I read today that apparently only 1 out of ever 100 visitors to your blog is likely to leave a comment. The article then continues to give 10 helpful and easy-to-follow techniques that you can use to get more comments on your blog. So if you are a fellow blogger who also struggles to have people be more interactive with your blog, I think that you would find this interesting indeed. Just maybe there is something that you have not thought of or tried already.
One other thing that it helped me realize is how important it becomes then to increase the number of readers that view your site. If people don't even know about you then their leaving comments or not becomes irrelevant, doesn't it? If you know what I mean I hope that this will be of value to you :)
I've been considering it for a while to just give a short "how to" on leaving comments on a blog in Blogger, just in case someone is not that familiar with how to do it and therefore don't. It's very easy, really! I'm going to base it on my blog in particular, although the principles are very similar from one blog to the next.
1) At the bottom of each post I've set it to display a block titled "Post a comment". The first step is simply doing that.
2) Then you need to choose an identity - whether you have a blog on a another platform (i.e. Wordpress, Typepad, etc.) or whether you choose to stay anonymous doesn't matter. If you don't have a blog but rather a website you can also use that by making use of the "Name/URL" option. What I like about this is that, should others read your comment, they are free to check our your web location too which, in turn, could increase traffic to your site.
3) The next step is very easy - simply click "post comment" (or preview it first if you want to).
4) Step four is the part that I am not sure whether it is easy or not, but if you want to be notified of follow up comments, whether by other readers or myself, you need to click the "Subscribe by e-mail" link just below the comment block after you have posted your comment. If you have chosen this option the link will change to "Unsubscribe" and that is exactly what you click on to unsubscribe from receiving further follow up comments via e-mail.
Unfortunately I have to admit that the "Manage your subscriptions" is a feature that I think Google can definitely learn more about from platforms like Wordpress, but maybe that will come in time. However, for the time being it works sufficiently and for that I'm grateful!
I would like for my blog to be a more interactive site where you can feel free to share your thoughts on whichever topic is blogged about. I'd love to hear from you. Hopefully these guidelines help you to realize that it doesn't have to take up a lot of your time and you don't have to worry about the hassle of registration before you can leave a comment. Simple does it!
Thank you for visiting my site and for those who have left comments in the past, or do so frequently, I always enjoy hearing from you!
Please feel free to let me know if any of these features are giving you problems. I'd love to help make your commenting experience a fun one so you will keep coming back to leave another one :)
Now all that is left is for you to have a relaxing, fun weekend!
I blog at Wordpress, so commenting on Blogspot takes a bit of time. There are two 'type in the text below' boxes that pop up to verify that I am not a robot.
ReplyDeleteAfter all this, I get a message that tells me my URL contains illegal characters.
I've found it easier to comment as 'Anonymous' and leave my name.
Cindy
xxx
Hey Cindy. Thank you for taking the time even though it sounds like you could have given up in frustration instead. I've had a look and would like for you to try one of these when you can, please:
ReplyDelete1. When you use the "Wordpress" route it only requires "theonlycin" (not the whole address)? It proceeded to ask me to log in, but I'm sure you are most of the time. Does it still tell you the same error?
2. Have you tried the Open ID option? Here you type the full website address. It again required me to log in, but you'd have to try that because you have a login with Wordpress.
3. Third option - which is what I've been doing with your comment - is using the Name/URL option. Here I've simply typed "Cindy" and the webpage address and it hasn't required any log in's or anything else. It then uses your name hyperlinked to your site. I found this one easiest and achieving the outcome that I'm aiming at. Obviously I won't be able to do this for someone whose website address I don't know, so it is worthwhile resolving it (or finding a way around it) if I can.
Can I ask you to let me know once you've had a chance to try these? It will help me a lot.
Thanks :)
OK, I am trying option 3 ...
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't let me ... shows a red bar-thingy ...
Now going with option 2 ...
That first took me to a page that asked me to allow my information to be visible ...
ReplyDeleteJust to confirm then: Option 2 (Open ID) works for you? Then I'm glad!
ReplyDeleteI'm new to your blog, hello!
ReplyDeleteThe only blogger/blogspot blogs I have problems commenting on anymore are the ones that don't offer the name/URL option. I'm on Wordpress, and will comment using openID if I have to, but I prefer to sign as Val and just link to my blog via the website field.
I'd add one thing to Problogger's advice: always reply to comments in your blog and always visit other blogs you enjoy and post comments to the posts you like. That way you will get people surfing in to your blog on comments you've left, and you'll make connections and - sometimes - even actual friendships, with your fellow bloggers.
:)
Hi there, Val! Welcome :) I have to agree with you: I also favor the name/URL option. I'm glad you don't have a problem with my blog then :)
ReplyDeleteYou add some valuable extra advice too. If nothing else (for me) it is nice to simply be acknowledged - it says that someone has taken note of your comment. I appreciate that.
Thanks for popping in and taking the time to leave your "foot print" ~ Feel free to do so again :)