This, my second entry on the fine points of blogging, I’d like to discuss the importance of commenting on blogs, yours and others’.
Why are comments a vital aspect and component of the blogosphere? Well, first it lets bloggers know that people are reading the entries, and reading them thoroughly enough that they are compelled to offer their thoughts on your words and ideas. Second, commenting often sparks up a dialogue or a debate between two or more people; such things are where new ideas are born! Third, comments add to search engine results.
The Do’s
Do Create Fellowships
This is sometimes known as friending a fellow blogger. Creating these kind of fellowships leads to more readers and a collection of like-minded individuals.
Do Comment
You want comments, right? Show the same courtesy and comment on blogs that you visit, even to say hello, but better: comment on what has been blogged about. This will encourage comments on your own blog.
Do Use Common Sense
When replying to a comment in a heated debate or flame war, do use common sense such as not giving out personal details about your life and where you live, or use language that will certainly be archived and may come back to haunt you in the future.
Do Use Positive Language
Encourage the blogger to write more, praise their prose and ideas. You want the same, right? This is the law of attraction—give what you want, and what you want will come to you. Plus, it’s just plain nice.
Do Link
Add links into your comments, but not too many.
The Don’ts
Do Not Link
I know this contradicts what I just said, but don’t use the comment box as merely an advertising space for your blog or product. This will only cause bloggers to delete you.
Do Not Ask for Linkage
Do not ask other blogs: “If you link me I’ll link you.” Likewise, it is best to ignore such requests, or offer alternatives. Blogs take time to create networks.
Do Not Grasp and Chase
We live in a world of grasping, virtually and real. People chasing traffic, search engines, “friends”, then overwhelming them in their pursuit. The best friends you have are the ones who choose you, and you in turn choose them. No chasing, grasping, strangling, or struggling, just natural. A blog is no different. You will attract to you that which you deserve, so deserve the best.
Do Not Delete
Don’t delete comments that you disagree with, are annoying, or insulting. Why? It only gives the other side power to call you a censor, or to claim you fear what they have to say. Let them have their say, comment back, let others comment back.
Do Not Ignore Comments
No matter what the comment, respond to it. This encourages a dialogue to happen. Commenters always come back to see if you replied to their entries.
Do Not Engage in Flame Wars
Some people use the blog to “flog” – a flame blog. Why waste your energy? If someone posts something mean and nasty in your blog, or you read a blog that you vehemently disagree with or insults you personally, take a deep breath, close the page, and tell yourself, “It’s just the Internet, and digital words cannot hurt me.”