Leaving Blog Comments - 4 Quick Steps

Blog comments are a great way to get started in creating social media content without starting a blog of your own. Over time, leaving blog comments can provide the basis for creating posts on your own blog. If you're just getting started in actively exploring social media, however, the steps of leaving blog comments may not be completely clear. There are four basics on leaving blog comments applicable in most situations:

• To leave a comment, click where it says "0 (or some number of) comments" at the bottom of a post. Clicking will open a dialogue box where you can type and submit your comment.
• "Thanks, this post was helpful" is a nice comment, but unfortunately it sounds like the types of comments spammers leave. To make sure you're comment clears it through a spam filter, add something of relevance which indicates you actually read the post. Expand on, challenge, or clarify a point that was made. Your comment doesn't have to be the length of a blog, but a few lines and a reference to the original post is important.
• Identify yourself with your name. You don't have to sign up for anything to leave a comment here, but it's great if you at least leave your name so follow up comments can be directed to you.
• If you're really uncomfortable commenting, go ahead and send the blogger an email. Anything that provides some type of feedback and breaks the virtual silence is a positive.

Writing a blog can be a pretty isolated experience. Take 30 seconds to break through and leave a hint you visited and enjoyed what was there. It will make a blogger's day!

P.S. If you're a blogger, visit this Chris Brogan post for a great overview of approaches to try and generate comments.