Comments are the primary thing that makes blogs social compared to many other types of publishing. The tips in this article will help you increase engagement on your blog through interacting with the comments people leave on your blog.
1. Reply to comments.
When people leave a comment on your blog, they have taken the time out of their busy day to respond to you, and it's only right that you acknowledge their response by replying back.
The primary time I would advise against replying is when people leave a comment that has no substance, such as, "Great comment." With those, there really is nothing worth replying to, and in fact, you may not even want to publish those comments since they add nothing of value.
The points below will help you get the most mileage out of your replies to the comments left on your blog.
2. Use names.
Unless the person's name is unknown, use the person's name when you reply to their comment, and sign your reply with your name. This provides a more personal touch to your replies.
3. Make your reply specific to what the person said.
In the same way that comments that aren't specific don't add anything to the conversation, your replies back that are generic offer little value, and a commenter is unlikely to be impressed or blessed in anyway by a generic response from you, so do your best to reply in a specific way to the comment. This makes it clear you actually read it and gave your reply a little thought.
4. Ask the person a question, to encourage them to respond back.
While there may not be something of value you can ask in response to every comment, some comments lay a good foundation for further communication with the commenter. One of the best ways to encourage more discussion is by asking the commenter a question related to the comment they left.
5. Don't be afraid to disagree respectfully with comments other people leave for you.
Though you want to be civil in your discussions, it's not necessary to agree with every comment that is left, and in fact, great discussions can start as a result of disagreements. So keep your cool, but clearly and pleasantly present your opposing viewpoint when it is appropriate to do so.
6. Use your replies to explain things more fully, when needed or to correct misunderstandings, but don't be defensive.
You may find through the comments people leave on your blog that perhaps something you wrote was misunderstood or needs to be explained more fully. Your replies to comments are a great place to explain things in further detail, and can add more value to your blog post.
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