I love it when people add comments to my posts. Sure, I write a blog to share my information and tips… and to tell the world what I think sometimes too. But it helps to know that someone out there is actually reading what I\’m saying.
It helps even more to see what they think about what I\’m saying!
But comments at the end of articles aren\’t just a nice boost for the writer of a blog or a website. They\’re also a big draw for other users.
Really successful sites aren\’t one-way streets. They shouldn\’t just be one person pouring out information. They should be communities in which everyone shares experiences and swaps advice. You should be the leader of your community — the person who raises the topics, starts the discussion and points out the most interesting comments. But you want to make sure that there\’s a spot for people to respond to what you write… and that you turn those responses into a draw for your site.
There are three ways to do that.
First, you can respond directly to the comments that people make. I do that often. If someone asks a question that I can answer, I\’ll throw in my two cents. It makes the site very responsive and lets users feel that they can get immediate solutions to their problems.
Second, you can use readers\’ comments as starting points for new discussions. Users will often throw in ideas that you wouldn\’t have thought of or ask questions that you thought didn\’t need answering. If you\’re stuck for an idea for a post, your readers\’ comments are often an excellent place to look.
And finally, you can even ask someone who leaves good comments on a regular basis to guest write a few posts for you. You could agree to share the revenues from that page, pay a flat fee or even just pay with a link sometimes. It can be a great way to take a day off writing without giving your income a day off too.
In short, don\’t forget that when you\’re writing an article, your users always have the last word.
So go ahead, take it…