Commenting – A quick lesson in netiquette when entering the conversation

I realized after a recent skype chat that this post might be a useful one for those of you testing the blogging waters. In the beginning, when you first start your blog, most people are so excited to get readers that they end up making some basic mistakes that if avoided, can make your entry into the blogging world a bit easier. The most basic, and more useful, rule of thumb is to make sure the comments you leave on other sites are doing you more good than harm.

Yesterday, I had a conversation via chat that touched on this exact point; hence, I decided to include it in its entirety with only a few minor changes: “New Blogger” has been substituted for this individual’s name, and a few grammatical chat errors were tidied up. Hope this helps someone else out there:

[2:57:33 PM] Ryan Opaz: Hey there New Blogger
[2:58:54 PM] Ryan Opaz: if you have a sec I see that your just getting started with blogging?
[3:00:11 PM] NewBlogger: Hi Ryan, yes I am.
[3:00:26 PM] NewBlogger: Just read your Iberia wines piece (on Catavino)
[3:01:10 PM] Ryan Opaz: Saw that, if your up to a quick lesson about blog comments I have a suggestion that might make your efforts in getting traffic to be bettter rewarded
[3:01:26 PM] NewBlogger: yes please!
[3:03:33 PM] Ryan Opaz: In your comment you left a link to your own blog, this act on many blogs will have you banned, or more likely your comment erased, even if it supports a point in the article. Instead since you already have your name linking to your site(in the comment header) the best way to mention a story you wrote is like this: “Last, week, month, etc…I wrote a piece on x,y,or z and mentioned this or that…..” We blog readers will automatically click your name if we want to read more…and you end up not getting in trouble with the authors of the blog.
[3:04:08 PM] Ryan Opaz: Commenting on blogs is the number one way to drive traffic, if you do it right!
[3:05:04 PM] Ryan Opaz: The only time you actually do include links in comments is when you need to support a point with an outside arguement…this is what we call “netiquette”
[3:06:59 PM] NewBlogger: ok, I see. So will you delte my comment. I can redo it
[3:07:10 PM] Ryan Opaz: I just removed the links!
[3:07:20 PM] NewBlogger: good.
[3:07:31 PM] Ryan Opaz: yours wasn’t bad or anything, I just don’t want others to follow suit
[3:07:49 PM] NewBlogger: Good point, thanks.
[3:08:25 PM] Ryan Opaz: That said…the best way to really get traffic is to ask follow up questions in the comments…then use: http://www.backtype.com/ to track followups
[3:09:07 PM] NewBlogger: Ok, to start a conversation and exchange of ideas…It really is work in progress! Good job I enjoy the process or it would seem a hard thing to do
[3:09:37 PM] Ryan Opaz: Think of the comments as today’s forums
[3:10:12 PM] NewBlogger: Ok. Gosh, it seems that the content is the least of it really!
[3:11:13 PM] Ryan Opaz: in some ways it is…the content is often the spark to start the conversation…other times not. But if you look at your comments, and others commments as a place to discuss, you really add value and build better community and trust in relation to your blog
[3:11:37 PM] Ryan Opaz: I thnk this chat needs to be come a post for http://catavino.net/services
[3:11:39 PM] Ryan Opaz:
[3:12:48 PM] New Blogger: Yes, it would be good. I am very new and just finding my way around is hard sometimes, but everyday I achieve something new. So, if I carry on with this progress it will work!
[3:14:03 PM] Ryan Opaz: definately…It took me 4.5 yrs to learn all this and I’m jsut now beginning to realize that I have a lot to learn yet!
[3:18:22 PM] NewBlogger: Oh! Yes, I realise that, good job I enjoy the writing etc. It is getting the audience that seems hard.
[3:18:46 PM] NewBlogger: Ok, comments that ask questions to get a reply and no link as it goes with my name?
[3:20:38 PM] Ryan Opaz: basically, Make sure to leave comments relevant to the post, and if relevant, ask a question or raise a point. As to the link, if you have a killer story on your own site that people should read, all you need to do is mention that you wrote “a Piece about (insert title)” and people will find it if they want to..
[3:21:25 PM] NewBlogger: ok. How do I get my web to show up on google et al?
[3:22:37 PM] Ryan Opaz: that takes time…lots of time! though you can submit it to google
[3:23:19 PM] Ryan Opaz: http://www.google.com/submityourcontent/index.html
[3:23:57 PM] Ryan Opaz: then again, the best way is to write regularly, comment on other blogs, and engage in the community
[3:25:17 PM] NewBlogger: Ok, it is all a job for the long haul isn’t it. Commenting on other blogs isn’t as much fun as writing my own! Still, I’ll set to…
[3:25:42 PM] Ryan Opaz: find better blogs to read!
[3:26:16 PM] NewBlogger: I am only just starting to find them, I like yours and mine of course..
[3:26:30 PM] Ryan Opaz: of course!
[3:27:22 PM] NewBlogger: Thank you for all this advice. I am grateful and it does help enormously. Thank you. Got to get the kids lunch now…
[3:28:32 PM] Ryan Opaz: cheers

“New Blogger” hopefully can now go out and make stronger connections in the blogging community, without worrying about looking like a spammer. Are there times to leave links in comments? Sure. But I find when starting out the rules above will serve you well until you understand better some of the nuance that happens in the comments section.

Cheers,

Ryan Opaz

PS: Leave me a comment with your commenting tips!

How To Bribe Your Readers For Comments (bloggingot.com)
Why article comments suck & how to make them better (newstribe.us)
Social Media Comments by Disqus: Public Release Today! (mashable.com)

Posted: May 26th, 2009

Filed: Blog, Wine Blogging Tips

8 Comments

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James Williams
May 26th, 2009 at 5:42 am

Really useful, thanks. It seems so easy to make niave mistakes in the social media world just learning a few of the basics gives newcomers like myself confidence. And its a lack of confidence that holds people back it can be intimidating a bit like the world of wine.
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Winp
May 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm

I am also a new blogger, and I don't understand the backtype.com part…How does one do that? And what does it do?
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gabriellaopaz
May 28th, 2009 at 6:26 am

Hey Winp, we'll put together a post on backtype for you tomorrow. If you have questions, I trust many others do as well. Thank so much for asking!
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grapeinabottle
May 28th, 2009 at 2:03 pm

Thanks so much Ryan. I always enjoy reading your posts and they are very useful. This is a great reminder how important it is to leave comments on fellow blogger's sites.
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Ryan Opaz
May 28th, 2009 at 3:28 pm

Glad you liked the post! I appreciate it greatly!
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Christopher Golda
May 28th, 2009 at 10:09 pm

Let me know if you have any questions that come up when writing your post. You can reach me directly @ chris [at] backtype [dot] com
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Tool For Wine Bloggers: An Interview with Chris Golda, Co-Founder of Backtype » Wine Blogger
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm

[...] and other social media, whereby allowing us to find, follow and share comments. In that same article, we also received a very considerate invitation from the co-founder of Backtype, Chris Golda, to [...]
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Sandra
August 11th, 2009 at 10:10 pm

Ok, so I just barely stumbled into this site. I am also a new blogger & want to thank you for this post. For many of us that are barely starting out, the amount of information to learn makes it a little scary. Computer knowledge, “netiquette” and knowing how to promote yourself on top of the wine knowledge! Again, thank you & keep the tips coming

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