Blog Comments Builds Empires

One thing that you can be 99% sure of when you post a comment to a blog is that the blog owner will read your comment. Post comments regularly and the blog owner will begin to notice you, look at your website and maybe post a comment on your site, if it’s a blog. Maybe, you’ll even connect on other social media platforms? The networking potential is clear.

Your blog commenting can create a network spreading over various different business territories.

Obviously your comments on other people blogs are not only read by the owner, they’re read by the blog’s readers as well. There are many tips on getting your blog comments noticed, one of which is that you’re one of the first to comment on a particular post, chances are that blog readers will see and read your input. This is particularly the case, if you add a comment that stands out from the rest. Most importantly however is what you write. You want to include one or more of the following:
- Provide value that relates to the blog post (make the reader think)
- Give your opinion and thoughts (making it interesting)
- Ask a question (someone might respond)
- Leave your comment open ended (someone might contribute)
- Amuse (everybody wants a smile on their face)
- Compliment (sometimes you just want to say thanks)

If the reader found your comment enticing, chances are that they’ll click on your link and look at your website. If your site lives up to their expectations, they might come back on a regular basis (or subscribe, if that’s an option). Also, they might let their friends and network know about you.

Your blog commenting can provide you with an army of readers.

You now have what every empire needs, which is numerous territory and an army to defend itself, however…

Blog Comments Destroys Empires

The easiest way to add a comment to a blog is to write a generic “Wow, what a great post”-comment. That it’s easy doesn’t mean that it’s wrong. If you mean it, post it, and it’s much better than not leaving a comment just because you think you need to write prose. Depending on the blog, this type of comment won’t get much attention though. It’s certainly not an empire destroyer.

What is an empire destroyer however is posting the exact same comment word-for-word on multiple blogs and websites or even worse posting the exact same comment word-for-word with a link to your site in it on multiple blogs and websites.

If the site owner doesn’t notice it, the reader’s who might follow many blogs in the particular business area and they will notice. Inevitably, it will be discovered and if enough people notice your empire will start to show signs of stress.

Posting a comment without reading the blog post is not wise either. Even if it’s a beautiful comment, if it’s not related to the article, it will make the commentator look like a spammer, even if the person isn’t. Getting tagged as a spammer is very difficult to recover from and so your empire will start to crumble.

Having different opinions and proclaiming them in a comment is wonderful (and recommended, if that is your opinion), but there’s sometimes a fine line between different opinion and a negative, flaming or hateful comment. A blog comment section in no place for the latter type of commentary. Starting down that road will certainly get a person noticed (if the comment is not deleted by the blog owner), but in such a negative way that your once so grand empire now lies in ruins.

When posting comments do so to compliment the writer, add value to the blog post or contribute in another positive way to the conversation. Think about what you want to achieve with your comment and think about how it’s helping you build a social media relationship.

How often do you comment on a blog post after you’ve read it? One in ten? One in five? Always? Please leave your comment and let me know.

Photo by icelight

I came upon this great video (or short film, if you will) yesterday. Not only did it make me smile, but it also made me think of the way that people behave on Twitter, Facebook, Buzz, etc.

In my recent blog post “Be an A.S.S. and You Will Find Success with Social Media”, I went over three ways to really connect with people through social media, one of which was showing you care through appreciation and complimenting.

With that said, watch the video below. I guarantee you that it will make you smile.

Right? Share it with everyone who needs to smile today.

Thank you for coming to my blog. Have the best day ever.

On Facebook or Twitter we all notice different things, when we go online, in truth we don’t notice 99% of what’s going on (and thankfully so). We select where to direct our attention by only noticing what is important to us. For this reason, when someone directs their attention our way, they recognize our importance. By noticing us, they’re paying us a compliment. We automatically become more friendly towards this person and in turn notice them.

When dealing with group of people as is done on social media website it’s impossible to pay attention to everyone, but recognize as many as possible. Make an effort to notice new people, talk, acknowledge them as individuals. That’s what the “social” in social media is all about. Remember, a little attention goes a long, long way.

Photo credit Stock.XCHNG

Finding the right connection with people online can be difficult due to the high amount of data and information flying around. Your real “friendship invitation” might drown in a sea of information. In a recent blog post I touched this issue, “Interaction Good, Stalking Bad – How to Make First Contact”.

In order to make an actual connection with someone, both parties will need to “click”. There will need to be some kind of attraction between the parties, whether it’s business attraction, personal attraction or both. In this regards, it’s useful to keep in mind that deep down people crave the same things, which I’ve called A.S.S. (to grab your attention mostly). These are:

1. Acceptance

“Deep down even the most hardened criminal is starving for the same thing that motivates the innocent baby: Love and acceptance.” (Lily Fairchilde)

Everyone wants acceptance from someone. It can be anything really, but mostly people wants acceptance of who they are. In order to connect with someone you need to accept them for who they are. Allow them to be themselves and influence them positively through your own actions.

2. Seal of Approval

“Getting people to like you is merely the other side of liking them.” (Norman Vincent Peale)

I recently wrote a blog post on finding happiness through social media, where I suggested that you’d try paying two (genuine) compliments per day to someone in your social media network. No matter who you are it feels good to get approval.

Look at the actions of the person that you’re trying to connect with and find something to approve in these no matter the size of the action. The important thing is that it’s something that you genuinely approve of and that you keep at it. With each compliment you’ll let the other person know that you approve of their actions and your relationship will grow. On Twitter this could be something as simple as a “retweet” or a comment on something the person said.

3. Salute

“The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” (William James)

The third point is probably the most important when building a relationship through social media. Treat people as if they are valuable to you. Obviously they are valuable to you, otherwise you wouldn’t use all this energy to find a connection with them, but it might not be obvious to them. Let them know that they’re important to you. Thank them. Makes them feel special, that they are an individual and not just part of the mob.

On social media sites this latter point is easy, but it’s as easy to do wrong. Everyone needs an individual message just for them that basically says, “I salute you.”

Finally, I’d like to add that in order for you to get an actual connection with someone online, this someone obviously at some point needs to “give something back” to you. Even if it’s not your motivation, usually you’ll find that this will be the case anyhow. Whatever attracted you to the person in the first place will as a rule shine through at some point.

What about you? Have you found business relationship through social media that has blossomed into a profitable “friendship”?

Photo credit Stock.XCHNG