Today's post is really very simple. I've mentioned before how important comments are to bloggers. Though we don't want to be blogging just for comments - it's sometimes the only way that we know somebody likes what we say or disagrees with us or is touched or moved by our words. While bloggers' words encourage readers, readers' words (comments) encourage bloggers. We need both to keep the circle of blog life going! :)
Bloggers often get too busy to leave comments (myself included), but as bloggers we should take some time each day or week to leave comments here and there. It's part of the give and take of the blogosphere. In order to build that sense of community, we need to "get out" in the blogosphere and make connections. If we just hide out on our own blog, we'll have less friends stopping by. Focus on encouraging others through your comments and you'll find that you are encouraged in return!
Readers who are not bloggers often don't realize the impact of a comment or don't even realize just how to leave a comment! Bloggers - make it easy for your readers! Make sure your comments link is easy to find and try to avoid the word verification if possible. Sometimes bloggers name their comments something else - that could be confusing if you're not a blogger. As far as word verification, I know many bloggers who simply will not comment if word verification is present and others who can't do it if reading on a smart phone. Blogs have spam filters now that work quite well. Also, you can set up comments on posts older than 14 days (that's what I use) to be approved first. I find that most spammers make their attempts on older posts - so their comments never get published on my blog (that gives me so much satisfaction - LOL). You can disagree with me friends (do share your opinion on it in the comments) - but I say give up the word verification!
Let's spend some time commenting on blogs over this next week! You can leave a longer comment on a post that touches/moves you or just say you stopped by to say hi and keep up the good work! I'm including the list of bloggers here that have been commenting on my Encouraging Bloggers series and bloggers that have been supportive on Twitter too.
Here's what I would love for all of us to do: Leave comments on at least 3 blogs that could use a little encouragement (either blogs from this list or other smaller blogs or struggling blogs that you find - that means not Pioneer Woman - LOL) and leave a comment here telling me which 3 blogs you commented on! I have a little surprise to reward you for encouraging others - one of you lovelies who does this and leaves a comment will win a $5 Starbucks card (if you're out of the USA & deprived of Starbucks, then we'll figure out some other $5 gift for you)!!! You have through next Wednesday 10/12 to git r' done! :)
**Giveaway Closed - Congrats to Lisa!**
Blogs that have commented/tweeted on this series (thank you to all of you for your great input and encouragement)...
~ Homesteader's Heart
~ Joyful Hearts and Faces
~ She Thinks Too Much
~ Here's My Cup Lord
~ Triple Braided
~ The Magoos News
~ Fill My Cup...With Beauty
~ Sunnyside Fun
~ The Tablet of My Heart
~ A Walk Along The Way
~ Eight Acres of Eden
~ The Cozy Nook
~ Busy Lil Homemaker
~ Splashin' Glory
~ My Freshly Brewed Life
~ Sweet & Savory
~ A Heart Surrendered
~ Honest & Truly
~ Unpaved Roads
~ Pennies and Blessings
~ Teri Lynne Underwood
~ The Creative Raccoon
I know several of you are great about leaving comments and I applaud you!! For the rest of us - what keeps us from leaving a comment? Are we trying to keep up with too many blogs? Do you leave less comments now than you did when you were a beginning blogger? Are you a non-blogging reader that isn't sure how to leave comments? If so, just click down below (below "Posted by") right where it says a number of "comments", scroll down to the comment box, type your comment in the box, then choose your identity - you can even sign in as anonymous and just include your name within the comment - then click on Publish Comment!
Go forth and comment!! Have a great and encouraging day friends!
Great post my friend but you know I still get spam when I turn off the word verification but just because you suggested it, I'll try it again and see if it helps. LOL!
ReplyDeleteLet's see now, I stopped by The Magoo News, Fill My Cup With Beauty, Busy Lil' Homemaker, A Heart Surrendered and Pennies and Blessings. I think I'm doing pretty good. Hee! Hee!
Big commenting on your blog is a no brainer these days size hugs to you!
Love you my friend.
Kim
So far, the only blog I've commented on is Homesteader's Heart. Kim is a dear friend (she's how I found you), so I regularly read and comment on her blog. I will visit a couple of the other "encouraging bloggers" blogs later this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to respond to Kim's comment about word verification. I have never used it, and I don't have a problem with spam....never had any. I wonder why you do?
I find the blogs that have the comment embedded below the post to give me the most problem with commenting. Sometimes, those comments just disappear into cyberspace.
Sorry for the long, wordy comment. (Most comments I leave are wordy like this.)
Have a lovely weekend,
Patti
Such lovely words to share :). And yes, everyone enjoys thoughtful feedback on their posts.
ReplyDeleteAs for word verification - I can't tell you how many times I've missed having a comment sent because of a delay in word verification (which I often don't realize until I've hastily closed a couple comment windows on a particular blog). Then I'm too frustrated to repost my sometimes lengthy reply. Grrr.
Great post, once again. Comments are very important to us bloggers, it makes us think what we are doing is really being read and either likes or not. Like you said, it's isn't the world, but it is nice to have some feedback!
ReplyDeleteI recently inserted "Disqus" on my comments, much more user friendly!
Thank you for your encouragement. I visited and commented on "Fill My Cup with Beauty", "She Thinks Too Much", and "Joyful Hearts and Faces".
ReplyDeleteHave a super week!
I saw your tweet tonight so I thought I would some take a look around. I think this is my first visit to your cute blog. Good idea encouraging comments, it encouraged me to leave one for you. :)
ReplyDeleteAmy @ Missional Mama
That is exactly what I am doing tonight. I've been so busy over the last few months that I have let all of my online stuff slide. But I realized how much I missed it. So I am trying to slowly get back into the habit. Thanks for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I do have one of those nasty word verifications. Sorry! But I was having so much trouble with spam comments...like 300-400/day. So my tech person put it on there. It has helped. I could probably drop it now. But I need to figure out how to do it (remember little online time) I know...excuses, excuses ;)
Blessings to you my friend!
This is a nice series you have put together. I don't blog anymore, but it has very helpful advice. I do take issue with this post though. I am so so tired of bloggers saying how important comments are to them. I can't tell you how many blogs I've visited and commented on, and gotten absolutely no reply. Many times I follow a rabbit trail from another blog, Facebook, Pinterest, whatever, and end up on a blog I don't normally visit. I have left nice, thoughtful comments on posts that have very few replies. I know that dozens of bloggers can't be *that* busy. I'm not talking about Pioneer Woman or someone with thousands of comments. And, what is the point of replying to comments within your own post without the option for the commenter to subscribe to follow up comments. If I pop over from somewhere else, I'm probably never going to come back and see the comment on your blog. Even if you're in my reader, I'm probably not going to keep checking the post to see if you commented back. And, no my email is not broken:) I have actually gotten one or two comments back. I rarely comment anymore because I think it's pointless. I hate to be so negative here, I know you are so sweet and your bloggy friends are too. But, this has just been a bee in my bonnet for so long, I had to vent.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this series. I'm looking forward to reading all the posts, but I jumped to this one in particular. Very encouraging to me. What stops me from commenting is, I think, insecurity. I often feel like I don't really have anything of substance to add--but I've been working on it. Even if my comment is just a simple thank you for the information--it's a start.
ReplyDeleteI know on my own blog, I get so excited when I see someone has commented--I don't think that will ever get old.
Well, for a former "non-commenter" I certainly left a long comment. : )
I look forward to coming back and checking out your other posts. Thanks~Eileen