Cultivating a lively comments section on your blog or website is a sure fire way of building a loyal audience that’s open to conversion.
Unfortunately, most webmasters find stimulating commentary to be a very tough challenge.
Over at Quicksprout.com, content guru Neil Patel generates are 176 comments per blog post. Patel recently shared some of his tips for building an active comments section and here are a few of his best ones.
- Connect Emotionally – You don’t have to bear your darkest secrets, but readers like having someone to connect with. Establishing a connection can be as simple as posting a sincere biography on your About Us section.
- Don’t Ignore Comments – Good or bad, funny or sad, you must respond to every comment that’s posted on your site. If you’re readers think you’re ignoring them, they won’t be your readers for long. Besides, regular interaction is great for your reputation.
- Give a Damn – Interaction is more than just commenting. Showing that your’re really interested in your readers’ day-to-day activities isn’t just polite, it increases retention.
- Harvest e-Mail Addresses – e-Mail may be quickly turning into a legacy technology, but it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Newsletter stories that are easy to comment on directly get more action in the long run.
- Create Conversions – Good calls-to-action (CTA’s) are operate slightly below the surface and are integrated into standard content. Here again,
- Experiment with Posting Frequency – Every blog has a sweet spot for snaring comments. Sometimes frequent posts draw out the comments and sometimes the reverse is true. A simple spread sheet tracking daily comments can help you quickly zero in on your commenting sweet spot.
- Maintain Your Voice – This one goes alongside establishing an emotional connection and is oftentimes overlooked in the rush to post up as often as possible. Keeping a consistent tone in your posts really connect with your blog. As Patel puts it, your voice helps your reader see, “…the blog as a place to go to get information… versus seeing it as a community.”
- Innovate – There are plenty of ways to promote your comments section across your whole site and newsletters. Webmasters can also get readers more involved by rewarding top posters with prizes and recognition.
An active comments section adds life and color to any site and is certainly worth pursuing. It will definitely take some time to get going, but once it’s established, your site will be incredibly sticky.
Make that emotional connection with CAP by sharing your thoughts on this story in the comments section below.