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.  =)

[Margaret Jones]

I always visit commenters too - not least because I'm nosy LOL, and it's been very interesting seeing what fellow book bloggers blogs are like, and what they like to read. I have occasionally visited other blogs and lurked rather than left comments, and there are several reasons for this. Sometimes it is, that that particular blog isn't really my sort of thing, and I'd rather leave no comment than comment either truthfully and risk hurting someone's feelings, or untruthfully and feel that I wasn't being true to myself.

 

By and large I'll only comment if it's something particularly relevant to me. For example I love Aartichapati's blog, but although I read it pretty regularly, I only comment occasionally if she's reviewing a book that I've already read, or if it's a book that she's inspired me to read.

 

Re Blogger's comments - it has been doing something strange, I found myself unable to respond to a comment recently that had been left by another blogger on my blog, I had to go to their blog to reply.....

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

I have my "No comment" moments, too, in the name of courtesy--so I know what you mean! =)

 

Again, I'm learning from this thread that lurking isn't the same thing as one-sidedness: people can be really engaged with what someone is writing without actually commenting on it. And I guess the silent readers are actually relieved when we loquacious ones finally give up trying to get them to talk! LOL!

[Margaret Jones]

Yes, I think you can be a positive lurker :)

And sometimes I've intended to comment, read through the comments that are already there, and someone's already said what I intended to say. Rats!

[Jennifer Goehl]

I am having trouble getting people to even comment! I've had a couple, have responded but I want more interaction! 

my blog is less than 2 months old. I was originally on blog.com but that site is J~U~N~K! so I moved the 20 reviews I had done (most from my goodreads because I wanted content asap when people viewed) to a brand new wordpress blog. That was 3 weeks ago today and I have had 308 hits as of the time I am typing this. I did a giveaway on the blog.com site, had 5 people enter, which wasn't to bad considering the blog was just a week or two old. I am doing another right now...simple my blog's facebook page hits 50 likes I am giving away a really great book that I am truly passionate about. This has been going on for 2 weeks, I have 44 Likes. Being as I am using wordpress, i dont have that nifty "follow" button like all you blogger.com bloggers do so I am trying to draw the attention to the fb page, where I post links to everything that goes on my blog. I would also love more interaction on my fb page. I get people Liking my posts but would love some discussion! Especially if someone has read something I recommended! Obviously people are visiting and reading my posts because my stats tell me so. anyone have any suggestions?  

I know for myself personally, it is hard to really discuss books with other bloggers when they either don't read the same genres I do, or the books they have reviewed are not for me. I'm not against commenting that they wrote a great review but I would just love to find someone who is as passionate about books that I am, and like to read some of the same authors, books, genres etc... if anyone would like to visit please feel free to add me as a friend on here, Like me at facebook.com/cantputitdown, visit my blog readitreviewit.wordpress.com, friend me on goodreads (link is on my blog)

 

 

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

I wonder how the Facebook thing works. Are you also a friend/fan of other bloggers who have Facebook pages for their blogs? I don't have one for mine, so I'm not sure how networking over there works.

Good luck! I hope you get more interaction from passionate commenters soon. =)

[Jennifer Goehl]

When checking my stats, I see I am getting quite a few clicks from my facebook links, I think the hardest part is just getting people to click like. FB has over done it with stupid pages, like say camping yes you like to go camping but when you click that like button the page is just nothing, people posting spam ect, not talking about camping or sharing stories at all. I know I just went through my personal fb's wall and unliked a bunch of pages. Kind of information overload. Got my 50 likes for the giveaway last night, then after announcing the winners got 2 more likes!

[Blodeuedd]

I always check out the blog if someone visits me, even if that blogger would only talk about the dust under her bed. I think it's the nice thing to do. But yes I do know what you mean, I have left so many comments on so many blogs and they seldom come back. And most of those blogs were small one with a few comments here and there so it is not like the comment got lost.

 

And then there are the blogs I visit again and again and again. Are they not curious about the person visiting? I sure would be

 

Though there are times I do not check back and that is with contests. Most only come for the contest and nothing more anyway.

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

Hi, Blodeuedd. =) You've just made my point better than I have!

 

I know I'm very curious about all my visitors. I realise that not everyone thinks the same way and that I'll just drive myself crazy if I think of visits and comments in terms of a balance sheet, but I do wonder what the people who never visit are thinking. Yes, I get that people are busy in real life and with more important writing; but I started this thread because of bloggers I've been reading and interacting with for months. That's a lot of time, but they really don't return visits.

[shelly blomker]

I try to be active on my blog. But, here lately I've been dealing with stuff and haven't been able to post on there. I guess it's time to get reading again too.

 

If your blog has followers then I think that they will keep coming back. If you don't have follwers then theres a good chance that your blog isn't interesting as all. We all know that it takes readers to come and view our blogs. Us to post on it and keep it going.

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

???

[Libby Heily]

I try to visit all my commenter's pages as well as my followers, at least once and I leave a comment to let them know I was there.  I like lurkers too but I feel the same, if I leave multiple comments on your blog it would be nice for you to leave one on mine.  It's not a must, but a nice courtesy.

[Enbrethiliel]

+JMJ+

 

That's what I do, too. The stuff I blog isn't always everyone's cup of tea, so I appreciate every comment I get. And that makes it easier for me to read and comment on posts that aren't my cup of tea.

 

Thanks for chiming in, Libby!