Five things to watch out for when commenting

There may be people out there who comment on blogs without giving it much thought. They see a post that they agree with and they say so. They have no ulterior motive beyond being grateful for an interesting read. On the other hand, there are individuals who make comments in a way that is purely for link building purposes. They take no interest in the topic in question and the nature of their comment often reflects this.

The best way forward when it comes to link building strategies is to play the long game. Pursuing links hurriedly by posting comments can get a site into a degree of trouble. This is because sophisticated users may pick up on what you are up to. Excessive self-promotion can reek of desperation and it has the potential to alienate people.

Focus on the goal

The goal is not to try to get lots of links regardless of quality or relevance. It is to gradually develop a positive reputation by cultivating an attractive and knowledgeable web presence. Links will flow eventually. There is arguably not much point in going around the net repeating comments that merely praise the writers of the blog posts. If they are made outside the sector they may be viewed as spam. If the comments are confined to the sector then the lack of variation in the comments may be detected.

Be interesting

There is nothing worse than leaving too many meaningless comments. Users like to read an interesting and informed response when they have completed a post. It may be acceptable to leave the odd bland remark, but the bulk of interventions should have a point and should contain supporting information. Humour can be appropriate, but it should be used with caution and the nature of the sector should be reflected on before comments are made.

Don’t show off too much

Some comments can irritate users simply by being a bit much. They can have a bragging tone or they can cram so much into them that they antagonise the reader. If you disagree with the direction of a post, then you should respond carefully. When composing your reply, it is best to seek out a positive, however small, to balance the negative comments you feel you must give. If you feel you know everything about a topic then it may be best for you to keep that attitude hidden.

Don’t be afraid to have an opinion

Opinions are what make comments interesting. Being too factual is a negative thing. It is even worse to agree with others in a conformist manner. It is important to promote an independent mindset. Going too far in this direction can sometimes be a problem, though. Express yourself without coming across as boorish.

Demonstrate expertise, not the availability of specific goods

Clumsy promotion of your goods and services could well be counterproductive. For example, most users do not want to hear about them out of context. Mentioning them will also irritate the composer of the blog post. If you comment on a blog, you have a responsibility to be fair to the blog writer as well as other users. This principle is worth adhering to if you want to produce good-quality comments.

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