I had to laugh.
A few days ago, I saw a funny photo, and I found the statement particularly apt.
In the photo, we see two older women chatting on the street:
I only dare to go out on the road. It has become too bad on the Internet.
Sometimes it is. People scold, swear, troll, and annoy so much on the Internet that the street is already safer than the Facebook timeline.
On the Internet, many people seem to be losing their manners.
You can see this on blogs too: comments that are pure spam, that offend or that are subliminally arrogant.
Comments are an excellent tool for getting new visitors – if you do it right, because almost every blog offers you the opportunity to leave your URL when you comment.
If the readers find you attractive, click on your link, and you have won a new reader.
Another feature of comments is almost as important: they create a relationship between you and the blogger. Usually, the blog comment is your first encounter with another blogger. So you should make a good impression.
But how do you write good comments?
1.Have a face
Have you ever had a date when you showed up in a Spiderman costume? Or as a Duckwin Duck with a cape and mask?
Of course not.
People with a mask are immediately suspicious. They are up to something or hide something under their cape. You don’t trust such a person.
It’s no different on the Internet.
If you comment, there should be a face – your face.
As a gravatar, do not use childhood heroes or other “masks”. You shouldn’t just use the gray silhouette, which is set by default.
Take a photo where you can sleep well and look beautiful and use it as a gravatar.
Everything else just makes people suspicious – and suspicious people don’t click your link.
2. Have a name
On the Internet, many people like to hide behind a pseudonym.
If it were legally possible, many would even like to blog with a pseudonym – but this is not possible due to the obligation to provide an imprint.
I am not a dating expert, but if you introduce yourself as “Master Yedi” on your date, then I am sure that the meeting will go wrong – unless you are lucky and your counterpart does not label yourself as schizophrenic.
Therefore, use your real name when commenting.
And no, please do not use your domain as a name: “Harry from CoachingDeluxe.de.”
That looks spammy. It looks like you want to put your domain in the comment as often as possible.
So don’t do that.
Just do it: “Harry”.
There is a separate field for the domain.
3. Don’t scatter links.
Links in comments are like fire: they can keep you warm and bring joy, but you can also burn your fingers on them.
So you should treat links to your blog very carefully.
My advice: leave it.
Sure, you may be able to contribute something to the discussion, but no matter how good the link is, it always leaves an impression on the blogger:
He just wants to spread his links.
Maybe some readers have this impression too. It is tough to post a link in the comment without acting like a spammer. And spammers immediately leave an unpleasant aftertaste.
Above all, you should refrain from comments such as: “Cool, I also wrote something on this topic [Link].”
Sincerely: who cares? You join the “me too” shouts at a flea market. You can be happy if the blogger unlocks your comment at all.
If you want to arouse interest and trust, leave the scattering of links in the comment field entirely.
There are better ways to get backlinks.
4. Don’t stink
Self-praise stinks, even on the Internet.
Some people love their voice so much that they can tell you for 15 minutes what they had breakfast and how tenderly the butter melted on their tongues.
Unfortunately, you can also see self-praise in blog comments. And to clarify: self-praise has lost nothing.
How to read comments like:
- “I’ve been implementing all these tips for years. That’s why I have the leading blog in my niche. Have a look; there you can learn something. “
- “Nothing new in this post, I’ve been doing everything for years.”
- “Oh yes: I can make a good living from my blog income and only paid the deposit for my Mercedes SLK yesterday.”
My thought with such comments: Nice for you. You get an order. Pat your shoulder three times.
Seriously: hold yourself back in a comment with self-praise. Otherwise, you are immediately unappealing.
Oh yes: mockery, destructive criticism and sarcasm also stink.
5. Read the article
Yes, this is not a matter, of course.
This phenomenon is often seen on Facebook, where people only see the headline of the article, but are already diligently writing hate comments on Facebook or otherwise adding their mustard.
If you don’t want to go through as a mustard slingshot, then show with your comment that you’ve read the article.
So don’t write: “Great article.”
But: “I loved the example with the mustard. That made the problem so clear to me. “
Do you see the difference
Be as specific as possible and refer to the article – the more specific, the better, because then you can also start a dialogue.
6. Show appreciation
People love recognition.
And when you give others credit, it has a significant effect: people love you too.
Imagine your circle of friends, and a “new” comes into the round. He criticizes each of your friends, enumerates quick facts, and makes an effort to stand in a great light.
Then a second newcomer comes around, and he gives praise. He sincerely praises your friends’ shoes, their smiles and is interested in them.
Which person do you find more likable?
The second, of course. Those who give recognition also get recognition from others.
Therefore, you should always show appreciation in your comments. No, you shouldn’t crawl or slime in the other’s butt, but give honest praise.
As a reminder: When you put it in, you tell people what they want to hear. When you praise, you tell people what they don’t expect.
So your comment should contain a simple element: the compliment.
I don’t say that because I want you to praise me in the comments, but because it should be so. Compliments are the best way to make yourself accessible.
7. Increase the value
Now comes the coronation.
The most important aspect of a useful comment is that it offers added value. Ideally, your comment should increase the value of the article and not decrease it (as unfortunately, spam comments do).
You can deliver added value in the following variants:
- Tell about personal experiences – Often, in a blog article, you only see one person’s skills. If you bring your expertise into the discussion, people will know that it works for others or that you can do it differently. A good experience report leads readers to this reaction: “Oh, he had the same problem as me. I’ll take a look at his blog. “
- Ask meaningful questions – in your comments; you should ask questions that others might ask – then other readers will see the answer directly. You should also ask questions that are as specific and goal-oriented as possible. An excellent question is always: “How would you approach Problem X? I can’t get any further … “
- Add a point – Many bloggers like to write list posts with a fixed number of points. If you can think of another, it would be the perfect material for comment. But please don’t be spiteful or with your big index finger. Just put your tip on the table. If you are lucky, the blogger will even add your comment to his article.
Improve the world
There are enough trolls and spammers on the Internet to make the web a place you don’t like to travel.
We can change that. We can start with ourselves and write comments that are not spammy. Comments that add value. Comments that give honest recognition and do not burst with self-praise.
In the end, only everyone can win: the blogger gets more comments. Good comments get you more attention. And you two enter into a dialogue.
What more do you want?
