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Five Benefits of Commenting On Articles And Blogs?
I’m one of those people who obsessively checks my blog to see if I have any new comments. Why do I do that? Well, for one I am just a little OCD, but that’s another subject for another day. I really just want to know if anyone read what I wrote, understood what I wrote, agreed with what I wrote, disagreed with what I wrote, liked what I wrote, hated what I wrote…you get the picture. Feedback is what I look for.
I like to know how my writing affects others, or even if it does affect others. However, then there is the other side of it. I can see who commented on my blog, and if they have a blog that I can read. When I see that someone has commented I almost immediately try to establish who they are and what I can learn from them.
I have come up with five benefits of article (or blog) commenting:
1. Attracts attention to yourself (in a good way!)
Whether intentional or not, when you comment on someone’s article or blog post you are saying, “Hey, I read this, and here’s what I think,” which in turn, gives people a chance to check out who you are. By having your name out there on comment forums, you are attracting attention to yourself which can help build your own blog or website. Make sure you include a link back to your place on the web and there is a good chance you will have some visitors!
2. Networking Opportunities
There is some truth to the statement, “It’s all who you know.” Sometimes all it takes is knowing the right person for you to land a writing gig or even a new job! By commenting on someone else’s article you are opening the door to meet new contacts and essentially, build your network.
Knowing a broad network of people can be beneficial in your day to day life, especially since everyone is different and brings various gifts and talents to the table. Simply commenting on someone’s blog or article can open up the door to other connections: from guest posting on another blog to maybe even your dream job!
3. Joining the Conversation
Commenting on someone’s blog or article is simply joining a conversation or even a debate. Most people like to be heard and when you give your comment or opinion, you are putting your unique voice out there. Becoming part of an ongoing conversation or debate enriches your online experiences and you not only meet new people, you may learn something new!
4. Building Relationships
Now I have already talked about networking, but here I am talking about meeting people and building relationships. You can meet all kinds of different people online, and one way is to comment on articles and blogs. You never know who you might meet! I have personally met several life long lasting friends online. I came across one girl’s writing website one day and I left her a comment on one of her blog posts. She later replied to my comment and we quickly became friends. It is neat how you can meet all kinds of people through a simple online comment.
5. Affirms the author
As I mentioned previously, a writer loves to have his or her voice heard. One way to help affirm the author is to let them know you have read their work and give a comment about it. However, it is important to add genuine comments.
“Nice post” or “great article” is ok, but do not really offer much value. If you did like the article, be specific in saying what you liked about it. If you do not agree with something the author said, you can state that but in a nice way.
If you want to offer a different point of view, why not ask a question in the comment forum. You could be starting a good debate! By commenting though, you are also helping the author become more established and known among other people. There is something special to a writer about knowing that their work is out there and being noticed. Help them with this by visiting their blog frequently and commenting on their work.
Now that you know some benefits of commenting on articles and blogs, why not take some action? You can put what you have learned into practice by leaving a comment below. Tell me which tips you liked, disliked or even better, can you add to any of them? Then, make sure you remember to leave comments on other blogs and articles often!
Author Bio: Eric Pangburn was recently featured as the best of NY time blog post of
the week. He is a freelance writer focusing on helping others through
his Snitch IM Blog http://snitchim.com/ If you want to improve your blog, earn
more money, or just come and hear the him snitch out secrets check out his
free report of how get more
customers http://snitchim.com/ebook/make-money-today.html today.
