There are many plugins mentioned by many bloggers on how to reward your readers for leaving their comments on your blog posts. These includes, commentluv, keywordluv, dofollow and most importantly, Top Commentator plugin.
The fact that by climbing to the top commentator position, it allows you to build massive backlinks very quickly, is very motivating for readers to leave their comments. Well I know this for sure because I have been there and done that, and I still am following this routine religiously. But do you only comment for backlinks?
Here are some reasons why I would say NO to this.
1) Making Friends In The Community
Seriously, this is one of the happiest achievement I have had with blog commenting. I am pretty sure that my blog would not have grown in anyway if I had not visited other’s blogs (Well all of you guys are my friends now…) because nobody in the world will know who you are if you choose not to socialize. Just picture yourself with a group of friends and you chose to sit quietly in a corner, who would know whats in your mind, not even your best friend I guess. By the way, I believe that there are not strangers in this world, they are just friends we haven’t met. Right?
2) Learn From The Content
My friends, read Read READ! Be sure to give due respect to the blogger and finish reading the whole blog post before deciding to write your opinion. Sometimes these assumption can make you look stupid. Moreover, it is a good chance for you to learn from your fellow bloggers and who knows you may pick up a skill or two from there.
3) Build Up Activity Level On Your Own Blog
I can’t vouch this for all but I am pretty sure most bloggers will return you a favour by leaving comments on your blog as well, or at the very least, pay a visit in return! Isn’t that what you want? Building up traffic and branding yourself… Exposing your blog and name to as many people as you can!
4) Increase Your Subscribers And Twitter Followers
I have yet to try this method out but I am figuring that it might work. Instead of leaving your blog url in the comment box, you leave your RSS feed url or twitter follow link. If you’re using feedburner, they will see your posts anyway when they click on the link. This highly increases the chances of people subscribing and following you on twitter since they are exposed to more people.
Don’t bother about people who say “don’t leave one sentence comments, its like link farming!”. If you have to do it, just do it! What if you visit a blog that shares a post saying “Happy 2009!”, how long a comment do you expect? Nevertheless, I am not saying you should spam you comments!!! Leave constructive comments whenever you can, because this helps in your personal branding as well.
Last but not least, there are many blogs which offer incentives to readers who stay as top commentator(s) throughout the month. These incentives make up of paypal cash, free link love, ad spots etc… With all this attractive offers, can you say no? Do the right thing!
Speaking of which… My best comment award this week goes to *Drumroll*
Freddie Taylor’s comment on Make Money Case Study: FREE Stuff Model Part 2/5
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Hi Ben,
Hope your 2009 has started as well as you planned. For me surely,
First Alvin at http://www.gathersuccess.com gave me UBT3 and now I have started http://www.eternalblogging.com and just in process of Editing the theme and etc…
I enjoyed reading your article and I think Number 2 ( Learning From the Content ) is the key. It’s all good just to read some great article but it’s the best when the ideas are put into action.
Great article once again..
Till the Next time…Success Together…!
Mayur Sangani
http://www.monsterblog.info ( Re-launching as http://www.eternalblogging.com on 14th Jan 2009) Have a sneak peak at it now and let me know what you think…thanks.
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Thanks Mayur, I know you’re excited. Try not to leave any URLs the next time you comment. Thanks.. It seems rather spammy..
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I really think that the length of a comment should not matter. As long as it gets the point across and ads something to the conversation I think that’s enough to be considered a good comment.
Commenting is a great way to get traffic. I haven’t used it as much as I should in the past but I’m starting to really utilize it now.
IronBlogger – Blogging Tips and Tricks’s last blog post..Getting Started With Motive Interactive and Affiliate Marketing
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Yup thats right.. Hope to see you commenting more on this blog then!
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hey pei,
4 things you’ve listed is important by all means, and you’re right, people should read the entire post before expressing their views or opinions.
with #4 i think im going to give that a try, seems like a good tip to gain more subscribers/readers, i’ll let you know how it turns out, and you’re my test subject =P
good read as always, pei
Pheak Tol’s last blog post..Internet Marketing Strategy Part I
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Lol yes dude let me know if you see any result!
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Along with point nº 2 i would also say “read the comments every time”. often we can read valuable information on posts comments
Hugo Santos’s last blog post..New Year New Theme!
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Yup thats what I meant actually..!!!
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Nice tips. I like to comment because it is a great way to make friends in the community. I also regularly pick up tips or improved ways of doing things, or even ideas for articles that I might write.
And yes, I is important to READ the entire article before offering a comment. This ensures that what you say is relevant. Not to mention, you might miss out on some useful info or opinion if you don’t read the post.
Shirley’s last blog post..Velvet Blues Is Now Comment Friendly!
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Yes this shows you read my post =) hehe..
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All excellent points!! I like the title – do the right thing – reminds me of russel peters for some reason – be a man!! hehehe
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LOL oops.. You got it dude..
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hey those are true points. Nice tips and as always great writing. also you can read the comments from other bloggers also that can also give a great idea.
Sky Xavier’s last blog post..3 Coolest sites to hangout for all bloggers
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Hi Ben,
Thats one of my primary goals in 2009, more interactivity with other bloggers, commenting and reading to learn from others. Great way to meet friends and readers.
Marketing Business Review’s last blog post..Happy New Year and My Gift For You
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Welcome to the community my friend!
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We wouldn’t have know each other if not for commenting right Ben. I certainly like to leave comment on every blogs that I visit but sometimes 24hours a day just isn’t sufficient.
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | Earn Money Online’s last blog post..Lesson 23: Earn Money Online With Email Marketing
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Thats right.. Glad to find so many friends and people like you!
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Good tips about reading before making comments, I always read through and also managed to get skills one or two.Thanks for sharing
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Glad you like it Ari =)
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Great post Ben. I absolutely love the Top Commentators plugin because it allows everyone to get involved and compete to try to get on the top of the list.
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Haha you’re right.. This way it churns out more comments right?
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Vey, very relevant post, Ben. Some blogs are really being spammed quite ridiculously by people after link juice, but they soon fall by the wayside, as keeping active on blogs is quite a time consuming effort. It follows that benefits accorded for ones efforts in interacting within a blogs community is appreciated, and it does serve as an immense enticement to come back regularly. Good and regular posts also help though! Thanks for your efforts and payback!
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Nice to see you back here commenting Jacques. Getting active again!
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I really enjoy the personal touch you have, Ben. It makes one feel special when the blogmaster engages in two way conversation the way you do!
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*BOOKMARKED* and “SUBSCRIBED*.
Ben, a hell of great post. I can’t agree with you more, and I do believe that people can learn many things from you, after all I have seen you all over the sphere, and you have done some nice branding, cheers for that and keep those posts coming !
All the best,
The Moneyac
The Moneyac’s last blog post..What I have learned in 2008.
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Nice post. I am trying to get the hang of all this and it definitely helps to learn from someone who has had success. How long did it = take for you to build up your community?
BrandC’s last blog post..My Real Estate Depression
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Since i started commenting on blogs i have met some great people, the communities that blogs can create is great and the backlinks we gain are a nice bonus
Jason
p.s still haven’t got my aviator going, will do that asap.
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It’s a good way to generate comments with qualities and giving feedback, surely becoming top comemntator is not the only aim yet to share and educate others about tips on blogging.
Ari Lestariono’s last blog post..New Year’s Resolution: Best Natural Foods for Longevity
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The most important reason to not do it just for the backlink is this will be quickly noticed…it will obviously not be a very good comment, and you will never achieve #3 for sure.
The general feeling (especially among the more experienced) is, if your comment sucks, your blog must also.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..Do You Have Blank Blog Advertisement Slots?
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yup i agree with that
Ari Lestariono’s last blog post..New Year’s Resolution: Best Natural Foods for Longevity
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Ben,
You’re right, the friedship you gained out of visiting blogs is priceless. I didn’t know the power of this until I started religiously visiting blogs and do commenting. From getting backlinks, my visits turn to more than that. Meeting and making friends across the globe this way is so wonderful don’t you think, besides getting backlinks of course. Win-win situation.
Peter Lee
Work From Home Business Blog’s last blog post..Who Else Wants Free Backlinks To Their Home Business Blogs
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It’s definitely counter-productive to just be leaving comments for the sake of leaving them. Building a reputation and making a continuous appearance on sites within the community is quite important.
Susan’s last blog post..True Elegance
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Yes building images and making networks sincerely not just for the sake of getting backlinks and reply comments.It what it takes to give quality comments and giving inputs both sides.
Ari Lestariono’s last blog post..New Year’s Resolution: Best Natural Foods for Longevity
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Ben,
Thanks for the link love. I sure did miss it. I figured the link back was from commenting on your site. Guess I should pay more attention.
Thanks again!
Freddie Taylor’s last blog post..Quote of the Week: Genius & the Spelling Bee Champion
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Good idea to read and read posts to learn from them as well as commenting.
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hi I am coming from Luis’s blog. I like this post about do the right thing.
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Hi Ben,
That is a great tips for a newbies like me. I would not know you if you didn’t drop a comment on my recently launched love blog – Cupid Blogger Dot Com
Cupid Blogger’s last blog post..How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
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Hi Ben,
I just can say I like to read your blog
because they have point, they are writing
clearly and knoligible.This one is perfect
and thanks for that.
Mira Stjepic
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Every blogger loves to have more commentators who write REAL comments. Here are four tips everyone who leaves comments may wish to follow:
1) Say something in the comment that makes it obvious you actually read and comprehended the post. (Who among us hasn’t struggled over whether a generic comment is SPAM or real?)
2) Don’t make your comments so short that Akismet thinks they’re SPAM and the blog author has to manually rescue them.
3) Use either a related post in the URL field OR select one of your last ten posts that is most related to the comment and/or blog you’re visiting.
4) If you end up making multiple comments in one blog post consider using a different recent post for each comment.
When we don’t have comments it is like we’re writing into a vacuum, isn’t it? The difference between silence and a likely discussion can be ONE commentator. Any one of us can make that difference every day!
I hope you’ll all come visit me. I love commentators, links, and answer all comments as soon as I see them. Be sure to check out the dofollow lists and tools in the post I’m using for this comment.
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..DoFollow Lists of Blogs, Social Networking Sites and Forums; DoFollow Search Tool; Understanding Do Follow, No Follow
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Great article with the right idea! I truly love it when you said, “Learn from the content.” Just visiting a blog in order to post a comment because of the backlink is not really good enough. I believe reading the content will be more beneficial as you could pick up something new.
Thanks for the article.
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Hi,
thanks for the information. I’ve remember the time I kept a blog and for a couple of months all I had was 205 hits (hahaha) and five comments! I was so engrossed in writing “good stuff” to put in the blog that I didn’t pay attention to other things, like what you just said above. LOL
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Excellent post. Commenting is what makes the blogosphere a vibrant, living community – but it has to be done with respect and a sense of mutual benefit.
zodiac matches’s last blog post..Pisces Compatibility
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It’s a good quality in comment that put values to author
Ari Lestariono’s last blog post..Paprika Secrets as Healing Kitchen
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This is really nice strategy to get some quality links. But i have only one concern , how to find those blogs which recognizes people effort and have a category for top commentators?
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I had looked around for several blogs that would show me what your blog ultimately have. Your blog was by far the best blog for the information because of its simplicity and easy to comprehend. Thank you for sharing!
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The Top Commentor plugin is a great way to get people excited about participating on your blog, particularly for the opportunity to build massive backlinks. That said, if you’re posting garbage comments, you’re not doing yourself any favors, nor making friends.; in fact, the odds are you’ll just get your posts removed.
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