LATEST

Few things are as demoralizing for a content creator than taking the time to publish well-crafted content to get zero engagement.

The search algorithms are complex and it can be tough to know exactly how comments affect your search results, as explained by Neil Patel. Regardless, building a community of readers requires engagement. Comments are a good place to start.

Starting the Comment Train

That first comment is sometimes the hardest to get. At times, it might feel like you need to create a fake profile and start engaging in your own content’s comment section to entice others to join the party. While some might employ this deceptive tactic, it isn’t necessary.

If you have truly created content that is relevant to your target audience, then you should be able to generate comments with the right invitation.

For example, a post talking about do-it-yourself plumbing clog fixes could easily get comments about other home remedies readers have either used or have heard about. Just as a strong lead grips the reader to continue, and an earnest question at the end – in this case, “What is the best DIY remedy you have tried?” – can build the comment base.

Building up the Comments

People tend to comment when they know they will get direct access and additional information directly from the content creator. So answer all comments, even if you are just thanking them for the comment.

This shows you care about comments, will answer questions, and take the time to understand your audience more. Smart content creators will often use comments to gauge community needs and redirect future content to better fulfill those needs.

Engagement starts with the reader but ends with you continuing the conversation. If two commenters have similar comments or questions, connect them by tagging them in a positive way in the comments.

This might look like, “@JoeCommenter, you and @LisaExpert are on the same page with this.” This simply gives both of them a reason to come back to your content and suddenly you become the master networker – the giver who knows who needs to talk to whom.

Why Is All of This Important?

It’s no secret that search algorithms monitor engagement. Just how much and how is not fully understood. As Neil Patel explains, search engines seem to use some key words and some similar words, making assumptions on other search terms, even those found in comments.

Beyond search words and viewing comments as additional keyword content, comments represent good content that keeps people on the page and going back. This has a net positive for your search ranking.

The more time people spending reading your content, the longer they are on the page. Having good links helps, and can keep them on the site even longer. Comments draw people back and increase duration.

Do keep in mind that the “Great post!” comments don’t necessarily help, particularly in the keyword arena. That being said, if you are getting a ton of those types of acknowledgement comments, confirm it isn’t spam and try to further engage that person by asking what they found so useful.

It will build your community and help your search ranking.

How have you engaged your readers?