There are bloggers who have blogging down to the numbers. They’ve figured out where their readers live, what their readers click on, and even how old their readers are. Thanks to trusty Google Analytics and the occasional reader survey, lots of these figures are accessible to an online writer.
But what about opinions? Personalities, experiences, and interests? How will a blogger know who you really are– apart from your demographic and the links you like?
Only if you comment.
Before I started blogging, it never occurred to me to comment on the blogs I read. I may have loved the articles, had an opposing opinion, or shared it with ten friends, but I never said anything to the blogger.
Now that I’m a blogger myself, I’ve realized that my own silence robbed those blogs of something really important: personal feedback. I wish I had told them what I loved about what they were doing. I wish I had shared my opinions and disappointments. I wish I asked my questions and expressed my doubts. I wish I had told them how much my friends and family appreciated their work.
You see, blogging– like writing of any kind– can be a lonely pursuit. It can feel as though one is speaking in a room with great acoustics but no one to hear. In reality, many blogs have at least a few regular readers that the blogger doesn’t know in person. And in my experience, those readers matter. A lot.
So, if you’ve been following a blog for a while and enjoying the posts, perhaps it’s time to leave a comment. Here are several reasons to do so!
Why You Should Comment On Blogs
1) It’s a unique opportunity to give feedback. Without your comments, the blogger is stuck with page views, social media shares, and clicks to decipher whether her blog post was on point. She doesn’t know exactly what you liked or didn’t like– only that a post was either popular or a dud. Giving a blogger feedback means that she will hopefully come back with even better posts for you to read. A win-win!
2) Bloggers love genuine engagement. Most bloggers I know would love to be told how they’re doing well and how they can improve. They love that moment when a reader connects with their content– whether by trying a recipe, wrestling with an idea, sharing an experience, or even admiring an outfit. Whatever it is that you have to say, you’ll be encouraging the blogger by showing that you care enough to say it.
3) You can actually connect with the author. How often is it possible to write to the authors of your favorite books and get a response? Rarely, I imagine. Many bloggers, however, will actually take the time to write you back, and suddenly you’re no longer just a reader– you become a contributor, too. Your reaching out to a blogger can influence the way that they write and what they share. You can help shape the content AND gain a friend!
4) It’s a way of thanking them for free content. If you’re not a blogger, perhaps blogging appears to be an easy endeavor. Jot some words down, hit publish. How hard could it be? It’s true that lots of blogs are just that– word vomiting online and hitting publish–but good blogs require a lot of work. Just as books are not published in one day, and rarely are good books free, high-quality blog posts also require time, money and hard work. Enjoying a blogger’s content for free is a great perk of having Internet access; and the blogger is indeed choosing to publish for free. However, if you’ve enjoyed the free content on a blog for a while, perhaps it’s time to show your appreciation. I sure wish I did, and now I do.
5) You’re helping build community around something you care about. It’s one thing to be passionate about a subject, and it’s another to participate in a tribe of passionate people. When you leave a comment, it shows other readers who you are– and gives them an opportunity to connect with you. In my experience, these types of positive connections are always a good thing. Not only are you creating momentum for a blogger who deserves it, you are also creating buzz around a topic you consider worthwhile.
Are you a frequent commenter or a silent reader? What keeps you from commenting on blogs you love? If you’re a blogger, what do you like most about receiving comments?
Love your blog! Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and experience.
Hi Daisy, I came across this post of yours through someone else’s comment on someone else’s bolg. I guess, this is also one of the positive sides (for a blogger like yourself) of commenting on a blog. 🙂 I read a lot of blogs about a lot of things but very rarely do I leave a comment. And it actually feels great whenever I do. It doesn’t matter whether I get a reply or not. Just leaving a comment about the post or about my opinion on it or about my take on the topic or about the way the blogger has shared her ideas makes me feel empowered in some way. And yes, henceforth, I do wish to comment more often as I am doing right now.
I have two things to say to you. First, Thank you for this post, I will now be a contributor and not a silent reader anymore. Second, I noticed that you used the female gender when you wrote about the blogger in the third person in the first point. Now, this could be because you pictured yourself as that blogger which would automatically make the blogger a female. But, when I read it first, I thought that it was used more because usually when writing about others, people tend to use ‘He’, ‘Him, ‘His’ while the person can be a guy or a girl. Some people use ‘they’, ‘them’, ‘their’ but those are very few. So may be this was your way to show the girl power! That’s what I thought and it is great.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge on blog commenting.This will defiantly help me.
Hitesh Israni
Nicely said! Thank you and I will be sharing your post. Not only that…I’m going to be looking into this disqus thing. I think I love it!
Hi I find it hard with some blog sites to comment from a phone
That is so awesome Marlen! I love it as a reader when popular bloggers respond. It’s so good for their reputation too– because others see that they actually still engage their audience. 🙂
Yes! I actually have friends do that too. I think they don’t feel like it’s necessary for them to use a comment system when they know you personally. And sometimes they mention good memories from the past that are better kept private. 🙂 Thanks for reading, Kristen!
Thank you so much Jebbica! I think you raise a good point– we can’t expect all readers to comment, because they’re likely reading so many different things on the internet and not even thinking about who the authors are. That’s a great perspective you have. Although, I’ve learned that commenting on the same blogs regularly can help create a “commenting relationship” with that blogger, who can also become a good blogging friend! Keep it up! 🙂
Thanks girl! I’m so glad this resonated with you. I agree about disqus– it makes commenting so much easier. At the same time, I’ve heard that non-bloggers can be intimidated by disqus and refrain from creating an account. Anyway, thanks so much for reading this! Best of luck on your blogging journey! x
Thank you so much Hannah. I really appreciate your comment! I think the only case where a blogger will feel bothered is if it’s a self-promotional comment by other bloggers that doesn’t engage the content of the post. Otherwise, I’m sure all your favorite bloggers would LOVE to hear from you. Thanks for reading and sharing!
Thank you for your encouragement and thoughtful tips on why we should comment on blogs/posts we enjoy. I have been seeking to add this habit into my online life because I am the type of reader who loves a post, shares it, thinks about it, talks about it, but never *says* that to the author for fear of “cluttering” their comments section or “bothering” them…and yet that is probably precisely why they are writing in the first place!
P.S. – I resisted the urge to only share this post, but commented also!
This post really caught my eye – as a new blogger I’m still constantly learning and picking up ideas and tips off of other peoples posts and really enjoy them, commenting on anything that I’ve specifically enjoyed. I love that most bloggers will reply, which can spark up conversation and you get to know a little bit more about them. Though I wish every blogger just had disqus as it makes commenting a whole lot easier than having to keep putting your name, email address and website into lots of online forms! Alice xx
http://www.woodenwindowsills.co.uk
Ah thanks Julie! I’m so glad this resonated with you. I think that blogging has changed over time– some experts I’ve read have basically said that in general, comments have died down since several years ago. Often times lots of comments come from other bloggers, I guess because we understand each other’s plight! Thanks for reading, friend!
Glad this resonated with you, Theresa! Sometimes it’s tough to keep up– I think it’s good even just comment every so often.
Haha I hear you Emma! Some form of affirmation is better than silence. 🙂
Thanks Shane!!
Ah thank you Taylor! So glad this resonated with you.
It can be a bit scary! When I was a blog reader and not a blogger, I was totally intimidated by Disqus. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Exactly! I’ve made friends that way too. Thanks for reading, Christie!
Love this article! And it’s so true. I spend I don’t know how much time each day commenting on blogs, always leaving at least 10 comments a day. How many do I get back? Maybe 1 or 2. It’s frustrating. When I worked for an American Idol blog, my boss said a good rule of thumb is 1 out of every 1000 people who stops by your blog will comment. And for the most part, that’s true! Most people are “lurkers”. I’m going to share this on my page!
Jebbica @ Jebbica’s World
http://jebbicasworld.com/blog/
I love getting comments on my blog! I have a few ‘real life’ friends who read and don’t ever comment-they just text me their comment. I wish they would just comment on the post!
-Kristen
http://www.pugsandpearls.com
Too true! I love commenting on other people’s blogs and I always get excited when someone’s taken the time to respond to something I’ve written on mine 🙂 I’ve made some great friends, both online and off, starting out just exactly that way. Great post 🙂
I love that you wrote this. It took me a year of reading other people’s blogs before I wrote my own and no, I didn’t make a comment during that time. I was far too daunted LOL! However, now that I myself am a blogger, I have really enjoyed communicating and engaing with other people. I mean, I had never met a real-life blogger until April last year and it was amazing. It was so good to finally meet people, other bloggers or just people who have been “talking” to you about their thoughts and views and of course, your own.
As you say, it’s lovely to actually connect with an author or writer who takes the time to read and reply to whatever comment you make. Good or bad, and make a new friend.
I love this, it is complete perfection. I used to just read other people’s blogs and not say anything, but now that I have my own (www.dearfriendsblog.com) I realize the major importance of the interaction of the readers.
I will have to share this with non-blogging friends, so true!
#3 was a big one for me! I had this one blogger I followed for years and years, and she had a very large following. I really admired her, but I thought she probably received so much feedback and contact that mine wouldn’t matter. Then one day I commented…and she comments *back*! Now, a year later, we read each others blogs daily and a blogging buddies. I never thought that would happen, but I’m so happy I took the simple step and tried 🙂
xo marlen
Messages on a Napkin
So true! Comments are like candy to me!
That’s also how I discovered your blog. 🙂
Thank you so much!! Yes, substantive comments are gold for us bloggers. I’ve actually responded to those comment spammers at certain points to let them know that I don’t appreciate comments like that and I won’t be checking out their links! And now I no longer get very many of those!
Hi Kim, so glad this resonated with you! And thanks for your question! I think that the challenge of blogging as a minimalist is that it takes time and hard work for people to discover your blog. It was easier back when there were very few blogs (pre-2008) and so the blogs that did exist gained a lot of traction. Nowadays it’s so easy to start, so almost everyone has one! I think the key is to engage with readers of blogs you like– comment on their posts, ask questions, reply to others’ comments– and people will start to discover you. It’s tough though. Let me know if you want to chat more on this– you can email me at any time! simplicityrelished@gmail.com
Have a great day!
You can’t be more right about bloggers loving the engagement. It let’s us know that people are actually reading our posts which gives me a little more confidence that maybe I am providing something useful, or at least I hope. Great reasons here to comment on other blogs. Thanks for sharing this!
This is great! I love this and it has convicted me to do the same when I read blogs 🙂 Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Such a good call on a topic – I adore comments, even just those ‘oh, cool post’ ones!
Love these, Daisy! I am so awful at keeping up with blogs lately (and especially commenting!), but I really do need to take the time to thank or engage with the authors whose free content I’m consuming.
Yes! My “popular” posts are hardly ever what I consider my best writing. Perhaps I had a great idea that day and the post took me no time at all. BAM a ton of views and comments. Though something I worked on, and poured my heart and soul into gets five views. I think a lot of blogging is the social part. People want to gain traffic. If I notice someone commenting who I know for a fact hasn’t bothered to read anything I delete their comment. I would never visit their site without reading what they had to say and comment. I don’t mind the trafficking, but at least read the content. (;
Oh gosh yes– I can see that! I still try to avoid commenting on articles that are controversial when I feel that trolling is a possibility. I love engaging thoughtful bloggers and other thoughtful commenters, but certain subjects just seem to be the target of angry, bored people on the internet.
Yeah, so curious! I agree that the demographic of the commenters and when the blogger started matter. And probably the relative usefulness of the comment – most people might feel hesitant about leaving “just” their opinions, but they’ll give feedback or ask questions on things like recipes, tutorials, etc.
Pre-blogging, I think the only things I ever commented on, just a few times, were blogs like The Grand Narrative and Ask a Korean (Korean culture blogs that I read before/during living there) and Sociological Images. And each time I was like, “uh…am I going to be trolled now?” So I stopped!
Yes, yes, & yes-wonderful post! I’ve been blogging for five years (next month I hit my anniversary) and while I’ve certainly grown in that time, I still don’t have the type or level of interaction with readers I see that other bloggers have. I can obviously continue to churn out posts for the next ten years but when someone takes the time to actually comment, it just means a lot, resonates more if that makes sense. And as has been said, it really helps to build a community/allows you to get to know the person even if you live far away from each other. Since there are so many great blogs out there, I’m more of a silent reader but there are about half a dozen blogs I really enjoy/actively keep up with so I do try to comment.
And p.s.many thanks for commenting on my blog first so I could discover your awesome one 🙂
Oh I love this, wonderfully written! I’m going to share it 🙂
I know I treasure the thoughtful and meaningful comments on my blog – and like you say I’ve built up a friendship with people that way. I think you can get a lot of valuable feedback, from people you have a relationship as you feel they ‘get’ you. Those ‘nice….checkout my 100 different links’ comment spams I couldn’t really care for!
Away From The Blue
Thank you for this! I particularly love the phrase “word vomiting.” As a blogger, I want to impart quality content, not quantity. Isn’t that what we strive for in minimalism anyway? My blog is new, and I have a few subscribers, but I have no idea if they are even reading my content, as there are so few comments. Do I just let go the notion that it’s important to have followers and just put out my content anyway? I’m at a loss here.
Thanks Jo-Anne!
So glad to hear this resonates with you Christina! That’s exactly what I love about blogging as opposed to other forms of writing!
Building community is one of the unique aspects of blogging as a publishing platform! Thanks for reading, Laura!
Absolutely! The encouragement is so precious.
That’s funny! It must appear to non-bloggers that only bloggers comment. I do think that there are some non-blogging readers who comment, and certain blogs that draw them more than others.
Thank you so much Shireen, I really appreciate that! And yes… controversial posts are hard for me too. I tend to type a response and then delete it and click away.
I know right?! For the longest time I also didn’t realize that Buzzfeed was technically a blog. 😉 And I’m so glad I did reach out, dear friend!
Thank you Catherine! I’m so glad to hear that! I tend to engage with people on social media that I’ve already met through blogging, but it’s neat that you’ve met people through those outlets!
That’s so great to know! Thanks for stopping by!
Yup, blogging helps us all so much!
So glad you can relate! Back in m non-blogging days (not too long ago…), I think I just didn’t think that it was my place to say anything. It sounds strange, but I wasn’t sure if the blogger would want *my* feedback! Strange, right?
That is so true– future post ideas can come from comments. I love receiving questions from readers and other bloggers too. it makes me feel more challenged to provide a good answer!
Yes absolutely! I love receiving questions too– when something wasn’t clear or just when someone wants to know more about a topic!
Yes, ease of commenting is a huge thing, as well as having a relationship with the blogger! I think we as bloggers take more time to read more blogs than the average reader, so it can also be daunting to keep up with so many people. The ones where we’ve made a connection and can appreciate each other’s work are the best.
As a reader of blogs, I also wished I asked more questions! One of my favorite things to receive is a comment with a question pertaining to the post. Those are so satisfying because I get to either do more research, or offer my perspective.
Exactly!! I’m sure all writers want that sense of engagement and feedback– our efforts deserve some form of recognition, and we want to do better!
Glad to hear it Renee!!
Absolutely. Shares and popular posts are not enough!
Thanks girl! I’m so glad you agree!
Yes yes yes you at so right
YES!!! Nothing makes my day more than to see comments on my blog posts. It is proof that someone out there actually enjoys the writing we put out and it is something that has resonated with them. As a writer and blogger, there is nothing more satisfying!
totally agree. I love the idea of helping build a community, and I love getting feedback.
YES! I was just like you were before blogging. I read so many blog posts through Pinterest and tried lots of recipes, but never thought to comment. Now that I am a blogger, I just love it when people comment! Often it can be scary to publish a post because you aren’t sure how it will be received or if it’s “good enough.” Encouraging comments are what keep me going!
Obviously because I am a blogger I love this. I once had a non blogger friend ask if blogging was just bloggers reading each others blogs. I said, typically the people who comment are bloggers but readers are both bloggers plus non bloggers. Obviously I love your take on it.
I can’t say this any better than you, Daisy! It’s true that feedbacks are important, without it I’ll be wondering if the post is good, bad, just okay or it doesn’t make any differences. I do stay away from controversial posts though, I have long learned to bite my tongue. LOL!
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
I bet there are but I don’t think think they read as many as we do. I know a few people follow blogs especially to their interest but not an general lifestyle bloggers. That’s my thoughts, but i could be way off.
To this day I keep going back to site I’ve loved for years and I’m just now starting to realize they are blogs. It makes me feel so dumb. I am actually quite introverted and at first didn’t think anyone cared what I had to say. It wasn’t until I started my blog that i began realizing the importance of commenting and being active in the community. I’ve now made a few friends through blogging and it’s a great feeling. Also, the day that you reached out to me was a very exciting day for me and I thank you for that! Love Allie!
I loved this post! And I actually discovered your blog via a comment you left on another blog 🙂 I completely agree that community happens in the comments. The same is true on social media. I have “friends” on Instagram that I’ve never met because I leave comments (rather than just “likes”) on their photos. Wonderful, thought-provoking post!
I love this post! I actually discovered your blog via a comment you left on another blog 🙂 So there you go – it creates community in unexpected ways 🙂 xo
I was the exact same way. I am a much better blog reader now.
YES! I love connecting with others and I always wonder what scares people away from commenting.
So true, comments are useful, helpful, and wanted by all you blog. 🙂
Amen! It wasn’t until I started blogging that I realized the importance of commenting to bloggers. Comments really do help me to shape my content — I find out what resonates with readers, what they want more of, what they disagree with. And the comments from a single post can spark a ton of new ideas for future posts, and then I know in advance that it’s something people are looking for. Great points, as always!
So glad you enjoyed this post, Danielle! Yes… it’s definitely a challenge to get comments, and most of my comments come from fellow bloggers I’ve connected with. It’s helpful to have friends in the blogosphere who are kind of like an “editorial team” telling me what I’m doing right and how to improve. That’s what I would recommend for you! See if you can build those commenting relationships with other bloggers who enjoy similar topics! 🙂
One more thing– one of my favorite minimalist blogs, Becoming Minimalist, is chock full of engaged, commenting readers who are not bloggers. What’s his secret?? Blogging before 2008. Also being middle-aged, and somewhat famous. I think there’s an older (i.e. older than people now in their 20s and 30s) generation that does comment. Sort of like the folks who comment on New York Times articles and such.
That’s a great point! I’ve had only a handful of commenters who were readers, not people I know in person, and as far as I know also not bloggers. But it’s definitely rare. Your point about comment systems is well-taken. I think I read a blog with Disqus for a couple of years and just never commented because I wasn’t a blogger, didn’t really have twitter, and didn’t want to sign up for Disqus. I suppose the old WordPress commenting system is good in that way– name, email, and comment.
I do like how Disqus accounts can be private (mine is, I think) so that people can’t read every comment I’m writing. That’s always weirded me out, too.
Absolutely! Building an online platform should be about that consistent connection and feedback, because the Internet has made it possible! So glad this resonated with you, Kristen.
Yes Felecia!! One time I read a comment on a bigger blog that was sharing the reader’s disappointment in the post. The blogger responded very professionally and actually thanked the reader for honest, constructive feedback. It’s important on all levels of blogging!
Yes! It’s really good to have quality feedback and thoughts from readers and other bloggers. I’ve realized though that there’s a bit of a discrepancy between my popular posts and the ones that get the most comments. Isn’t that strange! I think there’s a reading population that enjoys a different genre from the commenting population (mostly blogging friends). Have you noticed that at all?
Yes! It’s a great way to have a conversation. I encourage you to keep doing that!
Thanks friend! Yes, I think that the huge advantage of having so many different “outlets” through which readers and bloggers can connect is to build that culture of giving feedback and helping shape something bigger and better, together. 🙂
Yes that’s a great point.. “airhead” comments can be really annoying and even discouraging; I see that they come often from bloggers trying to spread their name rather than to really engage the content in front of them. To be honest though I wonder whether blog readers (people who don’t blog themselves) even read that many blogs. I know that I’ve picked up reading a ton of blogs because of blogging, which to be honest, I wouldn’t have read as a non-blogger. Do you think there are non-bloggers that read a ton of blogs?
Thank you! It took me awhile to realize how important that is too! I absolutely love the bloggers I’ve connected with and follow. And I love hearing back from readers as well! Getting to know and learning from one another is the best part about it!
I try to post something on every blog I read, but I just don’t want to write something just to comment. I want it to have meaning behind it. I’m trying to be better at it.
I love this post Daisy! Over time, I have definitely worked up more confidence to comment on a range of blogs, even ones that I feel like are “bigger” blogs and may seem intimidating. But I love what you said about how commenting gives personal feedback and lets our personalities shine through (instead of being a demographic). I also 100% agree with the community factor. Blogs are communities and it’s so good to hear all the voices that make up these online communities. 🙂
I’m a total shy introvert, so commenting on blogs I enjoy reading is also a way to push myself to “meet” people, and let them I know I like what I read.
As a blogger my favorite part is connecting with my readers. I LOVE feedback. The more the better. Especially when someone takes the time to answer my questions to readers or give me suggestions on how to make my posts better. It has been the most rewarding part of blogging and I couldn’t be happier to share that same feeling with the bloggers I read. Plus I’ve gained so many friends in the blogverse! (:
http://www.accordingtokiki.net
I love connecting with readers, hearing their thoughts, opinions, and answering questions. I enjoy connect as much as I enjoy the writing process. I try to comment on a blog if I read through the post, choosing something from it I connected with to talk about. I understand even more how nice it is to get feedback as I have gotten more into blogging and not just reading blogs. 🙂
Really good points.
I love the engagement with readers! That’s my favorite part of blogging… getting to chat about something I find important/interesting with others. AND I love feedback to help guide my blog and to open my mind to things I hadn’t thought of.
I was the same as you in that before I started blogging I used to read a lot of blogs but never comment on them. Now I appreciate how valuable it is as its really nice instant gratification. I know if someone comments that they liked what I had to say and it gave them something to see. Even if just nice recipe.
In terms of what keeps me commenting it’s often when I have a connection it a blogger, I like the post, they interact with me etc. but also ease of commenting. I love disqus and ever since I’ve signed up my always so happy when someone uses it as I know I can leave a comment quickly without the hassle of entering my info. Sadly I’m busy a lot of the time, commenting on my lunch break as I’m doing now. So I like when it’s easy and it’s why bloggers should make it easy for their readers!
I almost never commented on anything before blogging. Now, I tend to take it for granted that all of my commenters are bloggers, because who else comments? The thing that bothered me about doing it before was that commenting systems are becoming more and more connected to social media accounts – and sometimes likes/comments/other engagements are visible to social media networks unless specifically hidden. I have separate social media profiles for my blog, so I don’t worry about my random comments being visible to everyone who knows me. I mean, accountability and trolling control is nice, but my real life people don’t have to see and read everything I’m doing.
I wish that everyone who reads blogs would read this post! I’ve been blogging for four years and while I do it as a hobby and for my own enjoyment, one of the things I struggle most with is reader engagement. No matter what I try, I just don’t get a ton of people leaving comments or giving feedback. Like you said, I think most readers just don’t even consider it.
YES times a million! Comments really add a lot to the conversation and are such great encouragement to keep writing!
Yes yes yes! I remember I was soooooo scared to comment on my first blog comment (this was right around the time I started blogging and reading blogs). But I didn’t have to be because bloggers love comments! I don’t have the highest stats, but I’m honestly more happy with genuine engagement and comments are how I judge that. I love knowing if what I wrote resonated with people, or if something I wrote didn’t get a lot of comments, then as sucky as it is, I learn that it’s not what readers like to read!
I couldn’t agree more with this!! Its always a bonus getting feedback from your readers! You definitely build great relationships with people that way 🙂
Renee | Lose The Road
I wholeheartedly agree. I didn’t start commenting till I started blogging either, but now I know how appreciated those comments are! When you don’t get any comments, as a blogger you have no idea if anyone read what you wrote, if it struck a chord with anyone–comments are key!