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How to Develop An Efficient Blog Commenting Strategy
Posted On: August 1, 2008Posted In: Blogging Tips, Organization and Productivity, Traffic and SEO, Video Blogging
Comments: 40 Responses
Do you have a strategy for blog commenting?
I have been commenting on blogs since I started blogging. I always felt that if I would get involved others would come check out my blog as well, and I’d become part of the community. Now, the more I learn, the more I realize that blog commenting is an ESSENTIAL part of blogging, so I am glad I was already grooming myself for the habit.
That said, I did have a little bit of reason and a system in place for how I did my comments. I would group the blogs according to my system in my RSS reader, to give me a quick overview of the blog and how it fits within my strategy. Then I somehow came across an article that pointed to another article by Caroline Middlebrook, and she did a great post asking Do you have a blog commenting strategy.
Some of the stuff she spoke on had me looking at my strategy and how I could granularize it a bit more, as to the perks I gain from each blog.
How I strategize my comments
I orginally had my blogs grouped by great blogs, blogs I read daily, and that was pretty much the extent of it. I knew in my mind which blogs were do follow, which had top commentator plugins, and which used comment luv and other types of reader appreciation.
I have since changed my groupings to be more granular. I now group my rss feed as follows:
- Comment Luv
- Do Follow Comments
- Top Commentator Plugin
- Comment Luv Plugin
- Daily Read
- Great Blogs
- Big Bloggers
- New Blog 4 The Week
- Company Blogs
This give me more control over the blogs I read and how they fit into my networking strategy. Blogs can and are in multiple categories, but this helps me find them according to what I’m doing at the moment. The daily reads always get a browsing, pretty much daily, as you’d expect.
All the rest I handle accordingly, and many of my daily reads fall into the other categories. Big bloggers are usually those that will have tons of comments and may not be as apt to notice you when you get involved in their community, not that I don’t get involved, but my focus isn’t always on those.
Software and tools to help with blog commenting
If you really want to get aggresive, there are some tools you can use to ramp up your blog commenting campaigns.
One tool that will alert you when your desired blogs update with a new post is Comment Sniper, this will allow you to be at the top of the comments if that is your desire. It just so happens I endup at the top of many of my favorite blogs just because I read them, I haven’t even started using this tool yet.
Another tool is DoFollow Diver, and it will allow you to find dofollow blogs according to keyword/niche. This is another great tool that lives in my bookmarks but has yet to see any use, though I plan to use it in the future.
Bottom line is, you should have some type of system in place, whatever works for you, because networking is very important to this industry.
A little video for ya
There are really no visual aids for this, but I did a video for you to tell you about the membership site I had been talking about.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:05 am
nice video man I’ve never seen one of your vids before. I laughed
“5 bucks, you serious?!”
As for your post, I divided up my RSS feeds in a similar way. Great writing / strategic link blogs / all else. It works very well
Checkout Alex the Freelance Twins last blog post..It’s a social thing
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 1st, 2008 at 10:24 am
Cool man, I’m glad you stopped by..see, folks say social networks are a waste of time…that’s how we connected though! Glad you liked the video man, they’re pretty fun.
And dividing up your RSS feeds in a strategic manner definitely helps out a lot.
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August 1st, 2008 at 10:59 am
A couple of pointers for you today mate….you may want to change your pepperjam ads as unfortunately the july promo is over! I agree with alex and the freelance twin, $5, you serious was well deserving of a rewind!!! Your post was great and I pulled a few pointers from it today so once again, thank you; that will save me going round in circles. Oh and one B in habit says the Englishman
I checked out your other sites and things are looking good my man!
Have a good weekend Joe.
Checkout theaffiliateposts last blog post..A Two And A Half Grand Start To The Month
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 1st, 2008 at 11:17 am
Yeah, I meant to change those lol, I have to do it across multiple sites
Glad you liked the post and the video…and thanks for the spelling correction, for some reason I always seem to mess that one up!
Thanks for compliments on the other sites as well
see ya later
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August 1st, 2008 at 1:04 pm
get post joe…. looking forward to ALL your new projects.
Hey AP, you reminded me, I need to get rid of my pepperjam promo banners too!!
Checkout Forests last blog post..50 Freebies, Coupons and Offers for your Pets
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 1st, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Thanks buddy, I appreciate you checking it out! I am excited about the ventures I have lined up, we shall see how it goes.
Checkout Normal Joes last blog post..How to Develop An Efficient Blog Commenting Strategy
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August 1st, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Yet another great post, Joe. I didn’t know you need a strategy for blog commenting. That said, where does my belong to, may I just ask?
Yan
Checkout Blog for Beginnerss last blog post..It’s Christmas in August
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 1st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Well, it’s not needed, but,it helps. As for your blog Yan, you are one of the multiple category blogs. Daily, dofollow, top commentator, and comment luv
You are not a big blogger yet……YET! Then again, I don’t think you’ll ever be too big for us so….you probably won’t get in that group.
That’s really for the super busy folks that usually don’t reply to comments much but yet you like to read their blogs, you really don’t network with them much so you are more of a fan.
I don’t consider use to be in that situation, I consider you a pal, a buddy, a friend, an ace, a coworker
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August 1st, 2008 at 8:07 pm
i like the membership sites domain/name because it can be read two ways. I’m on a budget and then Internet Marketing on a budget
its the same with your blog here. Internet Marketing with joe, and I’m with Joe meaning that I am a reader. pretty cool lol
Now about your post: i generally dont have a strategy. or maybe i do lol. I try to find one new blog a week. (€yours was this weeks :p) and become active as well with other blogs i am interested in.
Checkout EmmaBs last blog post..Got approved by Market Leverage
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:37 am
Oooohhhh you caught on to my little creative genius! Lol, that’s how I envisioned it, for this site and that one, and some others I have! It’s my little thing…
As for your strategy, everyone has one…even no strategy is a strategy, it’s just not as organized. I like to have a system in place, it helps me get things done in a more efficient manner.
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August 1st, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Phew… for a minute there, I thought there wasn’t going to be a video today. Loving the comment tips- especially comment love.
Jeni
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 2nd, 2008 at 8:36 am
You never know!
Glad you liked the tips, I like to have some sort of strategy when I do things….
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August 3rd, 2008 at 8:32 am
Joe, I’m honored: you setup a category only for me
Big Blogger(s)
ROFL
ciao
alex
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 am
Hahahahaha, yessssssssss, Big Blogger(s) belong in their own category!
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August 3rd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Great post. I was thinking of doing something similar. Thanks for the tips.
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Thanks Stevo, hope you come back by more often.
Checkout Normal Joes last blog post..Normal Joe blows the horn on more bloggers
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August 3rd, 2008 at 7:13 pm
I’ve have never had a comments strategy. If I like a blog, I just subscribe to the RSS feed by email and if I like a post, I go and comment on it. Not the most efficient way, but it works for me.
I don’t care who I comment to. If I have something to say I say it, lol!
But I can see how working out a blog commenting strategy can help as a networking thing, so nice post
And the video – nice one again!
And the membership site looks good.
But it does help to remember the spelling of your site without having to think on camera…
Only kidding
Checkout zanias last blog post..Why I Refuse To Make My Blogs Dofollow
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 3rd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Yeah…I comment as well and subscribe to those I like. But, once subscribed, I like to categorize them a little bit. Some I visit daily because I am in love with the content and connect with the blogger…others, once or twice a week until I get to know them better.
I however, don’t just go around looking for blogs with top commentator, dofollow, comment luv, and things like this…though…many do and I don’t knock it. I just add the extra attributes if a blog I like has those things…
And…if I spelled everything right you all wouldn’t have anything to laugh at
Checkout Normal Joes last blog post..Normal Joe blows the horn on more bloggers
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August 3rd, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I like to look for blogs with the CommentLuv and KeywordLuv plugin. I also love to not only visit the big blogs but visit smaller ones – it’s a bit refreshing.
Checkout Susans last blog post..Healthy Living
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 4th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I agree, finding the smaller blogs tends to be more rewarding for me.
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August 7th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Normal Joe,
Thanks for the comment tips. My partner and I have really just transformed our business into a blog, so we are new to this scene. We had a physical magazine and decided to stop production in favor of moving to the Internet because of the potential.
My partner and I had a meeting today and commenting on other blogs was one of our top priority, but we never considered having a real strategy. I love it and will be using this. In fact, I have to forward this page to my partner so we can actually craft a Comment Strategy.
Thanks Joe!
Checkout Freddies last blog post..Choosing The Right Contractor
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 7th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Freddie that’s awesome! I love stuff like this…let me know if you need any help. I’d love to hear what you two come up with…
see ya around!
Checkout Normal Joes last blog post..New Theme, New Direction, Same Joe.
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August 13th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Hi there, I’m using SezWho plug-in for my commenting plug-in. I’m afraid to use commentluv & keywordluv plug-in, I still searching for its benefits on the net regarding rank and traffic results. Thanks to this post it adds up to my collection of reasons to install those two plug-ins.
Checkout bleukens last blog post..Busby SEO Challenge Supporters
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 13th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Welcome to the site bleuken,
Hmmm, comment luv is pretty cool even if you don’t use keyword luv. It’s still worth it even if you have a nofollow blog. Keyword luv is really only useful if your blog is dofollow.
Glad this post helped you out, hope to see you around more!
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August 14th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
Checkout AlexMs last blog post.."Inappropriate billionaire" made the "Google" office paradise
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 15th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Thanks Alex, hope you spend a little more time around here and get involved a bit more!
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August 27th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Very good idea, I really need to come up with a strategy to commenting. Lately I have just been flying all over the place but it gets pretty confusing after awhile.
Checkout Justin Wrights last blog post..A Drive Along The Apache Trail
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
August 27th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Welcome to the site Justin! Glad you found it interesting. It does help to have a plan, but I won’t lie, I don’t always stick to it and find myself flailing about on random comment sprees.
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September 10th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
This is a interesting post. I just read blogs and learn from them and comment on them accordingly. I might have a new strategy after reading this post.
Checkout Mekas last blog post..Earning Money Online: Factors To Consider
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
September 11th, 2008 at 7:39 am
I’m not saying I do it every time, but it’s good to know what blog to focus on. Or, you could just pick a few and focus on those for a week or so, and make your rounds and get on a schedule. Blog commenting, is a great way to network but can take up a lot of time.
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September 13th, 2008 at 12:40 am
It’s the first I’ve come across a blog commenting strategy so thanks for sharing. I usually look for do follow, top commentators and comment luv, Technorati and Alexa ratings as blogs to comment.
Peter Lee
Checkout Work At Home Ideass last blog post..Link Love-Links Round Up No.4
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
September 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Welcome to the site Peter, I’m hoping to see you around a lot more. Yeah, sometimes it helps to organize and have a strategy, but also just do it organically and comment on stuff you like lol.
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November 11th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Joe ~ Digging up an old post … I have been stepping up my blog commenting so I too can get more connected with my blogging community since I’m a pretty new blog and I’m really enjoying it. It’s so fun meeting new peeps and I love seeing what everyone else is up to on their blogs. Thanks for the organizational tips. I’ve tried the Comment Sniper and I just couldn’t get it working … I’ll give it another shot because if working properly it would be helpful.
Again, thanks for inspiring me to keep plugging away and to get better and more comfortable with my videos … I promise to give you a big’ol “shout out” once I get up to speed with them … you’ve motivated me! *huGs* Suzanne
Checkout Suzanne Franco ~ Next Blogging Idol?s last blog post..The Power of Networking on the Internet … My 5 Minutes of Fame!
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
November 11th, 2008 at 9:48 am
No problem Suzanne! Just do it! Seriously, you don’t need to be perfect, just let the folks get to know you! Be yourself…flaws and all
I’m looking forward to seeing your viddys!
As for commenting, it’s probably one of the most important parts of how I was able to build a community around this blog. Commenting on other blogs plus replying to each comment on my own blog….it’s a powerful tool really.
Glad to see you getting in the action!
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December 22nd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Comment snipers and dofollow search are no good for me. Anybody can use it. Real power goes with checking your competition backlinks – works best for me.
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Depends on what you’re trying to do. If you just want to copy your competitions backlinks then yeah. If you want to make your presence known, commenting on other blogs will help with that. I don’t think do follow blogs are really that much of an issue anymore, Google knows whatup…so I don’t know how valuable they really are. As some say, the more links the better…..but I don’t know how much I agree with that
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April 10th, 2009 at 12:53 am
Nice post, I really think you’re onto something here and your explanation is really easy to follow!
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Normal Joe (2055 comments) Reply:
April 10th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Cool man, glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by
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August 3rd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
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