You probably want more comments on your blog, right? I know I do. I guess I’m just greedy. Or maybe I love having these conversations so much with you that I want to see them ever growing.
So what do I do when the comment box goes dormant? Is there anything I can do to kick off the conversation?
Questions like these were asked yesterday at Problogger by a new blogger named Preston. Preston blogs on street magic and after 40 or so posts, he hasn’t gotten very many comments. His question to Darren, “Should I add fake comments to my blog?”
First, thanks Preston for your honesty in asking the question. You could have just faked a bunch of comments and been none the wiser.
Darren’s answer, of course, was don’t use fake comments to get the conversation started. And Darren’s speaking from experience having saying, “…on my first blog I did do a few fake comments in the very very early days. …however I can say from my experience of them that they didn't work very well for me.”
Most of Darren’s commenters gave the same advice…don’t fake comments. Instead, Darren recommends using the time you’d fake comments to:
- write an extra post a week
- email another blogger in an attempt to get to know them
- email a friend or family member to ask their opinion of a post you've written
- leave a comment on someone else's blog
- think of a question to ask your readers
For me, I thought about this once early on. But it didn’t seem right to me. It seemed like I’d be beginning my blog with a dark streak across it. And I never really considered if anyone would find out. It was more that I’d know about it.
So what’s your opinion…can fake comments start the conversation? Would you fake comments if you were certain noone would ever know?
Dawud,
Interesting questions!
And I believe that fake comments could definitely start a conversation… but it’s not a convo that is genuine and you may have to point people to the comments rather than your content.
I also think it would be hard for me to fake comments. I can see it making me want to take a shower after a post!
Great questions and I’m sure it’s one that will get some comments!
Hi Dawud
Not sure if you would this a ‘fake comment’ but Liz has IMHO found a wonderful way to ‘kick-of’ the conversation: by asking a question and entering her own answer as a comment.
The link is to one of her post where she does that.
all other attempt (including using a different name) are ‘falls starts’?
Karin H. (Keep It simple Sweetheart, especially in business)
A definite no-way to fake comments! But, what Liz does is not fake in any way and it works very well for her.
I think the biggest piece of advice I have for new bloggers who are just pining for that first comment is PATIENCE.
But beyond that, you could invite another blogger to start the conversation for you or ask a thought provoking question at the end of the post (oh, you have that one down pat Dawud!) to instigate a comment or two.
Adam,
Hey Adam. Great to ‘see’ you.
I hear you. And the question would be if you’re not genuine with your comments, when do you start being genuine?
Karin,
I definitely don’t think that’s a faked comment. Nor would Liz ever fake one (she doesn’t need too).
I do like what she does sometimes, though, by writing a post and then entering her comment on the post as a way to get started. But you’ll notice she’s logged in as herself so she’s not trying to fool anyone.
Char,
Patience…I know. Is that always the answer to every question?
For me, I actually care about the conversation. It’s why I’m blogging in the first place. Sure I’m blogging to grow my business as well, but I can’t replace the conversations and relationships that I’ve built through my blog.
But I had to learn how to do this. I had to learn (am still learning) how to write in a way that encouarged a conversation. It is a skill and it does take effort. So if you care about commenting that much, learn how to write for the conversation.
That’s my advice to new bloggers.
I would write comments on my own blog at the beginning
Why not?
If that helps starting a conversation I would do it. But I would also concentrate on finding new and interesting subjects for my posts.:D
As a new blogger (4 months)I never considered faking comments on my blog. But I have learned that inviting conversation takes practice and persistence.
Char, if all it takes is patience, then I am an expert. 🙂
Carma,
I think it takes a little more than patience. You have to know how to begin the conversation with your readers. Of course, then you have to have readers to begin with. Yet I do think anyone who wants to be in the conversation, can find their way withou too much trouble.
Where would you say you’re stuck?
John,
I appreciate your honesty. Do you think there are other effective ways to create the conversation?
It is true patience by itself will not draw readers to my site. I think it takes active activity.
Also, I’m stuck with beginning the conversation and attracting readers. But I am working on that.
Wow!
It has never even ocurred to me…to fake a comment. I write to help others. Many people read my blogs and follow my tips. I know because they write about it on their blogs and I get the traffic.
Actually, when I did get a lot of comments on several of my blogs…it was a Catch 22. I spent hours answering questions. There was the spam I had to remove and every now and then I would get mean-spirited remarks.
Fake a comment? That’s pretty funny.
Carma,
Yeah, I think it does take effort. What I do is try to think of you and I sitting in a coffee house together chatting when I write. That helps me write as though we’re having a conversation.
supermom_in_ny,
There’s an entirely new reason not to fake comments…the extra work it takes in responding to your faked comments. Not to mention those faked comments that become spam 🙂 (kidding)
As you can see, I spend a fair amount of time responding to comments. And I love doing it. I just ahve to remember to balance commenting with my work.
Never tried fake comments, as you can see by the general lack of any on my posts!! 😉
As a new blogger with limited readership I have avoided specifically asking for comments, for fear that no one will respond. I was thinking, well once I start getting some regular comments… then I will more specifically ask for a conversation in my posts.
But I guess if you never ask, maybe it will never come. I’ll try to put that into practice from here on out and see how it goes.
for the first few months of blogging I had absolutely no comments, and although fake comments would have ‘possibly’ started conversations, it would not have been real, or the real me, or even something I would have felt good about doing.
I did ask my friends and family to visit and join in the discussion, and of course when I started visiting and commenting on other blogs, I started getting comments.
Patience surely is key… and I am still waiting to get a lot of comments to my blog! 🙂 Funny thing is that my husband started blogging and got comments from his first post (from my readers, of course), and now he gets more than me!
The difference between us is that he regularly comments on blogs, and although I would like to, my comments are really few and far between sometimes.
Justin,
I understand. I felt the same way too, in the beginning. At the same time, I found it very helpful in learning how to write as though I’m already in a conversation. It’s something I continue to work on.
shaz,
Patience and continued learning. My comments started to jump when I learned how to write in ways that encouraged them. I have to thank Liz Strauss for that one.
I like that fake comments is a good way of getting it all started and encouraging people to join, another way is technorati…
But there is nothing wrong in my eyes.
Si
Simon,
Thanks for your reply. So you don’t feel like you’re misrepresenting yourself and your blog in any way by faking comments? Just curious.
Not at all, I mean I had a finance forum a while back and I had to post under a couple of names just to get the ‘community’ element going, then once it picked up it was fine.
Sometimes you just need a little push…. I think, if you have a good blog then people will come and leave comments if they want, but sometimes they don’t just want to be the first person to comment.
Si
Simon,
I don’t disagree with you about the push start. Just curious how you see it.
But for me, for some reason, I can’t/couldn’t fake comments. It just didn’t feel right for me. But I certainly don’t condemn it for others. It just important that I’m true to myself.
You honestly is admirable, but don’t think of it as being dishonest, it is merely seeding a conversation, or encouraging a response.
There are services online where you can pay to have people populate your forum for example. I must admit that I did not have elaborate conversations with myself, far from it. I merely engaged with other users with about 3 or 4 different usernames in order to grow the forum until more members joined.
Si
Simon,
I hear you. I learned long ago (I hope) not to think that my way or my perspective is the only one. I appreciate your thoughts. I just feel differently about it.
Absolutely, and please accept that I was not trying to ‘influence’ others, just merely giving my advice as workable.
Thanks for the responses though.
Si
Simon,
No worries. I’m not concerned at all. I love when people have a differing opinion from mine. Healthy debate is part of a rich life.
More than anything, thank you for you comments and your honesty.
Dawud,
Most bloggers want more comments like just like you said. Its not a greed thing, its a engagement and conversation thing.
The easiest part of the problem is to make it easier for more of your readers to comment because that 95% is never going to comment. We created ClickComments to make it easier for this group to become engaged with your blog and accustomed to communicating with bloggers. Check it out, we have a wordpress plug-in.
hans,
You’re right. Yet I won’t give up on the 95%. Remember that if you have 1000 unique readers on a post, 50 (5%) of them may comment. And if you can get 1% of the 95% to comment, that’s 10 more commenters. I think it’s worth keeping the door open for that 95% to comment.
And I will check out ClickComments…Initial hit…interesting. Will look more into it.
You can always use fake comments to have a great conversation with yourself. There’s no better way to allow all of your split personalities to contribute 🙂
there used to be a trend among the teenieboppers to fake comments just to make their blogs look like it’d been visited. i’ve never thought of doing that though. it’s kinda useless so i agree with everything the others said.
Jenny,
Yeah. I think it’s ultimately fruitless. Write engaging, conversational content and people will join the conversation.
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