Commenting on WA Member Websites
Recently, I wrote a blog entitled “Don’t Look Now, We’re Being Followed”. In it, I made the commitment to visit the websites of a few of my “followers” each week and write comments on their blogs, etc. So far, I have kept to that commitment. In doing this, I have uncovered some things and wanted to bring it to the membership.
A Disservice To WA Members
Some websites I visited had visitor comments written, so I knew the sites had traffic. Unfortunately, as I read through some of the comments, I saw responses like:
- “good website, very colorful, good choice of theme, I used ???? theme…”
- “I like the way you set up and organized your site. How did you get this…”
- “keep up the good work, my site is almost done”
- “how about including some of the things WA taught in training on your review?”
It was OBVIOUS these comments, and many like them, came from WA members! Can WA members be doing more of a disservice to those we are trying to support? Is a member website the place for such comments as these?
Being Of SERVICE To WA Members
I think it is a great incentive, and considerate to leave appropriate and relevant comments on member websites. It helps with their ranking in Google, it provides a sense of pride that someone has taken an interest in their efforts, and it is motivating to the author because it gives value to their efforts. Kyle (WA-you remember him) made the comment in Affiliate Bootcamp-Day 7 that when you comment; “make sure you keep it relevant to the topic”.
Blending In With The Visitors
So how can we provide an even greater service to our fellow members when we leave a comment? Blending in with the visitors! When I leave a comment in a blog that is reviewing WA I write from a visitor’s perspective. For instance, I may say something (truthful) like:
“John, thank you for the information you presented in your blog. I was a victim of an online marketing scam. I was promised immediate success if I put down $797 for some downloaded software and followed the training process. The only thing I got out of it was software that didn’t work and an online training program that was outdated. I couldn’t afford for this to happen again. Your review of Wealthy Affiliate is very thorough and accurate. I tried Wealthy affiliate after I had lost a lot of money. I found their training program to be exceptional…and on…and on”
Think about the member whose site you are writing on. What would they appreciate seeing from another member that would captivate a visitor? Of course, situations those visitors can relate to, and are going through themselves!
Traffic and Visitor Engagement
The purpose of building a website is to generate traffic and engage visitors. As authors of websites, we have something to offer and we want those who find us to stick around for a while. WA members can assist in both of these areas:
- By visiting member websites we are putting the author in a better position on Google ranking pages
- By making appropriate and relevant (to the content) comments, we engage visitors AND assist with Google rankings
(If you have a reason to visit a member site, whether it is to get ideas or check them out…LEAVE an appropriate and relevant comment on one of their blogs as a thank you.)
Do’s and Don’ts When Leaving Comments
Don’t
- Write anything that should be said through a Private Message, or only amongst members of WA
- Write anything off the topic of the blog or article
- Be misleading or untruthful
Do
- Write from a visitor’s perspective
- Keep your comments relevant to the blog or article
- Be sincere and positive
- Think about what you can say to keep visitors interested in reading more on the website
- Promote your WA neighbor
Many of us are new to Internet Marketing, building websites, and just learning new technologies. It’s a great thing to be able to help each other out. We are all here for basically the same purpose. Let’s make sure we are supporting and not doing damage to efforts being made. There is major value in this community of members and you ALL are truly appreciated.
Recent Comments
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This was a great point and the idea came across clearly. I will follow your advice when leaving comments.
Thanks for commenting. There are many views on this topic as you can see from the responses. I believe we can turn our comments into something worthwhile for members. Appreciate your thoughts.
Hi Michael
You've raised many interesting points which I hope that people will take on board. It is however quite difficult to comment on sites that you would not normally visit. Quite difficult to sound sincere over something you have no interest.
I actually don't comment on anyone's site when they've asked me to review it simply because people have asked me how they can make improvements and I would obviously never do that on their site.
Also there are times when people ask for comments too early. What can you say when there's nothing but an about me page and a privacy policy!
Thanks Beverley. Points well taken. In visiting sites that I had little knowledge, I was still able to write comments such as "I haven't had the opportunity to…You seemed to have a thorough knowledge of…You are doing a great service to those interested in…Thanks for sharing this information" I believe there are still positive and truthful statements that can be used without harming the efforts. Thanks for your contributions to our membership. You are appreciated.
LoL - That's because you're a very nice person! For me they would just be false which is why I don't make them. Fortunately there are a lot more people like you than me!
Nicely said! Comments like those may be from people who have not gotten to the Day 7 lesson yet. Hopefully, they will read your blog.
I like the idea of visiting the website of those in your network. Great idea! I am going to adopt that myself. :-) Thanks for the nugget.
You are welcome Sharron. I decided to visit sites because I wasn't far enough along in training to assist members with technical issues. I wanted to do something, so I decided to visit their sites and leave appropriate comments. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Yes! I was just thinking about this as I reviewed a member's website and was reading the comments. Much better for visitors if WA member comments are from a visitor's point of view.
This is great to keep in mind. The idea of commenting in my opinion is to get the conversation started. You would be surprised how just one comment can start the ball rolling for others. A blank slate is invitation for others to keep opinions to themselves.
When I comment, I try to add some new perspective, or ask a question. It invites responses, rebuttals, and help the owner of the website an open way to respond to your comment. "Good site" only asks for "Thanks!"
It's also important that people who are commenting and asking for comments don't look at it as a way to just "boost rank". Engaging with others who are part of a community is what the internet is all about. It's what Google likes IMO. It doesn't matter if we are in different niches, we are still part of a group and should be interested in each others work!
One last thing I want to say about commenting is that you get what you give. If you leave short, quick comments, that's what others will give you. If you make a habit of delivering more than expected, others will return in kind. Some don't, but eventually you learn who does and who doesn't and you can then funnel your time appropriately, bookmark the blogs of your close connections, and return frequently (without requests or prompts) to see what's new.
Nathaniell, your comments are appreciated. Good insights about adding a new perspective or asking a question. You are correct…"we are part of a group and should be interested in each other's work"…even though we may not have an interest in their niche (my added comment). I want to see members succeed and I want to learn from them. Thanks Nathaniell,
Thank you! Really great points. I always try to make sure and blend in when leaving comments, but I have seen some like you mentioned above. I think those comments are fine in Wealthy Affiliate. Leave those types of comments in the discussions.
I also get nervous when WA members make it seem like they are not members and are looking for more information. I don't think it's necessary to not be truthful. You can talk about WA in the comment and how it benefits you.
Great post!
Thanks Christina. I agree with you about deception or being untruthful. It really serves no purpose. I like Nathaniell's response above also…"When I comment, I try to add some new perspective, or ask a question. It invites responses, rebuttals, and help the owner of the website an open way to respond to your comment" We (as members) can be such a positive assistance to each other. Appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Great post Michael, you are totally right when it comes to writing relevant comments. They are better for search engines and show other readers that people have an interest in the pages and posts on the website.
Jaron…thank you for taking the time to comment. You have provided members with great information. That is exactly what I say when there is value in this membership. I believe we can do more to assist each other to be successful. Thanks for all you do.
Excellent post.
It is for these very reasons that I don't put my site URLs up.
Comments that are not relevant do more harm than good in my opinion.
Bald Eagle. I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond. You have been a member for a while now…I would really like to visit one of your sites. (You can PM me!) I think we all have value to each other. Thanks again.
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Hi Michael. I totally agree with you. I noticed the same when I viewed a few of the WA sites. I personally have never commented on anybody's site, mainly because most sites were not particularly far advanced. But your point of taking time to look at sites and leave appropriate comments is a good one, especially because of the help with Google rankings.
Isabella…thank you for taking the time to read the blog and making a comment. It is appreciated. Even though you haven't commented on anyone's site, you did great on this comment. You are valued…thx.