31 Days to a Better Blog--Day 7: Comment on New Blog

Today's activity from Darren is to comment on a blog where you've never commented before. He suggests going on a web hunt to find new blogs in your niche and then leave a comment to add to the conversation.

This one was easy because the 31 Day Challenge has actually led me to several bloggers I'd never seen before, and I've been busily adding comments as I can. Check that one off my list.

I will say, though, while we're on the subject of commenting at new blogs, I understand people's reluctance to do so, at least at some blogs. If it's a blog where not a lot of people have left comments or the comments indicate a sort of openness to a new voice, then I'm fine with leaving something. But there are some blogs where it seems like you've stumbled into a party, uninvited. There are inside jokes, rivalries and all manner of subterranean social activities that seem to be going on in comments.  In those cases, I tend to either watch for awhile (if it's a blog that interests me) or hightail it out of there. I'm not fond of crashing parties.

I also look to see how a blogger has handled previous comments. If there's no sign that the blogger is interacting with people via comments, then I'm less likely to leave something. I will also leave without commenting when it seems like the blogger is rude or unfriendly. It's really amazing the impressions you can get just from looking at a blog's comments.

Key Learning

• Pay attention to how I'm handling comments on my own blog in case other people are thinking like I do.

• Try to look for and comment on at least one new blog a day as part of my regular blogging activity. Building a blogging community isn't just about staying home. It's also about going out to visit and talk to others.

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31 Day Challenge Update
Tim Davies has joined us and has done an awesome job with retooling his blog's About Page. Definitely check it out if you're planning to work on yours.

Also, it looks like Christine Martell is trying to work on two blogs at the same time. Talk about ambitious! One thing she's learned is that if something doesn't function on your blog the way a reader expects it to, they assume you've screwed up. It doesn't matter that Typepad or Word Press doesn't offer a particular functionality. If the user expected it, then it's your failing. Interesting. . .

Finally, it's still not too late to join in. Just let me know.

Comments

[Kate Foy]

Well, I'm not exactly taking the 31 day challenge on more than one blog at a time, but I am applying some of the challenge daily tasks to my 'other' blog which is sort of in gestation phase. I 'emailed an old commenter' (cause I didn't have any!) by sending out some "Add me as a friend" on Facebook to several ex-students of mine. "Old commeners" get it? Anyway, that worked and yes I am gradually getting into Facebook as part of my own learning plan. I hope to lure them into my other mutual special-interest blogosphere gradually. The link is on my Facebook site. Does this workaround count?

[Michele Martin]

Kate, I'm of the mind that it's your blog and you need to decide what tasks work for you. :-) No doubt I dove in to a few of the tasks with more gusto than others and my theory is that it's about the learning, so do whatever!

Now I'm off to friend you on Facebook. . .