Do you have an engagement strategy built into your social media efforts? Do you want more comments, more friends, more followers? More interaction?
Many companies want this. If you use social media personally, you probably want this as well. We want interaction because it tells us that we are creating something of value for others.
But in trying to get more interaction, we often ask the wrong question. We ask “How can I get more comments on my blog?”
Instead, we should be asking “How will having more comments make this blog more valuable to my readers?”
Because when you shift your focus to what’s better for the reader, then how you approach comments changes. Think about it, getting 15 comments to a post might be great for you. But if those 15 comments are mostly ‘Dude, great post!’ type comments, then it strokes your ego, but really adds little for the reader. On the other hand, if those 15 comments are all DEEP points that spark and encourage a discussion, then you are creating value for the reader via the comments. Then a discussion is happening in the comments section, and THAT is valuable to your readers.
So when you are crafting an engagement strategy, make a list of the desired actions that you want others to take (leave comments, follow me, link to my site), then for each desired action, list the BENEFIT to that person for performing that action.
When you start viewing your engagement strategy through the lens of ‘what’s in it for them’, then the way you approach being engaging via social media will completely change.
OK, so I am not going to say ” Hey, great post” 🙂
However, it is a very valid post. Asking what the reader will get out of reading your blog is also about positioning your blog and speaking to YOUR audience. By doing that you have more chance getting the right kind of comments. One aspect, I and other neo bloggers are thriving towards. It all comes down to Strategy. I agree. Having objectives is so crucial to long-term success and thank you for stressing that out.
Also, when you are talking about comments, I feel there is a general sense of reciprocity that implicitly commands agreeing with the blogger. If you don’t, you won’t post a comment. I am only generalizing here. A lot of people expose why they do not agree.
KC
Hi Karima 😉 I think this also goes back to the fact that social media excels at making things happen indirectly. Want more comments? Then create compelling content, and that will usually get you more comments. Then respond to those comments and highlight the commenters, and that will usually get you more comments.
But I know that the best posts are the ones with the best comments. Simply having more is part of it, but as a blogger if you are doing what you can to cultivate an environment where readers can leave BETTER comments, then everyone wins.
Mack
Benefits – key. In blogging, it is a question that we need to turn and put ourselves in the place of the reader and ask ourselves of our own blog: What is in it for me to read this blog and write a comment? Why should I interact on the blog and tell my thoughts? What makes this blog better than the 5 million other ones that are out there?
For some we read blogs, like the author and thrown in our $.02 as we appreciate the time spent in writing and posting. However for others, they may be a new comer or a lurker and not see any benefit in taking the time to comment – especially if no-one else does or if there is a community already built in, the fear of of throwing your thoughts out there. A comment from someone that has never been there before and shown their face is the red flag – newbie.
Engaging with the readers is powerful as we know so many times the comments are far better than the post itself and when the people comment on each others comments and the back and forth that is created is where the value for the readers comes in. We learn from one another in this space as no-one has all the answers, just a myriad of ideas that never stops flowing.
@SuzanneVara
Suzanne I think from the commenter’s point of view, they should also consider that comments are THEIR chance to establish their expertise and thought leadership. I know of friends that have gotten clients simply from leaving comments.
Hmmmm….maybe we should write a blog post about that 😉
Write for the reader is right on the money, as always. I’m working on shifting my blog strategy, writing as much for my audience of small business folks looking for insights on public relations and social media (i.e. potential clients) as well as sharing valuable info with my colleagues and peers.
Developing the blog to deliver the goods via the comments discussion, that’s the real trick. It’s why I enjoy blogs like Amber’s Altitude Branding so much, the comments are usually a treasure trove of good stuff. Food for thought, I will have to step it up to get better comments for the readers. Thanks Mack.
.-= Davina K. Brewer´s last blog ..Think Global, Pitch Local Atlanta =-.
Davina it’s funny because I had a friend tell me a couple of days ago that they love the comments on Amber’s blog. She does a great job of addressing commenters, and expanding on their points. That’s what we should all be trying to do!
Mack,
You make some good points and I’ve always been a fan of WIIFM, but of late I am beginning to think that intentionality “How will having more comments make this blog more valuable…” and “make a list of the desired actions that you want others to take.,” re not enough. “To What’s In It For Me?”, I’d amend to read “What’s In It For Me That Responding and Engaging NOW Will Get Me.” And, as relates to “having more comments,” I’d amend to “is there a growing community here that, if I engage, will be informative, lively and ongoing?”
By adding “engaging now” and “informative, lively and ongoing” you bring strength to the conversation and open the door to creating mutual value.
But a blog, just like any “periodical” has to have continuity – predictability – and freshness if it is to build community. Blog authors have to build an engagement strategy that covers months, if not years, and stick to it. An inquisitive flock (the beginnings of audience) will take action to discover new value once, perhaps twice (if there’s promise). If they do not see value on a consistent (read, ongoing) basis, they may contribute once but won’t last – same as with any other publication.
Engagement strategy, then, has to be at least as much inwardly focused as it is outwardly directed – and it has to be rooted in listening for the WIIFM.
Thanks for posting, John
John that’s a good point and I think you hit on why there’s so few really great blogs. I also think it speaks to a blogger needing to be honest with themselves and putting out content on a schedule that they can maintain. I remember Kathy Sierra would only post 3-4 times a month, but every post would get 50-100 comments (and this was before Twitter). I’ve seen other bloggers that would go 2 weeks with almost daily posts, then fall off to 1 or 2 a week.
On the flipside, if you attempt to get up posts too frequently, the quality can suffer. One of the best blogging lessons I ever learned was that if I didn’t have a good post idea, that I shouldn’t blog that day. It’s better to wait a couple of more days to publish a solid post, than to publish a week post today, just so my readers will have something new to read.
Thanks for the comment and a slightly different take, John!
“What’s in it for them?” can apply to so much more than blog posts. Apply this question to your services and products as well. Sometimes businesses make changes that only benefit the company and it doesn’t do anything for their clientele. In fact, sometimes it’s makes doing business with them more difficult and in the end instead of bring in more clients, they end up losing clients.
Social media is like any other aspect of business. When you focus on what is good for the reader/client, you will have better, more positive results.
Thanks for the reminder Mack!
.-= Heather Villa´s last blog ..The Qualities Your Prospects are Looking For =-.
Hey! Great post!
.-= Nicholas Z. Cardot´s last blog ..40 Ways to Build An Army of Inbound Links =-.
Seriously though, I agree with you. I think that many bloggers want as many comments as possible because it makes us feel good as bloggers. In some sense it validates the success of our writing. But the truth is exactly as you pointed it out in this article.
Our comment sections should be an area where we are inspiring and cultivating real discussion that educates our readers and ignites their passions. It’s not just a place to pump that little number next to the title at the top of the page.
Seriously this time, Great post.
.-= Nicholas Z. Cardot´s last blog ..40 Ways to Build An Army of Inbound Links =-.
It seems that people who visit my blog and comment there…are mostly my friends. Maybe that’s because I am usually not talking about controversial subjects. I write about marketing challenges and ideas. People sometimes put their two cents in and that makes my day.
It is interesting to me that when I ask specific questions on Linkedin, I get great comments and advice…and maybe it is because I’m aksing for help there. Fortune Magazine had an interesting article about LinkedIn:http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/24/technology/linkedin_social_networking.fortune/
Maybe my blog needs to be more direct, ask more questions, be more involving. What do you think: http://www.joyofdirectmarketing.com ?