Picture this: you spent hours researching and writing a great blog post. You crafted a catchy headline, hooked the readers with persuasive words, and worked really hard to come up with a fresh perspective. You hit the publish button, and you wait.
And you wait.
And then you wait some more time.
But your blog post remains silent. No one comments, no one argues, no one gives you a pat on the back. It’s quite depressing.
You probably know by now how important comments are, and how frustrating it can be when your comment section is a dark and lonely place. But, how can you get people to start a conversation?
Here are seven tried-and-tested ways of getting more comments on your blog.
- Stay True to Your Beliefs
As outdated as it may seem, a set of strong beliefs is admirable. If you wish to stand out, then you mustn’t approach this matter as most bloggers do – by remaining in a neutral position because they fear the public opinion. On the contrary, you must do a bit of soul searching and write something that expresses your view on a certain matter without fearing oppression.
Surprisingly or not, readers enjoy seeing a bit of fire in responding to their comments.
- Don’t Back Down from Asking for Links
Unfortunately, life isn’t fair – some people get tons of traffic and engagement while others barely see the needle move. But, there are ways you can reach to the authorities in your field and ask for their help. For instance, you can always ask for links. Marketing agencies use this approach quite often. Ask them on Facebook or Twitter and explain to them how sharing your article can benefit both of you. However, don’t be too insistent. Approach them in a respectful way and don’t waste their time.
- Respond to Comments
That is perhaps one of the most underrated tactics to gain more comments. If it comes down to a decision of responding to any comments on your blog or leaving comments on other blog, the choice should always be yours first. This kind of behavior makes visitors feel like they are listened to and that you care about the things that they say.
Cause and effect are obvious here: replying to their comments leads them to visiting your site again and again helping in commenting some more.
- Address Open-Ended Questions
Humans are extremely curious. They are genuinely interested in learning more about what interests them, and they strive to find novelty even in experiences that are familiar. That is why, when they hear an open-ended question, they can’t help but think of an answer.
It is obvious that a close-ended question will be answered with “yes” or “no” only, and it will stop the conversation there. So, give them the opportunity to talk about themselves and to express their personal beliefs.
- Explore Controversy
Controversy is one of the most successful ways of attracting viewership and comments. However, this technique must be tackled with care. People can be easily offended, and you do not wish to receive a storm of disapproving comments. One idea of exploring this option is to establish a belief that is very common in your area of expertise and explain why you don’t agree with it.
You must avoid being aggressive when doing so, since starting an argument shouldn’t be your purpose.
- Talk About Fears
Find that one kind of fear – besides death and illness and spiders, that triggers something in you and explore it. Since all people experience fear at some level regarding all sorts of things, your visitors will relate quite easily. This type of talk usually connects people at a deeper level.
- Mention the Influencers
There is no greater wish for a blogger than to have its content shared by a social media influencer. The simple way to achieve that is by mentioning their names in an article. It is far more efficient to name famous bloggers and not celebrities because celebrities don’t usually read blogs or care very much about their names being mentioned by a ton of people.
To successfully pull off the name-dropping technique, there are some general guidelines to follow. For example, try mentioning their full name, invite them to visit your content and perhaps distribute it, mention other top influencers in the niche.
Getting people to engage with your content and comment on your posts is hard, especially if you are just getting started. But, don’t be too hard on yourself. In time, you will learn what makes your audience tick.
Have you used any of these methods? Did they work? Share your experience in the comment box below.
