What about when your blog posts don’t get a lot of comments? Or no one comments on your blog at all? There are a few reasons why this could be happening, and a few steps you can take to fix that. Keep in mind, this list doesn’t cover everything, but making some of these changes will hopefully be a step in the right direction and get you on the road to increased reader engagement.

You haven’t turned off CAPTCHA

Word verification. I HATE it. I will be 100% honest, if I click to comment on your blog and the CAPTCHA box pops up, there is a very good chance I will click away and discard my comment. If I really like you, I will try to decipher those teeny, blurry letters and numbers and post my comment. But if I fail one time, you’re not getting my comment.

I understand that you don’t want spammy comments, but there are so many ways around that. You can select the option to only have registered users comment on your blog (Settings>>Posts & Comments>>Who Can Comment>>Registered Users), or you can use Disqus or something similar. I much prefer Disqus to Blogger’s and WordPress’s default commenting system as it has a great spam filter and it’s easier to comment from mobile devices.

You didn’t ask for comments

I don’t mean writing “Please comment!” at the end of your posts. But invite your readers to weigh in. You might notice that I usually have a question at the bottom of my posts. I end most of my posts with a question because I genuinely want my reader’s feedback on whatever I’m writing about, whether it’s blogging tips, or random facts about themselves.

And you know what? It works! A week or two ago, I realized I wasn’t getting as many comments on my posts as usual. Upon further inspection, I noticed that for some reason I was forgetting to leave a question at the bottom of my posts. After I started leaving questions again, the comment amount returned to normal/increased a bit. Try it out! See what happens.

You don’t respond

It’s annoying to talk to someone who doesn’t respond to you right? It’s also annoying to talk to someone who gives you one word responses. Commenting on blogs is like that. If I comment on a blog and I don’t get a heartfelt response to my comment (especially if it’s a well thought out comment!) I’m not as likely to comment on your blog again.

Now, I recognize that not everyone has the time to respond to each and every comment–especially if you get a lot of them! But if forming connections with your readers is important to you, it’s something you might consider making time for. At least respond to the really heartfelt ones. And sometimes it’s enough to just respond with a “Thank you! :)”

You don’t comment on other blogs

The blogosphere is about community–just like in real life, being a part of your community means putting yourself out there so other people know who you are! Taking the time to read other blogs and leave good comments (I’m talking more than just, “Great post!” or “Thanks for sharing”) is an excellent way to connect with others and let them know you’re a part of the community.

You didn’t offer anything of value

I know that sounds kind of harsh. Most of the time, a lack of comments just comes down to the fact that your content fell short. Luckily, there is a wide range of things that people find valuable, so there is always a way to offer something of value in what you are writing–AKA, you don’t have to post tutorials/fashion posts/whatever if that isn’t your thing. Just ask yourself these questions before you publish a post:

Does this post solve a common problem?
Does this post address a specific emotion?
Am I sharing a compelling story?
Will the information I provided make someone’s life easier/better?

If you can answer yes to at least one of those questions, you are offering something of value to your readers. If you can’t say yes to any of those, you might need to redraft your post. Add some emotion! Share stories! Create something that will be valuable to a reader and you will see an increase in comments.

I hope this has been helpful for you and that trying some of these things helps you see more comments on your blog!

What are your thoughts? Are there specific measures you take to involve your readers in your content? Have you tried any of these things before?

Source: bouvadian.com