8 Reasons to Respond to Comments on Your Blog

I’ve never understood why some bloggers rarely respond to comments on their blogs. Personally, I think it’s rude, but some people have different opinions.

Here are eight reasons why I think you should respond to comments on your blog:

1. It’s just polite. – Show your readers that you’re a person just like they are. Be polite and acknowledge what they have to say in the most respectful way possible.
2. People are interested in your opinion. – If someone takes the time to comment on your blog post, they obviously have something to say about what you wrote. Good or bad, they are interested in what you think. Give them a reason to come back and read more.
3. Comments expand the topic and encourage a discussion. – Sometimes you just can’t write everything that’s on your mind when you write a post. Use the comments to elaborate further and talk about the finer points. The comments are not as formal as a full blog post so feel free to be brief when making additional points. Use a more casual and conversational tone to make your remarks more personable.
4. Build a community spirit. – When you comment to someone’s remarks directly, you are talking specifically to them instead of your mass audience. People want to feel like they belong and their opinion matters, show them you care.
5. Forge relationships with other bloggers. – Along with the community spirit, comments can help build relationships with other bloggers. Commenting is a casual way to network with other bloggers while adding value to the original post. Your readers are reaching out to you: Are you reaching back?
6. Improve the popularity of your post. – People are much more inclined to read posts that have many comments versus those that have none. It’s also a good gauge to see which topics your readers are interested in.
7. Comments can spark new ideas. – Comments are great fodder for inspiration and readers may even ask you to write about something specific. Writing about what your readers are interested in will keep them coming back for more.
8. See how the other half lives. – When someone leaves a comment on your blog, they also leave their website or blog address. Check out their blog and see what makes them tick. You just might find something interesting and expand your own horizons.