How to leave comments on blogs? When it comes to growing your blog’s audience, leaving comments on other blogs is a common recommendation.

This advice has been around for a long time and is often the first tip you’ll encounter. In fact, I’ve seen it mentioned many times and have even suggested it myself.

Why do we leave comments on others’ blogs?

• Increase Your Visibility: Leaving a comment on someone else’s blog can help you get noticed and build your online presence.
• Establish Your Expertise: Sharing your knowledge and experiences in a thoughtful comment can help you establish yourself as an expert in your field.
• Build Relationships: Commenting on other people’s blogs is a great way to connect with other bloggers and build relationships.
• Drive Traffic to Your Blog: When you leave a comment on someone else’s blog, readers may be curious about you and visit your blog.
• Spark New Ideas: Engaging in conversations in other blog comments can often inspire new ideas for your own blog.
• Stay Informed: Reading and commenting on other blogs is a great way to stay up-to-date with industry trends and keep your mind active.
• Open Doors: You never know where a great comment might lead. It could lead to guest post opportunities, collaboration, or other unexpected opportunities.

The problem of leaving comments

Leaving comments on other people’s blogs can be a powerful way to grow your traffic. However, there is one problem that you should be aware of: if you don’t do it correctly, it can damage your blog’s reputation. We’ll explore how to leave comments effectively and what to avoid.

Different Types of Comments

There are four types of commenters that I’ve observed over the last decade, and most of us likely fall somewhere along this spectrum.

The Spammers

We’ve all encountered them – commenters who leave irrelevant messages filled with keyword-rich links in an attempt to improve their Google ranking. Often, these comments are generated automatically and get caught in spam filters. These types of comments are universally recognized as spam and should be marked as such.

The Spammy Self-Promoter

Commenters in this group put in some effort by manually leaving comments and trying to keep them slightly relevant. However, their primary goal is to get a link to their site or improve their search ranking. They often use tactics that make their intentions obvious.

For instance, they don’t use personal names and instead use names like “Best Dog Biscuits” or “Hawaii Accommodation”. Their comments rarely add value to the conversation and consist of generic statements like “great post”. Alternatively, they may try to be controversial to get attention.

This group also leaves links in their comments that are unrelated to the post. Their comments are impersonal, irrelevant, and self-promotional.

While some of these comments may get past spam filters, most bloggers will delete them. Since most blogs use nofollow links in comments, there is no search ranking benefits for the commenter. Moreover, readers are unlikely to click on their spammy links.

The Value-Driven Commenter

This type of commenter is doing it right. They have read the post and have something valuable to contribute. Their comments may not be lengthy or in-depth, but they add to the conversation in a thoughtful and relevant way.

This group might share a personal story, provide an example, offer a different perspective, answer a question, or provide some other form of value to the blogger and their readers.

The Value-Driven Commenter is focused on delivering value, but in doing so, they build their profile and credibility. They are looking for a win/win exchange, where both the blogger and readers get value from their comments, and they may get some traffic and recognition from the exchange.

The best Value-Driven Commenters tend to use a personal name and avatar. They leave fewer comments than the previous groups, but their comments are more effective.

Note: It’s worth registering for a Gravatar account as it’s often used for avatars on many blogs.

The Value Provider Who Gets No Value Back

A rare group of commenters falls at the other end of the spectrum: those who are solely focused on delivering value and don’t promote themselves for various reasons.

While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, some bloggers are so shy or afraid of being seen as spammers that they never leave a link back to their own blog. However, if you provide value, most bloggers wouldn’t mind you leaving a link, or they wouldn’t have a field in their comments section for that purpose.

One blogger I encountered recently said he never leaves links because he heard it could get him in trouble with Google. While Google does look for unnatural links, they don’t have a problem with genuine comments. In fact, Matt Cutts from Google made a video on this topic.

Tips for Effectively Leaving Comments on Other Blogs

Here are 11 tips for making your comments stand out on other blogs:

• Be the Value-Driven Commenter: Provide value to the blogger and their readers by sharing relevant, insightful, and thoughtful comments.
• Use Your Real Name: Use your real name instead of a keyword-rich name that screams spam.
• Create a Personal Avatar: Create a personal avatar that helps you stand out and gives you a unique identity.
• Use a Gravatar: Register for a Gravatar account that you can use across multiple blogs.
• Stay On Topic: Stay on topic and relevant to the post and the conversation.
• Add to the Conversation: Add to the conversation by sharing a personal story, an example, or a different perspective.
• Ask Questions: Ask relevant questions that spark further discussion.
• Be Polite and Respectful: Be polite and respectful in your comments, even if you disagree with the blogger or other commenters.
• Don’t Self-Promote: Don’t use comments as a way to self-promote. Instead, focus on delivering value.
• Don’t Be Controversial for the Sake of It: Avoid being controversial just to get attention. It’s better to provide value and build relationships.
• Follow Up: Follow up on your comments by responding to others and engaging in further discussions.

Additional Tips for Leaving Comments on Other Blogs

Here are two more tips for effectively leaving comments on other blogs:

• Share the Post on Social Media: When you leave a valuable comment on a blog post, share the post on your social media accounts. This shows the blogger that you’re willing to engage and promote their blog, which can build a positive impression and enhance your brand.
• Blog About the Post: If you think a blog post and the comment thread are of high value, consider blogging about the post on your own blog. This can have a significant impact and enhance your reputation as a thought leader in your field.
• Regularly Comment on the Same Blog: Leaving regular comments on the same blog can be worthwhile. While a one-time comment can have an impact, regular engagement can exponentially increase your impact. However, be sure not to dominate the blog by leaving too many comments.

Things to Avoid When Leaving Comments on Other Blogs

While leaving comments on other blogs can be a great way to build your brand and reputation, there are some things you should avoid to prevent damaging your reputation:

Additional Things to Avoid When Leaving Comments on Other Blogs

• Excessive Use of Signatures: Avoid leaving excessive links to your blog in your comments, as this can come across as spammy.
• Excessive Self-Linking: Only leave links that are relevant and add value to the conversation.
• One or Two-Word Comments: Add value to the conversation by providing thoughtful comments that explain why you think a post is great.
• Not Reading Posts Before Commenting: Take the time to read the post and other comments before leaving your own comment.
• Flaming and Personal Attacks: Be constructive in your comments, even if you disagree with the blogger or other commenters.
• Anonymous Flaming: If you have something to say, put your name to it.
• Always Being the First to Comment: Allow others to contribute to the conversation before leaving your own comment.
• Dominating Comment Threads: Listen to others and allow them to contribute to the conversation.
• Keyword-Stuffed Names: Use your real name instead of a keyword-stuffed name that comes across as spammy.
• Not Adding Value to Comments: Focus on adding value to the conversation, as this is what ultimately enhances your brand and reputation.