Enticing Your Blog Readers To Comment

[espmartin]

I know that for me, I get much more spam comments than actual
relevant ones. That's why I use Automattic Kismet (Akismet for
short) to capture them. But as far as enticing readers to post
comments on your blogs, besides the simple fact that your blog
is "good enough" for people to want to comment without any
types of Enticements, what do you offer?

There is a WordPress plugin called "DoFollow" - which removes
the

rel="nofollow"

from your comments. Would this
be something you would consider as an offering to your readers?

[Bagi Zoltán]

Martin, i gave a try for the dofollow plugin, but the results was different than the expectations. People started to place keywords on their link anchor and i hated this so the dofollow must gone.

I think that there is only one thing that may improve the interaction of a given blog and it is the regularly published totally UNIQE content. For instance there are tons of webdesign and seo blogs, so you need to try to post about things that can not be found elsewhere so your blog need to be outstanding to make visitor post comment relating your thoughts. As i saw you have already found your own niche with this semantic html project

And a short update here. I think that the template you use is a keyfactor for getting comments, so need to select something fresh and youngish which encourage visitors, of course only if you are not MR. Matt Cutts, because he need nothing to receive tons of comments.

[SkinnerW]

... and always leave little bit room for controversial oppinions

[espmartin]

Great posts Bagi and Skinner (what is your real name Skinner )! I do want to create,
especially for the semantic niche, a modern/young/artistic/professional design for it,
and I'll do so hopefully in a few months (when I get the time to do so )

As far as the dofollow plugin, the one I have (I'll post a link once I get time) allows you
to configure it on a per user/post count basis. So it's not just a remove everything
plugin...hum...

[rhyswynne]

I generally try and engage the reader with my blog, usually by asking questions. I find the brian's threaded comments plugin brilliant for this as you can reply to each comment individually, as well as appearing like your blog post is popular as you leave multiple comments

I have the same problem as Bagi, and have noticed time and again names like "Music Wordpress Templates" and "Hair Cure Information" in my Akismet, turns out people are learning (though some big bloggers let them go).

What I generally do is e-mail them, explain to them what they're doing, and generally say to them if you want link backs, submit to my bid directory or advertise on my blog

[Bagi Zoltán]

What I generally do is e-mail them, explain to them what they're doing, and generally say to them if you want link backs, submit to my bid directory or advertise on my blog

How many of them respond to your mail?

[rhyswynne]

Well one of them bought a $2 listing on my bid directory. Okay, it's not hugely successful, but for an e-mail which is already drafted out, it was worth it .

[espmartin]

brian's threaded comments plugin

Where's this ?

[rhyswynne]

Voila:

Brian Meidell’s Blog » Threaded Comments

[SkinnerW]

Don't you think Rhys it's kinda wrong to send them emails just because you have theirs address?

It's different story if someone subscribed to your feed or newsletter, but if you require email address in order to post comments and than use it with any kind of offers - I would consider it a spam...

Just my oppinion - I hate to receive emails with any offers I did not ask for, especially from people who somehow forced me to give my address...