Posts Tagged ‘engagement’

The hardest thing about blogging is building an engaged readership.  After all, if I visit a blog that is completely lacking in comments, I am not really compelled to stick around, let alone subscribe.  I immediately think, wow, this blog must not be that good – no one is leaving comments.

If you want to build a community on your blog, here are 5 easy ways to get started:

1. Make sure people can comment – and you can respond

I contribute to a blog called Web 2.0 with a few other people in the sales and marketing space.  We just realized that the settings need to be changed so we can respond to comments.  Lesson learned: Make sure all your writers can approve and respond to comments!  If you have a WordPress site, make sure the developer who set it up for you makes that allowance.

On the flip side, you want to make sure people can leave a comment.  You probably use WordPress or Blogger – both let you control comments.  Here’s how to make it easy for your readers to add their two cents to your blog:

On WordPress, set two requirements: First; comments from people must be approved by you; second, only ask for a name and email address (don’t require a lengthy registration process).

On Blogger, set two requirements: First, let anyone comment; second, turn on the word verification setting to catch spammers.

2. Write up a policy

You don’t have to do this, but it can be really helpful for your readers – and make things easier for you in the long run.  No one likes the rules of the game to change halfway through.

Let your readers know whether they can mention their company or blog, if they can swear, how much negativity is tolerated (and whether you will remove comments if things get out of hand), and if you will correct spelling and grammatical mistakes.

3. Ask for comments

You might say, “Duh!” at this point, but seriously, you do need to ask for comments to encourage a conversation.  It’s just like meeting someone for the first time at a party or networking event. Say you are having a conversation with a few people, and someone new comes up to your group.  If you want to make them feel comfortable and welcome, you could ask their opinion of the topic at hand.

Same with a blog. At the end of your post, ask your readers whether or not they agree and why.  Ask if they have tried this product or service before and what they think about it.

4. Respond to comments – good and bad

You not only want to respond to all comments, but to do so quickly.  Obviously, if the comments are positive, they’ll be fun to answer.  But if they’re negative, don’t ignore them.  You can ask people why they feel that way and possibly get a good thread going that others might also respond to.  If you keep your comments professional and friendly, you could get a really good conversation going.

Another thing to keep in mind: Negative comments could simply be a misunderstanding over something you wrote.  This is your chance to clear up any confusion.

5. Say thanks

Another “Duh” moment maybe, but always thank your readers for their opinion and comment, even if you think their contribution is the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard in your life.  Everyone likes to know their opinion was heard.  Even if it wasn’t valued, they don’t need to know that.  Keep it positive, and you’ll go a long way towards building a great community with your blog.

Image by Flickr user Kat (Creative Commons)