Commenting Makes You Sexy

09.09.01

Ok, that’s not really true, but it does make me happy…

One of the main reasons I write this blog is the interaction I get to have with the people who read it. I love hearing your thoughts. I love when you tell me I’m wrong, or point out things I haven’t thought of. Basically, I love getting to know you all.

Recently, lots of people have remarked to me that the number of comments on their blogs are falling – replaced, it seems, by retweeting. While I’ve said before that I think someone retweeting a post is a compliment to the author, it certainly doesn’t match comments in terms of depth or, necessarily, furthering the discussion.

Interestingly, even with the shift to lower-commitment commenting via Twitter, the 90/10 rule still seems to apply. That means that, on average, only one in ten of you will comment-on or tweet a post. The other 90 per cent will “lurk.”

This is a call to everyone reading this, but especially those who read but don’t often add your two cents. Please take two seconds to de-lurk and say hi.

Who else is out there?

Commenting may not make you sexy, but it makes you de-lurky

If you’re reading this and you don’t usually comment on posts, please say hi! It’s really simple. If you haven’t done it before:

  1. Scroll right to the bottom of the post and the comments
  2. Fill-in your name and email address (I won’t do anything with it) and, if you like, your website address
  3. Let me know who you are! A little about you; why you read the site; what you want to get out of it; what you wish I’d write about – that kind of thing. Whatever you like. Introduce yourself. Say hi.
  4. If you want to receive subsequent comments via email, check the box below the “Post Comment” button.
  5. Click “Post Comment.”

Looking forward to getting to know you.

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  • http://www.gameworldone.com Jordan Cooper

    Knowing that there are people out there reading and getting good interaction with comments definitely is a motivator for me to write more.

    I just found you today via the FTR post http://www.fridaytrafficreport.com/top-50-social-media-blogs and put you in my RSS reader. I’ve been running a niche blog/podcast for the past year, so I’m always interested in new ways to build more community around the readership and get them involved.

    Definitely keep up the good work and I hope to read and comment more on your content in the future!

  • http://www.joeboughner.ca Joe Boughner

    Hey Dave,

    I comment fairly often here but since you made such a direct call to action…

    COMMENT!

    I read the site because, as a fellow PR/comms guy, I have a professional interest in the topics you explore. I blog about them myself too, though less often than you and often in less detail.

    It just so happens we share many of the same opinions on things but that’s not why I read – I like reading blogs that piss me off too.

  • http://www.joeboughner.ca Joe Boughner

    Oh wait, meant to add something too. It’s a nitpicky thing but I really wish there was a space / line break between paragraphs in your comment threads. The formatting looks a bit goofy without them and longer comments can be hard to read.

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Joe – I’m with you. There’s a new blog design in the works :)

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Jordan – thanks for reading, and for saying hi.

  • http://amymengel.com amymengel

    Hey Dave. I’ve de-lurked on the blog before (gosh that word makes me sound like some sort of crazed stalker) but this call to action is a great way to discover your readers. I know that many people, like me, probably read your posts via a feed reader and thus don’t always click through to comment. I’ve been trying to get better at that!

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  • http://www.prostylus.com/blog Dan McCarthy

    David,

    Thanks for opening the door to comment arbitrarily.

    I recently considered commenting on several of your posts about ghost-blogging. But I discovered them (and your blog) weeks after you posted them, so commenting seemed like an afterthought.

    Even so, ghost-blogging and conversational marketing ethics are all topics I’m interested in, hence our brief exchange on Twitter a couple weeks ago. And I expect I’ll be posting more on those topics myself – if I can find an angle you haven’t already covered.

    So yeah, I’m a new reader and, now a past lurker. Look forward to seeing more of your thoughts on my Google Reader list.

  • http://jeffhurtblog.com Jeff Hurt

    Thanks for sharing the word de-lurk. I’d never seen that one before and really like it. While I don’t always leave a comment on your blog, I do read your stuff.

    As I told John Haydon recently, people can still be part of a community and never leave a comment. Some pepole enjoy being a specatator–look at sports for example. And, how many of us talk regularly to our next door neighbors.

    So I see it as a good, better, best situation. Good that people read your posts. Better that they tweet it. Best when they comment.

    That being said, I try to comment on three blogs a day so I limit my choices. There are so many good bloggers with great content that it’s always challenging to decide who I want to converse with on any given day.

    Thanks for the great content, thoughts and even prodding me to leave you a comment!

  • http://seakisst.wordpress.com SaraKate

    Dave,

    Great post. Commenting is essential to forming relationships and furthering dialogue. I appreciate the reminder. I have been lax with posting to my own blog and in commenting on others’ entries for the past month or so due to increased responsibilities at work and moving, however, I’m recommitting myself today to writing more in my own blog and to commenting on those blogs I read (especially those I read often).

    I enjoyed your little checklist of how to make oneself de-lurky, so I’ll introduce myself, officially, though I already follow you on Twitter.

    I live in Virginia (recent transplant from Maryland and originally from Maine). I was in International Relations major in college (American University in DC) and spent time abroad in Germany and Jordan. I now work for a non-profit organization in Washington, DC that deals with issues of aging. While I currently work in grant administration, my goal is to become a self-employed graphic designer and web developer. I enjoy live music of all kinds, almost any type of art you can think of, reading and writing fiction and poetry, and am a lifelong Unitarian Universalist.

    I consider myself now officially de-lurked. ;)

    Sara

  • http://www.twitter.com/lindstr Lindsey Thomas

    Dave,
    I love this! You are so right. I am guilty of lurking and definitely retweeting. Obviously, retweeting a great post is easier than commenting, but that’s just people – including me – being lazy, perhaps. I am making a point to comment on blogs more, so I look forward to doing so on yours as well!

  • http://clicktoaddme.com/entotto ento

    Hi!

    I usually don’t read your blog, but I was drawn into this post by someone’s retweet and felt the urge to just say hi.

    I’m on my way back home on a semi-crowded Tokyo train. As a software engineer, my interest is pricked to know the ways of a PR person as I flip through your previous posts. I’m going to add your blog to my my6sense’s feeds afterwards.

    There, I had my hi =)

  • http://lauraldawn.blogspot.com Laural

    I read all the time, but I’m totally guilty of lurking – mostly because I’m still learning about all of this social media stuff, and I really don’t have any feedback yet. But, thanks for your great posts. They are interesting and informative and often shared with my colleagues.

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Dan – thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to reading more thoughts on ghost-blogging – I’m sure I’ll write more about it over time, too – it’s a topic that I find fascinating, and you can always learn from other peoples’ perspectives on that one as it’s such a grey area.

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Jeff – that’s entirely understandable. We all have limited time – I appreciate you using some of yours to stop by and say hi!

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Sara – you’re officially de-lurked! :)

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  • http://www.macmillanlibrary.com Ben Rubinstein

    Ok ok ok. So I’m one of the lurkers who read all the posts via RSS yet never comment. You got me. I suppose it’s best to not be a creeper.

    I work in book publishing, in a marketing position. With all the doom/gloom surrounding the industry I like to keep up to date with social media and communication skills. If anything is gonna help this industry, it’s a bit of diversification. And that’s where this blog comes in!

    -Ben

  • http://www.redgiantconsulting.com Tamara Gruber

    Hi Dave,
    You are right, as an audience we get lazy and retweeting good content is so much easier than adding a thoughtful comment, especially with a ReTweet button! I tend to use the RT as a vote of appreciation — a way to “like” the content. I only add a comment when I really feel I have something valuable to add or to dispute a point. I guess that is why blog comments sometimes are the breeding ground for controversy and retweeting is a way of sharing content you agree with. But we are out here reading, lurking, agreeing with you.

  • http://www.twitter.com/lindabeth Linda Russell

    Fantastic title, Dave. You’re right that interacting with a blogger via comments is important. I’ve read a post here and there that I saw on Twitter, but I just added your blog to my RSS feed based on this post and some of the comments about prior posts. I’m looking forward to being a more regular reader (and perhaps regular commenter as well).
    For me, one of the challenges with commenting on blogs is keeping up with the conversation after I’ve commented. The notifications are great with tracking the conversation, but then I just feel like my e-mail is bogged down with them and it adds to the noise. I’m still working on a better system to manage where I’ve commented… anyone have great suggestions on how you manage it?
    About me: marketing/communications professional passionate about internal communications, social media, project management, and change. I’ve blogged to a personal audience off and on for about five years but have recently been debating whether or not to take the plunge and start a blog for my professional musings.

  • http://www.vandenhurkpr.com Ann Marie van den Hurk, APR

    Yes, I am a lurker. I read blogs and rarely ever comment. Well, I have come out of the shadows to comment…

    It is really important to make smart comments on blogs… not just to read your own words or promote yourself. Commenting opens discussions that may never have been had due to the fact we’re from all over the world wearing different lenses. Strengthening our profession is important and that’s through free flow of ideas and conversations. We don’t always have to agree, but we are all professionals so that’s OK.

    Dave, I will stop lurking and start commenting…

    Cheers!

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/Noblesongster Noblesongster

    Many times there is nothing to say and people don’t want to just say “Got it” or “whatever”. They may not agree but don’t want to start a war of words over what was written. Maybe the content is not good enough to comment on the positive side. I’m sure that there are many reasons why people “lurk” but I would not view that as a negative. The fact that your posts or blogs are being read or you have followers is significant.

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Noblesongster – I completely agree. I have zero problem with people just reading and not commenting, and I’m thankful for every person that chooses to read my posts either way.

    This is an opportunity to comment and say hi without needing to have a viewpoint or any expertise.

    Also, please don’t worry about disagreeing with me under your own name – I welcome debate.

    Thanks for your thoughts.

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  • http://www.bradmarley.com Brad

    Hi, Dave –

    I forget where I stumbled across your blog, but I added it to my reader a few months ago and am guilty of never commenting.

    I work in the PR industry, thus, I try to consume as much as possible on, like your tagline says, the intersection of communications and social media.

    Thanks for calling us out.

  • http://www.pr-squared.com Todd Defren

    Hi Dave.
    (Crawling back under rock now).

  • http://www.getitwrite.ca Sue Horner

    Dave, thanks for the pointed reminder to comment (and great title!). I think it’s great when people retweet a post, but I often wonder why they don’t read the post, comment, and THEN retweet? I will try harder to do that myself.

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  • http://twitter.com/prnewswire Vicky Harres Akers

    I think we are all in a hurry and trying to do too many things. We don’t stop and share our thoughts often enough. I am as guilty as the next person.

    Great headline by the way. It made me stop and smell the roses :-)

  • MK

    i always comment but sometimes i feel like if im the only one that it makes me feel creepy. but who cares. its about building relationships. being honest. and just communicating.period. I much rather prefer meeting people face to face but if it must be done via web, then comment away! =)

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  • http://www.twitter.com/amydrill Amy

    Hi Dave! I, too, am guilty of lurking and definitely appreciate you calling us all out. Sometimes that is just the encouragement some of us need.

  • Sian Parry

    Dave – Recently started reading/lurking on a recomendation from Jenn Gaines. Looking forward to your insight/commentary and an ongoing dialouge.
    -Sian Parry

  • Sarah

    I’m a lurker, but not a creepy one. I tend not to talk outloud to the computer screen instead of posting comments. Does that count? I do share many of your posts with my colleagues.

  • http://www.morgan-anderson.com Morgan Anderson

    Let the De-Lurking process begin. Effective article. Thanks!

  • http://www.davefleet.com Dave Fleet

    Thank you everyone for sticking up your hand and saying hi! Great to hear from all of you.

    Who else is out there?

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  • http://dannybrown.me Danny Brown

    You caught me with the sexy headline. So I thought I’d better comment. Though, in hindsight, I realize that you weren’t actually talking to me specifically. Which makes this comment redundant. Well – not redundant per se. Maybe grudged… ;-)

    And please tell me the new design will have (*cough*) threaded comments… :)

  • http://www.coach.ca Michele

    I admit, I’m a lurker! I enjoy reading blogs like yours, even though I do not have a lot to share. I’m building on my knowledge and judgment and appreciate all the valuable information I get. Keep up the good work and I’ll try to be more proactive!

  • D’Andre Berry

    Blogs like this are great. The information you provide is informative and it is great to hear your take as well as others on the latest in social media/communications/marketing.

  • http://www.prlab.com.au Greg Smith

    Damn it, Dave. There, I’m a closet lurkerer. So “g’day” from Down Under. Mate, I just don’t have the time to write as much stuff as you social media pundits. I’m too busy teaching (yes, teaching is a hard slog – and I’ve worked as a daily print jouro for 17 years and PR pro for 15). Keep up the blogging. I prefer the substance, compared to Twitter; though it has its place. Regard, Greg @prlab

  • http://www.prlab.com.au Greg Smith

    Lurker, that is.

  • http://www.twitter.com/brenleigh Brenda Drake

    I am officially de-lurking myself. I follow you on Twitter and, as a result of your tweets, added your blog to my RSS feed. I am a communications professional in K-12 public education and use blogs, twitter and other mediums to stay up-to-date on the latest advances in communication tools and tactics. I love the connection between professionals across the globe and the conversations that are started (that I lurkingly watch) between smart professionals about great topics ranging from SM to politics to the best coffee chain.

    Thank you for your contributions to these conversations and for obliging us lurkers. :)

  • http://absurdlydigital.com/ Marcus Andrews

    Wow there are a lot of comments on this post! I have a feeling that more tweeting = less commenting, BUT more people tweeting = more people getting into social media, which eventually = more blogs, bloggers, and comments for all.
    Cool post Dave,
    -Marcus

  • http://www.augustwilliams.com/ William A. Thomas

    So, after reading this post, I felt like I was sitting in church listening to the preacher give a generic description of public behavior that’s pretty much a spot-on description of me. Kinda scary. I admit, when it comes to blogs I’m more of a lurker than a contributor, although I prefer the term “observer” over “lurker” because it sounds less ominous. I tend to read and absorb but have yet to share my opinion on anything. Perhaps this’ll be the post that changes things for me. We’ll see.

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