How to Build Readers for your Blog through Commenting
Hi Bloggiesta people!!!! Lets give it up for all the hard working behind the scenes people making Bloggiesta possible this year! WOOT! WOOT!
My mini challenge here is about building a reader base and seriously, don’t we all want that? I mean there is one thing I see book bloggers say all the time, they do like comments. It has even been said that comments are the heart of book blogging…
we do like to discuss books don’t we? 😛
So while my mini challenge is not going to be technical about CSS, or about repairing broken links, or anything awesome like that… you need to realize established blogger or just starting out… comments are the heartbeat of the blogger, and sitting around waiting for them is not that way to build up your readers.
When I started blogging in June of 2009, I seriously did not have a clue as to what I was doing. I knew I liked to write, and I knew I got excited when someone commented on something I wrote (shoot, I still get excited when people comment!) I felt I could write a good review, I just had to figure out how to get people to find me and read them. I was confident enough to believe if I could get people to come and check out my blog, they may find something they like and come back again… and maybe… again. 😀
To make this happen I started making it a point to go out and visit and comment on blogs. I set a goal of at least twenty a day. I found them through links provided by blogs I was already reading, and by people who commented on my blog. I discovered quickly that when I went out and provided a real comment on a blog (Not a “I’m just hopping through”, “Nice post!”, or a “come and visit me too!”) often, these bloggers would come and check out my blog in return.
My commenting on other blogs provided a way for me to build my own reader base. It’s true.
So here are a few do’s and dont’s I would ask you to consider for commenting:
DO:
Leave a genuine comment that shows you actually read what the post was about, this along with questions to the blogger can create people clicking back to your blog
Share if you have read the book as well, or one similar, or plan to read it… it builds a common interest
End posts with a question to your readers, it encourages conversation
Respond to comments on your blog, it creates conversations and your readers may stop back again to see what you have said in response to their comment.
DONT:
Leave comments with a link back to your blog, your name is already a link to your blog (*unless you have multiple blogs and need to link so people an find your posts)
Say you are “hopping through” unless you truly are on a blog hop and so is the blog you are visiting.
AND… post well. When your readers arrive on your blog have something interesting for them to read about. If you are new to blogging, check out closely the blogs you enjoy reading. Why do you enjoy reading them? Do they have interesting posts? What about their writing appeals to you? Do they have a lot of comments and conversations stemming from their posts?
Growing my readership was and still is a constant work in progress. I love to comment, and yes, I know between reading, and writing posts, commenting is just one more thing…. but I know it works, and I know it is appreciated by all the hard-working bloggers just like you who are writing and reviewing and posting and building their own readership as well.
My mini challenge for you (if you choose to accept it) is…
1. Go and comment on at least 20 blog during Bloggiesta and then come back here and let me know in a comment that you did AND
2. in the same comment let me know one thing that you are hoping to learn or accomplish during Bloggiesta
The winners of my mini challenge will receive (using random.org) a $20 gift card to Amazon (available to anyone who can use an Amazon gift card (this will be delivered to the winner at close of Bloggiesta through email).
AND one runner up will receive a $10 gift card to Amazon.
This is a sticky post and will remain at the top of the blog until closing on Bloggiesta. All new posts will be below. Watch for additional giveaways below during Bloggeista weekend!
Book Journey 
I love this post so much! I want everyone to read it and stop leaving generic comments and links to their blog posts. I have never ever left a link to my blog after my comment because I think it looks cheap. I want people to know I’ve come and left a comment because I wanted to. Not because I want them to come check my blog out. I want people to WANT to come to my blog and comment. Stay awhile. Join the discussion.
I don’t know why people leave generic comments anyway? I mean, I can tell what they’re doing. Everyone can. It only takes a few minutes to leave a nice comment. I usually leave a comment that lets the reader know that I actually read the whole thing and I noticed what they put at the end of the post.
Just takes a few minutes and it is so nice to actually get in your opinion on something they’ve written. It’s fun!
Nice points Mary! I was always excited when someone I visited came and visited me… I knew (back when I started) that the only way they found me was because I left a comment on their blog. 😀
I agree about how meaningful comments feel more like a conversation and about building relationships.
As for leaving links…I only do that if it’s a meme, and because I have SO MANY blogs….lol
I’m in for this mini-challenge. Great post that details the distinctions between the kinds of comments to make vs. the generic kind.
LOL Laurel, I thought of you when I wrote that part…. and yes, you are right you need to or I would never find your posts…..:D
You are an awesome commenter Laurel…. seriously, if I dont see your comments I wonder where you are. 🙂
Have an awesome Bloggiesta friend!
Very nice reply, Sheila…and I’m back to say that I already visited 20 blogs, although for awhile, Blogger stymied me by giving error messages instead of posting them. It seems to be working now!
I am learning a lot about other blog sites that I’ve never visited before…so I hope to keep finding new blogger friends during this challenge.
Yay Laurel! Yes I was out commenting too when Blogger went down so I started working on posts instead. 😀
I have very little comments, this is mostly my lack of ‘networking’ on blogs but a thing I notice is that if a link is posted on twitter or facebook they comment there. Or even sadder, just ‘like’. I love that people like my posts, but it would be so much nicer if people leave comments on blogs! I try to do that as often as I can, which wasn’t much for a while because of chronic illness. Mainly to show that for one, I actually read the post, but also to point out what I like or if I see a point of improvement. And try to avoid to make it sound like ‘I know better!’ (I can be blunt, I totally do not know better, but I love discussing whether or not something is better)
I love the interaction on blogs, but I never really thought of my comments ‘luring’ people to MY blog. I obviously avoid ‘linking’ in comments. Usually you can add a link to my main website (which has links to my blogs) but it might be a better idea to link to my ‘relevant’ blogs.
So I will accept this challenge! And with all the great blogs and bloggers in (and outside of) bloggiesta, 20 doesn’t seem like much of a challenge, but my gosh, it’s a bit scary XD (recovering from social phobia, which apparently also applies here =’))
So thank you!
Offcourse, this one doesn’t count for me 😉
How do you enter for your give-away by the way?
Samantha, I am excited you are accepting this challenge and I hope it brings readers to you. Bloggiesta is a great time to network and start building (or continue building) that reader base.
To enter my giveaway just come back here and leave another comment letting me know you completed the twenty comments on blogs and one thing you hope to get our of Bloggiesta.. I will sort through the entries. 😀 Oh and your comment here – can be considered one of the twenty!
I did it! My gosh, that was easier then expected! Well, at least I think I did it. I lost count 😆 . People started posting their bloggiesta results and off course I checked them out! And commented! So yaaaaay! \o/ *o* \o/ *o*
The one thing I wanted to get out of bloggiesta most was to be more active, do more on my blogs. For that I needed to be more motivated as I’m tired easily (chronically ill) so there has to be a huge ‘fun factor’ to writing blogs. This challenge points out why I lost my motivation: no comments! So doing this challenge, connecting with people, discussing, setting up a reading/event-collab, discovering more wonderful blogs and meeting people was more then I even dared to ask! Community-love!
Samantha that is so awesome!!! I am glad you had fun with it! Keep up the great work 🙂
Samantha – I just tried to get to your blog from your name here and I see you have yourself set up to your Twitter account – that might be why some people communicate with you through Twitter instead of your blog – you should link to your blog.
When I tried to find your blog through twitter it took me to a page with your picture on it but not your blog or anything to click on.
In this case, yes, because there were some issues with wordpress logging in! Usually I use a different account with a link in my twitter profile! But I’m adding my website to this twitter account =) Thanks for the pointer!
P.S. What is your twitter? (if you have any) I can’t seem to find it on this page!
bookjourney 😀
Challenge accepted! This is one of my “goals” for this weekend anyway.
Nice!!! The challenge is a simple one that reaps big benefits if you can make it part of your routine. I used to be really good at it but life can become busy. I am working my way back to it now 😉
Great post Sheila. I wish I could participate in Bloggeista this year but I am going to Duluth for the weekend with my family for Spring Break. Waterpark, here we come.
I love this challenge and I agree that bloggers love comments. Plus it is a nice way to making blog friends that may carry over into actual friendships.
I also noticed you are reading Shanghai girls and The 19th wife. I loved both of these books. You will have to read my reviews when you are finished.
Have a great weekend.
Have a fun weekend Laura, I will be going Duluth way hopefully in April sometime. 😀
I am almost done with Shanghai Girls and cant wait to review it… I have not started 19th Wife yet but I will as it is due for book club in about 10 days 🙂
Sometimes I leave my link, but that’s only when it’s “required” that you leave them (I participate in a lot of things like waiting on wednesday and then everybody asks you to leave a link to that specific blog :))
Just leaving your link randomly gives me the idea that you only gave me a reaction to show off your blog. I like it when people really go into a review of react on something I ask. I always have that sparkle when I see that there is a new reaction on my blog, haha.
On the other hand: I always try to comment in a way that people can see that I spent time on their review/post. Every day I hop to different blogs to leave comments, just to give people appreciation for their time and effort 🙂 And I always go visit my favorite blogs (one of the things I really need to do this bloggiesta is to sort out those links. I have a huuuuugh list of links and I need to clean that up.)
“Just leaving your link randomly gives me the idea that you only gave me a reaction to show off your blog”… exactly Melanie! 😀
I enjoy the discussions and like you, try to engage in the conversation happening over the book or whatever the post is about. And yeah, comments make me smile… when I get home form work I am thrilled if a post received many comments and can not wait to dive in and respond!
What a great point you make. Love em or hate em I’m also a fan of awards and teasers as a great way of getting to know other bloggers.
There are some great ways to build readership Tracy through meme’s and really great post writing. 😀 I strive to do both….LOL
I am going to participate in this challenge. I feel that commenting is always something I can improve on and of course, I always want to see comments on my blog. In the past, I have left the link to my blog on comments, but only when participating in memes.
I really believe that if you want comments, you have to do some commenting yourself. This is going to be my new mantra each day – leave some real comments (maybe I’ll start with 5) each day and hopefully I will see the love back. If not, I am not going to get discouraged and will still continue to comment on other blogs.
I am glad you are participating Kristin, it is an easy challenge and can have huge success if you make it a habit! 😀
Its good to start with a doable goal… thats what I do too… I believe you will see success!
DONE…I left 20 meaningful comments and actually had a good time doing it. I’m hoping to see an increase in traffic to my blog, but like I mentioned above, I know it won’t happen automatically.
Thanks for having this mini-challenge. I am going to continue leaving these comments – I actually find them easier to write.
great! Its been fun chatting with you 😀
Ahhhh you are so sweet Danielle 😀 How fun is this?
Done – left 20 comments – pretty much did almost every Bloggiesta challenge posted. I’m going to be one voice of dissension and say I don’t mind “generic” comments. Really, sometimes I just want to show someone love on a post with no (or very few) comments, and all I really have to say is that I liked what they had to say. And I seriously don’t mind if others do the same at my blog.
I comment because I like what someone has written BUT I’m not even going to front – I want them to come check out my blog too. I don’t like one-sided relationships, and if I really love a blog and comment all the time, and that person never stops by my site to thank me – well, I’ll unsubscribe.
And also – I started leaving my name & link to my blog at the bottom of those Blogger blogs where the people only have it so you can link to your profile. I NEVER go on Blogger – and don’t have a blogger blog, and I hate when I click through a comment, and it takes me to a Blogger page, and then I have to click through to their blog. I’m pretty laidback and don’t even mind that ridiculous comment captcha that have 2 words with 7+ letters that Blogger has got going on. But clicking to someone’s Blogger profile & then clicking through to their blog, phases even me.
Tanya you rock!!! 20 comments already! 😀 I have always been on wordpress so I do not know a lot about blogger but I know what you mean about going to a front page first and then to their blog… they don’t all do that do they? Or is there a way they can make their name link directly to their blog? Now I am curious…. 😀
Challenge accepted! And I’ll be back to let you know once I’ve visited my twenty. 🙂
I’ve gone back and forth about leaving a blog link with my comment and, like Tanya, would rather have someone leave me a direct link to their blog than jump through hoops to get there. Especially when they have more than one blog!
Right now, I leave a link for memes or if it’s a new-to-me blog, but I feel weird about it sometimes. Guess it’s a work in progress for me, but I never thought it was tacky, just self-promoting.
Glad to have you on board 🙂 Happy Bloggiesta!!! 😀
Challenge completed! Have stopped by to visit the 20 blogs for this challenge, and my list of goals just keeps growing! I’m going to try and stop by everyone’s blog, but need to work on my goals as well.
I’m hoping to learn how to expand my readership this time around, so will tackle the Pinterest and Facebook challenges next.
Thanks for hosting this challenge Sheila!
ROCKSTAR!!!! 😛
Nice job! I have been making some rounds too but need to get some focus on the blog here….LOL
The comment thing is a consistent thing but as you do it it will become second nature and readers will come… they will 🙂
I’ve visited twenty!
I only leave a direct blog link if the blog doesn’t allow me to leave a direct link through simply leaving my name. Some blogger blogs don’t allow that, and now wordpress.com is making me login to my account, which is weird.
Anyway, I’m hoping to accomplish some of the more tedious tasks during bloggiesta like cleaning up my tags, as well as just scheduling some posts.
YAY Melanie! I have heard the weirdness happening around WordPress…. not sure what is going on there but hope they fix it soon 🙂
I did it! 20 blogs and 20 comments! I never leave a direct link because most of the time they can find my link from the info I entered. I love visiting blogs and seeing what they doing!
Nice! Thanks for playing 😀 Enjoy the rest of your Bloggiesta! I hope many comments come your way 😀
Awesome!!!
So lately I have been having a hard timegetting to my blog, life and such, but I have to say whenever I visit yours you have such great ideas for other bloggers. I love your advice and need to make the time to put some of it into action. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Jill, sp sweet of you to say 🙂
Thanks for the reminder on twitter!
I wanted to say I agree with you… I can’t figure out how to get people to comment. My comments mostly come from the same 20 people. I’m okay with this but with the traffic I have daily… I would hope for a few more comments. I’ve also noticed that I get more comments for posts other than book reviews. Reviews get the lowest comments for me. I wonder why this is? Probably because I don’t read YA, sci-fi, fantasy. This makes sense…
I look forward to reading others comments/suggestions for your topic today.
Hi Mari, glad you made it back! I have what I would call a “core group” of commenters too and I think it is easy for me to visit them back and I need to try to get outside of my own box and read other blogs as well. Just this weekend I have been working on that and I have had quite a few new visitors and commenters not only on the Bloggiesta posts.
And I hear you on the traffic vs. comments…. a lot of people read the posts but do not comment… I am hoping that can change…. ha ha 😀
I am even surprised by people in my town that will comment on something I wrote and I will ask how they knew that and they tell me they read my blog… but never comment.
This happens to me too, Sheila. There are one or two people that I know personally that seem to follow my blog quite closely, but they never comment. Such a shame.
I’m glad you posted this, I think making good comments and not just quick ones are the best way to get followers, as well as meet new people and blogs to follow.
I think I’ve commented on 20 blogs, I know there’s many more on the start-up line that I want to get to.
One thing that I hope to accomplish is getting all my goals completed, and meeting lots of new people.
I hope you meet your goals Kelsey and thanks for doing the challenge 😉
Oh and Kelsey I tried to check out your blog but it says the link on your name does not exist – in case you read this I hope you check that out and also be sure you signed up at the starting post… I will try to connect with you through there. 😀
I agree with you. It took me a long time to realize that I needed to visit blogs as much as I need to write reviews. I thought, If you create a blog, they will come. Well, yes and no. I think you must also create relationships with other bloggers by establishing friendships like we do in the real world. And in the real world, we do not sit at home, with our hair and face nicely made up and dressed up, awaiting someone to stop by.
I disagree with one thing. I like to leave a closing link to my blog and an invitation to stop by. I think it’s a nice way to end the comment. I agree that it can have an artificial feel to it and I don’t like that. But to me it’s more important to end my comment with an invitation to come over, even if it sounds a little canned.
Buona fortuna!
I’m Bloggista-ing all weekend! I love to have old and new blogging friends stop by and say hello!
SO many blogs out there, it is hard to get out little piece of the blogesphere noticed. 😀 It does take work, but those relationships lead to others coming your way too….
Youare not the first to disagree with me on the “leave a link” part… I could be wring… it has happened before…LOL
YAY for Bloggiesta! I will stop by to see you!
I lost count but I think I must have left more than 20 comments now. I learned that having a self-hosted WordPress.org blog does not mean that I have a WordPress.com account, and recent changes to the commenting defaults meant I had to go set one up. Well, I didn’t have to, but It was fairly painless and it is now _much_ easier for me to comment on WordPress.com blogs.
Wow, that is something I didnt know! Thanks for the tip 😀
This was a really good challenge. I know I really need to make commenting a priority but I read a lot on my reader for my phone and I always forget to go back and comment on them.
I have never tried this yet Kimberly but does your phone have voice texting? If it does I wonder if you can speak the comment? Or maybe that would look funny wherever you are…LOL 😀
I absolutely adore your engaging and enthusiastic style and wonder how you do it all. And not just blogging but your life. You are a super chick and I think you are awesome.
I’ve commented on a ton of blog today – at least the minimum, I’m sure.
I am so happy that I managed to change one of my categories that was bugging me. I have successfully avoided the BIG to do on my task list but there is always tomorrow!
Good luck on all you are doing – I’m amazed actually with what you are attempting with all this reformatting. Might as well just go self-hosted. 😀
LOL Thanks Care – I actually did not mean to change up the blog like this… I meant to clean up my side bar, then I thought… DO I need two side bars? Maybe its time to change the layout…. and then well….
yeah. This happened. LOL 😛
Self hosting scares me….. 😯
You have been busy. I am liking your new look. I have lost count, but think I have exceeded 20 blog visitations! The only time I leave a link is if the blogger asks specifically for one so they can return the visit.
Thanks Nise, it is a work in progress… if I cant fix the header I am going to have to more it again….LOL
Everybody loves comments, right? It’s so much better than feeling like you’re talking to yourself. I’m trying to visit all 100+ blogs and leave a little love. I’d say I’m about halfway through? I think that this is one of the best things I’m learning through Bloggiesta….how to better connect with the “out there.”
NICE! I have done that in past years (visited all participants) but this year between commitments and the blog changes… I have not made it 😀
Agreed. When I first started out, I enjoyed even the generic. But the personalized ones got me smiling big time because I knew the person actually took the time to raed what I said and give their feelings on it. Great post and great advice Sheila:)
Oh yeah, the personal comments crack me up. I love it when someone knows me well enough to joke with me on the posts and get into the discussion.
Awesome post and challenge! I’m really enjoying finding great tips to make my blog better! I just finished commenting on 20 blogs-whew that is harder than it sounds!
Thank you Abbi I forgot to mention that -commenting leads to you finding great looking blogs and picking up ideas… and oh yeah, if you are like me… finding more books you want to read! 😛
Yep!!!!
😛
I have just been visiting blogs and have left at least, mostly likely much more, 20 comments! Wahoo! I need to get to them all, but… I’m getting so tired! 🙂 Great challenge!
Nice! Glad you were able to but I bet you are wiped out! Thanks for hosting – I am so glad Bloggiesta is back 🙂
Thanks for fixing this link. I really wanted to read what you had to say. I’m glad I got the chance. You have a lot of good advice. I think commenting on other people’s blogs is really the best practice for gaining readership because aren’t we striving to gain relationship rather than just numbers after all? I think so. 🙂
Exactly Jennie! Getting out there and showing interest in what others are writing and reviewing is not only good for educating ourselves, but the relationship piece too 🙂
I just adore getting meaningful comments. It totally makes my day when someone leaves a comment for me and I can tell they’ve actually read my post. It makes what I do seem worthwhile :]
I’ve commented on 20 participating blogs so far, but I’m planning on visiting and commenting on more. Thanks for the fantastic challenge!
Oh, and I hope to get a nicer, cleaner blog with the updates I’ve been meaning to do for a while as well as meet and get to know lots of new bloggers (something your challenge has helped me with!)
And your second comment is very sweet! Meeting new bloggers is fun and your reading base will grow with these contacts 🙂
Great Jasmine! Have a good time this final day of Bloggiesta! I hope to get out there as well and do some commenting today.
This has been something of a resolution with me this past few weeks (my new baby arrived, and I stopped blogging for a month). I decided to recharge my blogging battery by commenting on other blogs 🙂
My bloggiesta goal is to visit 25 blogs and comment – I’m through with 20 🙂
thanks for making this a challenge!
YA Dee, and congrats on the new little one! 😀
commenting is definitely big – i love to read the comments on my blog and the ones that people actually take time to write – they easily stand out..and i have a core group of commenters too – mostly on my memes than my reviews.. and return comments from where i comment.
i try to respond to all comments on my blog but sometimes things get out of hand and catching up is tough..
anyways, as part of the challenge, am done with the commenting on 20 blogs on bloggiesta.. and as part of bloggiesta, get my to-do list completed..
I used to be bale to comment on every comment and return comments to their blogs as well. Sadly, not anymore. I still comment on every one here, and set goals to get out and visit blogs as well. 😀
Enjoy this final day of Bloggiesta!
I have actually left a lot of comments over the weekend in lists of participants. Sometimes with helpful tips etc. Sometimes encouragements 🙂 I do notice that sometimes I find it hard to say something constructive but I want to let people know that I read the post, so I leave something short. I will have to try and do better on that aspect 🙂 I love that I am getting more comments through several memes I participate in because it creates a community feeling. Thank you for this challenge. I love bloggiesta, because I have learned so much again. I especially found the social media buttons challenge very helpful 🙂
I know what you mean about sometimes not knowing what to say! I have such a habit of commenting that I had to remind myself that sometimes, it is ok to leave a blog without having a comment. 😀 Occasionally I will look at other posts on their blog to comment there.
I have to get to the social media challenge yet….. 😀
Oh btw, I just realised that I am on my wordpress account here, because I have opened a different browser for the bloggiesta things. My blog is http://uniflamecreates.blogspot.com. Sorry about that!
No problem 😀 I dont know why wordpress is being difficult.
I’ve commented on over 60 starting line posts so far! I’m hoping to get a few more done today as well! I’m not sure what I was hoping to learn, but I did learn how to make stars in posts with HTML…that made me giddy! I’ve also made new bloggy friends!
Jacinda – 60? WOW!!! You go! Make sure you signed up at Danielle’s There’s A Book site as well as she is also offering a comment contest and you qualify for that one as well! 😀
I have to get to that HTML challenge… I dont know how to make stars in posts…
Great challenge Sheila! I’m terrible at commenting. I star blog posts in my Google Reader with every intention to comment. Next I added them to my task manager and that seems to help since I’m in the program so much each day. This is something I hope to improve.
I did comment on more than 20 blogs so I’m happy to report I completed this challenge. Along the way I discovered new blogs and picked up more items to add to my list of things to work on for my blog. It’s a work in progress, isn’t it?
What I learned from Bloggiesta is that I need to slow down and take time for planning and brainstorming. For instance I wanted to update my review log. I did a lot of prep work before this weekend, but yesterday I realized I needed to think about it a bit more as new ideas started to form. I guess that happens sometimes. Just helped me realize that I need to be a bit more flexible and not rush into anything just to meet a deadline. Hmmm… I think I need to apply this time my everyday life!
I think most of us struggle to comment, I know I get busy and am not always the best at it – but I do know it is one of out strongest tools for driving traffic. Once I start, like you, I find great posts, blogs, people… 😀
I love brainstorming ideas, and some of those come from my visiting of other blogs…. something someone wrote about or says triggers an idea… I draft those ideas in a post so I do not forget them.
I left at least 20 comments. I try to comment on every blog post I read unless I really don’t know what to say. But even then, a Like can show that you’ve visited and that is nice, too (although on my own blog I sometimes feel some people use the Like button because they want my attention – e.g. authors who want me to check them out).
I wanted to find a new theme for my blog and I did! I almost chose the Bouquet theme that you now have (it’s very nice) but eventually decided on a different one. It was a very difficult choice!
BTW I love your new blog – having just one side bar makes such a difference!
That’s funny Judith, I have never really paid attention all that much to the like button… how funny to think that authors use it that way. 😀
I was using the Bueno theme yesterday evening but the header was goofy and I could not fix it… I think this one will work still moving things and changing them and I have things to fix (still) on the sidebar 😀
I’m really happy with bloggiesta. I’m also done, and I learned about SEO and Pinterest, which were my priorities for the weekend.
Also, thanks about the tips for the comments. Sometimes I just don’t know what to say and I feel like I left a mediocre comment, but I’ll work harder. I started practicing today, I visited and commented on more than 20 blogs from bloggiesta.
Thanks again for the challenge, and good luck!
Great job Gaby! It gets easier!
I do think blogging and reading blogs is picking back up in popularity. For a while it seemed everyone was on forums.
I know I had good luck with people signing up to receive my blog via email and/or Kindle. It makes it easy for them to glance at the post because it comes to their email box. I follow about four via email, but I’m selective. I like the ones that blog once or twice a week so that my inbox isn’t inundated. I love book blogs (duh!).
Thanks for the challenge and I hope it brings you some new followers!
Thanks Maria, my email link to get the posts does well too…. hmmmm…. I wonder if it still exists after I blew up the blog this weekend? 😀
I love the new look of your blog Sheila; very pleasing to the eyes. I know I don’t comment often enough (time is an issue for me) but it do skim your posts at least 2-3x each week. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Diane. I am not thrilled with this pink but apparently I can not change it. Maybe it will grow on me 😉
Thanks Diane, I am so glad you pop by when you can.
I am afraid this is one thing about blogging that I am spotty at. I’ll leave a burst of comments on my favorite blogs and then I won’t get around to it for a few weeks. Now I’ll set a goal of five per day. That seems doable.
I have to say the new gravator page that pops when posting comments on WordPress blogs is slowing me down because I can no longer post with a link to my self-hosted WordPress blogs. I hope they fix that.
As for learning: I had set some specific to-dos on my list, such as learn more about posting to Goodreads, which I did. But I also learned that having that list is useful, so I’m going to be more diligent about writing down to-do’s on a master list.
Thank you for the challenge.
Hi Roberta, I dont know what is happening with wordpress lately but I have heard the rumblings…
5 a day is a great goal, you do what fits best into your life 😀
Yay! I did it! (and am continuing to do it) I’ve commented on lots of blogs and it feels good! Thanks for the motivation. I’ve totally learned a ton during Bloggiesta, the biggest of which may be Pinterest. I wasn’t really that familiar with it before, but now I have an account dedicated to bookish things to match my book blog!
I have to work on the Pinterest post yet but I want to take a closer look at that yet this week 😀
I loved this challenge! It really push me to do more commenting. Now all I really want to do is drop everything and comment on even more blogs! Thank you sooo much
Commenting is fun and you can learn so much by visiting. Glad you had fun with it Patricia!
Great post! I try to leave thoughtful comments to show that I actually read the post as often as I can. Sometimes I don’t have much to say other than “I like your post!” though. I don’t mind getting those types of comments either. At least someone’s reading…? Anyway, I’ve done (over) 20 comments. I hoped to organize my blog, as well as meet other bloggers and find new blogs to follow, over this weekend, and I’d say I accomplished that! 🙂
YAY! Sounds like you had a great weekend too! 😀
Sheila, your blog looks terrific! I thought I was in the wrong place…. I love the soft colors.
I left 65 comments!
And I’ve been learning so much — Google Analytics and Feedburner and blogging from my iPad. It’s been great!
Thank you Joy 🙂 Its been a lot of work…LOL
Looks liek you picked up some good things too! AND 65 comments? WOO HOO!!!
I’m not sure how many comments I’ve left, but it was definitely over 20! Great idea for a challenge … I love posting on other peoples’ blogs, as well as receiving posts! I just got one on my blog today, then went to post on a different blog, seeing that the post that was left on my blog was exactly the same on this other persons … they were obviously just cutting and pasting. It’s disappointing! I like to try and be meaningful however I can!
That is disappointing Kristilyn. Thankfully, I think that is rare. I am glad you got out there and had fun with this 😀
Its only really recently that I’ve truly begun to see the value of commenting on other people’s blogs. I used to think it was just really time consuming and people would read my posts if they were interested whatever else I did.
But now I’ve started commenting more often, and making sure I reply to comments on my blog, I feel much more like I’m building relationships with my readers. Its so important! Plus, I love seeing where links can take me.
Exactly what I am talking about here. 😀 There are a bazillion blogs (it fills like a bazillion! LOL) out there and we are just trying to cut out a little piece of the world for ours. I prefer to go to blogs that the bloggers communicate and occasionally comment back.
I’m late to the party, I know, but since I was super busy last weekend, I’m doing my own self guided jaunt this weekend to try to improve my blog. Thank you for posting this! I’ve been struggling with only a handful of views each day and simply not sure what to do about it. I really want to become more involved in the community (it was one of my bloggiesta goals :D) but I just am so skittish about comments for some reason. I think that most of my experiences commenting are on larger blogs where the author doesn’t actually have a chance to respond, so it feels pointless to have posted after the fact, but I’m going to make a goal of posting a few comments every day (I don’t know how you manage 20 a day, that’s impressive!)
Thank you again!
Good for you for going out and doing it on your own! The mini challenges ready had some great tips! There is a Dewey Read A Thom on the 21st that is a great way to connect with others, and yes – comment. I don’t always make 20, but I try. Good luck 😀
Definitely! Though it’s going to take me more than a weekend to incorporate just a few of them, oh well 😉 Oo, that sounds fun! I haven’t been able to find a read a thon that really resonated with me yet, I’ll have to check it out! Thanks again!
Google Dewey Read A Thon and you should find it – then scroll down the posts and you will find a sign up post. This is about the only read a thon I do each year (there is usually a spring and a fall one). I like how they put it together and there are a lot of fun challenges and giveaways along with it.
I truly love your website.. Great colors & theme. Did you develop this website yourself?
Please reply back as I’m trying to create my
own personal site and want to find out where you got this from or what the theme is named.
Appreciate it!
You’re so interesting! I don’t suppose I’ve read through anything like
this before. So nice to discover someone with a few genuine thoughts on this subject matter.
Really.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is one thing that is
needed on the internet, someone with some originality!
I never saw this post before. You are an AWESOME writer and have wonderful advice.
It has paid off, Sheila. You definitely have a following and people, me included, LOVE to come back to see what you have for us each day. 🙂
Keep up the good work. I hope I get to see you again at the BEA this year.
Elizabeth
Thanks for the tips. I try to comment on other blogs as much as I can. I think I’ve never done 20 per day. I shall try.
I also find other blogs through those I already follow/comment on.