Increase Blog Traffic by Leaving the Right Comments

You might have already heard that commenting on blogs can be a great way to build relationships with other bloggers. This is most definitely true, but it’s important to note that not all comments are created equal.

So the question becomes: how do you leave the right kinds of comments– the kind that really will bring traffic back to you?

Leaving Links

Recently, Julia from Oh My Heartsie Girl asked me a great question in the comments for my post on getting meaningful results from linkups. She wanted to know my thoughts on people leaving links to their stuff in comments on people’s posts. Here’s what I told her.

As far as putting links in the comments, I see why some people wouldn’t like it but for me, it’s all about how and why it’s done.

If someone is recommending a related article, I wouldn’t mind it at all. In fact, if someone takes the time to put that much thought into their comment, I see no problem with it because clearly it’s a subject that blogger cares about– and caring is good. Stay tuned for more on that.

If it’s clearly self-promotion without any interest in the article on which it was posted, I wouldn’t be a fan. But that said, I do love my commentluv plugin that tells me what commenters have written lately, because I’m always looking for fun new stuff to read!

I love getting comments on my blog posts and I think a little self-promotion never hurt anyone, but you have to do it tactfully or you won’t get results.

When you’re leaving a comment (and you should,  bloggers LIVE for comments!) and you have your own blog to promote, make sure that your comment is much more about the post you’ve just read than it is about you.

Before you hit “submit” on a blog comment, ask yourself: Does this add something good to the conversation?

If it does, there’s a good chance you’ll get the attention you’re looking for.  And if not… better luck next time!

In fact, the whole “next time” idea brings up another important point:

Showing You Care

The best comments are from the people who actually care.

Now, I don’t reserve “favorite comment” status exclusively for repeat readers, but often they’re the ones who seem to care the most. We tend to care more about people when those people care about us–it’s just human nature.

If you’re a new visitor to a blog, you can still make a big impact by sticking around to read and comment on a few articles by the author (shares are even better).

When you comment, make sure you let the author know why their article has helped you or how you plan to use that information in your life. We all want to feel like we’re making a difference in the world, and comments like those validate that need.

And hey, if you share their content, you can also use the comment field to let the author know you did! Many bloggers might not have their notifications set up like they should so they might not notice your generosity, which would be a shame for both of you.

Another way to show you care is to point out typos the author might have missed. Case in point: the other day I had someone share one of my articles, then point out a typo in yet another article, then share that one too.

After all of that, I couldn’t help but visit his blog to return the favor. As it turns out, I really do like his stuff. I might even subscribe. So there you have it: it’s all about building relationships.

Conclusion

Building relationships online is not a fast track solution to your blog traffic woes, but if you’re willing to stick with it long enough, it’s one of the best investments you could make.

My advice? Don’t try to be everywhere at once. Find a few blogs you like (as many as you can realistically keep up with on a semi-regular basis) and be an active member of that community. It won’t be long before you get noticed.

Will this “getting noticed” result in tons of new blog followers? Maybe… maybe not. But hey, if nothing else, at least you will have made some new friends.

And that, in my book, is still worth a lot.

About the Author: Brittany Bullen is the founder of the International Bloggers Association. Her blog consulting business, NerdyGirlSites.com, is helping bloggers worldwide realize their dreams of blogging as a career. You can read more of Brittany’s tips and tricks at her personal website, brittanybullen.com.