Posted on February 26, 2008
Blog Commenting to Build Your Network
BY JAMES CLARK
In our experience with helping companies build their online networks and visibility, commenting is often the least understood and utilized step in the process. Actually I think the concept of commenting is fairly well understood when we train people on it, but it takes dedication to reap the benefits of it, and that's where most people fail - in the execution.
We did a online video on strategic blog commenting to help illustrate just how to achieve good strategic blog commenting.
I like how David Origano, netbusinessblog.com, recently wrote a post on Kick Starting Your Network With Blog Commenting, that takes the process of commenting even further.
To his point, the idea of simply commenting is not enough. You need to actively engage in the comment flow after that.
Many blogs offer a comment RSS feed to help in the process of staying engaged. When I'm commenting on others, I always grab that comment RSS feed and drop into my Google Reader and put it the Comment folder. That way, if my comment starts a new thread, or garners a response from the blog author, I'm on top of it and can be an active participant.
More often than not, being successful in social media requires:
- One Part Timeliness. Be there when the conversation is hot and active. Don't show up to the party late. Yes sometimes it's better late than never, but please try to be prompt.
- One Part Great Content. Do we need to beat dead horse here. Great content is the equivalent of a Royal Flush in Poker - nothing beats it.
- One Part Responsiveness. Social media hit and runs (commenting and disappearing) are seen as tactless and will most certainly ruin your credibility. If your going to get in the conversation, when someone asks a question or comments back, be there to continue it.
So there's your three-part social media success recipe, now go comment on 10 blogs this week and see what happens.
