I used to comment on various blogs ALL the time. It was an indispensible part of growing my Social Media presence. For a variety of reasons, my commenting has slowed down to a trickle. I still advocate the value of commenting in tweets, on #blogchat (where I’m a regular participant), my own #DadChat, and in columns and even when I speak at conferences. So, why have I slowed down so significantly?
The answer is simple. The reason I began to comment is less relevant to my current goals and Social Media needs plus my schedule and day is busier than ever. That said, I still use and rely on Triberr.com for larger distribution – via Twitter – of my writing and do comment – right on Triberr, intermittently. And, whenever a friend sends me a blog or requests a comment, I comply with pleasure.
Why should YOU comment? Why did I comment so much at the advent of my Social Media life? Simply, I commented because it was instant gratification for the writer and me. Often, the writer would comment back after a few of my comments. This was a great way to connect with people I deemed “influential” and/or that I respected. I got more followers. I read good material and I enjoyed validating fellow writers. It was a classic win-win.
For a while I was dubbed The Comment King because I became almost obsessive about posted upwards of 25 comments a day – every day. Other bloggers liked my commenting and wondered how the heck I was able to do it so much. I liked to make pithy, witty, and otherwise good comments that validated the writing, but also offered a good and/or different point-of-view. It was part of my morning routine.
My morning Social Media routine has varied over the years but basically involves answering emails, checking my twitter stream, and commenting on good blogs, columns, posts. It’s been a daily ritual for years. On weekdays, it can take 1-2 hours to simply go through the emails, tweets, and Facebook posts that I do twice a day on my Page.
This routine has changed with the increasing frequency of my own posts, since I now post something new nearly every day. That, along with LIFE, has intruded in my time to comment. So, I no longer am The Comment King, by a long shot.
But, I suspect I’m not the only one that has reduced their commenting. I think everyone that is active in Social Media gets to a similar place as I’ve gotten to of incredible busy-ness, activity, and volume of work. Largely, I like the growth of my SoMe life and career but I do miss the reading and fun I used to have with my regular commenting.
Are there other reasons that commenting has diminished? I have no stats to support this belief but I just feel it – in my gut – that the numbers of comments people make have diminished in the past year or so.
For newbies in SoMe, I still believe that commenting on relevant blogs in your niche, from people that are well-known and established in your particular specialty, will only pay off or you. It’s free, it’s educational, and it’s a no-lose proposition.
Heck, I hardly read books anymore because I don’t have the time. I watch some television but that activity is starkly reduced as well. I like being active and busy but I do miss some of what I learned from commenting (e.g. reading the variety of blogs I regularly used to read).
So, what do you think? Do you still comment as much as you may have earlier in your SoMe life?
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