The groovy companion to my Blogging: Replying to Comments post:
Hooray! You’ve just published an awesome blog post that you’re incredibly proud of!
Whoohoo! The post is receiving loads of views and tons of shares!
Unfortunately no one has felt the need to spare a moment to share their thoughts in an actual comment.
Blogging is a solitary work environment that is most definitely quite lonely at times. Letting bloggers know that you enjoy what they do and appreciate their hard work goes a very long way to breaking through the isolation of working completely alone + it’s an awesome feeling to discover that our creativity and dedication is indeed helping others and not going unnoticed.
With that in mind I present my top tips for sharing your thoughts & a wee bit of commenting etiquette:
Make sure your comment is relevant to the post above it.
It’s a bit difficult to properly respond to a confusing comment that has nothing to do with the topic of the post.
Actually read the post before asking a question.
The pictures might be distractingly pretty but the answer you seek just might be lurking in the text.
Be courteous and pleasant.
Remember, the post you are commenting on is part of the blogger’s home online. You (hopefully) wouldn’t walk into a stranger’s house and behave inappropriately so please avoid doing it online.
Check your spelling before publishing your comment.
Perhaps it’s a sign of the fast-paced, abbreviated internet age but as a former English teacher I find myself editing & correcting far more comments than I care to admit.
Kindly refrain from using the comment section as your personal dating profile.
Ugh!
Do not put a link to your own site under your comment unless it is directly related to and somehow enhances the post above.
If you have your own blog or site you should already have it linked to whichever profile(s) you use to comment. If someone is interested in finding out more about you they can easily click your comment name. Uninvited self-promotion is damn cheeky and as you wouldn’t want it on your own blog (or social media) you shouldn’t practice it on someone else’s.
I’ve connected with some absolutely amazing people and formed fabulous friendships across the globe simply by leaving (& replying to) comments.
Now go forth and share your thoughts!
Stay tuned for more of my backstage of blogging series and feel free to request a behind-the-scenes topic that you’d like to learn more about in the comments below.
Need some more helpful hints about leaving comments? Check out Hanna’s brilliant 5 reasons you should comment on your favourite blogs over on Pearls & Scissors!
I like that you raise the ‘leaving comments’ topic, Sheri. As blogging can be quite energy and time consuming, yet a lonely process, when readers comment after the blog post is as a door that opens and others come through and join in… And thus is a pure satisfactory moment for the blogger, I agree 100%!
Thank you for all the articles you are posting on those ‘blogging’ topics. I find they are helpful in showing ‘non-blogging’ readers how things are in reality.
Warm regards,
Mariana
Totally agree with you Sheri 🙂 I used to think bloggers were just being PC when they talked about how they loved hearing from their readers, but now I couldn’t agree more. After all, if no one is actually “listening”, it makes blogging less rewarding! 🙂
Absolutely, and it also lets us know what type of content our readers prefer…unfortunately too many people simply refuse to take the time to show their appreciation for the posts that they enjoy – even a quick click & share can go a very long way to helping our fave bloggers along the bumpy road to success. https://awesomesauceasshattery.com/2015/07/31/blogging-sharing-is-caring/
On your site it’s good because I am posting as RUDE so no need to leave RUDE’S blog url details in this post but unfortunately on other sites for some reason they only allow me to comment as my personal profile. I am not posting as my personal profile, so that is when I do sign off my post as Rude Record. I take the time to comment as Rude Record, and therefore like to sign off as such.
Signing off with your online handle is one thing but adding a link to your own blog/site strictly for self-promotional purposes is impolite & seen as a blatant attempt to direct clicks to your own site – much like spam comments.
A link should only be added to a comment if it is relevant to the post & directs the reader to an article that provides further information about the topic.
Before I hit publish on a comment I ask myself if I would actually say it to the person if they were standing in front of me – adding a link is no different: In real life, when someone is talking to a group of people about a specific subject do you interrupt and draw all of the attention to yourself or do you try to enhance the conversation by telling your own anecdote about the same topic?
Unfortunately blogs have such a variety of social media & comment systems that it is nearly impossible to have an account at each one but it’s a good idea to set up your username, site link & short description to the one(s) you find yourself using the most (Gravatar, Disqus, Google, facebook, etc…)
Thank you for your reply Sheri and further take on blogger etiquette after our comment. All RUDE can do is be guided by our good intentions to communicate and share in Blogland. We are definitely not interested in being rude only RUDE [reusers of unloved discarded excess].