Brilliant Blog Commenting & Why You Need To Pay Attention To These Guys. Period.
Not to these guys here by the way!
If you want to increase traffic to your blog, make sure you read on because I just discovered what brilliant blog commenting is about.
You see, for the past 5 days, I haven’t had a night where I’ve been to bed before 2am.
I’m not an insomniac and no, I haven’t been staying up watching any “late night movies” either! Its all because I’ve been thrown into the deep end and trying to master the art of blog commenting (or oil rig hopping as Alex Jeffreys calls it).
I’m a sucker for being a perfectionist and this has lead me down the path of discovering and learning a lot fast. My curiosity has made me stay up late into the night reading blog after blog, opening my eyes to this new world, whilst sipping my favourite night time drink: Ovaltine. Infact, its still a favourite even in the day time!
Last week, I wrote a post entitled “Hidden pitfalls of blog commenting and why you need a SLAP” which gives an overview on how to plan your blog commenting sessions. Today we look into the actual commenting itself and how the best guys do it.
Most people know that blog commenting is a way to get more visitors to your blog. But it has other advantages too.
For example, people often overlook that it is a way to build relationships with the blog owner and readers alike; it gets your personality, your “brand” out there; Even more cool, the seed of future JV partners can start from some simple blog comments, which is priceless.
Here’s an important note before I get into the details. It’s important because so many people get this wrong from the start and wonder why they don’t have any results.
Blog commenting only works if you start from the place of giving.
If you don’t remember anything else you read of this post, remember that point and you’re gonna do great things. Its all about giving guys!
Here goes, pay attention to these points and these guys and you’ll be a brilliant blog comment star:
- Dont be a comment sucker. By that, I mean don’t be one of those classic one liner posters that say “great post. see ya.” which in blogosphere speak stands for “please click my link to my site with no content cos I want traffic to my site pretty please!”. No, not cool.Instead, post things that are useful, add your experience, your angle, ask questions, give feedback.
You need to learn how to do it the right way. I’d recommend you read “Blog commenting battle axe style” an excellent post by Alex Whalley. He gives an excellent analogy of a blog being a house. I couldn’t put it any better myself, so just read his post and learn how to blog comment the best way.
- Comment from a genuine heart and give freely. Do it consistently and it will come back to you in abundance. If you only comment on someone’s blog if they did it for you, you’re really limiting yourself in a big way. Go out there and be the first to give to someone’s blog but don’t expect that they will return the favour, as that is against the value of giving.A person who is a great example of genuine giving first and consistent action is Sally Neill. She also wrote a great post entitled “Increasing Blog Traffic By Planting seeds” that demonstrates the power and potential in our efforts to drive traffic, and how we should not despair if you don’t see “instant” results from your efforts. I know that I learned a lot from her attitude, so go check out her post.
- Be personal when writing comments. Don’t be afraid to show you’re human. Interact with the person you are commenting on and don’t put up a mask. A person who engages effortlessly and so naturally is Nathan Rufus. Go see his blog and learn from a natural. You’ll see why this guy puts a smile on so many people’s faces.
A little tip for you is this. Keep an eye out for up and coming blogs. Infact, Alex Whalley shared this with me. the top blogs out there may have lots of traffic, but there’s so many people comment on each post that you can get lost in the swarm of comments. Up and coming blogs have owners who are usually more responsive and you can get your voice heard easier.
My final thought before letting you go wild blog commenting:
Think of blog commenting as “blog asseting”. Whilst you are reading a post and commenting, think about blog asseting.
Why? Because an asset is something that has value, something that generates more.
When you go blog asseting, you do something that’s of worth for:
- The readers
- The blog owner
- For you
So everyone is a winner! The readers read something useful, the blog owner can increase their interactivity and make friends, you get more traffic and make more friends too.
Happy blog asseting!
p.s. I’d love to hear your thoughts and what kind of results you have had from blog commenting. Any tips you’d give to improve the experience too?
Lets succeed together,
Bailey
Hey Bailey,
Great post! Really great advice for everyone. I agree totally that blog commenting is about giving. And I really love thinking about it as an asset. That really makes a lot of sense to me.
Thanks!
Peace,
Darren L Carter
Hey Darren,
Yeah, giving is such an amazing thing. If everybody had that mindset, we’d live in such an abundant world!
Thanks for your positive feedback man.
p.s Great achievement on your stats too, awesome work.
Bailey
Blog Asseting! I love it. That’s a really good way of putting it and sums up your well constructed post nicely! Thanks for the mention and the kind words Bailey, you’re a genuine guy and it comes through in your writing – a great characteristic for blog commenting.
Remember the most important thing with blog commenting is to make sure you have decent content! No use going out there and building relationships if you have nothing worth talking about! (This BTW is something that YOU do not have to worry about – neither does Darren, whom I am not surprised to see here)
Great post and thanks again for the shout out!
– Alex
Hey Alex,
You’re a guy who doesn’t just talk the talk, but walks the walk. Much respect man. That’s why I have no hesitation in recommending my readers to learn from your blog.
Thanks for your tips Alex. It’s been helping me along my journey and I’m very grateful.
Catch up with you soon!
Bailey
Hey Bailey, great post, I love the photos you use, they make me smile.
Your coming on leaps and bounds, each post gets better and better, you are sharing such valuable content, it’s unreal.
I am getting lots of traffic from blog commenting, it’s time consuming but very worth while, especially for building your online relationships.
Your blog is my fast becoming my favorite, but shhhh don’t tell anyone ha ha.
Speak soon Bailey, Sally
Hey Sally,
Thanks for your support. I’ve been on a steep learning curve these past few weeks and learning to blog is one of them.
Hopefully I can continue to get better at writing and help as many people as possible along the way!
Catch up soon,
Bailey
Hey Bailey,
I tremendously enjoyed your post on brilliant blog commenting.
Even though I certainly know that blog commting is a very healthy thing to drive traffic to my own blog (plus the occasional back-link it brings with it) I have never left a comment just for the case of sucking traffic away from any other blog. Is it a good post? Does it teach something worth spreading, is it original? Then I´ll leave a comment.
Just like you I completely believe in the premise of giving, giving, giving – did you read the book “The Go-Giver”? Can´t remember whether it was you I have been talking about that book with…If you haven´t read it yet, make yourself an awesome gift and go get it. A quick but wonderful read!
Good content on our blogs and good and honest comments on other blogger´s posts. That is what people can expect from us and that is what we´ll be delivering all the time. Right, Bailey? I know your answer
Catch up soon
Mirko
Hey Mirko,
Thanks for the compliment and your excellent suggestions here!
You’re so right about the importance of leaving comments on posts that you really want to leave a comment on, not just for the sake of it.
I haven’t read “The go giver”, I must grab a copy!
Having good content and good honest comments is key. I know cos I’m learning that from you who does that as we speak. You’re a true gentleman and inspiration for us all Mirko. Thanks again!
Bailey
I just recently found Alex’s blog and left my first comment. And then I subscribed to his feed.
I only comment on a blog when I feel truly compelled to do so. I have at least 200 blogs in my feed reader, so I can’t possibly comment on all their posts.
Hey John,
Thanks for coming by and posting your comment. It’s such an honour!
You’re so right. There’s only so much blog commenting you can do as time is a big factor. Only commenting on posts that you’re compelled to is much better not just for time management, but for being honest and real. Leaving phoney compliments for the sake of it is not cool.
Hope to catch you soon,
Bailey
Hey Bailey, swung (swang?) past to see what’s going on over here. Thanks for leaving your comment and link on my blog. I’m glad you did cos I really like your writing style and I will be having a proper poke about your site now (so make sure you have put all your laundry in the basket). Expect a trackback on this post, I definitely want to share it with my peeps, you explain the beauty of cross-commenting really well.
Hey Ruby,
Thanks so much for popping over here! I really appreciate your kind words and it does keep me encouraged to do better.
I guess I’m just learning as this blog is only 2 weeks old, but I can say that I’m definitely learning from your cool way of structuring your posts.
Hope to catch you soon!
Bailey
Hi Bailey,
Thank you for your nice comment on my blog. Very nice to meet you.
I enjoy blog commenting and can easily spend a whole day doing it. It’s hard for me to stay on target and move from 1 blog to the next. Especially when I find other great things along the way.
For the past couple weeks I’ve been questioning how log to continue posting on some blogs when it’s not reciprocated. Am I being ignored or are they too big for their britches to comment.
Scott Barron´s last blog ..How Safe Are You?
Hey Scott,
Thanks so much for visiting! I agree with you that I could spend all day blog commenting too! It can get so addictive.
Yes, it has crossed my mind about how long to post on some blogs. I think we do have a finite amount of time, and knowing why we are doing what we do in the first place will help us determine whether the activity is worthwhile or not.
In my case, I’ll be applying the 80/20 principle when I’ve got a big enough picture of what’s working and what’s not.
Hope to catch you soon though!
Bailey
Those darn assets! No but really… great post on blog commenting. I wish more people would make the effort to be productive on other people’s blogs rather than just popping their keywords into a spam bot and hitting submit.
Brandon Connell | Make Money Blogging´s last blog ..Sphinn wins a spot on my wrath list
Hey Brandon,
It’s funny how people think those spam bots can work. I guess those using it have a get rich quick mindset and not thinking about building a long term business.
Thanks for coming by Brandon. Catch u soon.
Bailey
That’s funny that Brandon commented after me. The ironic part is that Brandon and I previously discussed the issue of “certain” people who will not comment on other peoples blogs. Some people are so big for their britches they don’t even comment on their own blogs.
That’s another one that I question. How long will people comment on a blog when the blog owner doesn’t even reply.
See, I’m a newbie. I need and cherish all the traffic I get. When I’m rich and famous, I will hire someone to reply for me! At least it’s a reply.
I just found out today that one of my blogging buddies has their own personal Twitter assistant. Now that’s a good idea!
I’m learning, to do things right, it takes SO much time. I could spend a day on Twitter and other social media places. There in-lies the vicious circle.
Create new content then advertise it. Spend too much time advertising, then new content becomes stale and nothing to advertise.
What Do You See?
Hey Scott,
Getting that balance is so crucial. Because yes, just commenting on blogs can take up A LOT of time. I’ve heard some people hire a person to do blog commenting for them, but it’s the ethical question isn’t it. Some people are comfortable with having a stunt double, then and again, don’t most celebs have people who answer their fan mail for them too? Some concept I guess!
Bailey
Hi Bailey,
Reading your blog posts is always an absolute pleasure. Your writing style is superb mate. This last post was very helpful to me so thanks. Like all of us, I spend so much time on blog commenting and I was never really sure about the value I gave. So it’s great to get some guidelines as I truly believe that “the more you give the more you get”
I am always happy to help others and will always be that way – it doesn’t matter how busy I get…and hopefully that’s coming soon!
I found a really great tool that may be of help re blog commenting. After all one of the outcomes of adding value is building high quality backlinks. I have started using “Comment Kahuna” – easy to find in Google. It’s free and has the ability to focus your blog searches by keyword and then returns with the highest PR blogs for that keyword. Worth having a look at in order to get some high quality traffic potential. Take care my friend
Peter Beckenham´s last blog ..Affiliate Marketing – Sell the In-Demand Products First
Hey Peter,
Thank you so much for the compliment. Really means a lot to me.
Yeah I could do with help finding the niche blogs, so I’ll be checking out comment kahuna for sure. Thanks for the tip!
Catch you soonmy friend!
Bailey
I believe that proper blog commenting build bridges between people. A blogger may reciprocate to a comment if it sees its worth. Giving indeed is the key. Without any sense of giving a comment may not attract any response at all.
Relationships is what it’s all about Walter,
I’ve gotten to know so many amazing people just through commenting it’s unbelievable!
Bailey
Blog commenting has worked wonders for me. Here’s the great thing – it works overnight. You will start getting visitors immediately. Also, I left a comment on one blog over 2 weeks ago and still get 2-3 visits a day from that one comment.
What really helps is when someone like Alex recognizes you from your blog comments and gives you a link in a blog post.
Mike Roosa´s last blog ..Monthly Review – May 2010
Hey Mike,
Totally agree with you, I still stand in amazement when I see how I’ve had over 100 unique visitors in the space of a week since I started commenting. Thats the power! Also, Alex is the man.
Hey Bailey,
You are surely right about the effects of commenting. I have also found that they help you to build relationships with people who you never would have met otherwise. Blogging and commenting can be an amazing experience.
Have a great day!
mark´s last blog ..The 21 Blog Program – Increase Your Traffic Now
Hey Mark,
Not only has it been amazing building relationships with new people, but it can happen so fast! I mean, two weeks ago, this blog didn’t even exist, now its taken a life of its own!
Catch you soon
Bailey
This post has shown me you only get so many chances to make a first impression. Every post is a mini think tank. If you do not have thoughts and knowledge to share you will get skipped as readers scroll their browser. It is important to not only write something insightful, but EVERY WORD COUNTS!
Craig Feinberg´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Planning 101
Hey Craig,
Our words are so important to make that impression and to catch someones attention, that’s the first thing people see for sure!
It’s a skill that people need to develop. Thanks for coming by! Have a good day man.
Bailey
Hi Bailey!
Wow, this is good stuff! I just read your SLAP post as well and enjoyed it thoroughly. I found your blog through some blog surfing this afternoon and seem to keep running into great posts on this topic of commenting!
Jess Webb´s last blog ..5 Signs You May Need a Website Makeover
Hey Jess,
Thanks for coming by my blog. Yeah, blog commenting is such a cool way to find other blogs and see what’s going on out there. I’ve found some really useful information that way built many new relationships too!
Bailey
Bailey, I mentioned on Sally’s post (hope she doesn’t mind me repeating the tool here) that Comment Sniper is a useful tool for Blog Hopping / Blog Asseting, in the case where you would like your comment to be one of the first.
It is a free desktop app that notifies you when your favorite bloggers have just posted.
BTW, I discovered your blog from Sally Neill’s 5 Commandments of Blog Hopping. I love the “Blog Asset” term you’ve coined here.
I’ve hopped over to read the post about SLAPping as well… and it is very practical advice. Nothing beats focus. And as my Mom always says: Too much of a good thing is bad.
Keep up the great work on the site, Bailey.
p.s. Craig had a cool quote: “Every blog post is a mini think-tank”.
Brilliant!
You keep good company Bailey. Now. if we can just keep you away from these happy slappy monkeys and meerkats…
Bolaji@Rat Race Escape Artists´s last blog ..List Building with Pop-up Ads- Ultimate Footer Ad Experiment 1