Amy has an interesting post on her blog today on the value of blog comments. In it, she writes:
I think blog comments are VERY overrated. “Social media experts” act like they are the be-all-end-all but personally I think they are insignificant for many (not all, but the majority of) companies.
If I ran an SEO blog, I’d expect comments from my peers and MAYBE a few clients. However, if I was in charge of a blog for plumbers, I would NOT expect any comments. Plumbers are going to be out fixing sinks and such all day long, they are not going to be sitting in front of their computers waiting to weigh in on clogged toilets and whether or not industrial Drano is environmentally friendly.
Now I could easily see a plumber having a blog that created content on teaching others how to do simple plumbing upgrades/repairs on their own, and how blog comments could have value as it would let the plumber answer questions from readers and in the process, establish the plumber’s credibility and expertise with potential customers. But I think Amy’s larger point on the true value of comments, is valid.
Companies need to understand that while comments DO have value on a blog, that value will be different for each company. And that comments are NOT the end goal for any blogging strategy. If any of you write for a company blog that is judged ultimately on how many comments you generate per post, I’d love to hear from you.
Let’s assume a fictional company blog has the end goal of generating more sales on its website. So the average path that a person might take on the blog would look something like this:
1 – Arrive on blog
2 – ???
3 – ???
4 – ???
5 – Leave blog and go to website
6 – ???
7 – ???
8 – Purchase product from website
Let’s say this visitor commented on the blog before leaving it and going to the website and purchasing a product. If so, that action would have taken place at #2, #3, or #4. Probably #2 or #3. The point is, the visitor leaving a comment is low on the totem pole of importance. What you want to look at more closely is what happened at #4 to prompt the visitor to leave the blog and go to the website, and then what happened at #6 and #7 to prompt the person to purchase the product once they arrived on the website.
But even IF a comment happens at #2, it still has value if it moved the visitor on to the action they took at #3. The point is, you need to understand that you can’t judge the blog’s effectiveness solely on comments per post, you need to look higher up the chain to find the value. And it could be that for your unique blogging goals, that getting comments on the blog is more important to you. For me, getting more comments per post has value for me in several areas:
1 – It helps me learn from my readers, which means the content I create here is (hopefully) more useful.
2 – It gives me ideas for future posts.
3 – It helps establish for event organizers that the content I am talking about resonates with readers, so they should hire me to speak at their event.
4 – It helps establish for clients that I know how to build engagement and interaction via blogs and social media.
Now if your company’s blogging strategy is built around building engagement and your online presence, then comments on your blog has a higher value for you. Each company’s situation is different and the only ‘one size fits all’ rule when it comes to blogs and social media is probably that there is NO ‘one size fits all’ rule 😉
So blog comments will have different value for each blogging company. While comments are NOT the silver bullet that some social media experts claim, they aren’t totally worthless, either.
Those of you that blog for your business, what value do YOU place on comments? And I’d like to hear from business bloggers moreso than personal bloggers. If you have a personal blog, comments are absolutely more valuable for you. But I’d like to hear what business bloggers feel the value of comments are.
Ironically, I was just tweaking a blog post that I am writing today dedicated to the virtues and value of commenting on blogs on my site that caters to dentists and dental professionals that are just starting out with social media. I also happen to blog for my own dental practice’s website and I blog on occasion for my husband’s water heater company and I blog on my personal photography blog and so, I almost fit all of the different possible blog entities and I will say this….I am a firm believer in the power of commenting. That being said, each of my afore mentioned blogs are small and don’t get a lot of hits yet but, I think that is exactly why I feel so strongly about commenting. Commenting breathes life into a blog which otherwise would remain stagnant and basically a term paper. When someone comments on my blog, I am touched, honored, inspired and grateful. I have purposely incorporated LiveFyre comment system in my sites because it has a dialogue feel to it…as if you are talking in real time. My blogging for our water heater company is, as you suggested in your post, somewhat instructional/informative for the home owner or small business owner to give them tips. My dental office blog is mostly weekly videos that are fun (I hope) and informative. My photography blog speaks to an introspective side of me. And my social media blog is informational. All formats, however, blossom under the nurturing of engagement and dialogue.
Thanks for letting me comment 😉
Claudia you are exactly right, sole proprietorships and very small businesses can hugely benefit from comments. Both on their own blogs, and replying to comments left on other blogs. Those comments go a long way toward helping the business owner get ‘on the radar’ of other bloggers and potential customers. And building awareness is usually one of the top goals that this group has in using blogs.
Fabulous point Claudia, thank you! Off to comment on your blog now 😉
We began testing this theory on Spin Sucks last November. It turns out that people who comment BUY from us. We do have a few buyers who don’t comment, but do read, on the blog. But most of the people who are customers (client service, ebooks, webinars, etc.) are those who have developed a relationship with us in the comments of the blog. They’re buying because they trust and like us. We’ll really be putting this theory to test with Spin Sucks Pro launches in a week, but based on the past few months, we think comments ARE the end all, be all.
Gini I have noticed this as well, I don’t get a ton of sales from commenters, but I have gotten work from people that comment here.
However, I think its very important that you are selling products directly from your blog. I think that in your case, commenters can easily be converted into buyers because the product is right there for them to buy, and you’ve already established a trusting relationship with them, so it makes perfect sense.
Adding products here is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, thanks for giving me something to think about!
Great post, Mack. I agree with the “it depends” theory. I’m a huge fan of Gini’s blog, and I can see her point about people who comment = buyers. Makes sense for Spin Sucks. On the other hand, at Clairemont, we work with a large residential real estate developer. The company’s community (in the original sense of the word) blogs attract decent readership numbers but not always comments. The reason is that potential buyers want to get a sense of the community and its attributes, but they typically want to do so quietly. Signing in to comment creates the sense that they’ll be contacted with a sales call.
Dana that’s a great point about HOW people prefer to communicate and by contacted. For example, I never get emails from readers, and yet I have friends that get several per post. They wonder if people don’t feel comfortable emailing me directly because I have a ‘name’ in this space. In your case, it makes total sense that they might not want to comment if they think that would open them to being contacted for a sales call.
I’m feeling safest staying smack-dab in the middle on this (after creeping your and Amy’s Twitter pseudo-bicker, I’m keeping my head down LOL ;-))
For SEO, I would agree that a company blog allows for better ranking opportunities with fresh, rich content and long-tail keywords (as you’ve mentioned in previous posts, Mack) and I suspect that comments aren’t really going to add to that end. For companies that are trying to connect with their community (i.e. prospects/clients) then a blog is another social media venue allowing for interaction and engagement – responding promptly and meaningfully to comments does have value.
You’re both right. 😀
Thanks Tobey! Amy and I aren’t fighting, it’s funny how SHE gets emails saying we are, and no one says anything to me 😉
As you say, the value of comments depends on the value the company places on having direct contact with its customers. If engagement and interaction is baked into the blogging strategy, then comments will have more value.
(I didn’t think you were really fighting … and it was definitely very entertaining! ;-))
Here’s where I come down on the plumber issue. It’s a radical, potentially sacrilegious point of view for which I could be very easily burned or thrown into the river.
Ehem.
Not everyone needs to blog. You might be in an industry where a blog, as in, something that invites back and forth communication, is not really needed. Talk to your customers. See how THEY want to learn from you, and then deliver it that way.
We work with a company whose industry still prefers print publications for the most part. In fact, the publication’s readers threw a fit when the newsprint was abandoned for glossier paper. If you try to blog for folks who are on the road getting their hands dirty all day, you need to ask yourself not just about comments, but you need to ask yourself when your customers are going to wipe off their hands, take time out of their busy schedule, and read for 20 minutes.
If you’re worried that your audience won’t take the time to comment, you need to ask if they’ll take the time to read. If that’s a concern, maybe a better channel would make more sense. That’s why research on the front end of a Social Media campaign is so darned important.
Just my $1.50 🙂
Bingo, Margie. No consultant worth a nickel will tell you that EVERY biz should be blogging.
I’ll give you more than $1.50.. I’ll buy the whole cup of coffee. And give you either a fire extinguisher or lifejacket if need be. 😉
ITA not everyone in every niche needs a blog (or a Twitter or FB for that matter). My go-to is that if you are social and want to be more social, then find your social waters.. I.E. where your fish are biting, where they are social and engaging, and what they want from said engagement. Ask them what can you give them that can help them, research how that will help you. Research, start with a plan FWIW.
Mack,
Interestingly, I wrote a post last week about a recruiter advising me to take personal social media items (speaking, blogging, writing, thought leadership) off of my resume because they added no value to a hiring manager (who wants to know what you can do for them). I quite agree with the advice, but I wanted to see what others would say.
I had a feeling that most comments would come from those defending “social media” and their right to a “personal brand” and a lot did. What I really wanted was comments from HR managers, hiring managers, recruiters. I wanted a reality check!
While I don’t generate revenue from my blog, I wrote this post to test a theory (companies can do this same thing with their blog to test product/service ideas, trends, etc.) and the comments proved my theory for the most part. The social media crowd isn’t in touch with what is realistically going on in corporate America.
That was very valuable to me!
Beth I partly agree with the recruiter, in that I can see her reasoning behind not wanting to see speaking on your resume. That could indeed suggest that you want to be out of the office constantly traveling on the road speaking. So I can see her point there.
But with the social media activities, she isn’t in touch with business reality, IMO. If you are applying for marketing positions today, then having working knowledge of social media DOES have value for these people. Sure, some companies will likely look at your social media activities and make the same incorrect assumption this recruiter did: That you are spending all day tweeting and reading blogs. But the SMART companies will see the VALUE in your presences, they will notice that you have a knack for building online communities, and connecting with others. They will see the obvious value you could have for helping their social media, customer service, and online marketing efforts.
I wouldn’t make your social media presences the focus of your resume (because you have so much more to offer than just SM), but I would definitely make employers aware of your online footprint. Now again, the speaking, I agree with her more on that. But the rest smacks of feedback from a ‘social media curmudgeon’ 😉 I would at least ask a few other recruiters if they agree that you should tell no employers that you use social media.
Like the points and counterpoints on the plumber scenario, the dentist’s example.. in the mileage may vary camp.
I’m trying to get more business value Mack. Per your post a couple weeks ago, I want to do a better job of targeting posts with specific goals in mind: comments, SEO, thought leadership, etc. My blog and its comments are connecting me with others, which right now means expanding my referral network. The comments are helping spark guest post invites, speaking invitations, and business leads, which I am working on earning, closing more of this year. FWIW.
Mack,
As you know, I agree with Amy that comments are overrated. The problem with the “comments are king” mentality is that it focuses on the area least likely to generate revenue. When comments are a measurement of a blog’s success, the objective shifts from increasing revenue to encouraging commentary. Posts that inspire comments are usually controversial or leave something unsaid so people will fill in the blanks. They offer less value to reader and potential customer than posts that are helpful and say what needs to be said to motivate people to take the next step.
A plumbing blog is a perfect example. Simple plumbing upgrades and repairs are profit centers for plumbers because most people won’t do price comparisons for small projects. Margins on large jobs are very slim, especially in a tough economy. While teaching people how to do it themselves might establish credibility as a plumber, it’s foolish as a business person. Every time a question is answered, the available market for plumbing services shrinks.
Plumbers (and all skilled craftsmen) spend years studying and perfecting their craft. If one felt compelled to blog, a better approach would be to write about how to tell if the iron pipes in older homes were rusting. Or, why periodic home inspections can prevent catastrophic damages. Or, things that can go wrong when you do it yourself. (Been there, done that!) There wouldn’t be many comments, but potential customers are more likely to call.
Blogging for business has to be about the revenue. If the blog doesn’t generate income from advertising or affiliate marketing, it has to people towards the buying funnel. If it doesn’t, it is a waste of resources. Doing it without comments reduces the workload and associated costs.
This isn’t to say that comments have little or no value. They can contribute in many ways, but they are secondary to other objectives. Some of our clients have commented on our blog, but it was after they hired us. Maybe they just felt bad that I don’t get many comments on my posts. : )
“A plumbing blog is a perfect example. Simple plumbing upgrades and repairs are profit centers for plumbers because most people won’t do price comparisons for small projects. Margins on large jobs are very slim, especially in a tough economy. While teaching people how to do it themselves might establish credibility as a plumber, it’s foolish as a business person. Every time a question is answered, the available market for plumbing services shrinks.”
Debra I’ll have to disagree with you on this point. Yes, I could see where the plumber could potentially lose some business by answering the ‘simple’ questions, but I think they will gain back far more because the blog will boost their awareness.
I think for a lot of people it becomes ‘Do I want to go to Lowe’s and spend $25 on parts and lose my Saturday fixing my sink, or do I want to pay a professional $100 to do it, so I can play a round of golf today’? I think a lot of people would pay that professional IF they knew who to hire that they trusted.
The blog helps establish that trust. There has to be a tradeoff, a plumber can’t spend all day every day blogging, obviously, but if you took 50 customers that went to Google looking for help on fixing a leaky sink, which plumber do you think would get more business, the one down the street that doesn’t have a blog, or the one across town that does have a blog, and that tells readers exactly how to fix a leaky sink?
Mack,
It looks like we will just have to agree to disagree. For the life of me, I can’t see the value in reinventing the wheel to send people to Lowe’s. The Lowe’s Video and Project Center has step-by-step instructions. Odds are the people who would rather play golf than do it themselves will ask their buddies who to call rather than reading a blog to establish trust. When you are willing to pay for convenience, you want it to be really convenient. As in push button easy.
I think the people who go to Google looking for help on fixing a leaky sink will call the plumber using PPC and Google local with the words “Emergency Service 24/7 call 123-4567. Most won’t scroll down to find a blog to read.
I find it incredible that anyone would think comments aren’t good for a blog or a business. I personally think they’re invaluable for many reasons, the best of which is it gives you, the author, some kind of idea of your prominence and reach towards those people who might someday engage you to do business with them. Not only that, but how many people here visit blogs more than once that have no comments on them whatsoever, yet will continually visit a blog that has comments, mainly because the author engages and welcomes them and offers them value, no matter how much, of some type?
I will agree that not every business probably needs a blog, especially if they have no idea what to write and don’t want to hire someone else to write for them. But statistics have shown that major businesses that have blogs increase their leads anywhere from 75 to 100% higher than those businesses that don’t have a blog. I’m thinking that’s pretty good.
Hi Mitch,
I don’t think that anyone here is saying that comments “aren’t good for a blog or a business.” At least I know that I am not. The issue for me isn’t whether they provide value, but how much weight should be placed on them. Amy stated in her post (http://amyafrica.com/strategy/do-you-really-need-comments-on-your-blog/) “I think blog comments are VERY overrated.” I agree with that statement. When the focus is on getting comments instead of moving people towards the buying cycle, the company loses. This is not saying that blogs should be advertising journals and one should expect direct sales from them. Mack noted, “comments are NOT the end goal for any blogging strategy.” I agree with him. They are a small piece of a much bigger picture.
You mentioned that “statistics have shown that major businesses that have blogs increase their leads anywhere from 75 to 100% higher than those businesses that don’t have a blog.” Would you please share the source?
Thank you.
Debra I do seem to remember a study, I think by HubSpot that last year made the case that blogging businesses got more leads, but I don’t remember the percentage, and am not positive if it was HubSpot. Does anyone recall the study that I am talking about, or the one Mitch mentioned?
I agree with Margie in that plumbers, and many other pros, don’t always need to have a blog. I have many clients in the trades arena and have seen very few going down the blog road. God forbid they tell someone how to do something themselves. Building inspection, union vs non-union issues, and on and on. Plus, responding to some comments cross the paid vs non-paid service line and increase liability.
For me, comments are good for social media conversation, but don’t typically translate into sales. My blog exists to give people ideas and tips for buying. I’m not terribly interested in debating buying tips. That’s not the blog’s goal… that really determines whether comments are valuable or not.
(I love, love, love when bloggers use plumbers as examples. Thank you!)
I’m the marketing director for a plumbing company (!). I’d like to address the comment that giving away advice is “foolish.” Not only does it go against a lot of the advice I read from bloggers who say that you have to give something away before someone buys, it establishes credibility, among other things. In our case, we have been giving away advice for decades. For example, someone calls with a broken pipe. One company says they’ll be right there while water is filling the basement. We advise them how to find and turn off the whole-house shut-off valve while we’re on our way.
Many of our comments and testimonials are from DIYers who only need advice. We have people walk in our store (3 retail hardware locations) carrying plumbing. I have photos of our competitors’ trucks in our parking lot. Tradespeople from across our region were saying “Godwin’s Got It!” for years before it became our slogan. This level of trust and credibility would not be possible if we didn’t provide free advice – and we certainly wouldn’t still be in business after 55 years.
(And I really appreciate everything that I’ve learned from bloggers during the past few years; you’re a valuable asset. Many thanks!)
Hi Juliette,
Thank you for adding your perspective from the plumbing point of view. We need more people sharing their successes so we can learn from them. When I said that giving away advice was foolish for plumbers, I was referring specifically to Mack’s suggestion that plumbers teach “others how to do simple plumbing upgrades/repairs on their own” not telling someone how to turn the water off to reduce the amount of damage while you are on the way to fix the problem. Helping someone turn the water off while you are in route is providing quality customer service, not giving away the store. It is one of the reasons that your customers trust you.
Your business model is different from someone who simply provides plumbing services because you have retail stores that sell to DIYers. It makes good business sense for you to provide how-to information because it will generate revenue for your company. It doesn’t have the same effect if you don’t have retail stores to supply the DIYers.
My business model is similar to yours. It is a hybrid of consulting and direct sales. I personally give away a ton of free information and find that it works well for my business. I regularly help other consultants by providing them tips and tactics that have worked for me. But, my model is very different from people who only offer consulting services and I could not in good faith recommend that they follow my practices.
As I mentioned earlier, we need more people sharing their successes. Would you please provide a link to your blog so we can see how it works? I tried to find it via Google without success. I did find this website: http://www.godwinplumbing.com/ Is that you? I saw a link to a Facebook page, but not a blog.
Thank you again for sharing.
Thanks Juliette, and I love your point about the testimonials and comments! It sounds like those are coming from people that weren’t going to give you business anyway (since they were DIYers) but by using your blog to provide them with helpful and valuable content, you at least got a testimonial from them!
Which is more than the competition likely got 😉
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