“Get More Comments: Write Unfinished Blog Posts” plus 1 more

Get More Comments: Write Unfinished Blog Posts

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 01:00 PM PDT

This is a guest post by Jeff Goins of Goins, Writer.

Most bloggers want to know their words are leaving an impact. They want to know people are listening.

One of the best ways to measure this is to see who's commenting.

Not all blogs have a comments section, but many do. Comments provide an opportunity for the reader to participate in the content, to give feedback and share his or her own ideas.

Comments are a blogger's best friend.

But the biggest struggle, especially for bloggers just starting out, is getting the first few comments. It feels like a grueling task, akin to pulling teeth.

"How do you get so many comments?" people have asked me. It didn't always used to be like this, I tell them.

So what changed?

I started employing one simple, but overlooked tactic. You can do the same, if you want to see more comments. Here it is:

Stop finishing your blog posts

That's right. The best way to get readers to comment on your post is to write a half-finished article.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but it works. Here are three reasons why.

1. It makes readers feel important

Whenever I write a completely formed thought and share it on my blog, it rarely gets as much traction and feedback as an off-the-cuff rant.

Why is this? It's not because readers don't appreciate quality. They do.

It's because they want to be part of the process.

That's the magic of social media: we aren't just consumers of content, anymore. We're co-creators.

When you don't finish a post and ask readers to help you complete it, you're giving them a sense of purpose. They now have a significant role to play. And most take that role very seriously.

2. It builds community

There's a reason why news sites that offer comments don't get as much response as a lot of blogs do:

People want more than information. They want interaction.

One of the best ways to encourage community on a blog is to be imperfect, to show your scars and share your flaws. To have an honest conversation.

Be conversational. I try to write in a pretty informal tone to invite readers to engage with the content. My blog posts don't have to be perfect. Usually, it helps if they're not.

This is a challenge for me, though, because I'm such a perfectionist. But a blog is not about perfection. It's about community.

I don't want to deliver a monologue. I want to engage in a conversation. Turns out, that's what other people are looking for, too. If you aspire to build a tribe, to say something people want to hear, this is a non-negotiable: it has to be a two-way street.

3. It will get people to talk about you

Good ideas spread. Big parties usually get bigger. In everything, there is a tipping point.

The same is true for blogging.

Once you start getting ten comments on your blog, it's pretty easy to get 20, then 30—even 50 or 100. Of course, those first few comments are the hardest. But once you build momentum, it gets easier and easier to continue.

Community begets community

The cool part about having an active community of commenters is that conversations can quickly go viral. A question you asked or challenge you posed can turn into a whole new source of content in the comments.

Usually, when I write a post that gets a lot of comments, it also gets a lot of tweets and shares on Facebook. If you are generous with your platform, your readers will reciprocate.

There is an important concept at work here: the more social your blog is, the more your content will spread.

If you create opportunities for conversation on your blog, you'll see the fruit. But you have to leave room in your articles for dialogue.

If you do this, you'll be surprised by how much people will brag on you. They’ll tell their friends, who will, in turn, join the conversation.

This is the secret to most successful blogging communities: it begins with one, but is finished by many.

Start building your community today by publishing half-finished work. It’s so crazy, it just might work. Try it out and see what happens.

What do you think? Is there anything I missed? Share your own tricks and secret weapons in the comments.

Jeff Goins is a writer, speaker, and blogger. You can get his widely shared eBook, The Writer's Manifesto, for free when you sign up for his newsletter. You can also follow Jeff on Twitter (@jeffgoins) and Facebook.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Get More Comments: Write Unfinished Blog Posts

Get More Comments: How Q&A Video Can Help

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 07:06 AM PDT

This guest post is by Annika Martins of annikamartins.com.

We hear it all the time.

Create blog content that is relevant to your subscribers.

Seems easy, right?

Maybe, but most of us screw it up.

Especially when we're just starting out, knowing precisely what content will get the best reaction is actually incredibly difficult. As a result, many of us choose post topics in the worst way possible: we guess.

Guess-work

Inspired by my own experiences and conversations with clients, I published four months' worth of blog posts and videos addressing issues that I thought my readers would care about.

It didn't turn out so well.

My comments yo-yoed up and down. One post would get 15 comments, the next raked in a whopping zero. And no matter how much time I spent analyzing the differences between them, I couldn't find an explanation for the stark contrast in comment numbers.

Why “inspired” videos often flop

Although I was drawing my post topics from real-life examples that were relevant to the theme of my blog, each week's post was a total experiment. I went with whatever cool idea popped into my mind, an issue brought up by the client I had spoken to that morning, or the email I had just received.

Huge mistake.

I had no clear editorial strategy. What's worse? I never directly asked my subscribers what they wanted from the blog. Did they want links to a ton of technical resources to help them with SEO? Did they want how-to tutorials on the major social media platforms? Did they want my opinion on the best (and worst) high-level marketing tactics?

I didn't know what they wanted because I didn't ask them. I made assumptions, and while sometimes my guesses hit the nail on the head (15 comments), others flopped miserably (a big fat zero).

2012: The year of the good ol' Q&A

Determined to start 2012 with a video blog that pulled in consistent comments, I ditched the guess-work altogether.

My first video of the year announced I was switching to a question-and-answer format. I asked subscribers to send in the questions that were top of mind for them. I gave them my email address and also invited them to post their ideas in the comments below the video and on Twitter. I promised to provide a video response to every question, as long as it related to the general theme of my blog. I gave no other guidelines.

Handing over control like this does a couple things:

It shows your readers you trust them. You don't need to impose a dozen restrictions like an overbearing parent.
This also builds enormous good will. Readers don't miss the fact that they are getting customized content for free. Everyone loves valuable, relevant material with no strings attached. Everyone.

But here's the kicker:

Customization is key

Not only do I start each video by reading the person's question exactly the way they phrased it, but I also say their name and thank them for submitting the question.

And throughout the video, as I'm answering the question, I use their name again. I'm speaking directly to them. Your readers will adore you for validating them in this way.

Offering the Q&A opportunity to your existing subscribers is a great start, but what about new visitors to your site?

Add a link/button to your homepage encouraging new visitors to submit their questions as well. Not only will this help keep your content mill full, but it's also a perfect way to build your list. Once they've submitted their question, make it easy for them to sign up to your list immediately.

The payoff

I don't have massive ProBlogger-esque comment numbers to brag about. And I'm okay with that. Increasing comment numbers is all well and good, but keep your focus on the quality of those engagement points, not the quantity.

Since transitioning to this Q&A format, my blog is finally achieving the strategic goals I started out with:

Build rapport with current subscribers.
Establish credibility in my niche.
Grow my email list.

Even without massive comment numbers, I am accomplishing those things now, so I swear by the effectiveness of the Q&A.

It's a simple equation: Give people what they want (customized, useful and free content) and they'll give you what you want (comments, signing up for your email list, purchasing your products/services).

Has anyone else adopted a Q&A format on their blog? How's it going? Or are you a subscriber of a blog that uses this format? What do you like (or dislike) about it?

Annika Martins uses the Q&A format on her video blog about women entrepreneurs who want practical business tips delivered with soul. Don't believe she really answers every (relevant) question she receives? Click here to submit your question and find out. You can also send her your Q via Twitter – she's @annikamartins.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Get More Comments: How Q&A Video Can Help