Advice for New Bloggers: Be Comment Happy
by Sarah W. Caron • January 22, 2008 • New Blog Advice • 8 Comments
Advice for New Bloggers is a new regular feature here at Sarah’s Cucina Bella. Inspired by Dine and Dish’s Adopt-A-Blogger event, and written with my adoptee in mind (Hi, Rachel! Click here to check out Fairy Cake Heaven), it appears every Tuesday.
Give Comments and Get Comments
I’ll let you in on a little secret: If you want to get comments on your blog, the best thing you can do is comment on other people’s blogs. And, as long as you are checking out other blogs, really read them and comment when you have something to say. In other words, don’t comment just to comment — make meaningful contributions and others will be compelled to check out your blog (and comment) too.
So, where to start? Find some blogs you like and start following them regularly. I personally follow my favorite blogs on Bloglines, where I have all of their feeds saved.
Here are a few resources to help you discover good blogs:
Check out last week’s tip for new bloggers: Define Your Goals
That’s great advice and something I’ve been trying to work on. I’m just getting my feet wet with this whole blogging thing, and it can be pretty discouraging to feel like my mom is my only reader.
Seeing comments brings a great feeling of satisfaction to know that not only did someone else read your post, but that they actually took the time to add their own thoughts on the matter.
Thanks for the tips…I’ll be keeping an eye out for more!
Thanks for dropping by, Chrissy! I am glad this was helpful to you. I know what you mean about feeling like you only have one reader . . . It is always really exciting to see a new face pop up in the comments for me.
I love the idea that this is a regular feature. Very cool!
Hey Sarah, I totally agree I was commenting long before I was blogging and the blogging community is so small in Ireland that everyone know’s everyone else and is SO supportive!!!!
Advice taken!
Seriously, more than just generating traffic, commenting is a great way to make friends and find about great new blogs.
My KIPlog list isn’t as good a resource as it once was, because it’s become impossible to keep up with thousands of blogs, but at least most of the blogs listed are still around.
Thanks Kristen!
Rachel, that is so interesting about Ireland bloggers! It would be great to be in such a tight-knit community. It seems like here in the US there is that sort of community in the Seattle and San Francisco areas.
Paul, how right you are about making friends and finding new blogs. I also find that reading other blogs helps me to develop my own writing. It’s always so interesting to see how others address a topic. KIPlog is a really big list, which is great since there ARE so many blogs out there. I don’t know how you keep up with it as much as you do!
This is great advice. I also feel that it is important to do what Sarah did here – comment on the comments. That brings people back to read what someone else said about what you said… and then if someone responded to that… etc. It almost turns into a mini chat room.
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