Blog Commenting Tip that Drives Traffic to Your Blog

by Jan Geronimo on May 6, 2009

Leave a longish comment. It’s that simple.

That is my secret to gaining readers to my blog. I leave in-depth comments (I hope they are that anyway) every time I go make my rounds of blog commenting.

You maybe earnest in saying “that’s a great post, dude.” You even care enough to plant here and there a smiley to spruce up your comment. But does it help?

No, your comment still sucks.

Size matters

Leave a 500-word comment. Yeah, you heard me. Expound on the author’s main points, preferably on things he’d failed to mention. Write specific examples culled from your experience. Believe me, the author will notice you. You’d earn a return visit. And if you do this often enough, you’d not only attract readers to your blog. You’re likely to gain a friend, too.

And please avoid cliches and lame congratulatory noises of approval. If the blog owner is at the top of his game he has already heard them all before. They are not spam technically, but they sure are a pain in the neck.

Examples of irritating small talk or obligatory praises:

1. Another great post! (Frankly now, do you somehow expect him to fall flat on his face?)

2. You did it again! (Hold your horses, he won’t be an A-lister if he’s a one-trick pony)

3. Cool! Awesome! You rock! Or variations thereof. (Very juvenile – exercise your mind.)

4. Thanks a lot! (For what? For breaking your silence, and leaving all doubts about your state of mind?)

5. Nice post (Enough already, that word is lifeless and now must be consigned to the museum, thanks to you)

Imagine if the blog you’re commenting on belongs to an A-lister. If your timing is right and you are one of the first commenters, I’m sure you’d attract a good number of other readers to check out your blog.

Marko of How to Make My Blog has a good story how one good blog comment drove a lot of visitors to his blog .

An in-depth blog comment of course has to be meaningful. Give as much care to it as if it were something you’d publish in your own blog. Make it powerful by cutting out the flab. Let go of your pet phrases. And when you’ve made your point, stop.

Commenting out of context

To write long comment you have to read the post. Really. How can you make a two-paragraph comment if you just read the first or last paragraph of the post? You’re likely to miss the context of the post – sure recipe for disaster. It happened to me once and I still cringe, knowing it is still somewhere out there mocking me.

Good comment shows your guest posting potential

A long blog comment showcases your mind. If you’re thinking of submitting a guest post in that blog there’s no better way to get the big time blogger’s attention than leaving a comment that adds value to his post. When you leave thoughtful comments you’re laying the ground work for future collaboration with the blog owner.

You can’t do this, of course in every blog you visit. If you have a daily list of 15 blogs to comment on, just pick a couple of high profile blogs in your niche. For practice, you can drop your gems here in my blog and we will see how it goes.

If everybody agrees with the blogger, then feel free to disagree with his main points. Just don’t be petty and mean. Always remember your mission – to gain readers for your blog. No one wants to be associated with smarty pants and jerks.

Plan B

When everybody else leaves long comments then feel free to drop a terse comment packed with value and good humor. That’s a nice way to make your comment stand out, of course.

Over to you now, guys. Care to share your sure-fire blog commenting tips?

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Using Comments To Double Your Exposure (wassupblog.com)
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Chris Astadan

so now may i join the circle of commentators.. very well said..its a great post..and you are encouraging visitors to come back to your blog. but why not try to monitize your blog..sayang naman ang income and sayang din ang visitors kung hindi mo rin mauutilize...

<abbr>Chris Astadan’s last blog post..Bea Alonzo Now with Hayden Kho Video Scandals?</abbr>
Jan Geronimo

Hi, Chris. I encourage reader interaction in my blog because I love conversations. What can I say in my defense e tsismoso ako. :) ... I used to have AdSense in my blogger account. I'm still figuring out a way to incorporate a few of them here. Maybe I should consult my technical adviser. Thanks for reminding me. Aba sayang ang page views - pangkape rin iyon. :)
Jehzeel Laurente

ay teka.. napansin ko din, may mga inpost links ka pang naka point sa old blogspot URL.. change mo din yun lahat.. marami sa mga single posts mo. waaaaaaaa! :D

<abbr>Jehzeel Laurente’s last blog post..iBlog5 is the 5th Philippine Blogging Summit</abbr>
Jan Geronimo

Ooops! Ahahaha. Thanks for reminding me. Nakatunganga lang ako dito, nag iisip pano paganahin mga buttons dito. Salamat ha. Hala, ang daming palang gagawin! ",)
Jehzeel Laurente

Great points you got here! Worth ratimarking :D Specially this paragraph:
Size matters

"Leave a 500-word comment. Yeah, you heard me. Expound on the author’s main points, preferably on things he’d failed to mention. Write specific examples culled from your experience. Believe me, the author will notice you. You’d earn a return visit. And if you do this often enough, you’d not only attract readers to your blog. You’re likely to gain a friend, too."

Talagang important ang mag iwan ng long comments kesa sa short comments, like: "Wow! Nice Post! Great Read! I love it! I will subscribe to your RSS feeds!"

hahaha! :D

<abbr>Jehzeel Laurente’s last blog post..iBlog5 is the 5th Philippine Blogging Summit</abbr>
Jan Geronimo

Wala lang. What can I say - magagaling mga mentors ko eh. Perhaps you know some of them na ano? ",)
jan

Hi Lee, feel at home ka lang. If I know ngawit na rin mga panga nyan mga yan sa kaiinglis. I am not strict with commenters when I know them. As for you, I know you even before you get here because of my recent interaction at the palace.

Hahaha. Kitam, you're teasing me already. That's great. I like that. No need to make a thesis out of a simple comment.

Thanks, Lee. :)
Lee

Jan, first time i saw your post from Rheynz and this is the first blog i open then runaway, scared,nervous, when i saw all inglisers people in comments section then the post and the sucks comments, hahahaha thanx for the tips the next time im going to comment to any posts i will never never use those words anymore particular the word "great post".
anyway this is a great post lol lol :-D

Recent blog post: Pinoy New Bloggers, ang aming mga manok...
jan

Thanks, fifi. I feel like I belong to an exclusive club or something. You know, the kind that allows members by invitation only. :)

Uh-oh. You're a fan of Juday? hahaha. Now, I really have to be careful now with my comments about Juday in Yatot's blog. I tease him a lot there. :-[
fifi

@luke: your blog will be among the sites i'd regularly visit (it's not like
i'm visiting a lot anyway - just dee's and jan's, elmot's and yatot's (if he

continues writin about judy ann)

@jan: that is what you call proper attribution in journalism just what like

you do to all your online buddies whom you thank whenever you learn

something or helped you out in some way. i enjoy blogging these days since

there is not much to do anyway.
jan

That's one of the strangest thing in blog comments. Some people ask question and you answer. And then you never hear from them again.

Some are very good conversationalists and you wish they will reply to your answer. But sometimes they don't.

But we can't hold them back. It's their right to go where they want to go. My observation, however, is that once the online relationship is firmed up there's a good chance of continuing conversations in the comment section of the blog. Coming back by that time can become a compulsion in itself. :)
cebloger

Commenting has become one of the strategies to drive traffic to one's blog. Others use it. others don't. for me, whether it's brief or lengthy, it doesn't matter as long as the commenter is sincere or is not obvious in his attempt to draw away attention, or draw traffic from your site to his.

for e.g. "Nice post! please visit my site at www.blahblahblah(dot)com." or post a long argument then only write at the end, "visit my site ...."

and when you use commenting strategy, don't just comment and run. show to the blog owner that you are sincere in your comment by coming back to their blogs, establish relationships and join in the future discussions.

Recent blog post: Free Cebu Pacific Airlines Tickets and Travel Vouchers
jan

Yes! Mukhang may pag-asa. Konti na lang, Fifi. :)
Lucrecio Emerito

Thanks Jan. That is great to know.
Lucrecio Emerito

I must admit. That is as tempting as dark chocs. :)
jan

@fifi: Ei, thanks sa reminder. I have forgotten about that already. :) Out with it now, Fifi. Are you enjoying yourself? Are you mentally trashing the furniture around your room every time you get reminded how I convinced to get back in blogging? :)

@Luke: Si Fifi lang? I'd be a loyal reader too!
jan

Dee, I don't mind. I love long comments. And I love short ones, too. Take as much space as necessary to make your point(s), and I will give it to you.

No problem with me. Flattered nga me nakapag provoke me ng magandang conversation eh.

But when we go out to comment in other blogs, that's the time we observe what's allowed. How does the author treat the commenters? Those signs and little verbal cues will give us ideas how to make an impact. If almost all commenters leave short one-liners, drop a longish one paragraph comment. And vice versa.

What about Luke, Dee. Ahem. Luke is enjoying commenting. hehehe. The reverse can be said: he'd find writing a post enjoyable, too!

Ahem. Ahem. :)
jan

Oh, thank you, Jon. My kakulitan has paid off. I have made you come out of your shell. That's great.

You'll find great online buddies here. They're cool people and helpful, too.

Thanks for sharing, Jon. :)
jan

Never mind the Top Commentator Widget. Just comment when you feel the need to comment. I can't tinker with it. Just another gap of mine. Hayan, dumadami na gaps ko. Nagkakabistuhan na. :)
jan

If you start now in three months time you'd have PR2 and Alexa Ranking of 650,000.

If you start now in five months time you'd have published 100 posts.

If you start now you'd have instant link in my blogroll. Not everybody can do that. Alam ko maraming sumasama loob sa akin. Di lang nagpapahalata kasi to do that is uncool. I'd be willing to dispense with the queue, Luke. For you.

But take your time. It's your call. Just saying: inip na ako noh!

:)
jan

Grand Canyon nga mga un eh so I said gaps instead of that. Holly advises me to stop beating my head with a stick already. So hush... :)
Lucrecio Emerito

So 'twas him? In that case he was a good influence. I think you're right ma'am Fifi. Maybe I will. Basta bumisita ka. :)
Dee

Hello Jan.

Making long comments make sense but wouldn't it be like taking the limelight from the blogger if we do leave long comments? That has always bugged me, you know.

But with your blog, now I know where I stand. :)

Recent blog post: How Men And Women Differ In Terms Of Being Overweight
fifi

luke, it was jan that prompted me to start a blog. let him succeed to convincing you this time.

Recent blog post: bordering between thinness and madness
Jon

Hi Jan, apologies for not having commented on your site before this. Some interesting points you've made here. I'm one of those people who doesn't comment as often as I should, but after reading your post I will endeavour to give commenting some extra thought. Thanks for dropping by my site and thanks for the advice.

Recent blog post: Persistence - The Key To Writing Success
Lucrecio Emerito

Oh, and yes, reading is not enough.

BTW, I notice my name climbing up in that Top Commentator widget at the left. Is there a way to turn that off in my profile? I mean my comment not counted? I just want to interact, not to win. Can you help me with that?
jan

As regards the text editors: Forgive the gaps in my knowledge. :) Thanks for the links.

Will check them out. And will share them with Yatot. :)

Luke, you're a good reader, I notice. You know the right stuff. But reading is not enough. I suggest you balance it with writing.

You're far ahead than most bloggers, Luke. If you can convey the same playfulness, thoughtfulness, and humor you've shown in your comments in your would-be blog? You'd be a hit.

What's the difference in blog writing and blog commenting? Nothing. They're both parts of the same conversation. You're good at that. Trust my instinct on this.

So! When is the blog launch, Luke?
Lucrecio Emerito

Naks, may pa gap gap ka na rin ngayon? Kaw talaga.
Lucrecio Emerito

That is kind, ma'am Fifi. And I also try very hard to improve. That is why I comment a lot even if I have no blog. I realize that no matter how much I read, I'll only be good in reading not much in writing. (well, maybe a little) I realize that to write, I must practice to write.
jan

You've been a good model of this, Bingkee. Disagreeing without being disagreeable - that's your trademark. You're very forthright with your opinions and ideas. And you pull this feat off without the other person feeling demeaned by the exchange.

I can attest to that. ",)

Having said this, is it not ironic then that despite your display of levelheadedness you still fall victim to personalities who don't know how to conduct decent conversations? Maybe it's just that you've been blogging for a while now.

The longer the experience you've had the more "blessed" you become with these shady characters. ",)
jan

Don't mention it. Well, well, you're here now and even have left a comment. I'm pleased that you can come. :)
jan

"Sometimes the subject doesn't warrant a long comment but I still want the blogger to know that I stopped by and read his/her post. When I do that, I usually leave a comment like, "haven't been by for a while and wanted to stop by and say hello."

Hi, Preston, what you said? That works for me, too. It's not recommended anyway, writing long comments every single time. Just one of the options when a post does really connect with us. When that happens I really go for it. :) :)

The return traffic to my blog is just a bonus. Good if it happens. What is priceless is that you've come away from an interaction satisfied. And the likelihood that you might have gained a new friend online.

Sure, Preston. Will check it out - your new home.
fifi

@luke: your writing doesn't suck, that is just healthy dose of a little paranoia eating you up. i think all of us have this tendency not to believe so much in ourselves, unless we have delusions of grandeur, of course.

Recent blog post: bordering between thinness and madness
Holly

And then, sometimes my comments ARE posts... *DONT_KNOW*

Recent blog post: Learn Something New Every Day (May 7, 2009)
Lucrecio Emerito

Yup. That's what I was referring to. The one that runs on z/OS. But I'm still for either Emacs or VI. :p To each her own. :)
Jon

Hi Jan. Apologies for not having commented on your blog sooner and thanks for dropping by and commenting on my site, very much appreciated. Some interesting points you've made here. Thanks for the advice.
Preston

I am not in total agreement of always leaving a long comment. Sometimes the subject doesn't warrant a long comment but I still want the blogger to know that I stopped by and read his/her post. When I do that, I usually leave a comment like, "haven't been by for a while and wanted to stop by and say hello." But when I do feel the need to comment, I do believe it should be worth reading. And you are sure correct about using worn out phrases. I think most people have their brains trained to jump right over them.

Oh, if you get a chance, please stop by my newly redesigned blog at my new domain. And yes, I know that is a shameless plug but I really would like to hear your opinion about how it looks. Thanks. 8-)

Recent blog post: Golly Gee Willikers, Is Batman Gay?
Holly

ISPF was the text editor on the IBM mainframe computer - I thought it was seriously cool as a word processor because it had TS (text split) and TF (text flow), and CHANGE or CHANGE ALL. Those were the days, when I could be satisfied with something as rudimentary as that.

Then I discovered DCF (great-great-great-great-great-well, okay, not so great grandfather of XML). Funny how these things come full circle and end up right back where they started.

Recent blog post: Mother, Touchstone, Friend
Holly

That's good advice for people who wonder why they don't get more comments (of course, if you get too few comments, it's hard to show off what a welcoming host you can be). People are watching your interaction with others before daring to put a toe in the water, so to speak. I can't say I blame them! Some people are so mean. (NOTE: When I'm "mean" I'm just being silly. I'll warn you now, not only do I enjoy a good play on words, some typos are too precious to pass up without exploiting every drop of humor in them. But never in a malicious, unkind way. I really do only tease people I like.)

Recent blog post: Rules for Teens & Cell Phones
jan

Forgive the gaps in my knowledge. :) Thanks for the links.

Will check them out. But not tonight, tomorrow na lang. Will share this with Yatot tomorrow. :)
bingkee

If you don't agree with the post, just be nice and say your disagreements in a polite and courteous way. Some are really harsh and mean. And I have encountered a lot of that.

Recent blog post: L.A.TRIP PHOTOS AND A CONFESSION
Lucrecio Emerito

Hi there, Jan. Both are text editors. They have quite a following. If you are a writer or a programmer, you use editors a lot and become quite attached to them. Here's link to a very short article on the Editor Wars. It is a "Church of Emacs vs. the Cult of VI" thing.

Here's also a nice humor page. Yatot should read those as he is very religious. But I think he is already so caught up with Judayism. But he could also be a candidate to either the Church of Emacs or the Cult of VI.
Lucrecio Emerito

Hahaha. So you also know about vi. And Edlin. Cool. I used Edlin in the past but just to create short batch files. It is difficult to correct errors with it after pressing Enter.

I used VI for a while. I don't have a problem with it. But the supposed advantage of speed doesn't work for me. Navigation is supposed to be done using the right home row keys. Problem is, I don't use a QWERTY keyboard layout so my HJKL is all over the place. If I remap, my delete won't be d anymore. Many others will change too. And it would be harder to memorize what is already hard to memorize. So, I gave up on it.

Emacs is not modal like VI. But if you use Emacs, you have to switch the Caps Lock and Ctrl keys because you use Ctrl a lot.

ISPF? I don't know if what you are referring to is the thing from IBM with an interface similar to WordStar. If so, then you are a geek yourself. :) I did not have an opportunity to use it.
jan

VI and Emacs - what arcane language are you two talking about? My interest is peaked! I must really living under the rock as I don't know these things. Help! :)
jan

You've got a point there, Holly. :) Even I do that sometimes - being too shy to comment. But I just totally read and don't leave comments. On the 3rd and 4th visits, then I say to myself, "Why not, I keep coming back anyway. Might as well be heard."

But of course this after I observe how the blog owner handles his readers. That's a big factor in my enthusiasm to participate how the author responds to his readers.

Coz there are some out there - really write well. It drives me nuts figuring how the hell they come up with such powerful stuff. Sadly, they're meant to be read only.

Ah, the Multiply thing. I've not tended to it after I've registered. It's one of those things thrown in the back burner. :-[
Holly

I say "look for Stormport," but I should add the disclaimer that I rarely log in there these days.

Recent blog post: Rules for Teens & Cell Phones
Holly

Oh, geez, Jan - you're on Multiply, too? Look for Stormport.

In defense of the "good post, like your style" comments, some of these people are just shy and have no idea what "looks spammy" means. They're doing the best they can. But I like to know what it is about my style they like or found engaging, or what they think of the point I was trying to make (did they even notice I was trying to make one??) Maybe we ask too much, sometimes. I don't know. It's like getting a cracker when you really wanted cake with an inch of frosting.

Recent blog post: Rules for Teens & Cell Phones
Holly

Lucretio, get real - anyone who argues for vi has mental issues, or just wants to show off their supreme geekiness. I bow to their superiority and mutter, "Life's too short for that sh**." (I don't know about Emacs at all. I do know Edlin. But I have to tell you - ISPF rules.)

Recent blog post: Rules for Teens & Cell Phones
Lucrecio Emerito

Hi ma'am Fifi. I also had a similar thought at first (although it's a she) because I also say I like someone's writing style a lot. But good for us, Roy was referring to someone who leaves that sort of comment in every blog. We don't do that. :)

But that's a problem for me. Since my own writing sucks, I tend to appreciate almost everyone else's. :-[
jan

Ah, Z, friends are allowed to be themselves here. Keep your comment long or short. Whatever suits you.

It's more like an option when we go out visiting other blogs whose authors don't know a thing about us. We can bedazzle them with our in-depth comments. Not only the blog owner but his readers as well: "sino kayang impaktito na ito, nagmamarunong. macheck nga blog nito."

Z, it's easy to bait me. Leave a comment here and I'll check your blog. Nagkakatalo na lang sa two things:

1. the quality of your subsequent comments.

2. the quality of your blog posts

At the very least, I must have one. Two? Heaven!

You're a perfect read. You've got me on both counts. :)
Zorlone

I am guilty!

Sometimes, in my haste to go to another blog, I just say, cool! (junvenile, like what you said) Now I am learning. Thanks Jan, again you proved a good point. I am now thinking what I said the first time I visited your blog. hmmm.. I don't know anymore. I think I said somebody told me about you or something like that. he he he. That somehow caught your attention and you visited my blog! Boy, did that work! LOL. hehehe...

Now after almost endless conversations on our posts, I guess I didn't just gained a follower, but a loyal and a good friend on the this side of the blogosphere (actually, where is our side of the sphere?). I hope to make my blog more fit to my niche, i.e. poetry and short stories (okay, literature na nga!).

Btw, nice post! You rock!

Z >:o

Recent blog post: Zorlone took second place at the Woof contest
jan

Grabe! How can I even presume to teach a super commenter whiz! Am I out of my mind? This post is for those who are not completely sold on the idea that commenting brings lots of benefits for the blog commenter. Eh, super commenter ka na nga eh. hehehe.

Yeah, those restrictions in your office really put a damper on your blogging routine, I know. We'll find a way to work around this problem. Don't worry too much, Elms.

Why is that the footer link to your latest post is not showing in your comment? Strange huh.
elmot

nice post!

oooppsss, i forget, that sucks. ehehe. LOL. and the tips on your posts are the things that made me learn the ropes of commenting with prowess.

i just hope that i could still have the luxury of time making the rounds in the blogosphere for this exciting exercise big bro :D
jan

Cool. It's all right, Chania. Happens to me, too. Indeed, what will be without coffee, huh? :)
Chania Girl

Oh, dear. Did I write "Jay"? How did that happen? I blame it on the pre-coffee state. Jan it is ... unless you prefer Jay of the Musical Tonality ...

Recent blog post: Traveling Light
jan

I've discovered your blog in Barbara's Blogging Without a Blog. Must say she's right about all the good things she said in her post.

Hahaha. That's only a ballpark figure, Chania. Three sentences will do just fine, especially among online buddies.

I celebrated my fifth month of blogging the other day. A quiet celebration for a quiet blog. That's why I still have the luxury of replying to every comment made here.

Just one little note though, Chania. I'm Jan. But Jay sounds lovely, too. Sounds musical to my ears. I guess can live with that too. :)
jan

Hi Chania,

That's odd. I've received a notice and copy of your first comment in my email, but it did not appear on the comment section. JS-kit was blown out of the water with your incisive and arduously rendered comment! :)

I'd put in here. So everybody else can read it:

Chania's comment:

"Wow! You rock! Totally awesome post! (Sorry ... I could not resist. And I should have because someone else already did this which means this is a dead joke and I should probably go hang my head in shame somewhere, which I am obviously not doing.)

Anywho, now that I have sufficiently garnered at least a good 100 words toward my 500-word commenting goal, let me just say that I do appreciate your posting this. This concept of posting quality comment is really just a matter of common sense. But if actual comments are anything to go by, sadly there are less and less of folks with it nowadays.

I have been lucky to have not really had to experience too much of this ... yet (I am a new blogger as you know). But I have seen it in action on several other sites, especially on some of the A-lister's pages. And each time I do, I find myself asking "Why bother?"

As for me and my comments, well, I'm of the notion that I'm only going to comment if I have something to say. If I responded to every post in my reader every day, I would never get any actual posting of my own done and, WORSE, I could become known as a D-grade commenter (cue the bow-chick-a-wow music here) which is not what I want at all.

Having said that, I think I have now reached my 500-word commenting goal and retire to my balcony with my coffee.

This was my first visit to your page, Jay, and already I can see that this will be a fun place to visit. It was the "your comment sucks" line that did it. I'm looking forward to more good reads from you. Nice to make your acquaintance."
Chania Girl

My 500-word comment so thoughtfully and arduously rendered has just been wiped, leaving me broken-hearted. It was witty, sharp, incisive. And it is now lost to cyberspace.

Do not hold it against me. Let me not take the brand of D-grade commenter.

Loved your page, Jay. Really. (Said many wonderful things about this page ... already). "Your comment sucks." This line is why I will be coming back.

Recent blog post: Traveling Light
jan

Sabi na nga ba eh. lol. If only we have such a place or something close to it in every work place that will be heaven. Something to be found in the back lot or adjacent to our building.

Kaya nga lang our productivity might take a nose dive. ;)
yatot

hahahha... true on "mind is still swimming in the wonderful beaches of Palawan" wahahhaa... guilty me... im still sorting and uploading pictures after four office days! hahhahha... ok work mode na ulet!

Recent blog post: Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo are now happily married! Yey!
jan

I'm happy you liked it, Grandma. Anytime for you, Grandma. :)
Grandma Blog

Thank you, Jan for that wonderful comment you made on my son-in-law Happy Birthday post. I'm still chuckling over that one. I can just hear his big hearty laugh over it.

Recent blog post: Happy Birthday Dennis Engel
jan

Confession: I sneaked in American Idol while replying to comments. Must have lost it in the shuffle. :)
jan

That's a great tip, Grandma. I will make that as one of my post generating ideas.

But of course I'd still leave a comment on the blog author's post. After all, it's his or her idea that's gifted me with another blog post.

Oh, I will do that, Grandma. :)
Roy

a missing comment... and from the blog host himself! lol

Recent blog post: Can we really expect the unexpected?
jan

Well, there's power in short comments, too.

We just play to our own strengths. What matters is the commenter's sincerity as Writer Dad and Holly pointed out.

I have not problem with your comments, Lemuel. They have always been candid and helpful.

Leaving long comments I just an option I'd like to keep. Something to threaten another blog author with. hahaha. Kidding!

Thanks, Lemuel. :)
Roy

nope! my comment doesn't refer to you fifi, otherwise I could have told you directly, with us being quite an online acquaintance already.

like I said, my commenter says almost the same line in other blogs (using the trick I learned from Luke).

I don't think you do that, because your comments are obviously on-topic and I have seen you disaggree with Jan ;)

Recent blog post: Can we really expect the unexpected?
grandma Blog

Sometimes when I leave a comment I get so carried away with it, that I decide instead to make a post of my own. I don't understand why more people don't leave comments. You go to all that effort to try to make something interesting or funny and everybody ignores it. I like to honor my family with birthday post on their birthdays and they must be the most hated post of all. Nobody, not even other family members will bother to say Happy Birthday. For instance I have a post today for my son-in-law and he only got two Happy birthdays.
I wish you would go there and say Happy Birthday or something. I would love to see him get a whole bunch.

Recent blog post: Happy Birthday Dennis Engel
Lemuel Ponce

hi, yup leaving long comments will make the blog author notice you. i am afraid i can't leave 500 words or even 200 words to a post. i read the posts but words don't come easily to me. i am not really a writer so i just make a comment, around 2-3 sentences about the topic and just hope and pray the blog author will visit me back. sometimes i visit photo and paintings blog that i really like and the posts has no words! just photos, its a challenge for me since my comment should be my interpretation of the photograph.
thanks!

Recent blog post: I Got Featured in Manila Times
jan

No, you're not. Make up your mind, Yatot. :)

Your body is hard at work in your office, but your mind is still swimming in the wonderful beaches of Palawan.

Of course, I get what you mean. Making in-depth comments should only be used strategically. And in moderation, too.

Thanks, Yatot. Back to work now - your immediate superior is giving you dagger looks already. :)
jan

Your ears are on the ground? Your super fast huh. :) Any actions on my part that don't involve dark chocs I'd like to call arm twisting. So there! Wala man lang incentive noh. hahaha
yatot

well.. what can i say... another great post! cool! lols... just kidding... i can agree with you in some points except for that long comment post... though long comments can sometimes give another information that the author did not mention... long comment post can be a big help... i hope i am making sense here because my mind is really slipping right now! long comments can really sometimes get some attention... it can make someone really intelligent! lols! knowledgeable of different things! show off maybe... but it still can help! wahehhehe =-X

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yatot

i did not! lols! =-X

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jan

I find your comments well thought out, fifi. Roy, must be referring to someone else. I'm sure it's not you based on my experience interacting with you. :)

Replying to comments is not a task for me. Because I enjoy doing it.

Sometimes, I even have more fun replying to comments than I had writing a post. The interaction - the immediacy, the candidness, and the joking around, and the occasional powerful suggestions - always makes my day.

It's like being with you in the same room. Talking, laughing, even cutting each others line of thoughts to bring home a point. I look for that kind of engagement every time. It's always fulfilling to have that kind of interaction.
jan

"If you run a blog, your comment is as valuable as your own posts."

Now, why haven't I thought of that. That's a powerful message. I love it. Well, there are still lots of posts to come and this barely scratches the surface. I might use that someday. Splendid.

Hey, for what it's worth, you're in my Top Ten Commenter now.

Ah, my blog is ready for your contribution. Anytime, Francisco. On the other hand, I'm still looking for useful ideas for your readers. lol. I'm a big time slacker, I know. :-[ :)
jan

Yeah, Brad, that's the down side to leaving in-depth comments. There's a big chance there's no tangible and immediate return. But in my case, I do it to put my face and thoughts out there. I have no budget for advertising so I make up for this by blog commenting.

Oh, I'd look into your recommendation, Brad. Thanks!
jan

I don't know what my happened with JS-kit, but I had lost my reply to your comment on this one. Bummer. I wrote it last night. Must be the infernal SmartBro connection again.

Yeah, Roy. There's a lot of false enthusiasm out there. And insincere praises. Good thing that our BS radar is state of the art noh? :)

The people I know, my friends and close online buddies, have the license to be as short as possible. They have earned. Most of all you, Roy.

Don't worry about the 500-word comment. It's just a ballpark figure and an idea I impose on myself more than my readers. It's just something to work on on few high profile blogs to achieve optimum effect. ;) Yikes, that's a mouthful. lol

Strange I've never been to your Multiply page yet. If it's any consolation, I've never been to mine lately. Yatot twisted my arm to reg there. :)
jan

That's weird, Luke. Perhaps he's in love with the sound of his own voice? That or he's got too much time on his hands. :)
fifi

hi jan. you must leave not really just a long comment but one that is well-thought of. i was reviewing in my head the comments that i made and i wondered if i was the one being talked about by roy. i think i left a comment about liking one's writing style. it is one that drove me back to visit the blog again (just as what i did in this blog)). what was even surprising to me back then was when you replied to the comment with the same enthusiasm as writing your post. that may have done the trick of making your readers feel at home. plus plus, you never ignored any comment and replied to all of them.

by the way, about the book, it is "chronicles of a death foretold" by ggmarquez. i doubt if i could get clinch the top spot of this blog's commentators, i have always been out doing field work for a research of men's involvement in gender and development (off topic). tsk tsk... *DONT_KNOW*

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DiTesco

I seem to be always arriving late: I just can't manage to clinch that "first commenter" spot, either on a blog post or of the Month:) Anyway, I second everything you said. Commenting is also an extension of one's personality and as such a reflection of what you are. If you run a blog, your comment is as valuable as your own posts.

BTW, Guest posting potential, you have my friend. Are we ready for that exchange yet?

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Holly

Or get ME into trouble!! LOL!!

You know I can't resist a play on words. If I'm awake enough to notice the opportunity, that is.

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Brad Shorr

Jan, Interesting idea - I've been noticing longer post comments here and there and they do inspire me to visit the commenter's blog. But I wonder if there's enough return for the effort. I just sent out this post to my new LinkedIn Group on improving your Google ranking - please join if you're interested and bring friends.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups...

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Lucrecio Emerito

Oh, by the way, I have one. I once visited a site about the VI (vee-aye) editor. One commenter argued against VI and in favor of the Emacs editor. (There's some kind of an editor war between VI and Emacs) I followed the commenter using the trick and found him again in an Emacs site. But this time, he argued against Emacs and in favor of VI! I told my self this guy is nuts. Oh, well. Off-topic again. Sorry. =-X :-[
Lucrecio Emerito

Yeah, it's handy. But it won't work much on short names like your's and Roy's. It's more effective on longer or unique names.

I use it only when I like someone's comment. I want to read what else the person has to say. If I only follow the link to her site, I will not see the comments she left on other sites.
Roy

yup! looks like it Luke :-D

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Lucrecio Emerito

Hahaha. That's funny, Roy. So, everybody's her idol?! =-O
jan

Really? Holy Kaw! I didn't know that, Luke. Thanks, Professor Luke! This is a great little trick. Now, I will use this for sure. :)
Roy

that tip on searching a commenter's name in quotes in Google is search is great!

I searched on my commenter (see my comment below), and she all liked the style of every blogs she visited lol

If she didn't have a blog, I would have thought it was a comment bot

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jan

For the record, I love your input in my previous post. That's a remarkable comment in that it's enriched with research and neat helpings of common sense.

But then again, I always value your input. They're different - playful, humorous and candid.

Yeah, I cringe at the kind of comment. With commentluv in place now, they don't have to push their wares so hard. :)
Roy

funny, I just had a comment in one my blogs that says "I like your blog and your writing style" it was obviously her first time to be in my blog, so I wonder how can she like my style when obviously she didn't even read any of my posts?

"Nice posts" we all get that a lot. It's really lame, too spammy. Makes you appear like your a "comment bot"

There's one type of comment you forgot to mention (perhaps you haven't encountered them yet), a comment that announces a blogger's ongoing contest in his blog. Not just once, not twice... hell! not even thrice!

And he did that to all of my blogs! (remember I have 12? multiply that by the number of attempts he posted them as comments on my blog). Now, imagine how hard I'm pounding on my keyboards now as I remember those comments!

relax.... okay....

although I don't really believe in going 'against the flow' just to be different (yet, I do that at times :) )

You will know when a comment is fake, just like what I shared at the start of this comment.

Have I reached 500 words yet? Darn!

Okay, maybe I'll just do that 500 words in installment. Is that just fine?

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Lucrecio Emerito

When I visit a blog like this with well-written posts, I know that the author spent a lot of time and effort on it. And I agree that it is unfair to drop just a one-liner pre-fab comment in response.

I understand that because I myself take a lot of time to make even a simple comment like this. I read and re-read and check Google to at least remove some errors in my sentences. So, how much more for the author?

But I think this comment is worse than those you listed:

"Cool post. You should visit my blog at www.comdatcom.com" >:o

I can never be accused of that though. 8-) (for now)

As to comments "somewhere out there" that is really true. A Google search of a commenter's name in quotes will show a lot of the comments of the user.

Yes, you can always disagree as long as you do it politely and properly. If you act like a jerk, it only shows that you cannot argue properly on the points.
jan

Jaydee, salbahe you ha.

Rocky and I still have to meet and talk about it over coffee. We talked this afternoon - he called. Oh my, I thought he's one of my readers from the US. Spokening dollars - I couldn't get a word in. I was dumbfounded. My mind went whirr- whirr (Ano nga ba sa English un ganitong phrase? ano nga ba sa English un ganitong word.)

Of course, I successfully managed at the end to say, "Hey, Rocky, thanks for calling."

Hahahaha.
xprosaic

Another great post! You did it again! Cool! Awesome! You rock! Or variations thereof...Thanks a lot! Nice post! Hahahahhahah just kidding! Anyway, I thought you will use your "site"?! Is it still under construction? We just couldn't wait! Way to go! hahahahha... but seriously... :-D O:-)

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jan

Sean, when one is presented with a gift of a post I tend to clam up, especially if it's almost like a bouquet of exquisite ponies. Thank you!
jan

Uh-oh. Holly! I'm so glad I did not bring out the stimulus package in this post. Or I might get into trouble again. :)

Thanks, Holly.
Holly

"No, your comment still sucks.

Size matters"

ROFL - Jan, you're a riot. It's not the size that matters, but what you do with the tools God gave you. You're a gifted writer, and as Writer Dad already pointed out, a sincere human being. That's what brings people back to your blog.

Okay, so long comments do tend to get noticed, but if you leave a NOVEL in my blog, it had better be steamy and hold my attention!! (And if it is, why don't you publish it in a book, instead?)

You are too funny, Jan.

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Writer Dad

That is an earnest strategy, Jan. What has struck me about your comments isn't the length, it is the sincerity that is quite apparent through the syllables.

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