Importance of Commenting

I am very new to the whole blogging thing, so I have never given that much thought to the idea of commenting. After reading "How to Comment Like a King or Queen" from The Coolcat Teacher Blog, I have come to the understanding that commenting is absolutely important to the blogging community and is the "fuel that fires readership". Commenting on a blog helps to create a sense of community and interaction in that it lets the blogger know that you hear them. By commenting, you are casting a vote by letting your own ideas and views be heard. This sharing of information is what makes blogging interesting and valuable to the blogger and the one commenting. If I you never get a comment, you think nobody is reading, and if nobody is reading, why blog in the first place?

So what can I do as a blogger in order to receive more comments? I recently read "10 Techniques to Get More Comments on Your Blog" by ProBlogger. This blog taught me that I need to initiate comments in my own blog by asking questions, closing with an open end statement or question, and adding a little controversy to my blog. I also learned that it is very important to make commenting easy and rewarding for the reader. These techniques will help to increase the amount of comments I receive on my own blog.

Ok...so i get a comment....Then what? Drapes Takes has a blog entitled "Edublogger Etiquette" that explains how you should react to comments. Never ignore a comment. Always acknowledge your comments, as this gives the one commenting a sense of validation. This acknowledgement helps build relationships, increases readership, and encourages future comments.

I think I will find a few blogs to comment on myself! Stay tuned.......

Well, I commented on 5 blogs by my peers. First, I commented on Tim Bolin's blog about golf. If you are a golfer, you will find this blog very interesting as he shares a site that helps with handicapping. I am not good at golf and I told him that I am not interested in anything that will bring attention to my poor play.

Then I commented on Peggy's blog about the restaurant. She is an inspiration to me as she is going to school AND opening a restaurant!! I am having a hard time keeping up and I am not running a business on the side. I don't know how she does it!

Debbie Smith had an interesting blog about technology and what to do if it fails. I commented and shared how my father always took me camping and taught me how to live off the land. I wonder if kids are being taught things like hunting, fishing, boating, etc. today.

Amanda has a blog where she comments on Debbie's blog as well. She talked about how the DVD was broken...... I commented and told her not to try to fix it because they are very cheap in the stores...just buy another one. She, like Peggy, is an inspiration to me. She is going to school full time and has kids at home! Wow....and I think I've got it rough!

Monica....What can I say about Monica....?? She has helped me a lot this semester. She is very proficient with technology. She shared a site called the Image Chef. I commented and thanked her for sharing. I am sure that I will use that site before this class is over.

I found a blog that really interests me. The website is
http://www.footballimo.com/ This blog is all bout football. It is packed full of pictures, stats, and comments. I could spend hours reading this blog, however I have too much work to do for this class....so I must move on. I did make time to comment on how well laid out the blog was.

I also found this site: http://www.thefootballcardblog.com/
Now this is one that I really love. I am an avid football card collector and this blog has everything someone like me would want out of a blog. I left a comment on how I was new to the site and how I would love to start posting blogs on a regular basis. As I stated earlier, I am a little busy this semester, so I don't know how active I can be.