How To Write Great Blog Comments

In short though: If you follow these four steps, you’ll be writing great comments in no time:

1. Read the post.

This really should go without saying. Make sure you understand the blog post you’re going to comment on, and that you fully comprehend the author’s intent. Of course, if you have questions, then those are perfectly acceptable to include in your comment on the post. They may even start a conversation.

2. Read the comments that have already been made, if any.

It’s really annoying as a reader to have a conversation going — only to have someone come in and ask the same question that has been asked five comments ago, because the writer didn’t read all of the comments. Make sure you’re a part of the conversation, not just a drive-by commenter.

3. Figure out what you can say that will add value to the conversation.

As I mentioned earlier, if you have a question about the post, ask that question. Chances are, if you’re confused, someone else will be, as well. I will welcome your questions, and the opportunity to clarify their messages. Make sure you’re polite, and that your intention is to understand better, not to point out faults or argue.

If you have a unique perspective to offer, a story to further illustrate the point, or a point to add to what is already being said, then by all means, respectfully contribute your thoughts. While writing “Great Article!” in the comments is nice and respectful, it doesn’t really help contribute to the conversation or help the us understand where you’re coming from. If you think the post is amazing, make sure you explain why you think so and use facts from the article as support.

To put this into “student-ease,” you will need to first make sure you understand the original post. If not, ask questions to make sure you are fully comprehending the topic. Once you’re past that phrase, you can start analyzing and evaluating the concepts discussed in the original post and subsequent comments.

Here are some questions to help jog your mind. (I know that at the end of a long day, my brain definitely needs help in the jogging department…)

• Do you know of an application of the topic that isn’t being discussed, and that is relevant to the conversation?
• Are there any patterns or trends you can point out?
• Can you predict what might happen next as a result of the topic at hand?
• How do the concepts in the conversation compare to others you are familiar with?
• What recommendations do you have?

Sometimes, simply sharing your connection with the conversation will be enough:

• Have you experienced something in your life that is similar to the topic? If so share the short version and tell what you learned from that experience.
• Did you read a book or an article that discussed the topic, and what was the author’s perspective? What was your takeaway, and how does that relate to this conversation?
• Have you heard about someone else’s experience that is similar to what is being discussed? Can you share that experience?

A Few Basic Commenting Tips

Here are a few more basic tips to help you become a successful blog commenter.

1. Keep your comments short. No one wants to read a novel in the comments section. Use facts from the article.
2. Proofread your comment before you hit submit. Once you’ve published that comment, there is no taking it back.
3. Finally, if you don’t have anything nice to say, or you can’t think of a respectful way to make your point, keep your comments to yourself.