Blog Boggled (part 3)

             Last week I had brought up the topic of adding to your list of followers and creating your blog list. Many of you are already aware of the networking that needs to be done in order to add new followers.  Just adding yourself as a follower sometimes works, but sometimes you have to outright ask  them to follow your blog.  That's partly what commenting on blogs can be used for.

             Leaving a comment on a blog that I've read just seems like a nice thing to do.  If I've read something that I was impressed with and it had an effect upon me, I want to let the author know.  It's the Golden Rule of Blogging.  If you've written something that you're hoping someone will read, then you probably would like to have an acknowledgement from them that they have read it.  I like a kind word, but I also like a more expository comment that tells me that the reader not only read what I said, but also thought about it. If that doesn't happen it's like trying to start a conversation with someone who ignores you or responds with a bit of oblique dialogue.

            An example of some comments that I found to be really excellent can be found on my post about Santa Claus .  Readers responded to my questions with a depth which indicated there was an interest.  If you look at some of my other Thursday debate topics you can find at times actual back and forth exchanges  that are quite interesting and lengthy. All parties have remained civil which is necessary to maintain an ongoing positive relationship with those who I want to keep as or become followers to my blog.

           Inviting and encouraging comments is one of the best ways to build your online relationship and make people want to come back to your blog.  But  to gain followers it is equally and perhaps more important to go to other blogs and make  comments. Your comment to a fellow blogger is telling them that you visited their blog, you appreciated what they had to say, and you want to establish a relationship with them.

        In turn when somebody comments on your blog, it is a polite gesture to acknowledge their comment, answer back accordingly, and let them know that you would also like to be their friend.  The internet can be an uninviting, faceless environment.  With no body language or facial expressions to guide us, all we have are words on a screen.  We need to make the most of these words.

        Jody Hedlund   has two really good posts about this topic:   Do Blog Comments Really Matter?  and   Best Way to Get Blog Comments .  If you want some more on this topic you might like to check out these excellent post.  Many others have also done very fine posts about commenting.

           Here are some questions I might toss out to you about commenting on blogs:
Why do you or why don't you comment on blogs?   What kinds of comments do you like to get about your posts?  Would you be offended if someone else politely disagreed with something you had posted?  Do you ever disagree or offer criticism to other bloggers?  Do you respond to the comments you receive?