Blogs have some advantages and differences compared to classic, rather static websites.
This includes, among other things, the comments that can be left by the visitors of the blog by default.
But are comments still useful today and how do you use them best? Answers are given in this article.
This item is part of the following series:
52 Professional tips to improve your blog
Comments
The possibility to leave comments there since the first blogs. At the time, the focus was mainly on the exchange of personal things, and the content of the blogs also consisted mostly of private information.
It was, therefore, important that you could exchange with readers or even the readers among themselves. Here one noticed the influence of the forums.
To date, the blogs have, of course, continued to evolve and the Web is no longer the same. Social networks and other possibilities have come as communication alternatives.
How Important are Comments?
Therefore, the question arises whether comments in blogs are still important at all.
Finally, many readers exchange on Facebook and Co., platforms, which are used by many bloggers even actively. Do you really need comments on the blogs?
Some blogs answered this question with no and abolished the comment function. I do not think this is the right way. In my opinion, comments in blogs are still very important:
- Direct feedback on article content is important for many readers and makes sense especially with professional blogs.
- As a blog operator, you can respond directly to questions and get inspiration for new articles.
- Other / New readers see many blogs immediately that a blog is active. This is a good signal.
- User-generated content is certainly not the most important signal to Google and can be synonymous with too much spam synonymous. But I’m sure Google’s comments are good.
- Generally speaking, readers’ loyalty to the blog increases when the discussions are held there and not on social media platforms, where they do not find everyone.
- Feedback, opinions, criticism, questions, answers etc. are all in one place.
That’s why I think it makes sense to put comments on the blog in the future, even if there are not many comments coming from all the articles.
Dealing with the Comments
However, comments make sense only if one as a blog operator also goes into it.
So if you ask questions in the comments, you should answer them.
If there are discussions, you can get involved, or you can also take inspiration from a new article. I always do that again, because such requests or even open questions show very well, what the readers really interested.
Critical comments should also be allowed if they do not become personal. This increases the credibility of the blog.
Conclusion
Comments are, in my opinion, part of blogs and contribute to their identity.
Therefore, one should not only allow comments but also actively read and respond to them.