By commenting on other blogs (especially those in your niche) you can do some great things. Here are a few things you can accomplish:
Find More Subscribers
When you comment on a blog, you’ll leave a link to your own blog. People interested in what you have to say will probably come by to see what else you have to say. Write interesting and helpful comments.
SEO
Search engines like to index you when they find you in your niche so if you’re a diet blogger and want to be known that way, comment on blogs in that niche with a link back to your site and this will help your search engine rankings.
Blogroll
Many bloggers will put frequent commenters on their blogroll which can bring you plenty of visitors as well. There are some great new widgets as well in tools like Blog Catalog and MyBlogLog as well as avatar sites that let you leave your logo or face on the blog which can help bring you more exposure and entice visitors to that blog to stop by and visit you.
Reciprocating Commenters
It’s good blogging etiquette to visit blogs where people have taken the time to comment. If you do, chances are the blog owner could stop by your blog to return the favor and that can bring more activity and self-promotion to your own blog in terms of comments and links.
About Sean Rasmussen
Leaving comments is a great way to self promote. Especially as I learn something every time and maybe even make new friends. I don’t like if someone leaves a very generic comment because that doesn’t show interest, but pure self promotion. Not very nice.
Well said Renee
I agree – unless a comment actually considers what is being said in a blog post, or adds to discussion then it doesn’t provide nearly as much value for the blog owner. Fortunately the WordPress askimet plug-in seems to catch most of these and saves me the trouble of having to manually consider them.
Hi Sean,
I make it a habit to read as many blogs in my niche as I can. Initially I didn’t leave comments, but as I gained some confidence, I did. I was surprised at the results. It really helped me to start having conversations with other bloggers in my niche and it drew quite a few new visitors back to my blog.
I try really hard to write comments that show I appreciate the bloggers efforts and respect the time they put in to write the post.
I’m getting the picture about blog commenting.
One thing I have noticed, since increasing my blog commenting, the Alexa rank of my blogs has been improving. Is this because of the commenting or purely a coincidence?
Hi Gee,
I think it’s definitely because of the commenting because the same thing happened to me.
On completing the Learn And Earn competition all the participants should no qualms about promoting themselves by commenting in other people’s blogs. We certainly have gotten enough practice.
By commenting intelligently and within topic on a blog you start to build an online reputation which in the long run may be worth it’s weight in gold.
I agree Don ,
I have learnt a lot more about commenting since the competition started, I didn’t comment much before that but now if something takes my interest then I will comment.
I am with you there Rita, I had not commented a lot on other people’s blogs before the competition because of time restraints but I see the benefits now for everyone and it will be a practice I will adopt from now on.
I love the term ‘Diet Blogger’! I’ve been leaving the website entry of the leave a comment form empty…from now on, I am going to start putting in my website – not sure what that is going to do – but if it affects SEO and Alexa it is worth the effot!
Oh, I see – my name has a a hyperkink! cool – wow, should have worked that out a little earlier! (and now my website is there ready to go for the next comment so don’t have to re-enter it – unless I am commenting in a different niche). Wow and fantastic and now i understand!
Now I find out – I just deleted some comments without visiting the blogs! Better get my act together