The top three questions that I am asked about blogging are:
- Why don't we get more comments?
- How do we get more comments?
- Should comments be turned on or off?
The questions are understandable because so many of the early adapters to the social media channel have declared that comments are king. Maybe they are if you want to be the next guru, but they don't matter much for most business blogs.
The objectives of business blogs include brand recognition, acquiring and retaining customers, and increasing sales. If comments aren't moving the company toward the objectives, they add drama, not value. Contrary to the hype, our research has shown that the posts that generate the most sales rarely have comments.
How could this be when almost every ranking tool and social media guru use comments to measure a blog's success? You can't measure what you can't see. Comments are visible to the world. Internal sales are hidden. Using the number of comments as a barometer provides a visible reference point where the people making the rules can show their superiority.
When business bloggers buy into the "comments are king" mentality they sacrifice long term benefits for the instant gratification of knowing that people read the post and were motivated to comment. If receiving comments lead to fulfilling the objectives of the blog, everything would work out for the best of the company. The problem is that the posts that generate comments rarely move people to the next step in the sales and loyalty staircase.
Before following recommendations for increasing comments, think about how they apply to your business objectives. Five popular tactics are:
- Write something controversial. This will get more comments than any other tactic. Throwing down the gauntlet on a controversial subject creates a commenting frenzy. There is a lot of drama and traffic. Unfortunately, people are so busy supporting their position, they missing your marketing message. (The one you forgot to present in the grab for the comment golden ring.)
- Ask for comments. Issuing a call to action is a proven marketing tactic. It will get comments. The question that needs to be asked is "do we want people to comment or buy?" Don't distract people from moving into the sales funnel by encouraging them to stay on your blog and chat.
- Leave something unsaid. The posts that drive the most sales are the ones that answer questions and solve problems for your customers and prospects. Leaving something unsaid gives people the opportunity to answer the question and generates comments. It also shifts your credibility as the expert to the people who solve the problem for your customers and prospects.
- Challenge the leaders. Calling people out when they provide misinformation can be a public service. It can also appear mean-spirited and unprofessional. Evaluate the pros and cons before doing this because it can backfire.
- Comment on other blogs. This is a myth that needs to be dispelled. Commenting on other blogs doesn't increase traffic or comments on your blog. The default setting on links posted in comments are "nofollow." This tells search bots to ignore the link. It began as a Google recommendation in 2005 to reduce spam and became the standard. Ironically, most of the bloggers who recommend commenting on other blogs, have nofollow settings.
Managing a blog that receives comments takes time and effort. Make sure that the comments will serve your business before investing resources in increasing them. If you don't, you'll get more drama than value. And, when you are thinking about questions that will improve your blog, try these for starters:
- How can we provide better information so our customers and prospects make better buying decisions?
- What problems can we solve for our customers and prospects that help them and establish us as the best in our industry?
- Is our blog optimized for content and search benefits?
The answers will move your business forward.