Whether you are a blogger, or simply a reader of blogs, you are an integral part of the blogging community – which we often affectionately refer to around here as “Blogland”. As with any healthy community, there are some things that we all can do to help it flourish and grow. And today I thought I’d share with you just a few things that will help us all earn the title of: Good Citizen of Blogland.
I guess I could start out with a one-word summary:
Support!
If that’s as far as you read, you’ll still have gotten the message I want to convey! So often I think as bloggers, we see other blogs (and their creators) as our competition – not as our support system. But who knows better the ins and outs of what we go through to produce posts everyday? Find your blogging kindred, surround yourselves with like-minded encouragers, and then support the heck out of each others blogs! – Why do some blogs grow, and others don’t? I think it’s directly tied to the kind of active support they have around them.
Then there is the big “C” word: commenting. No matter how many great posts I see on commenting, they just don’t seem to spur people on to action! Most people will pussyfoot around saying this, but here is the honest truth in black and white: we blog for comments. Blogs are not magazines. We don’t desire to just broadcast our content out there into outer space and hope people somewhere, sometime enjoy it. We want to hear from you. Comments make our world go ’round. When we don’t get many (or any) comments, we can get depressed, and wonder why we even blog… Comments are a virtual pat on the back, and the encouragement we need to continue to spend many unpaid hours of our days keeping our blog up and running! Commenting is also a bonafide way to assure that you are encouraging the kind of content you want to see more of! No need to comment on someone’s coffee date if you couldn’t really care less – but if you see an idea or recipe or tutorial that inspires you? Comment away! I guarantee that the blogger will produce more of what you respond to!
We blog to connect with our readers. See paragraph above. If you’re not commenting, we’re not connecting.
SHARE, SHARE, SHARE! Perhaps the very best thing you could do as a good citizen, is to share a post that you enjoyed. Be it a recipe, home decor idea, outfit inspiration, a party theme, an encouraging or thought-provoking post… If you liked what you read, share it with your friends. Chances are they will enjoy it too! Most blogs have super-easy ways to share their content. Look for “Pin-It” buttons, or “Facebook Share” or “Tweet This”… it literally takes seconds of your day. Yet your contribution to promoting someone’s content is priceless.
Are you sensing a theme here? We are all interconnected! We all help each other to grow, thrive, stay motivated. Don’t think of reading a blog as a drive-thru where you can come- read- leave; think of it as a co-op where you are an integral part of its nurture, care, direction, and success!
And the best thing? What goes around, comes around. So be lavish with your support, be lavish with your encouragement, be lavish with your love, be lavish with your thanks, be lavish with your comments, be lavish with your sharing…
The one who is freely a blessing to others always ends up being blessed themselves. Now let’s all get out there and be good citizens!
Vignettes 
Comments are definitely a blog’s lifeblood. I love “visiting” my friends every day to see what they’re up to, and I try to leave comments wherever I go! Sometimes it’s hard — I feel like I have time to read, but maybe not to respond to everything — but I know how much comments mean to me . . . so I try to respond in kind!
I know what you mean Meg! You are a wonderful example of a faithful commenter :-)!
TRUTH. I don’t aim to be a “big blogger,” but I do find myself wishing I knew who read my blog. I see my stats. I know how many times a post is viewed in a day, and then I think, “But what did they think?” I wish I knew!
Exactly! Nothing beats connecting with your readers, does it?
same! some of my most viewed posts have only a few comments and I walk away from the post thinking, well, humph. I don’t get it! It’s not about “oh everyone comments on my blog.” it’s about the critique and praise and conversation. soooo true!
I have set myself the goal for March to comment on every post I read, I figure that if I take the time to read I should take that little bit longer to let the person know that I read, plus getting comments is always nice.
Ps-loving your new blog design
What a great goal Rebecca! I might just have to adopt that myself for this month :-). You’re right, it just doesn’t take that much time, does it? So worth the investment… Oh! And thank you so much for your kind words about my new blog design! Hugs!
So true Kristin! I definitely need to make it a point to comment more. I guess I don’t as much because I only comment if something really hits me (I don’t like leaving comments that just say, “Cool post!”). But it does make the world go round. In fact I even follow some blogs that started up after mine and have far surpassed my following. And you’re right, even if we may not say it, we all want more readers and more followers. It makes a person feel awfully special when someone you don’t even really know takes the time out of their day to read what you’ve written.
On that note, this is just a random criticism, but I hate having to put my email in for comments. I know it prevents spammers and such, but a captcha might be just as easy and still serve the same purpose. I know that there are some people out there that would let a thing like required email deter them from commenting.
Hi Greg! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. All excellent points! I know what you mean about not wanting to leave “cool post” comments…I actually let that serve as a guide for what blogs I regularly frequent. When a blog doesn’t often compel me to comment, I sometimes take that as a cue to cross it off my reading list. I love blogs that engage me, and make me want to comment on what they share! You know? – As to requiring an e-mail address: a lot of thought went into that decision, and the good news is: once you enter it, it will automatically pop up should you choose to comment again, so readers only have to type it out once. It’s really important to me to be able to reply to each and every comment I receive, and if commenters don’t leave their address, I can’t do that. So for that reason alone, it was a no-brainer. Oh, and funny you mention that about capatcha, because I have such a strong prejudice against it! Nothing makes comment-leaving more painful to me than letters and numbers you can barely read! We all have our preferences, huh? Thanks again so much for sharing your thoughts!
So much to say about this, so little time. But it’s definitely being featured tomorrow on my blog. So many people try to write these posts and it’s just a difficult thing to put into words tactfully. You are dead on. It’s about supporting one another. It’s not a competition. And those who think it is, well, they turn me off. 🙂 Great job, Kristin!
🙂 Thanks T!!! I know you’re so with me on this. Love you!
Here, here! Although, I know heaps of people who read my blog and never comment. I know my audience is strong and loyal. That’s honestly enough for me. I do love when other bloggers take the time to comment too. Warms my heart.
And now I found you! Looking forward to following…
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts Angie! I’m so glad you did :-). Have a wonderful weekend!
Love this post! I’ve been making a real effort to leave comments recently on the posts that I read – both new blogs I find (like yours!) and the one’s I’ve been reading for ages. I know how much it means to me to get an email pop up from a blog-friend & I want to share that around!
For me, the community is hands down the best part about blogging!
I so agree! I began blogging for the community, and each and everyday the community is what keeps me at it. 🙂 Happy weekend to you Vic! Thanks a million for your comment.~
So right Kristin! I don’t expect my blog to be big, but at the same time, it is nice to receive a comment here and there…to find out what others are thinking of the post, are you on the right track with your blog? do others agree/disagree? what can you learn from each other? The internet is another form of being social/keeping connections…so naturally comments on blogs would be welcomed and appreciated!
Yes! Completely agree…I hope more people jump on board!
I was nodding my head in agreement the whole time I was reading this. Speaking as a person who is competitive by nature, I constantly have to remind myself that that blogging is not a competition. Especially when I come across blogs that are ‘younger’ than mine but have way more followers. I would much rather have a good (and small) community of friends/readers who love to comment than a large number of followers and zero comments. Hooray for increased interconnectedness 🙂
I know, it IS hard not to compare…isn’t it? Speaking as a long time blogger with a comparatively small following, it’s easy to get discouraged! Why do other blogs succeed? What is their “magic ingredient”? But then I get all caught up into trying to produce a blog that is not ME, and that has never led anywhere good! Keep doin’ what you’re doin’, and enjoy the journey! At least that’s what I tell myself everyday ;-).