Are you waiting for a personal invitation before you go visiting? The best way to get quality comments in your blog is to leave some of your own in other blogs. The odds are excellent that you’ll be paid a return visit. Even if you don’t, anyone reading your comment has a direct path to find your blog.
The latest post at Blogging Without a Blog is an excellent example of both a popular blog and a post that garnered plenty of comments: 54 so far as I type this. Read Attract Readers – Make Your Blog a Safe Haven to get an idea how to get your own blog to become a magnet for an active community of folks willing to jump right in to your discussions.
Now that you know what is possible, here are some tips on how to maximize the effect of your online visits:
- Bloggers who use CommentLuv create communities of very active commentators and provide link love too. Click through to the blogs listed in CommentLuv’s Top 50 Active Sites and leave comments in those that appeal to you. Subscribe to or keep a list of the blogs you like best so you can visit them regularly. The blogs on that page change regularly so you might visit there regularly too. If you like a blog do them a favor and give them a thumbs up on that page.
- When you find a blog that interests you follow the links from the comments there. The odds are good that if you are interested the bloggers who comment there will too – and that they will also use CommentLuv (because bloggers who use it recommend it in their blogs!). If they comment in THAT blog they are likely to comment in yours too! You may want to open them in a new tab so you can explore more posts.
- When you find a blog you like read more than one post! Check out the categories they offer or search for what interests you or move backward through their latest posts – or all three. You may have pertinent comments to make in older posts. Remember that older blog posts are likely to be listed in the search engines and drive traffic. Perhaps you’ve blogged on that subject and want to use your related blog post in the URL field. [NOTE: CommentLuv only allows you to choose one of your last ten posts IF you've claimed your blog AND you use the EXACT URL you used when registering.]
- I’ve made it REALLY EASY for you to get started by seeking out the Great Blog Communities linked below. Just click through to them and start commenting.
- Those who want to skip ahead can use the same strategies while visiting even more blogs from the dofollow lists below.
- Do keep track of the blogs you really enjoy so you can visit them regularly. Leave comments. Share your insights. Invite them to visit you. The friendliest bloggers invite the most visitors.
- I hope you’ll subscribe to GrowMap because I’m working on some contest ideas related to sharing our favorite blogs that will benefit all who participate AND those they recommend.
GREAT BLOG COMMUNITIES:
- Blogging Without a Blog
- Caroline Middlebrook
- DennisEdell.com
- DerekSemmlerDotCom
- DirectSalesMarketingWeb – $100 Cash Prize for Best Review of His Two New Sites
- Easy Cash Contests
- JamieHarropDotCom
- JungleofLife
- PlugInID
- Thou Shall Blog
- Wendy Knits
LISTS OF DOFOLLOW, COMMENTLUV AND KEYWORDLUV BLOGS
- DoFollow Blogs Directory
- Stephan Miller’s Ultimate DoFollow Blog List
- D-List of Blogs that Follow
- DoFollow Blogs SpreadSheet by ChadHols
- DoFollow, CommentLuv and KeywordLuv Blog List
- Do Follow List of Lists by niche including the Do Follow SEO Internet Marketing List
- Do Follow Blog Directory – Register your DoFollow blog free (The process presents a sales page.)
DOFOLLOW SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES:
DOFOLLOW FORUMS:
- Do Follow Forums List – 149 verified Do Follow Forums broken up into 11 categories.
- DigitalPoint List of DoFollow Forums
HIGH QUALITY RECIPROCAL LINKS:
- Membership Site to find targeted blogs interested in Reciprocal Blog Linking and Commenting
UNDERSTANDING DOFOLLOW and NOFOLLOW:
- SEO Tips DoFollow and NoFollow Links Explained
- What is DoFollow, How Search Engines Use NoFollow, DoFollow Lists
DOFOLLOW SEARCH TOOLS:
Wish you knew how to make your blog more comment friendly? See Blogging Best Practices: Enabling Your Readers to Subscribe to Comments and Magic Formula to More Comments; Only 3 Ingredients.
{ 76 comments… read them below or add one }
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Twitter: GrowMap
January 26, 2009 at 12:20 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Charles Thanks for visiting. I still comment on quality posts wherever I find them; however, if we’re going to go discover new blogs why not start with others that are dofollow?
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..Finding Interesting FriendFeed Users
Awesome post, thank you. Im checking out that list, good tips as well, to think of the countless hours ive spent contributing to no follow blogs, wow, time to start over – keep up the great work. -charles-
Fast College Degree, in Days. Accredited Life Experience bachelors, masters degree’s last blog post..Do Follow Education Blogs, College University High School
It’s always great to go out and meet new people by leaving comments on other blogs!
Susan’s last blog post..Nature Gift
Twitter: GrowMap
January 13, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Yan Yes, comments are like any other skill; the more we do it the faster and better we become. I popped over to your blog and shared your Theme review at FriendFeed. Do you happen to know the Thesis Theme too? I’d love to read how they compare.
Twitter: GrowMap
January 13, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Lance You and all the others who have commented in my last few posts are proof that those with an understanding of the importance of building community do so wherever they are made to feel welcome.
Your commenting here shows me that I was correct about your blog belonging in any list of great blog communities.
@Robin:
The art of commenting is all about habit. As what Dennis (the unofficial comment king) said, the more you do it, the better you become.
Yan
Yan’s last blog post..How To Import PLR Articles to Your Blog Automatically?
Great stuff! I’ve learned that this is all so true. If it’s not just about writing, if it’s about building community – and that’s what it is for me – then it is about visiting others, commenting, replying to comments – in short – be active if you want to have activity…
And thanks for including me here. I’m honored, very much, by this.
Lance’s last blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day
Twitter: DennisEdell
January 13, 2009 at 10:52 am
Twitter: @DennisEdell
Oh, and I’m subscribed via email, thanks!
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..Do You Have An Advertising Page?
Twitter: DennisEdell
January 13, 2009 at 10:51 am
Twitter: @DennisEdell
@Robin – I GUARANTEE the more you read and comment, the quicker you will become at both, and without losing quality…it does take a little time though.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..Do You Have An Advertising Page?
Twitter: GrowMap
January 13, 2009 at 4:02 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Dennis I added the FeedBurner subscribe via email option for you. I’m also sending you an email to let you know. For now it is on the about page here until I can get it moved.
Twitter: GrowMap
January 13, 2009 at 4:00 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Boris Akismet caught your comment for some reason so I didn’t see it until I had just published another new post that links to your dofollow lists. I receive a substantial amount of traffic from the links from your site to here.
Is there a post somewhere about your featuring five dofollow blogs a day that I can link into that new post? Have you talked to CommentLuv yet about featuring each other?
Twitter: GrowMap
January 13, 2009 at 3:47 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Robin Maybe he has a personal assistant visiting and commenting for him. It takes more than ten minutes just to find the blogs worth visiting!
It takes me hours to post and more hours wandering all over other blogs. I’m glad you commented here as one of the very best ways I find other blogs worth sharing is by following links back from comments.
I thought I was finally going to get some sleep but I may visit your blog briefly first. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll make it a habit.
Twitter: GrowMap
January 12, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Dennis Thanks for dropping by. I’m in feedburner right now looking for the way to enable that. Still haven’t found it but will keep looking. Thanks for the tip. I’ve really got to remember to somehow make time to enter your blog review contest.
@TLR Even though time is tight it is so critical that we stay active outside our blog as well as in it. I’ll be visiting your blog and sharing whatever I feel my followers at Twitter and subscribers at FriendFeed will find interesting. I do this for all bloggers who cross my path. I’ve used CommentLuv to link a post about how far such efforts can reach to this comment.
@Jay Thanks for stopping by. I’m looking forward to reading more on your TrainWreckIdeas blog.
@Sterling You definitely ARE doing a lot right. Barbara’s blog is exceptional, isn’t it? I’m off to visit yours right now. Thanks so much for using CommentLuv so I know your latest post is right up my alley and highly likely to be shared elsewhere by me.
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..How Your Time Online Can Benefit Many: Why Pay It Forward Really Works
I was highly amused recently when one very well-known blogger wrote a guest post on another well-known blogger’s site, and advised among other things to spend 10 minutes a day commenting on lots of other blogs, and to write quality comments!
It often takes me 10 mins to READ a post, let alone write a comment. It takes me hours to leave quality comments. What is wrong with this picture?
Robin’s last blog post..5-Year Plan For This Blog
Must be doing something right. We just installed commentluv a few minutes before reading this post.
Thanks for the helpful tips. I found this link from Barbara’s (BWOAB) tweet. Glad to see her blog listed here as it definitely one of the most helpful communities I’ve found online.
Sterling’s last blog post..Twitter, Technology, and Tea Swapping
I’ve been reading blogs for a long time, but never leaving comments. I didn’t think doing so would help. It’s only recently that I’ve been carefully reading not only the blog, but other comments as well. As a result, I’ve found some very interesting blogs that I didn’t see just by looking through google search.
Jay’s last blog post..Birthdays = Depression
I wanted to thank you for mentioning our list on your blog again. We have received regular traffic from your site ever since your last mentioned us.
I also wanted to let you know about our newest project, The 109 day Link Building Explosion. We feature 5 Do follow sites everyday. We offer blogs, forums, and other social media sites. Comment Luv should provide a link to this program.
Thanks again.
Boris A local SEO’s last blog post..The 109 Day Link Building Explosion – Day 12
Hey,
I’m determined to grow my community over the coming months, so thank you for the words of advice which you give here. I have made it one of my New Year’s resolutions to ensure that I begin to comment a significantly more on the content that’s out there. I have already become aware of a number of new blogs over the past few weeks by following an approach similar to what you describe above.
It’s a social web, so let’s all go out there and interact right.
TLR
The Lovable Rogue’s last blog post..Keeping the Conversation Alive
Twitter: DennisEdell
January 12, 2009 at 7:58 am
Twitter: @DennisEdell
I’d like to subscribe here via email. Can you please enable that feature in you feedburner account.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..*Best Blog Review Contest* EXTENDED To Months End – $100 First Prize
Twitter: GrowMap
January 12, 2009 at 3:35 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Andy – Good to see you here too. For those who haven’t “met” Andy he is the person at CommentLuv who helped me sort out how to use it. Without him this post wouldn’t have been possible.
I fully expect this to be the most commented post I’ve ever made because of the power of CommentLuv and the willingness of those who use it to give their time for the greater good of the blogging communities they are active in.
You make some really excellent points, all things I wish I had known before I made my previous blogs.
With my fiddyp blog, I took it upon myself to start commenting on others blogs and like Barbara, found that it was the key to building a community.
Comments were so successful in getting my blog noticed that I had to come up with a way to reward the people that took the time to add to my sites discussion and that’s how Commentluv was born. Thanks for giving it a nice bit of press here!
Andy Bailey’s last blog post..My haircut calamity
Twitter: GrowMap
January 12, 2009 at 2:59 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Yan – Thank you for taking the time to add your voice to this discussion. With confirmation from two very successful bloggers with active communities I hope the suggestions I’ve made will move more bloggers to action.
I see you just reviewed the Blog Blazers book that contains a chapter on a blogger I regularly recommend (http://DerekSemmler.com). I’m off to read and share it.
There is another benefit to leaving comments specifically in CommentLuv enabled blogs. They remind us to visit blogs we know to read, comment, and share on their latest posts.
Thanks for the mention. thoushallblog has grown into what it is today simply by the power of commenting. The “If I build it, they will come” is no longer applicable today. So leave your blog……
As what Barbara said, “your tips are spot on.”
Yan
Yan’s last blog post..How To Import PLR Articles to Your Blog Automatically?
Twitter: GrowMap
January 12, 2009 at 2:21 am
Twitter: @GrowMap
@Barbara Thank you so much for dropping by and confirming that what I’ve suggested is indeed why your blog is so popular and gets so many comments.
I suspect many who read recommendations online wonder whether they will really work. When more than one blogger makes the same recommendation others are more likely to act on it and be on their own way to success.
Twitter: BSwafford
January 12, 2009 at 12:58 am
Twitter: @BSwafford
I love your opening line. When I first started blogging I thought all I had to do was publish a post and the comments would start showing up. Not true. After months of not having my blog posts commented on, I took the initiative and started visiting other blogs and began leaving meaningful comments. It was then my community started to grow.
The tips you’ve shared are spot on. We get what we give.
Thank you for including me on the list of great blog communities. I visit some of them myself and can vouch there are many great ones other there.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..When Non-Blogger Friends Don’t Get It
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