This is part of a new series I'll be doing that will give you tips on how to improve your blog with subtle changes and easy-to-implement techniques. The first tip I'm going to cover is replying to comments left on your blog.

There are several reasons why you'll want to reply to your comments. First, it shows the commenter that you actually read the comments you receive and you value them. Most of the time when people leave you a comment they come back to see if their comment got any responses. People get the warm fuzzies when they see that the blog author read the comment and actually responded. You'd be surprised to know how many blog authors don't bother to respond to comments, even though it seems like simple logic to you and I. Personally, when I leave a comment and it doesn't warrant a response, I feel ignored, and I find that rude. It's like when you leave someone a voicemail and they never call you back. Another reason to respond to your comments is that it can gain you additional comments. You can start a dialogue of sorts on your blog. If someone comments to you, you have the opportunity to respond and possibly open up a conversation (depending on the topic, of course). Then you can invite other people to share their opinions on the comment, and then you have a dialogue (or a debate, but we'll talk about that some other time). Not only does this dialogue get you more hits to your blog from people checking back to read the comments, but it also gives the commenting parties a feeling of community, as if they have made friends on your blog and they're sharing ideas and thoughts. That's another warm fuzzies type of feeling.

Now on to how to do it. First of all, you can't really respond to a comment like, "Great point, I love your blog!" and expect to start a conversation. You have to look for the right type of comment. If someone asks a question or makes a point that corresponds with your original point (the reason you wrote that post), then you can comment to get an intelligent conversation started. Sometimes it won't work, and the commenter won't return, and nobody else will comment. That's okay. You did the polite thing by responding, so let it go. Don't post an additional comment asking for more opinions or wondering where the original commenter has gone. It makes you look desperate, and nobody wants to look desperate. Another thing to remember is that you do not bother responding to mean, hurtful, or negative comments unless you are fully prepared to deal with the lashback. The blogosphere can be a harsh place. There are so many types of people with so many varying opinions, so make sure you can handle the heat if you're starting an arguement. When I get unpleasant comments, I usually just delete them and move on. To me, it just isn't worth the hassle of starting a huge arguement, and it makes your blog look unprofessional.

Good luck in your commenting endeavors, and try to remember a very important point. You will not get a lot of comments. That doesn't mean your blog is boring or you're unpopular. You're not writing a blog for the comments, you're writing it to boost your site and to introduce yourself to potential clients. The comments are just an added bonus.

Labels: Blog Project, Blogging Ideas, Commenting, CyberSunshine, Real Estate Blog

When you want to make cyber-buddies and gain some sort of credibility, you have to get yourself out there and get noticed. One way to do this is by commenting on other blogs. But, as with most things, there are good ways and bad ways of doing this. Today I'm going to give you my set of basic rules for commenting on other blogs.

1. Don't comment unless you're comment is valuable. Meaning, don't just say, "Great post!" and be done. That is not useful. Say you're reading something about how there is a housing market slump in your area, and you have additional information (like your own statistics) to back that up. Posting a comment like, "I agree, my stats indicate that I have sold less properties this month than last month. The solution I have found is _______." I can't fill in the solution, because I'm a blogger and an SEO knowledge-holder, not a real estate expert. Anyway, you get the point.

2. Do not ever answer a question that was not directed at you. If another person leaves a comment asking a question, that question is directed at the person who wrote the post. It is not directed at all of the world. So unless you wrote the post, don't answer the question. The original posted will probably be offended. The only time it would be okay to answer would be if the original poster commented that they do not know the answer and asks if anyone else does.

3. Don't leave rude comments. If you don't like a blog, then don't read it and move on. There is no reason to be rude or nasty to someone, and all you'll end up doing is hurting your own reputation.

4. Make sure you are 100% sure that you're happy with your comment. In most cases, once you submit the comment you can't alter it. So be sure you're saying what you want to say, and be sure you don't sound like a crazy person. Also, make sure you checked the spelling and that the comment makes sense.

5. Check back to see if anyone responded to your comment. That way you know if someone is actually paying attention to you, and you won't seem rude if they ask you a question that you never answer.

6. Always fill out all the boxes that the comment form asks for. I know it's annoying to always type in your email address and your web address, but it serves a purpose. Once your comment is published, your name becomes clickable and if someone clicks on you it takes them to your site. So if you leave a comment, then someone reads it and says to themselves, "Hey, this person might have additional intelligent things to say!", they will click your name and be sent to your site. Look at that, instant traffic!

Okay, that's all I have for you. I hate that there are six rules, because I would feel much better with ten. Ten is a nice, even number. But that's just my OCD talking. If you have an additional four rules, please comment them so I can sleep tonight!

Labels: Commenting, Real Estate Blog, Traffic