It is widely touted that you can get targeted traffic to your blog just by making useful and valuable comments on others’ blogs.   However, like everything else in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it.  And getting it wrong can cost you traffic that would otherwise have flowed to your site. 

So how do you get it right?  Here’s the lowdown to building your online presence and maximising your comment love!

Comment Early

Most blogs are set up to show the comments on a post in chronological order ie the first comment is directly unsderneath the post, the second comment underneath that and so forth.  It stand to reason therefore that to get most viewings of your comment therefore, you have to comment as quickly after the blog posts as possible.  This is obviously easier if the timezone works in your favour.  UK bloggers will find it virtually impossible to post early on US blogs which often “overnight”.  On the other hand, commenting first on Australian blogs should be possible. 

Add Value

Easily said than done?  No, but it does require you to think.  Easy ways for you to add value are:

1. Extend the List  – where the blog post is a list of points describing something, add another that was missed out in your opinion and explain why you would include it;
2. Add an example – Agree with the blog post and show why by giving a real life example;
3. Be contraversial – Disagree with the blog post and explain why.

Be Human

These days blog posting can be automated, especially on the larger high PR blogs, as people post comment solely with a view to getting a quality backlink to their own website.  Whilst these comments invariably get deleted when they are spotted, it will attract a much larger audience (and so more traffic following to see who is behind the post) if you fill your comment with your personality.

1. Be passionate about what you write
2. Be witty and funny
3. Ask questions
4. Be different – if all the posts are long and wordy, be concise and if they’re all two sentences long, be more descriptive.
5. Use bullet points that stand out and are different from those used by others
6. Add a helpful link – but ONLY if it IS helpful – do NOT just link back to your blog for the sake of it in your post.

Do NOT Add a Signature Link in Your Comment

Your name (or keyword phase) will be automatically lined back to your blog or website.  Adding another signature in your comment can be seen as spammy.  It will not get you comment love and may even get your comment deleted/unapproved.

A Word Of Caution:

Beware of posting too often and always early on any one blog – the blog is the property of the blogger and posting too often/early can be seen as “blog hogging” which can actually damage your online “brand” presence.

Follow these tips and you’ll get traffic from your comments and eventually be noticed by the big bloggers themselves, who may also follow your links and comment on your blog too.  And isn’t that what we all really want after all?

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