Have you ever visited a blog and see that readers have made comments on a post, but the owner of the blog does not respond? It makes me believe the blog owner doesn't care about its readers. They don't want to establish relationships with their existing audience in order to build trust and loyalty. What does this look like to visitors to their blog. Is it possible for them to feel insignificant and not want to visit a blog again? My answer would be "No."
When someone comments on your blog (not spam), take the time to respond. It will show your professionalism, your dedication to your current audience, and your desire to appeal to new readers.
It is easy to explain why you should respond to comments and interact with your readers, but you are probably thinking, "But how do I get people to comment?" I understand it's not a simple task, so here is a short list of a few strategies that you can try to get more blog post comments.
Ask a question
At the end of your article, ask your readers a question. People love to share their opinions and/or their experiences, especially when asked. You could ask the following questions:
What do you think?
Do you have any experience with xxx? Do you have any experience with xxx?
What other tips could you add to the ones I have listed?
Post a Video
As many of you know, video has become a huge item on the Internet. They are very popular and people love to see them. You can feel more connected to your readers through them. This will result in more comments. You can still post a video but you should https://www.oc-classicjazz.org include written content and ask the question above. You may be surprised to see what interaction you will get with your audience.
Get Personal
You can add your own story to a blog post even if it is serious. This is something I have seen many bloggers do. They will describe something that has happened to them that is related to their blog post topic and then go into the facts. Just like this article. I started out sharing how I have felt when I see a blog and there are no comments from the blog owner and how important that should be done.
Sharing something personal motivates readers and encourages them to share their stories. In addition to getting them to comment, it will also help you learn more about your audience.
Comment on Other Blogs
Comment on a blog post you enjoyed reading. Many times, the blog owner or other readers will visit your site and may comment on one your blog posts.
People have posted "Blog Comment Exchanges" to social media. The people list their blogs URLs and everyone then takes the time to comment on other's blogs. Personally, I have not participated in these because it does not seem natural to me. But that is my preference. You might find it useful. I would just keep an eye out for spammers if you attempt this and make sure you feel comfortable with the other bloggers that have listed their blogs.
Be Controversial
Write a blog post on a topic that is likely to be heated if you are open to debates. People LOVE to share their opinions on these types of posts. It motivates them to bring out their emotions and give their side of the story. Personally, I have not read a lot of blog posts that are geared toward this because I do not necessarily enjoy debates, but I do see posts on social media that do the same thing and they get tons of comments.
Report News
People are motivated by newsworthy topics, much like controversies. If there is something in the news that is related to your niche, write a blog post about it with an excerpt from the original news article (with proper attribution, of course). You can either explain why you disagree with the article or be neutral and just pass the information on.
Readers seem to relate to these types of posts because they have seen other articles written about it and will want to pass that information along in a comment.