Back Linking Basics: The Value of Blog Commenting
One of the absolute best things you can do to kick start your back linking efforts is blog commenting! I recommend you do this as often as possible. Why? What's so great about t? That's why I'm here today.
Blog commenting is like writing little letters to friends. Do it often!
By Petar Milošević (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
What is blog commenting?
Blog commenting is simply that. It's the practice of reading blog posts and leaving comprehensive comments on the page. But, these aren't anonymous comments. Successful blog commenting leaves a name, sometimes a picture (usually through a service like Gravatar or Disqus), and a link back to your website.
How does blog commenting work for me?
Well, these comments become little outposts for your website. Now, the search engines will see a link to your website on sites around the web. This tells the search engine that you're authoritative, knowledgeable, and read by others.
Hey, wait a second! Blog commenting is an awesome tool for back linking and SEO, but please do it responsibly. If you spam blogs, you're a bad person. Only comment if you have something of value to say, please.
My favorite part about blog commenting: increased traffic! Now, I don't blog for the numbers. I blog to share great content, personality, and happiness. When you comment on blogs and set up these little digital outposts, you share the love for your blog across the internet. But, these outposts are placed near relevant content.
Example: If you have a cooking blog and leave comments on other cooking blogs, you're placing relevant content (your comment and blog link) to the other readers on the page. These other readers are far more likely to read your blog, comment, and engage because you now know that 1) they read cooking blogs, and 2) they comment on those cooking blogs.
"Successful blog commenting is all about advertising to the right customer."
In my experience, you can create a great relationship with bloggers by commenting regularly. Although you might just be there for the conversation and a little back linking, you can really get something special. Many of my close blogging relationships have formed because of my engaging comments. Then, these people tip you off to special news regarding their page (like giveaways, requests for guest blogging, etc). It's networking with the right people!
Tip: Be the first comment! Although it never hurts to post a comment on a page you like and you should share your thoughts, reactions, and insights on posts you enjoy, try to be first. This makes you the head honcho is the conversation, and you become the very first blog link subsequent readers see. It's like placing your ad at the top of the page. If you read a post you like and see that there are few to no comments yet, write away!
Want to increase blog commenting on your website? Install the CommentLuv plugin!
This ingenious plugin allows the blog commenter that opportunity to share an extra link with readers. Once the commenter types in their blog URL, CommentLuv shows them a variety of previous posts to select and share. This is even better for bloggers in similar niches as the commenter can share especially fine-tuned content with the blog's other readers. Whenever I see CommentLuv at the bottom of a post I really love, I comment immediately!
Do you have any tips or insights on the value of blog commenting? Write them below!