Are you paying attention to your blog comments? Here’s why you should be

Creating blogs is undoubtedly one of the best techniques in most content marketing campaigns. Having the ability to write high-quality content that is crafted with your target audience in mind will see engagement flourish which will, in turn, allow you to see a return on your investment.

There are also many techniques that can help spread the word of your blog such as SEO and social media sharing. But one technique that many marketers often overlook is the power of the comment section on the very blog itself.

In fact, many marketers even choose to get rid of this section altogether for fear of negative comments or an influx of spam.But when you learn to really utilize the power of blog comments on both your own blog and the blogs of others, you can generate far more traffic to your website.

Here are some ways you can incorporate the comment section into your marketing strategy to increase engagement.

To network and connect with the audience

The blog comment section is a brilliant place to build connections with your audience. Before the days of social media, a blog comment section was the place where readers discussed a blog post and engaged with the writer.

While the comment section of a blog may not be quite so active as a conversation on social media, it is nevertheless a great way to find people who are interested in the same topic as you- particular those blogs which are niche-focused.

Conversing with others on both your own blog and others is a great way to share ideas, introduce yourself to new industry contacts, and make yourself a familiar name in your particular industry.

If you see a conversation unfolding within your own blog comments, be sure to get involved and keep it flowing. The longer the comment thread, the more visibility you are likely to receive.

To generate new ideas

The comment section is also a brilliant way to generate new ideas for your content. Many of your readers use this area to leave feedback as well as questions on the piece.

From this, you can gain an understanding of areas which your readers are interested in and want to learn more about. Your readers’ questions should then be used to fuel the content for your next blog-post, ensuring your readers come back.

To build your reputation as a thought-leader

As well as utilizing your own blogs comment section to facilitate your content marketing strategy, you should also try actively commenting on the blogs of others.

You should comment only on blogs which fall into your brand’s niche. Becoming a serious blog commenter can really help build a reputation as an expert in your industry. Regularly sharing your knowledge with people who are seeking help and advice will ensure your name becomes known.

People will take notice, and it could even lead to others in the industry requesting you to provide a guest blog post for them, an interview, or other great marketing opportunities.

Be sure not to sound too corporate when commenting on others. While you obviously want to promote your business, you should take a personal approach to avoid being filtered as spam. You can also harness the power of link building here. Consider sharing the occasional link back to your own blog- but only if it is relevant and adding value to the conversation in some way.

Blog comments may not seem like the most obvious ingredient to your marketing strategy, but with a bit of time and effort, they can truly add value.

With a little persistence, adding this to your strategy can earn you more traffic, position yourself as a thought-leader, attract a loyal audience, and ultimately grow your business.