If you follow @mrfrostings on Twitter you know his passion for motivating people to comment on blogs.  (Earl Anderson is @mrfrostings, and the other half of Leslie Maynor of world-famous cake design Fantasy Frostings.)  Earl has good reason for his insistence.  Commenting on blogs is a win-win-win-win-win for all!

5 Reasons Why You Should Comment On Blogs:

1 – To Improve Networking

If you want to establish a relationship with someone, start the conversation.  This may be another colleague in the industry, or someone you look up to.  If you want to get noticed, read their blog and comment from time to time.

For example, in the two years I’ve been writing this blog, I read and notice every single comment that people write.  If I’ve never heard of the business owner, I’ll click on their website to learn more about them.  My natural curiosity is spiked when someone takes the time to add to this community.

2 – It Sets You Apart

If you want to be recognized for a specialty, make sure to seek others who are writing about the topic on their blogs.  Share your thoughts and opinions.  Not only does the writer notice your comment, but others read the comments.  Comment on enough blogs with this topic and you will start to be known as an expert on this issues.  Commenting on blogs sets you apart from others.  It strengthens your place as an expert in your field.

3 – The Odds are In Your Favor if You Have a Blog

In Chris Brogan’s book Trust Agents, he shares that commenting on blogs is very rare.  He states, “It’s commonly said that of all readers of all Web content, 10% comment and only 1% are genuine content creators (bloggers).”  With only 1% of bloggers commenting on other people’s blogs, you have a really great chance of standing out.  He goes on to say, “The numbers are approximations, but it is meant to show the great disparity between the number of people reading about you and number of people writing about you.  Due to the rarity of those comments those who comment are remarkable and are noticed.”  I definitely notice comments – on my own blog and those of others – particularly when they are providing valuable insight.

4 – It’s Kind

If you’re reading blogs, commenting is the nice thing to do. The authors spend a lot of time sharing what they know about their expertise.  It’s only right to leave a little love.

5 – It Strengthens SEO

When you leave a comment on someone’s blog, you are leaving your stamp: your name and/or business name and a link back to your site.  This is a direct link back to your site and improves your SEO (search engine optimization.)  Now, I don’t agree with the practice of commenting only for the self-serving purpose of strengthening SEO, but this is an added benefit.  By commenting, giving a little love, you get a little something back in return.  It’s win-win!

A few more thoughts

It doesn’t have to be an earth-shattering or life-changing comment, but add insight to the post by sharing your experience or beliefs.  Comments like “Love this!”  or “Thank you!” are kind.  (I love getting any comment in any shape or size.)  But, it will benefit the community greater if you can add something with a little more depth.  Again, try to continue the conversation in the comments you make.

Want to get more insight on HOW to comment and WHAT to comment on… here’s a great post on SocialMediaExplorer.com on blog commenting.

What are your thoughts on blog commenting?