Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping authors achieve their dreams

How to Write a Good Blog Comment

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Photo by Ped-X-Ing via Creative Commons

The art of writing blog comments may at first blush seem like a frivolous and unimportant one, but that is not actually the case!

Writing excellent blog comments is perhaps the very best way to build your own blog and/or social media presence. Consider a blog comment an audition to show off your own personal awesomeness.

Not all blog comments are created equal. Here are some good rules of thumb as you work your way up to becoming a blog comment ninja.

Read the Post You’re Commenting On, Then At Least Scan it Again

Yes, this takes time and the careful suppression of twitchy fingers. But there is no quicker way to leave an ineffective blog comment than to miss something in the actual post or to accuse the poster of saying something they didn’t actually say.

Accuracy is important. Good blog comments take into account the entire post and then come up with a good and original response. So not only take the time to actually really read the post, keep the comment on topic rather than bringing in an outside and unrelated agenda.

That said……

Get There Early

The most effective and influential comments are near the top of the comments section. Don’t work so fast writing your comment that you don’t leave a good one, but don’t dillydally either. Having a great comment in the first five to ten comments will get you noticed and will also probably result in a better discussion after your comment, which will please your host.

Scan the Other Comments First

Some might say that you should read every comment before yours. But people, it’s a busy world out there. It’s probably not strictly necessary.

But! At least go through and scan to see if someone else has said what you’re about to say. The first commenter who makes the Lady Gaga comparison is savvy. The tenth person who does it is annoying.

Give the Blogger the Benefit of the Doubt

While it is oh-so-tempting to spout off when someone says something inaccurate or that you don’t agree with, you don’t look better for stooping to that blogger’s level and engaging in a rant. Even if they deserve it.

Try and at least give the blogger the benefit of the doubt. They might not have meant for things to come out the way they did, and even if they did mean it, you look like the bigger person for treating them with patience and respect and staying above the fray.

Be Interesting and/or Funny

Have an interesting perspective. Bring interesting and/or rare pieces of knowledge. But most of all, be funny.

When it comes to good blog comments, funny wins every time.

Become a Regular

The very best way to be noticed isn’t with one really great comment, but rather with consistently good comments in the same place(s) over time. If you become a regular and valued commenter on a blog or site, the other readers of that site will take notice and are more likely to come your way.

Much like Cheers, you want to go where everybody knows your name.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Flower Patch Farmgirl says

    First-timer here.

    I recently posted about a situation in my life and said, very specifically, "The waiting is not the hardest part". One of my regular commenters wrote back, "I agree! Waiting is ALWAYS the hardest part!"

    Sheesh.

    Great post. You know we all think about this very topic. At least us writer types do.

  3. Lee Wind says

    Love the timing with our 3rd Annual Comment Challenge in the kidlitosphere! And as always, Nathan, great advice. (which of course, as commenter #102, I'm not strictly following…)

    Namaste,
    Lee

  4. Stephanie@thecrackedslipper says

    I'm breaking multiple rules here. First, I'm late. Second, I'm not reading the 102 comments in front of me. Third, this post is not funny because I will make the assumption that said 102 comments have squeezed every last drop of humor from this topic.

    Who cares because no one is reading this thread any more anyway, right? Will return soon with witty, early commentary!

  5. Anonymous says

    Eh?

    I always thought that the blog comments were meant for the person who wrote the blog?

    This particular blog says a lot about you – something so simple as a comments section… and you believe we should learn to manipulate it for… what?… social networking purposes?

    Jesus, man, give it a rest. You're such a type-A personality.

    And posting rapidly as to get your comment in first so that it will be high up on the page, and will therefore be seen by more people – man that's just shallow. That is just totally shallow.

    I can only hope that one day you will learn wisdom, and see that a person's post should be measured, not by how high up on the page it rests, but rather by the content of the post itself.

    Also, since we're being so shallow here, I should probably point out that you forgot to mention something vital. If you really want your comment to draw attention, and you happen to be a strikingly beautiful female, then you should make sure to post your picture. I guarantee that males will stop and read your comment.

    Jesus… shallow.

  6. Nathan Bransford says

    "I can only hope that one day you will learn wisdom, and see that a person's post should be measured, not by how high up on the page it rests, but rather by the content of the post itself."

    Irony, thy name is anonymous.

  7. Anonymous says

    Yeah, but you know who I am anyhow.

    Nevertheless, for the record, my name:

    My first name is Anon. My middle initial is E. My last name is Moose.

    Anon E. Moose.

    Get it! Anon E. Moose – ha! I crack myself up.

  8. tamarapaulin says

    The comments I HATE are on recipe blogs, where someone will post that the recipe is indeed terrific, and they just made it, but they substituted yams for potatoes, salmon for chicken, cut the dairy, added some curry powder, and changed it from a soup to a stirfry.

  9. February Grace says

    OMG you guys- did you see that? Jedi Master Bransford replied to an Anon at like post 104! He read all the way to the end! Squeee!

    Doing that you're going to give us hope that you actually get to read all the comments…'course remembering how fast you went through your inbox (query-processing Ninja that you were…) maybe you do!

    Since you're here, can I offer you a Twinkie? Zinger? Cupcake? Or maybe you're more a Ding Dong kind of guy. I know I actually much prefer those myself.

    ~bru

  11. Laurel Ann (Austenprose) says

    Major FAIL on my part. 1. Too late to the fray. Comment 111. Ack already a looser. 2. After 110 brilliant responses the pressure is killing me to say something insightful or witty, so I can't. Not that talented. 3.Blog commenting is an art, but do we have to make it a science too? 4. Now to save myself I must suck up to the blogger. Nathan I admire you too much to criticize, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt and ask is everyone who visits your blog on the make? I am here to soak up your incredibly insightfulness and humor. Is it OK if I just learn something and not advertise myself shamelessly?

  13. Caspy Jack says

    I'm a new blogger and I found this article to be very helpful. I am concentrating on making a good blog but now realize the value of a concise comment.

  14. Paradise Valley Homes says

    The goal is to hold the reader's attention. Remember that while you want to excite your readers' interest, you also want to sound as though you know the topic you are writing about. Some of the strategies in the bullet list above will help. Thanks for sharing.

  15. Laurie Sanders says

    I enjoyed this post a lot. It's not a topic I've seen covered on many blogs.

    One point I would add to the things you pointed out is that though the person leaving the comment might want to be noticed so that people will think them wonderful enough to warrant a visit to THEIR blog a truly great comment is one which the person would write even if they didn't have the ulterior motive of getting noticed or getting traffic for their own blog.

  16. misty says

    oh i have another great idea learned from your post. that a great comment is not enough, i should consistently appear on the page in order for me to get noticed.

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  20. Kristy K. James says

    Well, I kind of blew being one of the first 10…but 120th is better than being…oh #347.

    Very good information though. I just bookmarked this and will try to do my blog-hopping a little earlier in the day from now on. Thanks! 🙂

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  34. Jonathan (Writer Dude) says

    I never really thought about it before but you do make a point in that we need to know how to write a blog comment.

    I think sometimes people just want their voice to be heard so they simply jump on and write a quick comment without really taking the time to read through the article and read some of the discussion as well.

    I know I have commited this mistake in the past myself.

    You gave me something to think about and work on so thanks a lot!

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