What Are They Waiting For?

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

Since the main reason I blog is to find online friends to discuss books with, I'm always frustrated when I find an interesting blogger, leave lots of chatty comments on her blog, and then never see her show up on my own. And no, I don't mean one of the really busy ones who gets dozens of comments a week and can't realistically be expected to reply to all of them.

 

It has happened several times, and every time it does, I wonder: What are they waiting for? An invitation?

 

Not that it always works, either. There have been a couple of bloggers whom I did invite to visit my blog--even leaving a link--and nothing ever happened.

 

My own habit is to check out the blog of everyone who leaves me a comment. I guess this isn't a universal practice. I'm just surprised that so many people aren't more curious about new visitors, especially when they average only one or two comments per post.

 

A few weeks ago, someone said that Blogger's comments have been acting up, and that might be one factor when comments don't get returned. But I really don't think it's just a technical problem.

 

Another possibility I've considered is that my blog is just not as interesting to others as it is to me. (Ouch!  LOL!) In that case, I guess this post is just to let everyone know that if you like having chatty commenters on your blogs (as I do), then it's really worth returning visits to get them to keep coming back to you.  =)

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

A hop is a weekly event hosted on by a blogger in which people are encouraged to leave links to their blogs in a linky and to visit as many other blogs on the linky as possible. It's like one big virtual party: leave your link if you want to mingle, and then do some mingling on your own!

 

A meme is a weekly feature one blogger does that she encourages others to do, too--with a link back to her blog, of course. Examples are In My Mailbox, Top Ten Tuesdays, Waiting on Wednesdays, Character Connection, A Weekend to Recover, and (ahem!) Locus Focus.

 

There's lots of overlap between hops and memes--especially now that hops encourage everyone to answer the same question and some memes are as easy as answering a single question! But both are for networking and for attracting more traffic. =)

[MichelleKCanada]

I'm curious after catching up on this thread.

When I decide to follow a blog from one of those follow me follow you threads, I truely only follow if I intend to check them out in the future. I use my Blogger Dashboard at least 3X a week to catch up and if something interests me, I click and check out their blog. Yes I will usually comment.

Now my question - -

When I comment on their post, it is usually an actual comment regarding the post. Then when I sign my name, I sign it as

 

MichelleKCanada

http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspot.com/

 

So it's not in invite persay to come to my blog but it is a calling card I guess to let them know who I was. I read above that someone thinks leaving their link is a turn off. Is what I do above a turn off?

Appreciate thoughts. Great discussion Enbrethiliel

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

I don't think that's a turn off at all! In fact, the calling card analogy came to me, too. I can't count the number of times I read the advice to include that sort of signature on this forum and on blogging 101-type articles.

 

In fact, I should be taking it myself, since I have two blogs--my main one and a group blog that I'm not so active on--and it's the latter that is getting all the hits back when all people have to follow me back is the link to my blogger profile. =P But if I don't do it, it's not because I think it's rude, but because I'm kinda lazy. LOL!

 

And I'm glad you're enjoying the discussion, too, Michelle! =)

[Lesa]

I mentioned calling cards before scrolling down--  great minds think alike!! ;o)

[Jamie]

I think the main issue is with people who strictly leave their link and a short comment like "nice blog follow me."  If you sincerely comment and then leave your signature with your link it just makes things easier for people to go and see who commented on their blog.  The big problem is when people are just simply "pimping" their blogs out and don't really care about the content of the blog they are commenting on.  That annoys me and I tend to delete those type of comments.

[MichelleKCanada]

Ok cool thanks guys! I appreciate it. I was worried there that I been annoying a bunch of bloggers.

Cheers, MichelleKCanada

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

Hi, Shawn! =)

 

I also don't do the "follows for follows" thing, although I'm lucky enough to have the time to do "comments for comments."

[carol marlene smith]

Enbrethiliel

There are so many bloggers and so little time. I think that might be the answer. Once you get into this thing it takes a whole lot of time. First you should if you are serious, keep up with your own blogging so it stays current, and that takes thinking of something to write. Then there are all those e mails to read and if you read all of them it might take you all day. It is just time consuming.

I don't think that anyone means to not reply it just happens. I see you have had a lot of replies on here, so hope you get a lot of followers and people to chat books with. My main reason on here is to promote my books as it is one of the things you are told to do when you start marketing. However, I do find many interesting blogs and comments along the way. It's a good place and everyone is trying to do what they want to do, so just keep keeping up with your blog and your comments and the people will come.

 

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

Thanks for your reply, Carol. I understand that it's different for a busy author, so I also try to stick to "hobby" blogs. =)

[Quincy Durell]

i just started blogging, if you visit my page, i'll visit yours http://englishloveqdbooktopics.blogspot.com/

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

Thanks for the nice offer, Quincy. You seem like a cool, friendly guy. =)

 

But as I told someone else, I'm not really blogging to get comments-for-comments. The people I wonder about are those whose blogs I comment on very regularly (and who seem to appreciate it) but then don't return visits.

[Hywela Lyn]

I couldn't agree more.  Sometimes though bloggers make it hard for people to return the compliment. (I'm talking about Captchas that don't co-oprate, and restrictions that make you jump through hoops to leave a comment. Sometimes it's not even easy to find the Blog, although usually if you click on the Profile you'll find it.  I try to answer comments on my blog and when I can I'll pop over to their blog too, but it's not always possible when you're busy, especially if you have more than one blog. I will always visit if the commentor leaves an invitation and a link though.