Blog commenting has now become an integral part of every blogger’s schedule. Some do it to improve interaction among readers while some do it to build relationships with other blog owners. Immaterial of the hidden agenda, blog commenting is an important parameter to rate a blog’s success. So, what’s your motive for blog commenting? Is it for SEO purposes or creating a trusted online brand for your blog?
Importance of Quality Blog Commenting
Leaving comments on other’s blogs has many benefits. Absolutely, it’s not a waste of time. Had it been so, then may be you would still be seeing the old static web pages of the 1990s with little or no user interactions. So what’s this blog commenting craze all about?
- Give due credits to the author for the well written post.
- Add extra value to it, by sharing one’s own views.
- Easy way to get backlinks to own blog, free of cost.
- Get to know fellow bloggers in the same niche.
- Drive traffic from the niche blog to own blog.
Free plugins from Comment Luv, Disqus and others have made blog commenting even more easy. But, unfortunately, spammers have also taken full advantages of blog commenting and its associated plugins. This has also forced blog owners to be more watchful. They now have to selectively segregate spam from genuine comments.
Best Blog Commenting Secrets
Yes, when we think of spam, the pre-installed Akismet plugin comes to our mind. Akismet does protect our blogs from spam most of the time, but not always. And considering the ill effects, spam can have on blogs, web masters are naturally suspicious to every comment they receive.
So, now the point is how to comment effectively on blogs, to get all your blog comments approved. Here is a list of never-fail blog commenting practices, that you can adopt every time and on every blog.
1. Choose a Proper User Name
A web master always considers a commenter with a proper user name to be accountable for the comment. It also fosters trust among blog owners and viewers alike. So it is advisable to display a proper user name, than opting for keyword rich names like “Velvet Leather Bag” or “Classic Short Boots” etc.
2. Upload a Recognizable Avatar
A clear and visible headshot of the commenter also creates trust. Blog owners tend to approve comments with recognizable avatars faster than those from unknown or no profile photos at all. For privacy reasons or if your blog is managed by more than one person, then you can use your logo also.
3. Leave relevant and quality comments
Blog owners love sincere appreciation. So if the topic is on Blog Commenting, then you don’t have to leave irrelevant comments highlighting blog themes or other topics. It should be to-the-point and add value to that particular subject.
4. Don’t stuff keywords in form
Some premium version of plugins like CommentLuv allows keywords in the form. But never stuff keywords. Otherwise your comment will be marked as spam. The best way is to use keywords smartly in the comments.
5. Only comment on niche blogs
Again, blog commenting on niche blogs can help improve your chances of getting your comments approved. If you end up dropping a quality comment on a different niche blog, then there are chances of it getting rejected. It may appear that you commented for SEO purposes only, either to draw traffic to your blog or get a backlink.
6. Engage in a healthy debate
The best way to start a conversation is to share your own views. You need not agree everything the writer wants to say. But, keep the conversation healthy and impersonal. It should be based on facts. Otherwise, your comments won’t be approved by the blog owner in the first place.
7. Avoid adding irrelevant links
You can mention your website’s address in the URL section. Even some blog owners allow one or two social profile fields in the comment form. If you are very sure about the fact that an outbound link in the comment is required to make a good impact in the course of debate, then add it. Otherwise, adding irrelevant outbound links in comments is a strict no-no.
8. Write error-free comments
The blog owner enjoys the liberty to edit and approve comments. But, very few take the pain to do so. So rather than editing your grammatical mistakes or spelling errors, they may simply trash your comment. So, it is better to compose error free comments.
9. Follow the comments
If there is an option for “Notify me for further comments”, then opt for it. By that way, you get to know what the author replied back in response to your comment. You can also get updates about what other bloggers have to say about the post. May be from their additional ideas, you can brainstorm a new topic of your own.
Ultimate Secret tip on Blog commenting
The best way to gain richer dividends out of blog commenting is to enjoy leaving comments. Because treating it as yet another SEO technique is a waste of time and surely won’t help in the long run. Try to build a brand out of blog commenting and add value to the post. That way, more people will be drawn to your blog. Afterall, quality blog commenting is related to quality content writing. Isn’t it?