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Loading ...Commenting on Small/Medium Blogs vs “The Big Bad Competition” and Traffic
Jan 26th, 2008 by Felix Alaita
As 3rd World Blogger, I consider myself a ‘certified’ Part-Time Blogger at least for now, but I love the sport. My main goal has always been to express my own view or perception on what I see, learn or do online. Today, COMMENTING on blogs came into my cross-hairs again. The conflict? Commenting on Small/Medium Blogs vs “The Big Bad Competition” and Traffic…
The Stand
A lot of bloggers today, desire to make money from their efforts online daily. Since traffic is the major determining factor however, how to generate large “quality” traffic to one’s blog becomes a major issue. Several methods are encouraged including using social networking sites like Mybloglog, Blogcatalog, Technorati or Stumbleupon. Others are getting Paid Reviews, using Adwords, Placing ads on other blogs (including Entrecard ads) and then there’s commenting on other blogs. The latter being the source of this discourse.
Being one of the cheapest means, there is always a constant search for the best way to benefit from it. What ever means you use however, there exist a question. Do you get the initially perceived, desired or hyped up traffic you expected from the blog you commented on? Do you even get the owner of the blog to visit your blog talk less of his readers? Is the response based on the “quality” of comments you leave on other blogs?
The Question
What is the best way to use commenting to generate traffic? Does the Top Commentator plugin really help (traffic wise that is…). First off, to me, commenting on another blog is a way of establishing some form of relationship. Sometimes the effort is beneficial other times it’s not. Considering the relative lack of a cost to you, I think the effort is always worth it.
For example, I left comments on Bloggin-Ads that brought in some traffic to 3rd World Blogger. Later on I got an invite to be part sponsor to a competition on his blog. Isn’t that cool? Well I did with 500 EC plus a 125×125 spot on my side bar to go with it. Since then, not only have I constantly received traffic from his blog, I’ve also gotten a boost in my Alexa and Technorati authority/ranking from all the backlinks in the competition. That to me is one comment too good. 
.
Ahkong on the other hand I left a comment on for not featuring my blog in his post about “Above Fold Entrecard Boxes“. Well I now recieve daily traffic from his blog just from that one comment (check out my Feedjit bar, you’d probably find one visitor from there). I guess people want to find for themselve if its true my Entrecard is above fold or not. Are you one of them? Is it above fold enough for you? :). So what’s my point? These two are just some great examples that led to this post. At variance is comments I left on Problogger and John Chow which I guess got shrouded in the sea of daily commenters they get. My verdict - I got less traffic and less interaction with the blogger even though it is part of their sermon to their daily faithfuls .
Bottom Line
In my view, commenting on small/medium blogs vs ‘the big bad competition’ enable your comment to actually get read/seen and increases the probability of the much desired click! It also requires less worry as to whether you comment is at the top of the page or bottom. In my last post I got 6 commments and two post back I got 27 -that is the highest I’ve gotten for any post. Anyone arriving at that post (Cause I tend to point at my posts) would definitely see your comment and your link. Nuff said! Is commenting on Small/Medium Blogs vs “The Big Bad Competition” better? What is your opinion?
And while you’re at it, check out these 10 cool blogs I found Entrecard dropping/reading.
The Optimizer SEO News,
Living in Sven’s World,
Sue Blimely,
Mom Reviews,
The Asian Economist,
Charles Hamel dot com,
Noir le crois,
Juha Ylitalot,
Lightening,
Moremerchant
Keeping to my word, just keeping to my word. Did I miss your blog? hmm well another day another Entrecard dropping/reading and I’d find you I guess or better still drop yours, and I do hope you got the picture…
My first visit here, via Entrecard.
Will have to come back when I have more time and read more of your posts!
cheers,
mo @ It’s A Blog Eat Blog World
ooooohhh myyyy goooood…that audio ad nearly gave me a stroke!
To me, commenting on a blog shows more of your personality as a blogger than just putting up a text link ad or a 125×125 ad. That’s why I take time to comment when appropriate. While both bring in traffic, commenting and interacting will, in the long run, provide you long-term readers.
I think commenting on small/medium blogs is better if you want to get read or form some type of relationship with the blogger. There’s not as much comment competition so it’s easier for you to be heard and remembered.
Commenting on big blogs.. to me it’s kind of shallow feeling sometimes. I don’t think big blogs are as great as everyone says - I think it’s just the hype. So every time they post everyone rushes over to comment, because they’re ‘popular’ and commenters are hoping they get noticed. I’m sure it’s not always true, but I sometimes think that a lot of people don’t really care about the post itself, they’re just trying to get noticed.
Because of that, no one really stops to read everyone else’s comment, so no one really gets the attention they’re seeking. You’re comment will be invisible in the masses.
So commenting on smaller/medium blogs is better because you won’t get drowned out by all the other people.
commenting on big blog is like talking to yourself…no one can hear you. On the other hand, small blogs are great because you are creating relationships. I stop by your site daily now because you post a wonderful comment on my blog about entrecard and how the gap between the rich and poor is widening (I’m planning on writing an article on this ;-).
When I first start blogging, i decided to comment on big blog, that did nothing, but when I commented on small blogs, i notice that the blogger come and check out my blog, it has given me a lot of connections with other small blogger. I think big bloggers are over rated. There are small size blogs that have better quality contents then the bigger blog.
When I comment here, i KNOW that the blogger is reading this.
Hi, I just wandered onto this site from Entrecard, and after reading your post, I thought I’d throw in my two cents. Commenting on the little blogs is definitely more beneficial to the small-to-medium sized blog because as you and the commenter above me pointed out, smaller blogs don’t get as many comments and the bloggers in turn remember the commenter, and a relationship is formed. Most, if not all of my blogging friends are from small or medium sites and its great, we actually have a relationship, and I get traffic from them personally or from my comments on their sites. I’ve posted on big sites before and have yet to see the same result.
Pretty nice site you have here, by the way. I’ve subscribed and look forward to seeing what you have to say on a more regular basis.
I tend to agree with you. There is more value among the smaller blogs. I’m finding the same goes for advertising on their widget. If you have to compete with too much advertising, it’s easy for your own card to get lost amongst the fray.
Thank you so much for the mention.
[…] Since we are talking about comments and blogs, do check out what Felix the 3rd World Blogger has to say about this issue, with his article titled [Commenting on Small/Medium Blogs vs “The Big Bad Competition” and Traffic] […]
Sometimes i have had negative reactions when i wrote what i felt and didn’t go with what the big blogger was saying, which everyone was blindly agreeing to , to develop a relationship with the big blogger.
Wow! am relatively new in the blogging business and haven’t developed the confidence to leave comments on other blogs and expect a visit yet. I get apprehensive when I click ‘comment’ and see the sea of well thought out comments left by so many bloggers. I ask myself can I join this conversation without saying something I might regret or getting a retort from a more knowlegeable blogger. However, in line with your topic I’d feel safe enough amongst a small group of commenters than the hordes you find on big blog. Hey am commenting here aren’t I?
Thanks for the opportunity.
Thank you so much for mentioning my Blog, I am very blessed to have you as a friend, and truly happy that I can provide some good content that others will enjoy.
Comments on a Blog can make it or break it.. Quality comments and discussions can rival the best forums, while on the other hand Spam content can really turn readers off.
Again Thanks and I dropped again.
Thanks for the advice on how to drive traffic through commenting, as a new blogger I am still getting the hang of all this stuff and its good to read about it from someone who knows what’s up. Thanks again!
http://www.rachnostunk.blogspot.com/
Great blog post, keep it up
I make sure I visit all those who comment on my site out of courtesy. I had until recently made most of my blogging contacts by commenting although I am a member of many social networking sites. I have just joined the Aussie Bloggers Forum though and am finding this great for making more friends and gaining visitors to my site.
Thank you for the mention Felix.
I have to agree with you - I get more traffic from small to medium blogs than what I do from the larger blogs. Seems to me as long as the blog is being promoted it’s probably worth the time and effort to comment. What do you think about buying links though? Better on larger blogs I would think. Unless they have too much advertising on them that is.