What makes a great blog comment?

First of all, thank you for the incredible response I’ve received in regards to this three part “blog comment” series.

You’ve left some incredible comments, Tweets, links & encouragement. It was wonderful to come back from my trip to the coast – and see how many of you had spread the word!

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward

This is the second part in this three part series, and below you’ll find a link to the previous blog commenting post.

• How much time do you spend commenting on blogs?
• What makes a great comment?
• Why do you comment?

These three questions identify important aspects of blog commenting and help us to better understand commenting improvement, time-dedication and importance.

Today the second question will be answered.

What makes a great blog comment?

Be sure to stay tuned for the last part of the series. Without further delay; here are their answers.

JD Meier of Sources of Insight

Something interesting, insightful, and sticky.

 

 

Marko Saric of How To Make My Blog

A great comment get you clicks so whatever gets people to click makes it great. I used to write a quick thought about the article, giving my opinion or my experience about the article in hope that people would connect with my comment and click over to visit my blog.

 

Chelsea Thomas of The Social Marketing Project

I think a number of things make for a great comment.  Many would say “value added content.”  I completely agree with that, but I also enjoy a joke or experience shared in the form of a comment.  I like a little more than “Great Post,”  I prefer “great post” followed with an explanation. I think a great post adds to the experience of a blog, because the same people that read your blog post scroll down to see what other people wrote about your post and some times reply to those comments.  For me a great comment sparks conversation.

 

Ayngelina Brogan of Bacon is Magic

I really appreciate comments that keep the conversation going whether it be asking a question, adding a recommendation or even challenging something I said.

 

Benny Hsu of Get Busy Living

A great comment is one that continues the conversation. It’s like if you were talking to that person. Whether it’s a friendly disagreement or sharing your thoughts on the content.

 

David Siteman Garland of The Rise To The Top

A great comment actually offers insight or perhaps something funny. What it DOESN’T do is shamelessly promote your own work or state something that adds nothing to the conversation such as “I agree.”

 

Justin Germino of Dragon Blogger

One that invokes a response or adds value to the information in the post, challenge the writer with questions that provoke engaging conversation and exchange of information.

If you have an opinion share it freely (good or bad) but always be respectful and professional even if you have negative opinions.

 

Srinivas Rao of The Skool of Life

A great comment actually adds value to the post and extends the discussion. If it’s really good it can actually inspire ideas for other blog posts.

I find inspiration for my next topic just by replying to comments on my blog and commenting on other blogs.

 

Patricia Millman of Lavender Uses

A great comment to me firstly tells me that the commenter has read the post and responds accordingly.

Secondly that their input adds to the conversation and/or adds to the post topic. I sometimes feel there is as much to learn from the comments as the post. It also is encouraging when a comment provokes others to reply to that comment and there is interaction between commenters. This to me shows that there is a vibrant community on that site.

 

Annie Andre of Adventurous Living

A great comment is someone who tells me I’m great. hahah, just kidding. All comments are great except for the ones that just say “great post, I have bookmarked it” and then there is a link to their Viagra site. I hate those.

I love getting comments from people who I’ve inspired, or helped to think or look at a situation in a new and fascinating way. Or if someone leaves a comment that ads to my post with more insightful and meaningful thoughts.

 

Michael Powers of Mind of Michael

In my mind a great comment is a very useful one. One that actually relates to the blog post and adds value to the post. Something more thank just ‘thanks’ or ‘great post’.

If you can relate to the blog post, give feedback to the blog owners, or add to the comments already on the blog. Just something to add quality to that blog.

 

Aaron Klein of Aaron Klein

I make a lot of “okay” comments, but I love to make great ones when I can. A great comment builds on the content in the post and delivers incredible value to both the blog writer, and to the readers.

That’s why a community commenting system like Disqus can be so incredibly valuable, because it really allows “great comments” to float to the top, and it encourages interaction and community among the readers of a blog.

 

Vitaly Tennant of My Time Matters Blog

I touched down on the relationships part in the previous question, which at the end of the day is what it all boils down to. If your comment is coming from that perspective, then you are conveying all the right qualities that a comment should have. These qualities include understanding, passion, help, correspondence, unique relation, debate, similarity and recognition. You want to make the person who wrote the post feel like they’ve actually added value.

 

Antonio Coleman of Traffic Coleman

What makes a great comment is a well thought out opinion that brings value to the readers. It don’t take all day to think of a response to a blog post if you know the industry.

I been online for over 10 years now and can respond to any post in the matter of seconds because of my knowledge of seo, traffic, email marketing or anything you can name of. So this is why I only comment on blogs that surrounded around my niche so I can response in a faster paste. But it all comes down to proving value and being yourself to get people to click through.

 

Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook

Every single comment is great feedback because I appreciate my readers’ spending time on my post and leaving their comments.

I’m a food blogger, so what makes an awesome comment is when someone actually makes the food using my recipe. And if she/he likes the dish/recipe, then that’s the most rewarding moment for me.

 

Marlee Ward of Metamorphoself

What makes a great comment? I think a great comment is one that starts sub-discussions. It’s a comment that gets another reader to comment on their point, which attracts another comment, and so on.

I love comments that start mini-conversations within the comments. That said, I love all comments on my blog equally.

 

Janet Callaway of The Natural Networker

To me a great comment shows that you have read the post thoroughly enough so that your comment is “real” rather than a platitude. A great comment might say how the post relates to something you have done and explain how or what you plan to do and why. A great comment adds value to the post and the comment stream by giving another perspective, an insight or reference to an experience, book, etc.

A great comment is a continuation of the post and enhances the experience for both the blogger and the other commentators.

 

Riley Harrison of Getting Unstuck

That’s a good question. I think when the response is genuine and sincere. It doesn’t have to in agreement with the blogger’s perspective, but the answer has to be real.

 

Daniel Wood of Looking To Business

There are a few things I consider important. Always reply with your name, not your keywords – most people consider it spam when you use your keywords. Make it relevant to the post. Make it personal. Make a point

 

Frank Jennings of A Spark Starts

A great comment to me is a statement that adds to the conversation by introducing a personal experience or a point of view that engages the people who read it.

It also is a indication of who really took the time to actually read your post. A good comment is relevant.

 

Lance Ekum of The Jungle of Life

Great comments are one which offer something of value. Much more than just “great post”, it’s about really thinking about what’s been written, and then adding to that in some meaningful way.

 

Adrienne Smith of AdrienneSmith.net

Being sincere, taking your time to really read the post and leaving your honest comment. You really need to set some time aside to visit other blogs and leave genuine comments because people can see through those who are rushed.

Sometimes our comments are short and to the point while others may take a little more thought. Either way, just be genuine.

 

Tyler Cruz of TylerCruz.com

Actual helpful comments are the most meaningful to me. For example, if somebody leaves a comment letting me know that one of my websites that I just posted about is displaying an error, that really helps me out.

 

Tristan Higbee of Blogging Bookshelf

I think a great comment adds value to the blog post.

That value is generally in the form of either additional information that the blogger left out, a point of view that’s different from the blogger’s, or great questions that make you think or that draw out even more information.

 

Eric Gati of My 4 Hour Workweek

A great comment can be comprised of a lot of different things, and I don’t necessarily think longer comments are better.

Generally, good comments add value to the discussion, either by offering a different point of view or additional information in support of whatever the blogger wrote.

 

Alex Whalley of AlexWhalley.com

One that engages the blog owner and/or other commentators and keeps the conversation going. I go by the motto now that if I cannot add value I will not comment. Of course that being said, I’ll always acknowledge a killer post.

 

John Paul Aguiar of Money Dummy

A great comment is one that adds to the conversation started in the post. One that is left because you want to be part of the conversation, not just because you want some link juice.

Add you own tips or your own perspective on what the post covered, that way you help share information with others and makes you look good at the same time.

You can also disagree with the post and want to say so, that’s fine, just do it in a respectful way. We all see things differently and we won’t all agree all the time and if that’s the case, just share your view point, which will build a whole new conversation if you do it right.

 

Elise of Elise’s Review

I like to think of great comments as mini blog posts. They stretch far beyond the lame and annoying, “hey, great post” comment and compliment the blog post.

They provide value, touch on various aspects of the blog post, and provide an opinion, agreement, disagreement, or additional information that may have been left out.

 

Danny Brown of DannyBrown.me

For me, a great comment is one that makes you (or other readers) think. One that takes your post, offers a view you may never have even thought of, and actually makes you reconsider your point of view.

Or offers a personal example from the reader, that’s comparable to the points made in your post, as it opens up that relationship between you and your reader that little bit more.

Christian Hollingsworth of Smart Boy Designs

Blog comments need to be genuine. You. Simply put, share what you feel and why – and more than likely it’s going to be an awesome comment.

Your Turn…

So, I pose the same question for those of you who are reading.

What makes a great blog comment?

*Bloggers were listed in order of response. The photo is a pink flower I found in Monterey that I thought was gorgeous. It looks like paper!

Related Posts:

1. How much time do you spend commenting on blogs?
2. 13 Dynamite WordPress Comment Plugins
3. Creating Comments Cautiously
4. What great things do you want to do in your life?
5. Spring Cleaning For Your Blog

Tagged as: A Apark Starts, Aaron Klein, Adrienne Smith, Adventurous Living, Alex Whalley, Annie Andre, Antonio Coleman, Ayngelina Brogan, Bacon is Magic, Benny Hsu, better commenting, blog commenting, Blogging Bookshelf, Chelsea Thomas, christian hollingsworth, comments, Daniel Wood, Danny Brown, David Siteman Garland, dragon blogger, Eric Gati, Frank Jennings, Get Busy Living, Getting Unstuck, How To Make My Blog, Janet Callaway, JD Meier, john paul aguiar, Just One Cookbook, justin germino, Lance Ekum, Lavender Uses, Looking To Business, Marko Saric, Marlee Ward, Metomorphoself, michael powers, mind of michael, money dummy, My 4 Hour Workweek, My Time Matters Blog, Namiko Chen, part 1, Patricia Millman, Riley Harrison, smart boy designs, Sources of Insight, Srinivas Rao, The Jungle of Life, The Natural Networker, The Rise To The Top, The Skool of Life, The Social Marketing Project, three part series, Traffic Coleman, Tristan Higbee, Tyler Cruz, Vitaly Tennant, what makes a great blog comment

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