Increase Your Traffic with Comments

To comment or not to comment. That is the question.

Should I comment on every hub I read?

Should I answer every comment that I receive?

Those are two questions I was asked by another writer. So this hub is all about comments: whether you should make some; how they should be written and even more precisely, how they should not be written; and why making and receiving comments, just like oatmeal and broccoli, are actually very good for you. Think "traffic."

So let’s get down to the basics. Hold it a minute. Why is it, no one ever seems to get up to something? It’s always, let’s get down to . . . No, I take that back. We do say of our child who has a guilty look on his lovable, little chocolate-covered face, he’s up to something. You wouldn’t say, Alphonse, bless his little heart, is definitely down to something. But I digress. One of my more less than alluring qualities.

A comment is defined as an expression of opinion; a remark; an explanatory, illustrative or critical note or observation. For those unschooled in the art of making comments I will illustrate the various kinds of comments I have noted on Hubpages that are received by the writers of said Hubs.

Here is the one I see the most and shudder at – it’s so stark so plain, so drab – absolutely no panache. “Great hub.” That’s it. Short but not too sweet. And it’s very popular. Almost every comments section of every hub has at least one “great hub” comment. Have you noticed that? Haven't you received one or more of them yourself?

Oh, sometimes there is a slight variation like, “Great read” (pronounced as in present tense) – “I can read this word all by myself.” Not past tense as in “I read an entire paragraph by myself yesterday.”

Wait! There is one comment even more commonplace or pedestrian as I like to call it. How about “good hub”? That one is nowhere near “great.” As we move up the ladder to adjective heaven, the short succinct comments may include an “excellent,” an “amazing,” or a “wonderful” hub. Those comments are always better than just “good” or simply “great”.

I know what you’re thinking – is there an etiquette of commenting? Of course there is. Trust me. Should you answer every comment you receive on your hubs? Absolutely Yes!

If others take the time and effort to make a comment then it is only common courtesy to comment back. Your ego is stroked when you receive a positive comment. Answer the comment with a positive stroke for the commenter.

Should you comment on every hub you read? If you are a fan or follow another hubber, you are notified by email when that individual writes a new hub. If the hub has no merit for you (I’m thinking of one that is titled, “Five Ways to Cook Snake Innards,” with explicit snake-gutting and innard-removing photos) then simply delete and move on.

There is no point in making a nasty comment. You may be surprised to learn that a few, a very few, hubbers may be prone to make such comments but fortunately they are in the minority.

If on the other hand, snake innards are right up there on your list of delectable appetizers, feel free to let the hub author know in no uncertain terms of your admiration for the recipe. Something like this comment would be entirely appropriate: “Wow! I’m so entranced by your snake-innards recipe, I plan to share it with the entire Mayville PTA.”

“I paint things as they are. I don’t comment.” – Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

“‘No comment’ is a splendid expression. I am using it again and again.” – Winston Churchill

“I don’t watch it, but I know enough to comment on it.” – Dan Quayle

So let’s talk about writing really good, even great comments without saying merely good or merely great. Do you want to win the hearts of fellow hubbers? Then leave a comment that is a compliment. The word, compliment, means praise or expressing your approval.

The best way to do that is to tell the author of the hub exactly WHAT you like and WHY.

Here’s an example: “This hub illustrating the beauty of the Grand Canyon (the WHAT) resonated with me because (the WHY) it’s where my first husband tried to shove me over the lip of the canyon. He apologized and said it was an accident. What unbelievable memories you have provoked!”

Here’s another: Do not stop at just the WHAT. “This hub is a remarkably clear explanation of making money with Forex trading.” Go on to state the WHY. “Because I plan to use my wife’s insurance money to invest as soon as she dies.”

You may have noticed that some comments are extremely brief – two words – and others are three or four paragraphs long. That’s OK – as long as the comments are complimentary. If you receive comments that are less than positive, you have the option of refusing to print them.

But do not make negative comments on the hubs of others. Sometimes people might be vindictive and go out of their way to leave purple prose comments on your hubs in retribution. I have seen that, too.

You will find that most of the hubbers with relatively high scores are dedicated “commenters” and their comments are well worth reading. In fact, I have read a few hubs (the writers will remain anonymous) where the comments were even more intriguing than the hub itself. And sometimes a comment will lead to a response which leads to another comment which leads to … you get the idea.

Example #1: Rebecca E., one of my favorite Hubbuddies, created this hub: “Getting Traffic: Commenting and Other Matters.” Note - It was reading Rebecca’s hub that gave me the idea to write this hub about how to write comments. Thank you, ‘Becca.

Here is the comment I wrote on her hub:

Drbj. Hi, Rebecca. This is a very important topic for your hub - the importance of comments and commenting. I, too, make it a practice to read and comment on every comment my hubs receive. It is a painstaking process sometimes but exceedingly rewarding.

If someone takes the time to read your hub and comment, you owe it to that reader to comment back with a worthwhile comment. Do you think I've used too many "comment" keywords in this comment?

Rebecca E. -drbj- commenting on your comment yes it is a time consuming thing, but so much fun in the process, that I found it helps me get more ideas for new hubs and all that good stuff. Commenting is a vital way of getting traffic as well. (did I comment too much?)

Drbj - Dear Rebecca - you could NEVER comment too much. Especially on my hubs.

Rebecca E. - drbj-- you are asking for trouble now!! Lol

See what I mean about how one comment can lead to another … and another …

Example #2: Frogdropping, another of my favorite Hubbuddies, (she wrote "Hubpages Blueprint") commented on my hub, "Dealing with Difficult People - Bellowing Bull & Sly Sneaky Snake" as follows:

Frogdropping - I use a one size fits all approach/tactic/MO - I withdraw and ignore. I know there's a bunch of different personalities but half the time you're wasting time figuring that part out. And probably still getting wound up in the process. So I just shut down.

And bugger off. Always does the trick. I'm not saying folks haven't followed me and tried to get me to engage but you know, my stubborn side kicks in. I can't do with being shouted at, raged at, treated like an idiot or ordered around.

By the way - buggering off is not the same as retreating. It is simply the act of removing yourself

Me - Thank you, frogdropping, for both the visit and the creative explanation of the act of buggering.

Yes, I've known a few folks like the latter and my strategies for coping with difficult people, for me, have always been ways to cope with both difficult bosses and difficult employees. In other circumstances, I, too, might use your M.O.

Frogdropping - And I really do prefer to walk away, fight another day. Though when I say fight - I mean diplomatically and subtlely.

Me - Oh, yes, diplomacy is good.

Here's my favorite quote on diplomacy: 'When a diplomat says yes, she means perhaps. When she says perhaps, she means no. When she says no, she is no diplomat.' Ain't that the truth?

The comments we usually get on our Hubpages are much shorter but I've included those two lengthy examples to indicate how hubbers can get involved, interact with each other and establish relationships.

Summary

1 – Comments make you more visible which aids in driving more traffic to your hubs.

2 – Comments are part of the mysterious algorithm that Google uses to establish page rank. A multitude of comments, if there is also worthwhile content, may raise your rank substantially on Google.

3 – Comments can lead to inspiration for new topics. It often does for me.

4 – Comments make the recipient feel good, whether it’s you or another hubber.

5 – Comments can often be a gauge of “How am I doing?”

You will find that your most effective comments will state 20% of what you read and 80% of how you feel or felt about what you read.

So . . . make comments!

I almost forgot. There is a question I would like to ask you. Do you believe that I (drbj) am a male or a female? Why am I asking? Because there seems to be some confusion – not by me – but on the part of readers.

Wavegirl22 was kind enough to share with me this thread from a forum where Katiem had asked the question:"Name the Hubber who most influenced you and how."

Frogdropping responded: "Another that's quiet in the forums but has impeccable manners and an attitude to match is drbj."

Katiem answered: "drbj, is an impressive man."

And Cris A. asked if he could include my photo on his hub featuring prominent male hubbers.

In order to clarify the situation, see the video below which should be self-explanatory.

Your comments, of course, are more than welcome. And I will comment back. Promise!

© Copyright BJ Rakow Ph.D. 2010, 2013. All rights reserved. Author, "Much of What You Know about Job Search Just Ain't So"