Everyone engages on Social media these days, and has lost (or maybe never knew) the value of leaving comments on blogs and websites. Comments can do a lot more for you than spamming sites or saying quick hello, a few well placed and well crafted comment can boost your SEO, build valuable business relationships, or even *gasp* get you a new client. So let’s talk about all the great reasons you should be commenting more.

I thought about this topic after reading a great blog post the other day, and I was about to head over to the authors Facebook when I remembered some of the great things I learned in the NYC WordPress meet up about SEO. And I decided to stay right on the page and comment there. Here’s why:

Commenting can boost your SEO and backlinks.

Backlinks are links back to the content on your page these backlinks give search engines an idea of how popular and relevant you site is. The assumption is if enough sites are linking to you, you must have some pretty good content. Most blog comment sections have a place for you to post your URL so this would be an automatic link to you, also I you have post relevant to the topic on your site you may want to share it in the discussion. I will warn you some smaller sites hate linking in comments (it seems very spammy) but if you actually use it as a discussion point you’ll be less likely to get deleted. All of the back links boost your SEO and even better expose you site to a new groups of readers more likely to be interested in your niche.

Commenting helps builds relationships.

It’s important to build relationships with other business owners, blog owners etc. If there blog is important enough for you to read then they are probably important enough to get to know. You never know where your next referral, collaboration, or even (reduced price) help will come from. Commenting on ones blog can help open the door to them visiting your blog and returning the favor and the start of a great business friendship (note I highly recommend you visit those who comment on your blog too).

Comments can expose you to a new market of potential followers or clients.

Here are 2 facts 1) someone will read the post you are reading after you and 2) that someone shares some common interest with you because you are reading the same things. So……if you get the before the next reader and leave and engaging comment then it is a pretty good chance that someone after you will read your comment.  It’s not a hundred percent but there is a chance that if the reader likes or agrees with your comment that they’ll visit your website. It’s not often but every once in a while I’ll see a hit that came to my website a site I commented on.  The World Wide Web is just that a web, one click leads to another click, which takes you to another click. So why not make sure you have many clicks out there as possible.

So there you have 3 good reasons while you should take the extra minute and comment on someone’s page instead of heading back to social media (or even better comment on both)

But before you go commenting crazy, have to remind you of a few Comment Etiquette Rules:

• Say more than just “hi”, “hello”, “great post” or any other generic line, mention the topic answer the question posed, let the writer know you really read the post.
• Don’t overly post your links, it’s a reference to the topic or helps answer the question add it to the comment, if not be happy with generic your website link.
• Don’t spam, this goes with the linking don’t mentioning your business or what you do is just as bad if it’s not relevant. I wouldn’t visit a makeup blog  and mention I do websites, that’s rude.
• Don’t be rude, disrespectful, harassing or anything close to it, remember many of these comments are searchable so do you want a potential client to see you were flaming the author on another blog. There is always a respectful way to disagree, find it or don’t comment
• Don’t overdo it, it’s great to visit a blog or even be a regular on the site but I find it hard to believe that you have something to say about EVERYTHING someone writes. Visit but don’t stay
• Don’t comment and run, make sure you check back or click the email reply box so yo u can see when someone replys to your comment or even comment on someone else.

I think those are enough rules to help get you commenting started the right way. Now that you’re motivated to start commenting, why not start here let me know some of your comments practices, add to the commenting don’t list, if you blog let me know what you wish more commenters would do?