12 secrets for writing blog posts that get lots of comments

How do you get people to comment on a blog post?


The short answer is, you don’t.


The short answer is, you don’t.

They will only do it when they want to.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Occasionally, when the stars align and you’ve written a brilliant post on a hot topic…

…then, you might get some comments.

22 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

But even then, it is very likely that at least one of those comments will be correcting your grammar.

But still there is the question of how to write a blog post that interests people and gets them to

continue that conversation?

But still there is the question of how to write a blog post that interests people and gets them to

continue that conversation?

Here are 12 secrets to writing blog posts that people want to comment on:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

What happens if their servers fail?Forget about any other kind of writing

you do.

1

Forget about any other kind of writing you do.

Blogging is not journalism, it’s not letter writing, and it’s certainly not legal writing.

1



In fact blogging is less like any other kind of writing and more like speech.

1



In fact blogging is less like any other kind of writing and more like speech.

Write the way you speak, without the “ums” and pauses, of course.

1

Read your finished posts aloud.

2


This engages a completely different part of your brain.

2



You will find that you stumble over words and phrases when speaking aloud that didn’t trouble you when you were reading silently to yourself.

2



You will find that you stumble over words and phrases when speaking aloud that didn’t trouble you when you were reading silently to yourself.

These are the areas to rework.

2

Don’t be too formal in your writing style.

3

3


When you rework your post, make clarity of purpose your only concern.

3



You will find that otherwise unacceptable punctuation, grammar, spelling, and formatting sometimes gets your point across more succinctly than writing “correctly” does.

Go with it.

3



You will find that otherwise unacceptable punctuation, grammar, spelling, and formatting sometimes gets your point across more succinctly than writing “correctly” does.

Be personable.

4

4

Be personable.

Remember, this is a conversation.

Be personable.


Nobody wants to talk to a boring person…

4

Be personable.


Nobody wants to talk to a boring person…

…no matter how interesting the subject.

4

You are not reporting the news.

5


If you are reporting content that you found on the New York Times, then chances are your audience has already read it somewhere else.

5



And it will have been written by someone who actually writes for a living.

5



And it will have been written by someone who actually writes for a living.

Why compete withprofessionals? Link to those other articles for the details and instead write about your take on the subject.

5

If you are funny, use it.

66


If you are not, don’t

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 126



When using sarcasm or satire, always make it very clear.

66



When using sarcasm or satire, always make it very clear.

You might think it’s obvious, but someone will not get it and that can be very dangerous.

66

Be provocative.

7

Be provocative.

Never lie, or argue against your actual position (unless doing satire – see secret #6).

7

Be provocative.


It doesn’t hurt to take a slightly stronger stance than you would otherwise.

7

Be provocative.


It doesn’t hurt to take a slightly stronger stance than you would otherwise.

Nothing gets attention like a bold statement confidently made.

B

7

Don’t forget to use the title.

8


Only on a personal blog can you choose your own title, usually you have an editor giving your post some boring title that you wouldn’t even click on.

8



The title should get your audience’s attention, but it also creates a frame that sets up their expectations.

8



The title should get your audience’s attention, but it also creates a frame that sets up their expectations.

Use those expectations to your advantage, make people see things differently than they expect from your title.

8

Choose topics that bother you.

9


Things that happen, that surprise or upset you; things that you find yourself day dreaming about at inopportune times…

9



Choose ideas that get stuck in your head.

9



Choose ideas that get stuck in your head.

These are the best topics, because they will also get stuck in the heads of your readers.

9

Publish immediately.

10


When you feel you have your ideas down, publish. Do not sleep on it. Do not wait to see what you think the next day. You will hate it. You will see every flaw and error.

10



If you wait, you will never publish.

10



If you wait, you will never publish.

If you cannot publish immediately, or you are not done by the end of your writing session, then start over from scratch the next day and publish as soon as you’re done.

10

Don’t write too much.

11


You do not have to be comprehensive.

11



Set up the conversation. Throw out a few points to think about and then let it go.

11



Set up the conversation. Throw out a few points to think about and then let it go.

Remember, you want to start a conversation, not finish it.

11

Get your readers thinking.

12


Leave the audience with a rhetorical question, a bold statement, or a thoughtful turn of phrase.

12



Give them something short and concrete that summarises your post.

12



Give them something short and concrete that summarises your post.

Find a phrase that sticks in your mind and it will stick in theirs too.

12

highq.com

12 secrets for writing blog posts that get lots of comments

Marketing