Commenting on other blogs is one of the main privileges of social media. In old media, such as television or newspapers, it is basically a one way communication channel between the provider and the viewers, and interaction is very limited. The best we can do with television is cast out our votes through texting or call the hotline displayed on screen, but still it is very restricted. We are reduced to accepting what we hear and not have our voices. That isn’t true with social media, and blog commenting in particular. When we read someone else’s blogs and have an opinion we would like to share to the writer and other viewers of the blog post, we can simply type that in and wait for people, including the author, to respond.
Opportunity to present your own blog
Commenting on other blogs also presents an opportunity to present your own blog, and let the viewers know that you are an expert in your blog niche. This can be done by commenting on blogs which are related to your blog. When viewers see that your comment is relevant to the blog post, they will know that you are an authority in the blog topic. The question now is, how can you comment effectively and properly to achieve this?
Look for the right blog
First of all, you need to look for the right kind of blogs to comment on. You can use Google’s blog search to look for specific blog sites that have the same niche as your blog. After finding several blogs, you can them click on RSS feed to subscribe to these blogs and be up-to-date with their blog postings. You can then read these RSS feeds at your Google Reader. Now that you are ready to put comments on these blogs, you can start composing with the following tips on hand.
Aim for an interaction
You always have to aim for an interaction. This is the general rule that governs all of the following tips. Comment as if you want the blog post owner or the viewers to comment back on you. If this happens, and especially if the owner comments at your post, you can start a relevant discussion regarding the topic. Viewers will then see that you are an authority and would be interested in knowing more about your blog. They will then refer to your blog as another source of relevant information related to the blog post you commented on.
Make your comment conversational
Obviously, you want your comment to be related to the article. You want it to be as informative and authoritative as it can be, but you have to start it easy. First of all, you need to make it a personal and appreciative comment. Say his name, and talk about specific parts of his article that you like and can relate to. The reason why you want to do this is because you want to touch his ego a little bit, and make him feel good about himself. That way, you will give him the impression that you are a kind and sincere person. In addition, stating his name and showing that you know exactly what his article is all about assures him that you are not just spamming, or sending out random messages just to post a link to your own blog. This way, your comment will really be about wanting to start a healthy, informative and interactive discussion about topics that both you and him are interested in. It should be that way, genuine and all for a great and noble cause!
Include a link to your blog
By making it conversational, you have all the excuse in the world to post a link to your blog, and people will most definitely click on it, because they know that it can only help extend their knowledge about the post topic. Look for a post in your own blog which is related to the post topic, and more specifically, related to your comment. If it is possible, look at your previous posts so that you can bring them back to life again. Furthermore, it’s really good if you are the first and only comment in a blog post, because it follows right after the article, and your link will look more like an extension or back-up information that way. That’s why it’s important to be updated with the latest RSS Feed from the best blogs related to your niche.
