Brought To You By: The Community Marketing Blog www.communitymarketingblog.com Author: Andrew Ballenthin President of Sol Solutions, an Integrated Marketing Consultancy 25 Reasons Why Nobody Comments On Your Blog How to Fix The Zero Comment Problem. [email protected]
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8/14/2019 25 Reasons Why Nobody Comments on Your Blog
This problem is more of an epidemic than what you might first think. Blogs like “open mike” by
retired Executive Chairman Mike Critelli of Pitney Bowes and world electronics giant Hitachi see an
average of 0-5 comments a post. If voices for these multi-billion global businesses have these
challenges it’s not unreasonable for the rest of us to see similar results.
Many of the solutions to generating audience participation are found in what great marketing, public
relations and journalism have always taught. Some of the answers are unique to social media. We
wanted to get specific on why people don’t comment on blogs and social network posts so we
wrote a blog that started with just 5 issues and asked LinkedIn members what they thought.
The following problems and solutions are based on a review of over 130 comments that replied to
the original post “5 Reasons Why Nobody Comments on Your Blog and Posts”. To see the original
blog go to http://tinyurl.com/y8jpbdn. Many more ideas are available on the blog. Please enjoy thefollowing pages and tell us about your results on the noted URL.
11. Fear of Being First - A certain part of an audience is afraid of being the first person to comment.
There can be a fear of being read by everyone and potentially critiqued as a result. In reality this
rarely happens. Ask a contact that doesn’t mind being first to share their view and get things started.
12. Worried About Getting It Wrong - Another part of your audience fears they won’t say the right
thing and could be criticized in public. In most cases this seldom happens. By replying to comments
and thanking and praising commentators it’s possible to encourage a few more people to join in.
13. Not Wanting A Digital Footprint - Pretty much everything you do online creates a history of
your activity anyone can access. Some people prefer their privacy and do not want to leave
footprints behind. Either you will gain this segment’s loyalty or not. Focus on easier to reach groups.
14. Only .25% to 1% Comment - Depending on the loyalty of the audience and how hot the topic is,
expect only .25% to 1% of your audience to comment. In rare instances a highly engaged and loyal
readership can generate up to 5% plus comment conversions (comments as a percent of page views).
15. It’s Not Always Predictable - Even experienced online writers with over 5-10 years experience
will tell you that content they thought would do great fails and other articles they write in minutesdoes well. Stay focused on larger goals so periodic disappointment does not derail motivation.
16. Have an Opinion - Posts and blogs fail because the content is too vanilla (boring). If you
think the topic is too average turn it on its head and form a professionally strong opinion on the
topic. When you take a definite position people will be more stimulated and offer their opinion back.
17. Project Personality - Being professional, polished and neutral can put people to sleep. Adopt
a consistent writing style such as humour, cynical, authoritative or industry critic. This persona
needs to match your brand. Edgy wording can make a neutral story spring to life.
18. Know The Hot Buttons - It’s easy to talk about what you know, and you should, but so does
everyone else. Stop and think about what customers complain about, what their dreams are, what
action they should they take but never do. Push the right buttons you’ll rouse opinion and action.
19. Pick Perfect Timing - Sharing your content at a time that is convenient for your schedule may
be the absolutely the wrong time for your audience. Find out what time people check their favorite
sites for your type of posts. If your audience isn’t there they can’t comment.
20. Know Your Audience - People connect with content and communities they relate to. Do not
assume topics that are important to your business are what your audience wants. Merge yourpassion and leadership with your audience’s needs and you’ll find a stronger connection.
21. Get The Title Right - Your title may be putting people off. If you cannot catch someone’s atten-
tion within 4-7 words with a strong reason to read further they won’t make it to the comment section.
Look at newspapers, magazines and great advertising for examples of titles that pack a punch.
5 Game Changers
22. Strategically Ask For Input - Many people are conditioned not to comment because they’re used
to news and information articles. You want to change this. Develop a style of asking questions
throughout a post to stimulate your audience into thinking about sharing their input.
23. Remind Them To Comment - Most people do not read with the intent of commenting. By remind-
ing them there is a comment section at the end of the article/post it sets an expectation that you are
looking for their participation. Small steps can make a big difference.
24. Offer A Next Step - By changing the tone of many of your articles into a research and audience
participation mode, more people who want their opinion to be know will step forward. Suggest that
you will be doing a future article based on input and would welcome their perspective.
25. Respond To Comments - After you have the first comment, even if it was started by a client or
colleague, reply to it. People are more likely to add their input when they see a discussion and aquantity of comments. Most importantly, remember genuine dialogue builds audience trust.
Communication disciplines such as marketing, public relations and
mass media recognize that success is 99% perspiration and 1%
inspiration. If you want more success it’s best to eliminate chance
and begin mastering your activity as interconnected processes.
Target Audience - know who you want to talk to, what’s important to
them and how they want to interact with your business. Comments
come easier when people relate to you.
Conclusion
Content - take the time to be original, have a point of view, a personality and a
definite position. Match this to your audience’s needs to create a connection.
Traffic - if you produce content you are responsible for letting people know where, when and how to find
it. The greater the quality and quantity of visitors you have the more you improve potential comments.
Technique - if you want your social network posting and blogging to generate dialogue with your
audience take the time to learn new skills. Study engagement techniques in marketing and mass media as
a foundation and learn what works for other people in social media. By mastering new techniques thatinspire comments it’s possible to move from a content creator to an interactive community.