Why Most Blogs Miss Out On The Greatest Value They Have

Most blogs miss out on the greatest value they have: the comments.

The posts get the promotion – the social shares, the newsletter, the RSS feed. But the comments section is where the real thinking happens. Where ideas get tested, refined, challenged, and improved.

I’ve written posts that were good but became great because of the comments. I’ve had my mind changed in the comments. I’ve made genuine connections in the comments.

If you’re blogging and not engaging deeply with your comments, you’re leaving the best part of the medium on the table.

Some things that help:

• Respond to every comment, especially early on
• Ask follow-up questions in your responses
• Reference comment discussions in future posts
• Let the comments shape the direction of what you write next

The post is the opening of the conversation. The comments are the conversation itself.