Writing compelling comments on other’s blogs

Blog marketing does not mean just publishing a blog. Effective marketing means working the blogosphere, one part of which is writing comments on other’s blogs. Commenting on posts on other blogs gets you into discussions in your area of expertise and establishes you as an authority. That’s good stuff.

B.L. Ochman, Internet marketing consultant for the likes of Ford Motor Company and IBM, and president of whatsnextonline.com, provides some great tips on “Writing More Compelling Comments on Other’s Blogs. Thanks B.L. for letting me share your words of wisdom with the LexBlog community.

Take it away B.L.:

Commenting intelligently on blogs, even if you don’t have a blog of your own, can be a very good way to build a reputation as an expert in a field.

Some blogs are more influential than others and many are trolled by journalists and your potential clients who are seeking ideas, trends and sources.

The key is to provide useful, factual information so that, over time, it becomes clear to other readers of the blogs to which you post that you know what you are talking about. In general, it is a good idea to keep your posts short and on point.

Since blogs are archived online, anything you write in a comment will be there until forever. So think before you write and edit, edit, edit before you hit ‘submit.’

Blog Comment Guidelines

• It is necessary for you to sign your comments. In most cases, anonymous messages will not be published. You’re also generally asked for your e-mail address your URL. A signature that looks like an ad will simply be cut. Stick to the facts about what you do.
• The quality of your comments will prove your expertise.
• Because of comment spam, many bloggers ask you to register or to have a Typepad key
• If you have a business connection to a product or service mentioned in the blog post, this should be clear to anyone reading your comment.
• Comment only when you feel you can offer something of value that is relevant to the types of issues that are discussed.
• Size constraints make space limited and bloggers may shorten your comments. Better to simply write shorter.
• Bloggers are free to reject inappropriate posts, including, but not limited to, overt solicitations and personal attacks.
• When quoting material, strive for accuracy and note where you have omitted copy; provide attribution for the quote, including source and URL (if available.)

Again publishing a blog alone and not getting out onto the blogosphere is leaving a lot of effective marketing on the table. Follow B.L.’s comments and get out commenting.