The Game Of “Either – Or”

 63 Comments on The Game Of “Either – Or” 0 828

In addition to making money, most bloggers want two things.

  1. Traffic

  2. Comments

Unfortunately, both depend on the actions of others, and those “others” are often fellow bloggers.

Today’s Lesson

When bloggers make the rounds to other blogs, they’re mentally asking themselves questions and/or making choices. For example,

  1. Do I have time to read this post in its entirety? Or will I skim it?
  2. Does it appear the blog author wants my opinion?
  3. If so, did they ask for it? Or is it implied?
  4. If I leave a comment, will it add value to the post?
  5. Is this post worthy of being promoted on my favorite social media site?

As blog authors, we can help make those decisions easier.

Such as,

  1. Are we asking for comments?

    2. Did we end our post with a question? Or does our post appear so “complete”, it sends a subliminal message comments aren’t welcome?

  2. How easy is it for others to leave a comment?

    3. Does the commenter have to register or jump through hoops to pass the security features of our blog? Or have we made the process of commenting as simple as possible?

  3. How easy have we made it for other bloggers to promote our work?

    4. Are we including buttons which take our visitors directly to Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon? Or do we expect them to “figure it out” on their own time?

  4. Is our post worthy of being shared?

    5. Does is hold value others can benefit from? Is it grammatically correct and void of typos? Are the facts correct?

  5. If a reader lands on our home page (www.ourblog.com) do they have to click again to read the full post?

    6. Are we using excerpts and the “continue reading/more” feature? If so, does this feature make it easier for our visitors to read our blog posts?

  6. If we’re showing a post in its entirety on our homepage and the reader does NOT click through to the post, does our homepage show the Retweet button or an application which will make it EASY for someone to share our article?

    7. Or does sharing our post require additional work on our readers part?

  7. Are we asking others to promote our posts on their favorite social media site?

    8. Or are we assuming our visitors are mind readers?

Truth be told, we can’t/shouldn’t expect our visitors to read, comment on, AND promote our blog posts each time we publish something new.

Just like with us, their time is limited.

If we’re lucky, they’ll do one; comment OR promote.

But usually not both.

Today’s Assignment

If you could only pick one, what would it be?

To receive comments?

To have your post promoted on a social media site?

I’d love to hear why you picked what you did.

~Barbara

P.S. This post was inspired by what social media consultant Vered, shared in her comment on the Call Me A Hypocrite post:

…When time is short, I promote posts that I like on social media…

Thank you Vered.

63 thoughts on “The Game Of “Either – Or””

  1. Hi Barbara,

    I am visiting you blog after a while and find that as usual you are writing about significant issues in your simple friendly way.

    Well for me, I would pick receiving comments from people and responding to them. In my opinion they add as much to the blog as the post itself does. I have often had the experience of having a vibrant discussion through exchange of comments as also people leaving touching, beautiful comments sharing a piece of their lives.

  2. Hi Barbara – Don’t we all love comments, and aren’t we all surprised at one point or another that the post we *thought* would generate some conversation sits there, lookin’ so lonely?

    Your reminder to “ask for the order” by removing any perceived barriers to commenting and setting a welcoming tone is great. Excerpting is an annoyance in RSS readers, too – we know you want us to click in to your site out of the reader, but we want to be the ones who decide to do that, so enable the entire post, already! Registration – just yesterday I passed on commenting on a blog referred by someone I know that had a great post because comment registration was required; too many hoops to jump through. Asking people to register is like opening your front door and having them show ID before they can come in.

    You’ve covered other aspects of the user experience to consider, too. I’ve added a couple of things to the to-do list! Thanks.

    1. You’re welcome Betsy,

      Yes. If we want comments, we need to ask for them. If we end a post with a tone of finality, chances are our visitors will read and move on.

      I like your analogy for asking visitors to register to comment. Each additional step we ask them to take can deter them from sharing their opinion.

  3. This is an excellent post, and your suggestions are right on the mark. As I read through your list of suggestions, I found myself ticking them off if they applied to Tarheel Ramblings, my blog. Happily, I can say that I’ve covered pretty much all of them. The one thing that I don’t consistently do is ask a question to kick of the discussion in comments.

    Comments, to me, are the life-blood of any blog. I would love to generate a discussion/debate after ever post. I’ve done that only rarely, but tend to get a decent number of comments. The other thing about asking questions at the end is it communicates that you don’t feel you’ve got the final word on the subject as the blog author.

    Thanks again for a great post.

    1. You’re welcome Tarheel,

      You’ve raised a good point. When we ask for comments, we’re communicating to our readers the we’re open to their opinions and suggestions. Let’s face it, none of us knows it all.

      Plus, I think our readers love to know they’re being heard.

  4. I think I’d opt for comments.
    Comments help me find out if readers enjoy my blog, find something valuable there, or have something interesting about the subject to share. Social media actually accounts for only a small percentage of my traffic…I do really well with specific searches.
    Some great advice here!
    Oh, and having to register to make a comment dissuades me from doing the vast majority of the time.

    1. Thank you Dominique,

      That’s true. When we’re open to comments from our readers, they confirm whether what we shared is beneficial to them, or not.

      Plus, on a site like your, I’ll be you even get readers who suggest other areas for you to write about.

  5. oh this one is easy. receive comments. I belonged to and used social media sites like Facebook and Twitter until I discovered that I was “‘all over the internet”, and personal information too. I felt my privacy was violated, so I closed all of my accounts and will not use them again. Ever. For security reasons I simply don’t want to be that well-known in cyberspace, so now I guard my privacy a bit more.
    Registering in order to leave a comment used to annoy me but I have become so very selective in who I visit and where I leave comments, it no longer bothers me to register on occasion.
    This is a thought-provoking assignment! I like it.

    1. Thank you Miss Becky,

      I know what you’re saying about privacy issues. It’s something we really need to consider before joining social networking sites.

      Like you, I visit sites where leaving a comment is more time consuming than I’d like, but because I support the blogger, I’ll do what needs to be done.

  6. I like the comments at my blog, that make me feel that my blog is alive and what is valuable, what is interesting for my readers. Thanks for the advices.

  7. Hi Barbara
    I love comments and usually end a post asking for comments and opinions.
    The other reason I choose comments over social media is because I am a complete and utter social media philistine and don’t bother with Facebook or Twitter!

    Perhaps one day I’ll see the light but until then… comments please.

    1. Hi Keith,

      Comments it is. I know for me, I used to use Twitter a lot, and now use Facebook, but they are time consuming. However, I do like Facebook as it’s more personal and I can chat with blogging buddies about stuff I normally wouldn’t blog about. So if you join, look me up. 🙂

  8. If I HAVE to pick one, it won’t be comments… it will be being promoted in social media.

    1. Hi Vered,

      Having our posts promoted on social media sites can be very beneficial. Although it may not result in a lot of new subscriptions or comments, it does get our name/site “out there”.

  9. I will choose comments for sure as someone mentioned earlier, “Comments are the life-blood of any blog.” Generating discussion and conversing is something I look forward to. I have regular bloggers who drop in and write comments which further embellish my post. I don’t much bother about promoting my site and have not even added any buttons, though I use dlvr.it which automatically uploads my posts to Facebook as I post. I am quite happy with things now and can’t be bothered by promotions in social media 🙂

    Another fodder for thought. Thanks Barbara. I wish you a beautiful September.

    Joy always,
    Susan

    1. You’re welcome Susan,

      Comments are awesome, aren’t they? Like you said, they embellish the post and can take the conversation is unexpected directions.

      I also find comments are often what inspires a new blog post for me, just like this one.

      Happy September to you, too. 🙂

  10. OK Barbara, I’m gonna be selfish and say both! I want both comments and social media…. 😉
    The reason being…I usually end up doing exactly that. I visit the blog..leave a short or long comment (depending on time) and then quickly retweet it and stumble it. Its just 2 clicks. It makes my relationship with the blog owner stronger…and it makes for a good chance that they will reciprocate..either way.
    I often make sure to promote fellow bloggers and blogs i love…cause Its important to walk hand in hand in this vast sea of blogs. If we can support each other in whatever way…it makes for better growth for each of us and for all of us collectively. What do you think??
    Much Love,
    Z~

    1. Hi Zeenat,

      You’re saucy. Both! 😉

      I do agree, IF we have time, doing both is a fabulous gesture of kindness. Like you said, it shows support for fellow bloggers and collectively we grow.

  11. Hi Barbara,

    I’d definitely pick comments.

    My blog is relatively modest, but I have a firm and substantial readership. It is not anywhere near as wide as some other blogs I read, but I’m happy.

    I know some great, great writers and hearing what they have to say about my work is simply splendid. A comment can brighten my day, make me smile and, indeed, make me think and re-evaluate my work.

    Though I’m always flattered when someone shares my work on a social media site, I just think that commenting is, somehow, a more personal form of communication.

    1. Hi Sam,

      That’s very true. Leaving comments is more personal than promoting a post on a social media site

      That has to be a real ego boost to have writers you admire compliment your style. It shows you’re on the right path; and without comments you wouldn’t have heard that.

  12. Hi Barbara,
    I know to be prepared when I come here to think deeply about my blog and my intentions with it — that’s a great thing (thank you).

    I’m with Zeenat. In fact, I’d prefer to copy/paste her reply here as we are following along the same thoughts. (Zeenat, you are so lovely.)

    I also do not want to overburden readers when they come to my site, so I try to make it very easy for them to Tweet my posts (just a click) or share in other ways if they so choose. Deep down, I treasure the conversation, so comments are very meaningful to me and are like gold.

    I hope all is well in your world, Barbara. Keep up the great work here. ~xo

    1. You’re welcome Lori,

      You’ve been hanging around Zeenat too long. You’re saucy, too. 🙂

      I agree. Comments are like gold; a real treasure. To think someone takes time out of their busy schedules to share their thoughts on our blogs, is simply amazing.

      All is well in my world. I hope the same hold true for you. xo

  13. I’m in the comments camp too, Barbara. Mainly because I love to read what others think of what I write. If people read but don’t comment I wonder if I have written anything of worth. I’d swap social bookmarking for comments any day, it’s comments all the way.

    Enjoy the journey.

    Mandy

    1. Hi Mandy,

      Two thumbs up for comments! I don’t think you should worry you’ve done something wrong if you don’t get the normal amount of comments on a specific post. As we’ve discussed before, there are so many factors behind our traffic hills and valleys, it’s often something beyond our control.

      That said, comments can also guide our blogs into a different direction. If we watch the posts we get the most, or least comments on, often it’s our readers telling us what they want more, or less of.

  14. Hi Barbara! Well if you asked me this a year ago I would have to say I’d rather have the comments. Now that I’ve changed the content to health issues I would MUCH rather have it promoted – please! – because I am writing nutritional/information stuff that promotes health and wellness. While the readers may not want to hear what I have to say all the time (let’s face it, sometimes nutritionist are NOT popular people!) there is so much confusion AND apathy about food(s), toxins, disease! I’m striving to inform about the simplicity of natural health and eating. So yeah, for sure I’d like the promotion! (she said in a whisper)
    hugs
    suZen

    1. Hi Suzen,

      Now that you’re changing directions with your blog, I’m not surprised you chose having your posts promoted on social media sites. You’re putting lots of work into your new passion and I know you REALLY want others to be aware of the issues you write about.

      Tell you what. Next time I come by, I’ll definitely promote your site. 🙂

      ((hugs))

  15. That’s a really tough question, Barbara! I’m with Zeenat in saying both or at leat 50-50. I love comments and appreciate my connections with my readers so much. But I also want my articles to benefit as many people as possible so having people using the social network buttons to promote the site is also important. Like Zeenat, I do both.

    Now onto the tricky question of excerpts. Yes, I’m one of the guilty people who use excerpts, it’s the way my theme is designed – and it took me a long time to find a theme that met my wishes. It only allows excepts for the RSS too. What to do?!? I don’t know exactly how sinful this is!

    1. Hi Sandra,

      Ah ha, another saucy one. Both. 😉

      I know what you’re saying though. Comments are such a joy to receive, but when we’re sharing on issues that are important to the general population, we want even more people to read our work.

      Re: Excerpts. That’s a tough one. Some themes work better with excerpts, especially if we have a separate home page, but I’ve heard excerpts in our feeds discourage others from clicking through. If your theme only allows excerpts in feeds, all you can do is hope what is shared in the excerpt is interesting enough to get a reader to click through. And with your blog, I’m betting it is. 🙂

  16. Definitely comments. Last time I got stumbled, it did send a lot of traffic to my blog, but few of them responded in any way, and probably none of them came back to visit. So yeah, comments. The drive-by traffic doesn’t do anything besides creating a strange spike in analytics.

    1. Hi Kelvin,

      That’s true. Traffic, especially from StumbleUpon, can cause huge spikes in our traffic, but may not result in any new readers or subscribers. Then in a day or two, our traffic goes back to normal and it’s almost a let down. *sigh*

  17. Of course, I would rather have it all if I could… with an extra big dollop of cream on top! But this is the real world. 😛

    Comments for me. I love comments because I love interacting with people to see what my ideas may have stirred up in them. Being creative by yourself in a room is no fun, but once others start coming along to check out what you’re doing, then it gets REAL good! 😀

    So yeah, fame and fortune would be lovely, but that to and fro of creative minds getting together is what I really crave! 🙂

    1. Hi Tony,

      Yes. It would be wonderful to have it all, and with time, I’m guessing we can, but for now, like you said, when others start coming around…it gets REAL good. 🙂

  18. Hi Barbara, This is a great example of what I believe is one of the core skills in life, whether in relationships, business or effective writing.

    I mean the ability to see things from other people’s perspective. I rememeber my writing mentor John telling me years ago. It’s not about imagining yourself in their shoes, it’s about actually tring to see the world through thier eyes and filters… and then be able to write, think or behave in ways that actually move their emotions

    So many people talk about this, but in my experience even in the NLP and coaching fields so few do it. Writers who can do this, do very well… :o)

    Thanks for keeping this on my personal radar.

    Here’s my favourite blog post ever :o)

    http://empiricalcoaching.com/blog/motivation/how-to-find-motivation-and-how-you-can-lose-it/

    Dave.

    1. Hi Dave,

      That’s true. Writers can put themselves in others shoes. It may take some practice, but with time it can be done.

      Thank you for the link. I watched the video and also shared it on Facebook. Great find!

  19. Hi Barbara .. great post – again: thank you. 1) I suppose I expect comments because the subjects I write about are commentable on .. it seems to work .. though I am adding questions in and around the post.

    2. Blogger is a nightmare at the moment when I make comments on other blogs – so I altered mine to tie in with eliminating some of the challenge, but I think I’ll do it again & have a separated out comment box (opening out) .. which you can pull around the blog post to comment. Or do what I know some of us do – use word and then copy and paste across .. as I’m doing here. I like to comment with the post in view – otherwise I completely lose the plot .. I want to make it as easy as possible for people to leave comments and so far I’m moderating them.

    Challenges with the different browsers, and I get 3 copies of the comment and 2 copies of my own reply coming up in email .. it’s a muddle! It works so I ignore it for now!

    PS I don’t much like the subscribe to comments on WP – when I get my WP blog going I’ll question this one ..

    3. I don’t do this .. as I don’t fully understand – a learning process for me to tweet and FB in the next few months .. and put the icons up etc .. I feel guilty for not doing it!

    4. I hope so – but as I don’t provide the facility .. tough luck on me! It’s not perfect .. but people seem to appreciate the posts …

    5. You’re right about the home page .. sometimes I struggle round some peoples’ blogs or websites .. usually I know what I want to find .. so can trace it. My present blog is so simple – just the latest post & a few others following.

    6. Can’t comment ..

    7. No I don’t – as I don’t know how to etc etc ..

    Yes – we’re lucky to be read and commented on .. Davina FBs mine .. and a friend has Tweeted .. on special occasions!

    So this is an area I really need to get into .. because I’m so unknowledgeable .. now I’m off to read the comments and learn some ..

    All the best .. Hilary

  20. Now .. I see everyone – mostly desires comments – makes logical sense .. but I can see SuZen’s point of view for promoting her ideas .. I’ll click the link next time .. Hilary

    1. You’re welcome Hilary,

      I hear you. There is a lot to consider when we set up our blogs. If our readers have a hard time commenting or navigating around our blogs, chances are they won’t stick around. A lot of time it comes down to trial and error, and hoping we don’t mess things up TOO much. 🙂

  21. Hi Barbara,

    Great question and a tough one because it is wonderful to converse with people but it is also wonderful to be able to reach more people if you have a specific message to spread.

    Actually…come to think of it…what means more to me is to write a post that is full of great content. Because ultimately that is what moves people to leave a comment or promote it. A writer writes because they want to have an impact on people….how that impact is expressed really is not so important as the ability to really move someone with your words.

    1. Thank you Nadia,

      I know what you’re saying. When we’re trying to get a message out, we want to know we’re being heard, which comments tell us. But, if we want to reach a wider audience, that’s where promotion is needed. Like you said, if what we shared moves people. they’re more apt to promote it, too.

  22. I love comments and ask for them often. It’s a great way to know how well or if you are communicating.
    That said, I’d rather take the added traffic from social media as this can lead to more comments in the future. 🙂
    I look at my job as a blogger being to produce content that will be worth the time for others to comment or link to (with social media or on a blog).
    If I have the time and remember, I like to both comment and promote a good post in social media.

    1. Hi James,

      That’s a good point. When a post becomes popular on a social media site, we’re more apt to receive more comments on it, and often that happens even when the post has gotten buried in our archives.

      What you said reminds me of the importance of trying to make our writings timeless.

  23. Barbara, I’ve been meaning to add the Twitter and Facebook buttons. Thanks for the reminder.

    This is a trick question 🙂 Cause, “Unfortunately, both depend on the actions of others, and those ‘others’ are often fellow bloggers.” So, I can wish and hope with all my might but a blogger can only do so much. However…. lol…. I think one can tend to invite the other. Get promoted on social media and you may receive more comments. Get lots of comments and one of those commenters may promote you on social media.

    If I HAD to choose, I’d choose the comments. Interesting thing I’ve noticed; on my blog, posts that generate higher traffic receive less comments and vice versa. Hm.

    1. You’re welcome Davina,

      That’s interesting what you said about posts of yours which receive the most traffic get the least comments. It’s almost like instead of commenting, your readers are promoting those posts. I wonder, do you see a pattern, i.e. like that happens on a certain “type” of post? Or….?

  24. I like both, the 50-50 rule. It helps to know that folks understand what you are trying to convey to them and the other is to get the word out about the blog. I guess I am greedy in that way. 😀

    1. Hi Linda,

      I don’t think you’re alone. I’d have to believe most bloggers would love to get comments AND have their posts promoted. It’s like the best of both worlds. We can dream, hey?

  25. Dear Barbara,
    You started this post with thus statement: “In addition to making money, most bloggers want two things: Traffic and Comments. Unfortunately, both depend on the actions of others”
    Maybe I am different to most bloggers, but right now I am not looking for money, traffic or comments [my strategy is working because I am not getting any of those.. 😉 ]
    The purpose of my blog is creating a structure that allows me to practice my skills, to improve my cartooning skills and to share any entertaining value with my readers. The nice thing of this purpose is that doesn’t depend on others, it depens only on me and my discipline… 🙂
    If I had to choose between comments and traffic, I would prefer traffic because this would be a impartial feedback of how much people like my work.
    Thanks for your interesting posts!
    All the best,
    Boris

    1. You’re funny Boris,

      I do like how you put that, how it depends on you and discipline on your part. That’s really what blogging is all about. Anyone can start a blog, but it takes a commitment on our part to keep it going.

      P.S. I was just on your blog. Looking at your cartoons, I’m wondering, is it more time consuming to draw cartoons than to write a post? Seeing the detail you create makes me think, maybe so.

      1. Dear Barbara,
        Drawing cartoons are more time consuming than writing a post depending on what you like. If what you love is drawing cartoons, then drawing cartoons are the best option, less time consuming and more rewarding.
        I think cartoons are more respectful of the time of the readers.
        A reader will conclude immediately if the like or dislike a cartoon. In order to reach that conclusion with a post, they will require more time and they may eventually conclude that they were deceived…
        All the best,
        Boris

  26. Comments are great, even though I get a lot of SPAM on my blogs, the valid and real comments make it worthwhile. Sometimes the spam is actually quite funny but mostly it’s just lists of links. Do these folks really think that’s gonna get published? Real comments make my blog, exciting and fresh every day, that’s why I do it.

    S

    1. Hi Steve,

      I agree. It’s the real comments that make a blog. The spammers have gotten more creative, and even funny. Why they persist, I’ll never know, but apparently what they do must be beneficial.

  28. I am in this right now for the discussion and conversation, but with out being promoted, very little of that happens….

    I have been trying to get a tweet button but IT Girl does not have time right now…so one has to go through the little Green Share button

    Also I feel like one of my important jobs in the blog world is that I am a thorough reader of each post….I attempt to comment, post on social media.

    My highest traffic is from posts that have been put on Stumbleupon and Digg….

    I still put the highest effort into the quality of the writing – I can not really get into the razzle dazzle….
    I promote a great many blogs and posts in the course of a week…sometime I wish more folks would promote my words?

    1. Hi Patricia,

      I use the green share button too. I like how it gives a reader lots of options, and makes it easy to not only share a post on a social networking site, but allows a reader to email the post, as well.

      Yes. Posts that get Stumbled or Dugg (or is it Digged?), do get more traffic, however what I’ve found is most of that traffic does not stick around.

  29. I really am a greedy little blogger. I want both, I want it all! Read the post, leave a comment and please share!

    But if you can’t do it all at least hit the Retweet Button so others can find my little offerings on the web! 🙂

    1. Hi Joella,

      Having it all is the perfect scenario, isn’t it?

      That’s true about using the Retweet button; our work gets exposed to even more, all with one click. 🙂

  30. Hi Barbara,
    I write from the heart. The comments matter to me very much. If a post touches someone they promote it..At this point for me it’s about the connections I’m making and the lives I’m impacting, not the quantity of readers…I like to keep it smaller and more intimate although it’s growing far bigger than I expected…

    1. Hi Joy,

      You nailed why your blog is growing bigger than you expected. It’s because you’re writing from the heart. Your readers sense that, can probably identify with what you’re saying and keep coming back for more, plus are telling others.

  31. If I could only pick one I’d chooce to receive comments. The main reason for this is it that I enjoy hearing what people have to say about my thoughts and these sense of community that comments bring. This is one of the major reasons that threaded comments are so very important.

    As you say it’s easier to navigate the conversation. Imagine what life would be like is conversations during a group networking event came to your ears in chronological order from everyone in the room and you had to scan through it all for what the specific person you werre talking to had to say – that would be weird. Same goes for non threaded comments :o)

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