time more to make a reasoned response. How in the world the spam gets sorted out, I know not!Can Akismet and CommentLuv co-exist? I don't know.
Jean says:

Regarding "Comment on other people's blogs": I have found that only a tiny percentage of bloggers practice reciprocity in commenting. Of course, when a blogger is getting dozens and dozens (or hundreds and hundreds) of comments, it is impossible for him/her to do so. But I've commented on blogs that are getting just a handful, or even NO, comments; and the blogger neither responds to the comment nor reciprocates. AND some of those are people who have announced in one way or another that they will! I don't get it.
- Codrut says:
  
  I've followed a similar practice, and in my case, it happens that when I comment on other blogs I like, sometimes the author jumps on my blog and starts commenting, which I like it. I also direct people whom I've previously talked with (by email) to check out my post or jump on Skype and share some links of interest to my connections. I also like to encourage comments straight up at the bottom of most of the posts I write. P.S. Some bloggers turn off comments option when they reach 50, 100 or whatever specific number, and mention that, in order to encourage comments I guess. *** What do you think about this practice: good, bad, smart?
Rose says:

Hi Stephanie, I still really new to the blogging world. There are still lot of thing I need to learn. Today I read several great posts from you regarding social implications, blog comment, building our blog community, including this great post for ComLuv. I am now join the ComLuv community, read more blog post and try to add useful, nice and polite comment. Hopefully I can encourage someone to comment on my blog. ;-)
Kristie Sloan says:

I agree with Darlene. Sometimes I've absorbed so much about so many things, I feel like my head is going to spin off! LOL
- Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
  
  Yes, sometimes it is hard to know where to focus your efforts. This at least helps you be more effective. You can get to know other blogs in your area and get known at the same time.
Stephanie Suesan Smith says:

Yes, we call that spam. Thanks for checking my post out Darlene, nice to see you. I get a lot of that where people include a link for something that is unrelated to the post. Like you, I delete them.
Darlene says:

This is partially a new world for me. I had never heard of CommentLuv until you wrote about it here. There are so many aspects to social networking. It's important but just about impossible to keep up with all of it! I find that one of my blog occasionally gets ads for other bloggers. In other words, they use my blog to post something entirely unrelated. I go in and delete those.
Su-sieee! Mac says:

Hi, Stephanie. I'm glad you posted about your useful post at the WordCount group. I've been meaning to learn more about CommentLuv and now I know. I'll be heading over to sign up sooner than later. Thanks for the info. I'm also getting a lot from other commenters. Recently, I started linking my posts to appropriate linky parties and that has brought people to my blog, some who leave comments and become blog followers. I've also started leaving my blog link when I comment on blogs (such as those hosted on Blogger) that have no way of directly linking back to mine. Good luck win the contest!
- Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
  
  Thanks for commenting. How do you find the linky parties to join? I know about giveaway linkies, but other linkies have always been a mystery to me. Is there a directory?
  - Su-sieee! Mac says:
    
    There's probably a linky directory floating around some where. I have yet to find it. What I do is key into google the words "linky party" and the type of party I want. For example, crafts linky party. Some bloggers maintain a page that lists all the various linky parties that they've participated in. They really are a lot of fun. By the way, I've found some gardeners linked up at crafts linky parties.
    - Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
      
      Thanks for the tip. I will have to see if I can find a vegetable garden linky.
Kristie Sloan says:

Great post, Stephanie. Seems like getting comments is an never ending topic that people are delving into. Loved your last blog title: "Weed Executioner" We are needing some kind of landscaping executioner this summer!
- Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
  
  That was a fun title to write. I try to come up with eye catching titles because the same old subjects get lost in a sea of blogs otherwise. Thanks for stopping by.
Aysha says:

Well I try comment on others or leave a question that they could answer.. I cant say I see much success..but it is getting better.. A good start I will say.. Nice article
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  It gets easier with practice. I still have trouble commenting when I am not in a contest. So you like to cook? I have a friend who enjoys cooking. What do you like to make?
Peter Fuller MBA says:

Hey Stephanie I hope bloggers who are looking for more comments read your post. All they have to do is follow your steps, install commentluv and off to the races they will go. Okay, a controversial gardening article, hmm, how about "Garden Gnomes - are they tacky or are they cool?"
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thanks for the compliment. Gardeners can be a passionate lot about surprising things. Start a discussion about open pollinated versus hybrid seeds and the fur, er pollen, flies. For the record, though, I do not like garden gnomes. I prefer scarecrows.
AIDY says:

It is always good to read on how to improve traffic to any blog using the ComLuv plug-in! I just realized as well that it really does not matter what your niche is as well. Since I have been really looking into ComLuv & FamousBloggers, there are niches from all over the blog sphere! ComLuv & FamousBloggers seem to ingeniously collect them all in one place it seems. I enjoyed reading your post, fantastic tips I wish I had known in the beginning--still, it is never too late! Thanks Stephanie!
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Glad to help. Both Andy at ComLuv and Hesham at Famous Blogger have gatehered a very diverse group of bloggers into a community. Copying them is a good way to build community in your niche, too. Thanks for stopping by.
John Sullivan says:

Stephanie Good Luck with the Contest stumbled and RT thanks for joining BloggerLuv Your blog is excellent @ Hesham Wake UP :P LOL Hope all is well Thanks
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  John, Thank you for coming by and for the compliments. They mean a lot coming from someone such as yourself. BloggerLuv is another wonderful find due to this contest.
- Hesham says:
  
  Hi there John! I got your comment now! I am here and wake up, I am just writing a new bloody post ;)
  - Stephanie Smith says:
    
    Hesham is busy riding herd on all us bloggers. Sort of like herding cats -- it is difficult and somewhat perilous. He is doing a good job of it, though.
Lee says:

I discovered comluv, commenting etc... early on in my blogging journey. It's all been viable and helpful. However there are times where I have ran contest, and even tried to give software away (300 dollar value) and it was lacking in comments. Not sure if peeps are just mistrusting, yeah I said mis- but anyhoo it was what it was. No love lost. But at the same time, I've written post that were 5 min spoofs and recieved tons of comments on. Who knows. I do know that it's important for me to vistit others and comment but I dislike bloggers who only comment on my blog because I commented on theirs. Sometimes it's the only time I see folks. No matter it's what I do for fun and anything after that is a benefit. Thanks for sharing your experiences. p.s. I also know some are just skurred to comment and others are skurred of my hardcore honesty in replies. However I never try to intentionally hurt or anger anyone, it's just who I am. My hope is that others will allow others to be who they are. We are all not the same.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I have given up trying to figure what posts bring comments. I am learning and trying to figure out what I am doing. I know a lot more now than I did three weeks ago. I am planning on implementing some things to try and grow a community instead of randomly commenting, or commenting only in reply to comments. I also find that annoying. Thanks for stopping by.
Melinda says:

I wish I had known about leaving comments on other blogs and CommentLuv in the beginning. That is really the best way to get traffic to a new blog. I read many more posts than I comment on. But if I see a fairly new blog with only 1 comment, I add a comment for sure. As bloggers we know how that feels..like no one is out there. I love to leave comments on a new blog because I know how much that would have meant to me in the beginning. I also think a person's commenting style comes from their personality. If you are a talkative extrovert, you are probably more likely to go out and comment on more blogs vs. someone who tends to be shy.
- Kimmie says:
  
  I didn't really think about that I guess. Makes sense that not everyone always feels comfortable leaving comments and especially if they see there are no other comments on the post. I know that when I have checked out blogs, before I started my own, I have a lot of times really enjoyed the posts and would maybe think about leaving a comment and end up not doing it afterall.
  - Stephanie Smith says:
    
    While I do not advocate leaving a comment just to put something after the post, if we do not model the behavior we want others to engage in they will never know what to do, will they? So although I am rather reserved in person, I try to find something useful to say if I like the post.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I agree that commenting style is strongly influenced by personality. I am an introvert (no really!) so have to force myself to leave comments.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I agree that commenting style and personality are tied. And here I am an introvert! I have to force myself to leave comments and interact instead of just research, but I am getting better.
Stephanie Smith says:

@ashok I was not doubting your word, just had never heard of that before. It would explain some of the spam that looks like it came from a templet instead of being meaningful. @Mark I am starting to get spam in larger numbers. I am manually tossing it because akismet deletes a few valid entries completely before I would see them, according to Gail at Growmap. I want meaningful comments, not garbage, and I have made up my mind to only leave meaningful comments in return.
ashok says:

I like your central point about commenting on other people's blogs, but I think a qualifier needs to be added. One wants to comment in such a way that the blogger wants to respond to the commenter. That's really what's lacking in spam comments - "great post" and the like could never possibly want to make me click the link to the commenter's site. But if someone expands upon a point I made, or links me to relevant resources, not only will I never complain, but I'll feel like I might want to check out that blog to link to it later.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  That is true. Your comment should be an invitation for not only the blog owner to check you out, but for the people reading to go explore your site. Your audience for your comment is much wider than the blog owner -- it is everyone that sees the blog. Some of the most interesting exchanges in the comments for this post happened when two experts expanded on the comment someone left, and we all learned from it.
  - ashok says:
    
    I think, on that note, it's probably helpful to discuss some types of comments I've seen work: - comments that ask a thoughtful question of the original poster (i.e. "you got that result using such-and-such reasoning. Do you feel that reasoning has any particular flaws?") - comments that give serious but nuanced praise ("love reading your blog; what you do well is give insight into the little things that convey a whole") - comments that build up, as opposed to tear down, other commentators I don't have a huge audience online. But anyone that laughs at my audience size should consider what I write, and how hard it is to get people to read the sort of thing I write in a world where people would rather make minimum wage the rest of their lives instead of reading one book, in some cases. I can safely say the guidelines I'm giving for comments get one the sort of traffic that promotes you in turn, as opposed to tries to hijack one's blog for their views/promotions.
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      @ashok, I was not suggesting using comments to highjack someone's post. That is just as much spam as the comments that just say "hi" and want a linkback. What I am saying is that when you comment, do so to engage everyone that reads the post. Remember that it is not just a two way conversation between you and the blog owner, but more a plenary with multiple engaged participants. Your comments should not focus so intently on one person that you exclude the others.
      - Mark says:
        
        I agree 100%. As I think I mentioned previously, I think "comments" should really be renamed "discussion". To get a lively blog requires the involvement of as many visitors as possible. Comments are typically not much more than a bit of feedback on a blog post (a bit like a written comment on a feedback form following a lecture) rather than an engaging "conversation" that takes place amongst everyone involved in a debate. Some subject matter clearly doesn't lend itself to a discussion (unless strong controversial opinions are voiced) but if there are visitors truly interested in the subject of the blog (rather than just looking for an easy link as Ashol says) then there's no reason why they can't be encouraged to voice their views. I've been enjoying following the comments on this post which is a great example of how to get many people involved.
        
        ashok says:
        
        Feedback can work too, I think - I'm happy for comments that do say thanks well, or expand upon a point slightly. The thing is, with the state of commenting nowadays, we're not even getting "feedback." Commenting has devolved into something else entirely. Good examples of what's wrong can be seen at a place like Digg, imo.
      - ashok says:
        
        Oh I definitely was not suggesting you were recommending "hijacking" in the least. But I do have to be clear about what is and what isn't a good comment. Someone noted the other day that the most thoughtful comments on their blog were coming from people paid to comment. That's a very sad state of affairs, if true.
        
        Stephanie Smith says:
        
        Paid to comment? I didn't know people paid other people to comment. You mean on their own blog, or in their stead? That is really sad. What happened to honesty and honor?
        
        ashok says:
        
        Re: getting paid to comment on blogs. Yes, it's real. A google search: http://www.google.com/search?q=get+paid+to+comment+on+blogs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
        
        Mark says:
        
        Ashok, you make some very good points here. I can't believe the number of spam / automated comments I receive across a range of blogs. They all tell me what an exceptional writer I am and how they like to read more. Very interesting apart from the fact these comments are also on WP blogs that I've set up as "sales" sites and to which I don't even post regularly!! Regretably, the internet was not created equal nor is it used in the same way by everybody. It is definitely not a level playing field. Some people see anything as an opportunity to "sell" or "get a backlink" just by spamming (term used loosely) whereas others are genuinely interested in the content even if a by product is links and/or visitors to their own sites. If a person can be paid to post comments and the result is visitors because of the links of higher search engine rankings and thus sales (and a net profit) then I guess there will always be people in that camp.
DazzlinDonna says:

I find that you can still ask questions most of the time, even if you are teaching. If nothing else, you can end with something like, "Do you need anything clarified? Is there anything I should expand upon?" or "Have you tried this before, and if so, what were your experiences with it?"...that sort of thing. Or just a simple, "Do you agree?"
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  That is helpful. I wondered if those sorts of questions would get a response. I suppose that is an empirical question I can test for myself, isn't it?
  - DazzlinDonna says:
    
    And a good test it should be. First phase already started...you asked a question, and I'm answering it right now. :)
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      True. I will have to test it on my blog where people are not as sensitized to leaving comments next. Thanks for the help.
- Gail Gardner says:
  
  Donna has been sharing awesome advice with the blogging community for a very long time. Her suggestion of asking a question to encourage comments is probably the very best on-blog tip anyone has to offer. One thing NOT to do that is use a Theme or design that makes the reply button invisible the way the FamousBloggers site does right now. As an experienced blogger I have a good idea where to move my mouse to find it. MOST DO NOT! That type of blog design fails the first rule of site usability preserved forever in Steve Krug's book Don't Make Me Think! Anything that makes your readers confused is something you SHOULD NOT DO.
  - Stephanie Smith says:
    
    Yes, I had a hard time finding the reply button -- he had to explain where it was and how to get it to light up so I could click it. I have one of those cheap, free themes, though, and our comment box is really boxy and blatant
Kimmie says:

I have so much to learn about all this blogging stuff. Sometimes it starts making my head hurt.
- Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
  
  The learning curve is pretty steep. My head spins around like in one of those horror movies on a regular basis. However, people are pretty nice, most of them, and will help if you look like you are trying. At least, they have done so for me. I try not to make the same mistake twice, but am pretty creative at finding new and unique mistakes to make! Hang in there and it will start to make sense as you work things out.
- Gail says:
  
  Hi Kimmie, The thing to do is to learn from each other. Doing this well is complicated and we can all progress much faster by working together. Every blogger who sincerely wants to learn is welcome to contact me for more details on collaborating. Just send me an @ Tweet (better than a DM) or use the contact tab on my blog.
  - Kimmie says:
    
    Thank you!
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      Gail means that offer. She has been very helpful to me.
Mark says:

The thing that works best for me on my more established blogs is to treat he blog post as a conversation. So the post is crafted in such a way that it is a "chat" with somebody rather than just me commenting on a subject. Engage the reader throughout the post and they'll want to put their viewpoint or experience forward. The "comments" then need to be treated as an ongoing conversation - I reply to everyone and that in turn encourages more responses (at least from genuine people rather than those just seeking a backlink). In fact, to me the whole purpose of a blog is an ongoing dialogue mucxh like you've managed to achieve with this post. I like to encourage my readers to comment on other readers posts too. There's nothing like a bit of response to comments left to make you feel welcome and return for more.
- Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
  
  That is a very different way of looking at things than I am used to. I am used to being the authority in print and people read my work to learn how to do things. It is rather humbling to just be a part of the conversation rather than the object of the conversation. So how, in this new model of things, do you tell the difference between someone who knows what they are talking about and some idiot who just spouts nonsense? If I look at a website on something I know nothing about, how do I judge the quality of it? It is hard to do so when people do not site their sources and everyone has an opinion. So how do you do that? Or how do you reassure people that you know what you are talking about?
  - Mark says:
    
    If that's a new way of looking at things it didn't take you long to catch on Stephanie :) - Your second paragraph is a great example of just what I mean. You raise a very important point (and one that I know there's no easy or right answer). I've said for years that the internet can be the biggest mask known to mankind. Everyone can be a millionaire, a bankrupt, a guru, an expert in anything they like. They can live in a mansion or a tent. How does anybody really know? The options for, let's call them "Walter Mittys" is unlimited. I believe, however, that it's like meeting someone in a bar. You have no idea about them. But after talking a while, unless they are really good con artists you get a feel for then. Call it an instinct. I think it can be like that in the written word too. But only if the "conversation" comes from the heart. As to whether you (as the writer) or any visitors know what they are talking about - ask a few pertinent questions - you'll soon work out what they really know of the subject. Take this thread for example. You posed some good questions in your reply & I've returned to answer them. You may think I'm spouting rubbish - but I hope you can tell my initial comment was about something I believe and not just some lame comment for the sake of it. It would be great to get a few more readers thoughts on this subject. Anybody reading have an opinion?
    - Kimmie says:
      
      I get the gist of what you are saying and I think it makes a lot of sense. It wouldn't take too long for someone to realize whether the person responding is clueless about the subject of the post just by the way they answer it. If they are ignorant about the subject it will definitely show through. I like to get different viewpoints on the posts I write, even though I have a very minute amount of comments on mine so far. I have said on my posts that I welcome any and all opinions and to share their own insights and experiences with the subject.
      - Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
        
        It can be hard to generate this much comment, especially when it is on a more mundane topic instead of an opinion piece. I have not had much luck with the "please comment, any opinion welcome". I must not sound very sincere when I say it .
      - Mark says:
        
        Hi Kimmie Until a blog gets a regular readership it is difficult to get many comments. I agree just asking doesn't really have much impact. Where the blog comes alive is when you have a "unique" voice - maybe a different approach to your subject; a humourous viewpoint or even a controversial stand - you'll then find visitors return regularly and are much more likely to want to have their say. Your objective should be to build a community where people naturally want to hang out. We like to be with people we like.
        
        Kimmie says:
        
        Finding a way to present your blog in a new and unique way is the hard part and especially if you are not conditioned to disciplining your mind to allow the creative side out. I will continue to work on this and hopefully gain more readership as time goes on. I guess the most important thing is whether you truly have passion for what you are writing about and if you do it turns into something more therapeutic. It's a good thing I am so passionate about everything I write about.
Kristi Hines says:

I only just recently realized that GoDaddy has their own blogging platform. I know that Andy has been working with different systems / platforms trying to integrate the CommentLuv system with them, however some are just incompatible. Like Disqus, for example. So many bloggers are going with that system, but for whatever reason (possibly the fact that you can be logged in which takes away the URL field, giving the CL plugin nothing to grab when trying to find the RSS feed for newest posts). It makes sense that he starts with the most widely used platforms and then works his way to the next. Why build something that only 10% of bloggers use when you can build something that works for 60 - 70%. I have no idea the statistics on how many people use what platform, but WordPress and Blogger are certainly the most common, with Drupal and TypePad coming in next. Finally, you have to consider which platforms give application developers the most information into integrating with their systems. If GoDaddy and all the other platforms out there do not offer APIs for plugin developers to work with, then there's not much they can do.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I understand concentrating your resources where they will do the most good. As I have interacted with the people who blog for a living and know a lot about such things, I have realized that instead of insisting the mountain comes to me, it makes more sense to go to it. I have moved my website to Hostgator and am using Wordpress. I am still transferring all my old posts to the new website, but hope to have everything squared away by Monday. The odd platform GoDaddy uses for it's templet based blog platform is making it hard to suck the old posts into the new site. I am telling myself this is a learning experience and is good for me . Thanks for the comment.
  - Kristi Hines says:
    
    I hope my comment didn't come off sounding aggressive, because I didn't mean it that way. But it sounds like your move was the best. HostGator is a great hosting company, and WordPress has a much stronger user support system than the other platform, not to mention WordPress' features are more easily recognizable to people who visit blogs frequently. Once you learn it, you will love it!
    - Stephanie Suesan Smith says:
      
      A little weary of yet another demand on your time, but not aggressive. In any case, my goals have changed as I have learned and been exposed to people who perform at a higher level. That is what is supposed to happen, right? Right now, I would be happy in the short term if I could figure out how to integrate my photography blog into my writing blog's menu, and vice versa. In the long term, I got a book on html and css and how to use those to do a website, then integrate a blog (or two) into the website. I just can't learn as fast as I would like. And I keep getting distracted by shiny stuff. You know how that is.
Indian Homemaker says:

I never realised blogs about blogging could be so interesting :) Commenting on other blogs works like nothing else does. I have seen all bloggers who interact and connect with other bloggers get a lot of comments on their blogs.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I have to admit that reading about blogging is a bit like reading the directions before assembling something -- easier but usually more boring. Famous Bloggers and ComLuv seem to be the exception. They make things easier in a fun way. I wish I had found them sooner.
Dr Joe says:

Well done Stephanie. What's neat about your article is how much conversation it opens up in the comments. I'm amazed at how similar our journeys have been. I stumbled across a site with CommentLuv and it opened up a whole new world. Many of the bloggers using it seem to be cutting edge on Social Media, so I've been visiting blogs and learning tons as I go. For example, today I just discovered Famous Bloggers. Very cool place.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Boy, what an intriguing title to your last post. I always thought some dentists were sadists. That is what is neat about Comment Luv, you find out about the neatest blogs this way. I have actually changed blog hosts and am migrating my blog page and website to the new host, setting everything up in Wordpress, and trying to get with the program just as a result of what I have learned in the last few days. The learning curve is pretty steep, though, and I feel like I will never be "there" where ever "there" is. I guess as long as I am moving forward, especially in such rarefied company, I am doing something right. Thanks for stopping by.
Kimmie says:

I like the advice you give which seems to be a lot of what I have read about. I just started a blog a couple months ago but have only 1 comment and that is from my good friend who is trying to help me out. I've tried asking questions, leaving comments,etc. but still nothing for some reason. Is this just more about giving a blog enough time maybe? Thanks for the post and feel free to link with me.
- fashionartexpression says:
  
  I've had the same problem you face right now. It's good that you're asking questions and leaving comments behind. It's important when you ask a question, that the reader feels that his/her comment will add some valuable information. No one will comment if it doesn't benefit him in some level. If it's for traffic boost, getting to know other bloggers or learning things about SEO. Also make sure that your content is relevant and problem solving. When your commenting on other blogs, remember to leave a comment that will add value and shows your appreciation.
  - Stephanie Smith says:
    
    One of the other contestants in this contest, Lindsey, addresses just that question in her entry "Get Comments that Say Something" . You might check it out. Basically, it takes time for people to find you and you have to have a format that encourages comments. I tend to be very didactic, the expert preaching, which I am trying to change to a more give and take, this is what works for me, style. However, I talk about gardening and there is a right way and a wrong way to do some things, like use pesticides, so I cannot be too "peer" in my style or I am no better than the crackpot down the street. So your topic matters, too. This is a good place to learn. People are very nice.
- Melinda says:
  
  You have a great blog. I went and commented. This is what is nice about commentluv..the ability to help out a new blogger. :)
  - Kimmie says:
    
    Thanks so much! I have recently been acquiring more comments but it almost seems sporadic. Thanks for leaving me a comment on my blog and for the encouragement! I will check out your blog.
Tara says:

As you of course already know, the same thing keeping you from commenting on other blogs is what keeps others from commenting on yours: It's time consuming. I put the onus on myself. If people comment, then I know I've done something comment worthy. If they don't, I haven't. Either way is OK with me, because I'm writing about what I want to write about. My blog is a hobby, though, so I realize that my goals don't work for everyone else.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  My blog started as a hobby but I have decided to get off the porch and play with the big boys. I am just trying to figure out how to do so without getting slimmed too badly. I really hate it when that happens.
Andrew says:

Exactly what you have done on this post - ask a question at the end. Andrew
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I have always viewed that as a disingenuous plea for comments, but it seems I am a minority of one in that view. Perhaps I ought to rethink that.
Jean says:

Stephanie, I was drawn to this article because I get very disappointed when one of my posts doesn't draw comments--after all, it was a wonderful post, right?! When I'm commenting, I like to read the whole article AND all the comments first. Doing so, I often find a comment or two that is so interesting that I then check out the commenters' blogs and comment there. (Wonder if anyone does that with MY comments ...)
- James Pruitt says:
  
  LoL I do the same thing. I like going in t check out other blogs. who knows maybe i will make a new friend and we can swap guest posts some day.
  - Stephanie Smith says:
    
    I like to check other blogs, too, but can end up doing the equivalent of reading the dictionary instead of reading the definition of the word I sought. Guess others do that, too.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Get lost down the rabbit hole? Yep, probably most of us. Explains a lot, doesn't it?
- fashionartexpression says:
  
  I also read all the comments first. If I find an interesting comment, I visit their blog. But reading the comments first also lets you get inspiration for your own comment.
Brandon says:

I have a simple formula for receiving comments. Interest level of post * (Number of readers / comment welcome-ability) = Number of comments received Basically, make interesting posts, get exposure to those posts, and leave room for the readers to speak their opinions and comments on the post.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thank you for your comment.
Ray says:

Thanks for this post. I am very new to blogging and need all the help I can get, especially when it comes to comments. So now I have commented, please drop by lol
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Glad to help. There are lots of tutorials here that will help, too.
  - Ray says:
    
    Thanks Stephanie. Greatly appreciated :)
Precilla says:

Hi Stephanie, First of all I would like to thank you for giving us your point of view on commenting. You really have a nice writing style. For me, commenting is a way to express myself and creating an image. When you comment, people will notice you and maybe check out your webiste. So that's why it's important to leave a good impression. I found out that people who leave elaborate comments mostly get the most (returning) visitors. That's because they really have something valuable to add. There's nothing more worse then comments that scream: SPAM SPAM! When I comment, I try to let the author know I appreciate him/her. Because of that, I've now created my own little community of bloggers who support each other. That's the beauty of blogging. If you support one another, you can establish some great relationships. And that's good for your blog. So I would like to encourage other people to show their appreciation and comment with value. Even if it's a small comment, you can still make a difference.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I have noticed that not all comments are alike. There are definitely "hit-and-run" comments and substantive ones. The former are irritating, the latter are appreciated.
  - James Pruitt says:
    
    That is one of the hassles of blogging and comments. you get some that are involved in the conversation, and some will just make a half way effort to get a free back link, then run on to something else and never come back.
    - fashionartexpression says:
      
      Yes exactly, they just put some quick standard sentences and off they go. I have to admit, I was such a person when I started blogging. But I've learned from my mistakes because people brought them to my attention.
Usman says:

commenting is kind of a give and take thing. u comment on other people blogs and they will notice you 'some day'. content quality is also a way to get comments. but it requires a long term effort
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I am definitely getting the idea that this is a long term effort thing. Build a good site, publish quality content, guest post, comment on other's blogs, and wait. It is the wait part I am not so good at. Thanks for your comment.
Tek3D says:

Commenting on other blog is an excellent strategy. I realize that since I started commenting back on links of Comluv on my blog, many bloggers have come to mo my blog more regularly. It is not only obtain more comments but also make your relationship networking better.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Yes, it does build relationships. The people who have commented here have been very nice and very helpful.
Jason Jumat says:

Stephanie, as you would obviously know - it's not that difficult to get people to comment on your blog - but rather takes a lot of your time. What time and why? It takes time to work on your blog to make it as appealing as possible at the same not over-professionally looking but wanting it to have a very down-to-earth welcoming presence. I agree with you on the one fact that you can get more people interacting on your blog when you comment on other people's blogs. It all comes down to putting in time and thus effort into whatever you're doing.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  That is true. However, doing that can easily become a full time job and unless your blog pulls in a lot of money, you have to have a job or other source of income. It is hard to balance the time it takes to get the blog really going with the time it takes to earn the money to eat. I am working on doing a better job with my blog and am certainly learning a lot from this contest. Thanks for commenting.
Nasrul Hanis says:

I always ask myself the same question too.. and the fact is we don't have the exact cause or factor to make visitors leave their comments. They don't leave comments, so there'll be no comment there although the number of visit is high. Got inspired from your post. Nice one and thanks! :)
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thank you for your comment. Perhaps number of comments is the wrong metric to measure the effectiveness of a blog post, or a blog. Maybe page views or some other metric is more accurate. Who knows?
Patrick Freeman says:

Getting comments on my blog is kinda difficult from time to time. I guess it's because of the topics we choose. Most of the commenter's come from either Facebook or Twitter because that is primarily where we market the content. I have tried Digg but for some reason no luck. With this particular blog I'm sitting at around 5000 visitors and 49,000 page-views and I haven't even hit my 5 month mark yet. I guess I need more credibility. What do you think?
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Well, from my view you have a lot of traffic and have rapidly built a following. I do not have a firm grasp of the scale for the metrics you reference, so cannot tell you how well you are doing. I think some topics are more interactive than others and it is just hard to get comments on some things. But I blog to educate, and while I would like to make money, that is not my primary goal with this blog. So interaction is wonderful, but sometimes didactic material doesn't lend itself to that.
- Precilla says:
  
  I don't think it's because of the topics you choose. Some people, well actually most people, don't leave comments behind. You have to pursue them, encourage them to leave something behind. And that's difficult, I know.
Latief says:

First you need to leave comment on other's blog if you want people leave comment on your blog :D Writing simple article or provocative article will increase your comments number and don't write a rocket science article :D Thanks for the awesome article sister :) you have a lots of comment here. Congrats
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thanks for the compliments and your comment.
  - Latief says:
    
    Your welcome sister, I suggest you to read my article here on famousbloggers.net about benefits of leaving comment, the article is one of the most comment article here :D Thanks
DiTesco says:

Wow, 47 comments and counting. I am betting you were not expecting that :) Actually, it will probably be more considering that you have educated a lot of us as to the proper techniques that one can use to get noticed. Certainly, ComLuv is a strong 2ally" to achieve this and combined with leaving meaningful comments on other people's blog is definitely the right way to obtain more comments. good job!
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I am surprised at the number of comments and more than a little awed at the stature of the people making them. I may get stage fright any time now .
Hesham says:

This awesome post deserve my comment indeed ;) Stephanie , What I like most about your post is the amazing personal touch you have added here! I remember my first contest that I organized more than one year ago! I was having 5 prizes for the winners and I got only 2 amazing entries or something like that! I was so embarrassed at that time and didn't know how to deal with this problem :) and silent was he best idea lol! I don't want to share a link for that contest here because I don't want to hurt anybody by laughing to death lol! And, because I love the challenge and I hate the to taste the fail! I decided to start over and try again and again but with a plan! My first comments contest "Top comments" here on FamousBloggers was a big success, I call it the Famous Commenter contest, and I started at the same another blogging contest along with that! It was a big success and I remember that I received more than 1000 comments from our very supportive community in one month ;) Thank you for the excellent read!
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thank you so much for the compliments. I don't think I can keep up if I get a 1,000 comments during this contest! Although I am certainly willing to try.
Alamin says:

Thanks nice post. I think comment on other blog and using comment contest and make blog Dofollow work best to get even more comment.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  What is dofollow? I can guess the concept, but is it a program, or automatic, or what? I am climbing a pretty steep learning curve so some of these terms are unfamiliar. Speaking of that, how exactly does a trackback happen?
Julius Kuhn-Regnier says:

Interesting story you are sharing here. I believe that comments will follow automatically once you create interesting content. Of course in order to get comments you also have to be willing to comment on other blogs. You can't expect something from other people which you won't do in return. Why is ComLuv not working through your GoDaddy account? You should be able to install Wordpress through it shouldn't you?! Or is there actually a platform called GoDaddy?!
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  GoDaddy has a quickcast blog platform that is where I have my blog. It is billed as something you can just type in and post with no programming. True, it is template based and easy to use. But the same things that make it easy to do elementary things make it hard to do advanced things. So it looks like if I am going to do this blogging seriously, I will have to move to a hosted account and load both Wordpress and Comluv and all the other stuff. That means I have to learn HTML, CSS, and the two programs. I am not looking forward to that, although I did order a book on HTML and CSS yesterday and it should be here early next week. Can anybody recommend a good book on Wordpress? I am feeling very old about now -- I remember helping my Dad program in machine language as a teenager. It gets harder and harder to keep up.
  - James Pruitt says:
    
    Actually Steph, you dont have to know all of the techie stuff to run a wordpress blog. Whoever told you that was lying to you. I don't know anything about css, and just a few basics of html. The thing is with wordpress, if you need it done, there is a plugin that will do it for you. just take it slow and learn one thing at a time. as far as a book on Wordpress, no, I have learned almost everything I know from reading helpful blogs, like this one and ProBlogger, and then trial and error for myself. Good luck with your blog. you did great at starting a conversation here. Try to do what you did here. One of the biggest mistakes i see with peopl blogging is they try to be "the expert" and have to tell people all the answers. this works with article sites, and other marketing methods, but it does nothing to engage your readers on a blog. Get down on the level with your readers, and don't be afraid to be personal. It will do more to build your reputation, and you will engage people more.
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      Thank you, James. I have obtained a hosting account and it is being loaded with Wordpress for me. I will try to switch the quickcast info and badges to the new account as seamlessly as possible, then take my time on building the webpage to accompany it. You are right about engaging people as equals rather than speaking down to them as an expert. I am guilty as charged and will try to do that as little as possible. I basically learn by mucking around and trying things to see what works and what doesn't. You learn a lot that way, but get covered with muck on a regular basis, too. Oh well, a little soap and water take care of that, don't they?
      - james Pruitt says:
        
        That is true. Part of the problem here is that there are so many "marketing experts" teaching people that the only way they can make money online is by being an expert. Look at the im niche. I saw a guys website that was talking about how he had all this experience online. yet I was talking to the owner in a forum a week before, where he was asking how to build his first site. This works in some ways on a static website. however, with a blog, you have to get down and be on the same level as your readers. When I first started out I was listening to an interview with a blogging expert, and one thing he said was when you write a blog post, get in your mind an image of your ideal blog reader. Imagine that you are sitting in the bar, and they just asked for your advice. Talk to them. and have a conversation with them about your topic. I actually have a guest post coming up here when it gets approved, where I share some of my techniques for mastering this type of writing.
Anup says:

We can use Top Commentator Contest to get more comments or to be in touch with blogger. That I am using right now :D
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thank you for the comment. I appreciate it.
Kimi says:

Great post Stephanie, it reminds me of my own blog as i don't receive much comments. However not that I don't care, but i prefer to have less comments that related to my post than spammy comments.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  This is true. Spammy comments are a drag. Having to decide if one that is borderline lives or dies isn't much fun, either. Some days, though, the spam is the only indication there is anyone out there. Sort of like junk mail used to remind you someone know you were alive. Thanks for commenting.
Dana says:

Base on my own experience, a blog post about the topic that known by many people is always working great to bring many comment. It is because readers know the topic well and tend to give his/her thinking.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Thanks for your comment. That can be a two edged sword -- too well known and it is hard to find anything original to say, too obscure and it is hard to find someone to comment.
Jason says:

Those 2 are definitely effective Stephanie, but I would also suggest to boost your blog's PR and enable dofollow links on comments to attract more commentators. But it's up to you which ones to accept to avoid spammy comments and to also protect your blog from bad neighborhood sites :) Regards, Jason Acidre
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  What are bad neighborhood sites? Are you talking about those skanky ones that sell snake oil? I delete tons of trackbacks from those now. I referenced a medication in a post about a sick dog and I get pounded with sites selling drugs without a prescription. Lovely.
  - Jason says:
    
    Yes, those kind of sites as well as sites that are obviously hacked, gambling sites, link farms and exclusively for adult sites :) I even saw a site before that sells illegal drugs online and I don't think it would be fun having that link around your territory. So it's best to check their sites as well before confirming their comments.
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      Thanks for the explanation. I bet those of you with high traffic sites spend a lot of time checking comments and trackbacks and sorting the wheat from the chaff.
SEO Company says:

Nice post for Comments i always try to put comment if i find any informative post...i think it's give support for good work to writer or blog owner also..if you open contest this igve some extra boost this will be also a good idea.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Contests are good for comments, if you are giving away something people want. Sometimes you find out the hard way you are not, and then it can be embarrassing.
Jean-Baptiste Jung says:

Good tips, apparently it works well on this blog regarding the amount of comments this post have :)
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I noticed that. Maybe I just need more traffic to get more comments. Of course, there is the whole chicken and egg thing about that and I am still figuring out how to get more traffic.
Murlu says:

Generally speaking, the blogging community is very helpful and thoughtful when it comes to commenting. I always try to visit anyone's blog and comment back if they do on mine. Sometimes I simply don't have the time to do it every day but I still make an effort for it. I'm glad that you touched on the subject of creating comments through controversy. As you said, not every niche is going to have points that are going to get people to talk. It can be difficult. Once you get people to talk, keep asking questions just as you would a conversation. If you can engage them, they're likely to come back :)
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I have found the blogging community to be helpful, IF, and that is a big if, they know you exist. Sometimes I am bad about not networking because of time and then I do not get the results I want. You would think I would learn not to shortcut on that, wouldn't you?
Jean Sarauer says:

To get comments I try to write interesting content and ask a question at the end to encourage input. I find that the posts people comment on the most are typically those they can relate to, such as when I share some mishap or mistake I've made. Fortunately for me, I never run out of material there :) I do a lot of commenting on other blogs too, and this has been huge in getting people to visit my blog and comment. Plus it is SO much fun. I really love it.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Well, I never run out of examples of mistakes, that is for sure. Perhaps I need to do more show than tell in my posts so that people will connect more. Thanks for commenting.
Gilberto Galea says:

Nice Post. It's really, to get comment if hard, and some times difficult. I try to participate with other bloggers, and for me, any comment if a little window to know what other persons thing about my blog. I apprecite all your advice about to receive feedback, because only at few of my post other people was comment it. Thanks by share,
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I consider comments a window into how my blog looks to others, too. Sometimes I think the window is painted shut . Thanks for commenting.
Kathy says:

I find the Commentluv plugin to be a great way to get links. People take not of the fact that you are willing to reciprocate a little bit for their willing participation in your website. It seems like a fair trade to me. I get a little upset when I see website combining the Commentluv plugin with No Follow. If you really want comments on your blog then you should not use the No Follow tag. That discourages people. Yes, it discourages spamming somewhat, but it also discourages legitimate comments. I usually won't waste my time on a blog that No Follows the comments. They really aren't giving back to you. If those people are concerned about spam then they should use an anti-spam tool like Akismet or the many other different types of spam catchers out there.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Is that what a No Follow does? It cuts the trackbacks? See, I am learning a lot from this. I get a lot of spam trackbacks and delete them. I have thought about adding Akismet, but have recently read that it may delete legitimate comments that the blog owner never sees. Is there another anti-spam program that does not do that? Thanks for your comment.
Asad says:

Firstly you have to write quality content.Content that solves people problems or open a debate.It should have a catchy heading.You should also ask readers at the end of the article to give their opinion.Blog commenting can also prove beneficial.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Well, my posts tell people how to solve their problems. I guess I can add a bit at the end asking for their experiences, or if they have any questions after reading the post. Thank you for commenting.
Colleen says:

Being in real estate, what we blog about doesn't really warrant comments. Blogging about the homes available in a particular neighborhood isn't exactly high on the reading list for most folks.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I feel your pain. Perhaps mentioning interesting tidbits about the architectural style or history of the home, or area it is in? Of course, a crackerbox in a crackerbox development may not have much history to mention. Your comments may come in the form of signed contracts. Thanks for commenting.
  - Colleen says:
    
    Funny thing is we have started posting non-relevant posts to our niche and have found a plethora of new traffic from these posts. Maybe we have found a comment source, eh!
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      Well, if you post articles about locations where you are selling houses, they are not really non-relevant. People buying houses always want to know about the location, activities, shopping, traffic, and other things in the area around the house. That is one of the selling points, isn't it?
Gera says:

I use often asking readers and also commenting on other people’s blogs is useful, but not always. In order to get feedback is helpful to see how involved is this blogger in social networking and if she/he comment also frequently on other blogs. This is not the first time that I find bloggers who love to receive comments but never return it, independently of their niche or the "importance" of them. A precision blogger platform doesn’t have the ComLuv plugin only if you've IntenseDebate installed replacing the native blogger system. Thanks for this good article Stephanie! Cheers, Gera
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Ah, but the ComLuv plugin isn't available on my platform. Hence the post asking that it be developed which started this whole thing for me. Yes, I am lazy about finding other gardening blogs to comment on. We can't fix all our personality flaws at once or we would be bland, colorless blobs, now wouldn't we? Thanks for commenting.
AJ says:

Comment Luv together with keyword Luv are a definite must if you are looking to increase your comments to levels you never dreamed of. The downside is that you may spend a lot of precious time reviewing all the comments and weeding out the bad ones as well as it will pull out a bit of your page rank. I think writing controversial topics is a good idea, but as you say, this strategy may not be good for the types of posts you are writing. One alternative is to use controversial or crazy post titles that will get people intrigued in the post...I think most the time if you can get someone to read your whole post they will comment. For example my latest blog post is called: "Make Money From Buying Premium Wordpress Themes" (http://www.wpexplorer.com/make-money-premium-themes.html). I hope this will get some people taking...but I need some traffic first :)
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I am not familiar with keyword luv, as I am still trying to learn all the ins and outs of blogging. Can you explain it more? Is it a program or technique? I worry that bait and switch headlines would irritate rather than intrigue. I know I feel cheated and a bit angry when the article doesn't deliver on the headline's promise. Sometimes I get someone with a totally opposite view that will comment and that can spark a good discussion. I have not found a reliable way to draw such people in, however. Thanks for commenting.
  - AJ says:
    
    I think I explained wrong. I am not really talking about Bait and Switch....my article actually will show you how to make money from buying premium themes. What I am trying to say is basically: Make your titles more captivating to capture your readers attention. You will notice that keyword luv is being used on famousbloggers.net. Basically it is a plugin that allows users to submit keywords they want to rank for next to their name when submitting comments. This will give them an incentive to comment since they will be generating some great link-juice for SEO purposes.
    - AJ says:
      
      Did you see what you just did...You asked me to explain what keyword luv was. Resulting in my previous long explanation. Whether you knew what it was or not, you still got me to comment. Replying to comments and asking questions appears to be yet another very effective way to get more comments.
      - Stephanie Smith says:
        
        That does appear to work, doesn't it? But I actually did not know what keyword luv was for sure, although I could sort of guess from the context. I will try to come up with more captivating headlines. I tend to be more utilitarian in my approach and that does not seem to work as well.
      - Gail says:
        
        First I have to say I really enjoy your writing style and love that you have a calling very similar to my own. You managed to teach many bloggers something new without detracting from the flow of the post or making anything sound hard to do. The most comprehensive information about KeywordLuv is in the post I've featured in CommentLuv in this comment. I encourage all bloggers who see this who are dofollow and have Commentluv and Keywordluv installed to leave me a link to their blog in that post so that they can be added to my list. Stephanie, what do you like about having your blog on GoDaddy? I did not even know they had blogs hosted on GoDaddy. I asked Kristi Hines aka Kikolani and she didn't either and she uses their hosting. Did you know you can migrate existing blogs to ComLuv hosted WordPress so you can use some of the great plugins a fully hosted WordPress blog uses?
        
        Stephanie Smith says:
        
        As a result of information and comments gained here, I have moved my website to HostGator and my blog to WordPress on HostGator. Thanks for the help.
  - Hesham says:
    
    Keyword Luv is a wordpress plugin that allow you to add your keyword right after your name when you add a comment to a "keyword luv enabled blog"! It should be in this formate "YOUR NAME @ YOUR KEYWORD", this reduce the spammy look of a comment when someone add names like "design company" or "mobile applications" instead of using their names just to get a link with these keywords to their sites! so instead of that anyone can use his real name and link to his keywords!
    - Stephanie Smith says:
      
      Gail, I picked GoDaddy because an acquaintance recommended them. I do not know HTML and they had quickblogcast that was template based and pretty idiot proof. They also had website tonight for web pages that was the same way. I was able to get up and running quickly. Now I chaff some at the template imposed restrictions, but since I do not know any HTML or CSS, am not sure I could make Wordpress work. And I would have to redo my web page and migrate to a hosting account either at GoDaddy or elsewhere and am not sure that is worth the hassle. On the other hand, I would like having a better forum for my photography. I am certainly open to suggestions.
Ryan says:

Blog commenting has been my number one comment acquiring technique Stephanie. Show interest in others and they will show interest in you. It helps if your blog posts are valuable and relevant but even if they aren't people tend to help out those who help them. Thanks for sharing your important tip. RB
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  I have found that to be true, that people will reciprocate in commenting. Of course, going around commenting on blogs can be very time consuming and one must make sure that you do not do that to the exclusion of anything else. I will admit to not doing it enough, though. I have a hard time not resenting the time away from my writing. Selfish, I guess. Something else to work on. Thanks for commenting.
Nabeel says:

I always post a comment on good articles and those which are related to what I want to learn about. Sometimes, there is NO room left for comments, as the post is written in such a way that I find it hard to comment on it. Other times, when the post actually ask's a question at the end, it is the easiest to comment on.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Sounds like you reward a good article author with a comment. Maybe my articles just aren't good enough to get that. I will have to work harder. Thanks for commenting.
James Pruitt says:

Great Post. I agree getting the comments flowing can be difficult. Now, I see what you are saying about asking questions of your readers. however, the problem is not whether the method works, but your approach to the method. Now, I don't know you, so I am simply going by what I read in your post. If you are writing to only share your experiences, then you wont engage them into a conversation. This is where you ask questions. invite people to share their own experiences with the topic, and ask for their opinions. Now, I have been using the comment luv plug in, and I love it. however, although I like adding comments like this one to other blogs, I cannot say that it has done anything to increase the comments left on my own blogs. That is all reliant on the content you have on your site, not what you say on someone elses. the Gardening niche would be a tough one to crack with controversy, but perhaps humor would work better. One way I like to incorporate humor is to open up, and be willing to share my own mistakes in a way that is engaging. If you have made a mistake at something, more than likely you will touch something that your readers have jumped on as well, and they will be more willing to open up and share their own mistakes that they have made.
- Stephanie Smith says:
  
  Most of the time, I am writing from a research standpoint — what are the best practices as shown by research on the topic. So it is a bit difficult to comment on that. I try to use humor to leaven the didactic nature of the posts, but do not always succeed. I will try to be more open about how I know what I am discussing and what mistakes I have made, and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestions.

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