How to use blog comments as a marketing strategy



Contributing Writer
Illustration: Laboratory Credit: Mandie LeScum


Time is far more scarce than money, reasonable gas prices, and a halfway decent reality show (yeah, I’m looking at you “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”).

Reading and commenting on blogs takes an incredible amount of time.  I used to write a humor blog, and during the beginning months, I would literally spend several hours a day reading and commenting on blog posts to get my little blog engine that could’s name out there.

However, much like spending hours on Twitter or Facebook stalking isn’t doing much to boost your business, neither is leaving ‘that’s awesome!’ on random blogs throughout the internet. Generic comments such as these are like empty calories—they don’t accomplish anything.  And quite frankly, they’re pretty annoying.

Before reading and leaving a comment:

1. Ask yourself if and how commenting will benefit you—reading blogs can be a major time-suck. If the blog post you’re considering commenting on can potentially help your business (e.g. the blog’s readership consists of your target market) then totally comment.

2. Make sure you have something to say relevant to the topic—you can agree or disagree with the subject matter, but either way, you must provide substance. Doing so shows other readers that, hey— this chick knows what she’s talking about!

Why you should comment in the first place

I know. Your brain is tired. You’re running this business and possibly holding down a 9-5 on top of that.  If you see and click on another link you might go postal. I hear you.

But sometimes all it takes is leaving one great comment on a blog to help you out. Anyone out there want more traffic to their site? That’s what I thought. And leaving a good comment can bring it.

Remember what I said 10 seconds ago showing readers that you know what you’re talking about?  When they see that, and think you could be a resource for them, they click on over from the comment to your site. A couple weeks ago I left a comment at Design Sponge on a Biz Ladies post and got over 30 visitors from it in one afternoon.

But right. Time = scarce.

Here’s a solution: pick just 2 blogs where your target market hangs out and try and comment (preferably within one of the first 10 comments) on posts that you can add value to. Check your analytics later to see if the comment drove any traffic to your site.

If not—no sweat. Keep trying. Or pick another blog then lather, rinse repeat.

Photo Credits

Tiffany Clarke Harrison

Tiffany Clarke Harrison

Founder/Writer at blah cubed

Tiffany Clarke Harrison is a copywriter for creative women entrepreneurs who are rockin’ their talents through businesses that help others live and enjoy their best life (e.g. business and life coaches, culinary goddesses, fitness instructors). She’s the author of ‘Read All Over: The Creative Girl’s Guide to Writing for her Business’ Website’, and 24/7 husband & toddler-wrangler. Want more from Tiffany? Subscribe today!

Tiffany Clarke Harrison

@@blah_cubed

Tiffany Clarke Harrison

Tiffany Clarke Harrison

  • @HilaryOutThere

    I’ve got that commenting part down, now all I need is a blog and a monetization scheme. Hmmm shall I direct you to my sorry selling autobiographical ebooks or my thriving but extraordinarily straight-laced mortgage loan business? Yes, time is the issue, and I have several subscriptions…but little time to read them!

  • Sandy Appleyard

    I do agree that reading many blogs wastes some time if the posts aren’t chosen effectively, but I must say that I’ve found more useful information in the posts I’ve read than I’ve ever found by surfing the net. Am I the only one who has such luck?

  • Sam Klaidman

    Love the idea of concentrating on a small number of blogs for a period of weeks before changing venues. The analytical will then be meaningful.

  • http://twitter.com/PTheWyse Praverb.net

    I agree with you Tiffany in regards to selecting a few blogs to focus on. TIme is definitely an issue. I always think that the blog comment should add value to the conversation.

    What do you think?

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