Content Commenting Can Be Enhanced, article by GT Bulmer
Interacting with prospects, customers and fellow marketers is a must today for Internet Marketers and commenting on the website or blog content of others is one way to stimulate meaningful engagement. I read an informative article today that explains how content commenting can be enhanced.
The article, Optimizing the Comment Experience, by Peter A. Prestipino, Editor-in-Chief of Website Magazine, featured five rules of engagement for commenting.
"Commenting on the content of others is one of the great hallmarks of Web Marketing," Peter explains. He confirms two of the primary benefits of commenting on the content of others: "Not only do you get to participate and share your thoughts with others, but you have the opportunity to generate exposure for your own brand simultaneously."
The five rules of engagement in Peter's article suggest best
practices for when you comment on other websites and on your own.
Included in the rules are tips on how best to deal with unruly comments
posted by others.
When you post comments, Peter encourages you to participate in the conversation.
If someone has taken the time to write something and you have taken the time to read it,? he says, "it seems like a waste to go off-topic, right?" Don?t just say, "great article." Say why it was a great article.
Peter also promotes the idea of including data that supports your comment. Opinion is one thing, but data that supports the comment enhances the discussion and provides additional benefit to others.
A couple of Peter's rules of engagement focus on the importance and value of rewarding positive contributions on your website or blog, and punishing disruptive behaviour.
With respect to acknowledging positive contributions, Peter says, "Rewarding positivity will set the tone and encourage repeat visits and greater interaction over time."
With respect to disruptive behaviour, he advises, "Nothing good comes out of flame wars and posting offensive, threatening and inflammatory rhetoric. As the website operator, you must curtail disruptive behaviour with great swiftness."
Peter also recommends transparency in the comments you make, declaring your personal interests. In other words, if you represent a particular company, and that bias is reflected in your comments, be honest and upfront about it.
After presenting the rules of engagement for commenting, Peter finishes the article with brief reviews of four comment system resources that could be useful to Internet Marketers. Comment systems allow you to better manage, moderate and track comments. Features and benefits vary from system to system.
I have been a Website Magazine subscriber for a number of years and have recently become an affiliate for the publication because I believe the articles and resources will be of great interest and benefit to Internet Marketers and website owners.
Read Peter's complete article, Optimizing the Comment Experience, to find out how your content commenting can be enhanced.
Comments (32)
Philippe Moisan
16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
We don't have to comment, but when we decide to do so, it's so much better to put some effort in it, we get unexpected rewards, it's a win-win-win, i.e. article author, commentor, other readers
Nigel Morris WebStra...
6
yes, I completely agree with this.Interaction is the core of any online marketing and webmarketing, we must have to comment on others article or blogs for better ..
Philippe Moisan
16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
LOL good :)
Ian Begg
8
Marketer, Engineer
LOL so have I - lets keep it up :-D
Fred Mugone
14
Health, Wellness, e-Business
Philippe, about the "army:" I've just written on his face at Imfaceplate with your link to this article...
Philippe Moisan
16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
To convince him, I suggest you guys talk to him too. When an army of us talk to him, he might decide to come and take a look. :)
Ian Begg
8
Marketer, Engineer
Thanks for sharing this Philippe, very useful knowledge, I've read many an Article from GT and like yourself he is always trying to give. A great example of how social networking should work and I hope you can convince him to join us here at Apsense :-)
Fred Mugone
14
Health, Wellness, e-Business
Just saw your comment Philippe (about going over to IMfacePlate and tell GT...). I've read a lot GT's contributions at IMfacePlate and must say that they are way above average - 1st class! And as you mentioned to me sometime back that the activity levels at Apsense are much higher than those at IMfacePlate, I think he will find a bigger and more active audience over here.
Philippe Moisan
16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
I gotta go to IMfaceplate and tell GT I still get new readers for his material. Thanks, Nnamdi. :)
Nnamdi A.
17
Internet Marketer
I am just reading this article. Glad it was brought up again. We need to read and take action to avoid monotonous comments and to make comments that add value to the original article.
Thanks Philippe, for posting it here for us.
Philippe Moisan
16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
I posted that article at a time I kept seeing comments like "good article", "great information" and variations of those 2.
Rona T.
6
Program Analyst
Thanks for sharing your friends blog with me Philippe; this is great information to know especially about the 5 rules of engagements and how to handle unruly comments tactfully.
DEJAN T.
6
Internet Surfer in All Areas
thx for infoo.... .and sharing this site very nice site ................
Mellisa L.
8
Lash Artist and Content Creator
Yea I notice a lot of copy and pasted comments on Apsense and it does seem like a waste of time for them to do that. Original comments are much more valuable to both the commenter and the writer.
Beverley Hobson
2
Hi This was very interesting reading
Catherine Shaffer
6
Affiliate Marketer
There is alot of helpful information in this campaign
Philippe Moisan
16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
I had posted this a week ago. I think I had run a "view website" campaign for it, but that was all.
Glad that this time, I got some attention. Not on myself, but on the article. I hope it helps my friend GT get more attention, he's a professional write
I also hope I can finally convince him to join me here. ;)
Paula, stay away from him. You hear ? :)
There are a couple of comments that defy the content of the blog. Oh well, what can I say...
To all those who took the time to write
Helen Smith
9
Consultant
Hmmm....very interesting that the preception is that Peter is talking about blogging when he is advising on decorum and interaction.(lol) At any rate I use principals I was raised with when commenting on anything: "If you don't have anything good to say, say nothing at all!" Also "You don't always have to say what you think or feel"! I enjoy a lively debate, however when I see it getting ugly I would rather take the high ground and keep it moving. Website Magazine always has great articles.
Cheryl Baumgartner
12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I also subscribe to Website Magazine but what I really hope everyone takes from here is the comments content part
Allison Steinman
7
Affiliate marketer
This sounds like a great magazine. I think these are tips that every blog owner and commenter can benefit from if they are applied correctly.
I really enjoy and learn a lot from everything you post, thanks again for another great post.
~Allison