How many people have ever waited with baited breath to see if someone will comment on their latest and most wittiest blog post?  It’s about as useless as you sitting at home by the phone, hoping for someone to call you.  So how do you get people to start being sociable and making comments on your blog posts?

I was walking through a flea market last week and I spotted an antique Pepsi machine. On the side were the words “Be Sociable” and “Drink Pepsi.”  It made me chuckle, but it made me realize something.  To be sociable you have to do something.  You can’t just stand in a crowded room and wait for people to be social with you.  You have to crack open a Pepsi and have a chat with the person beside you.

When people comment on blogs its a social thing.  You have to give them a reason to engage you socially.  Just blogging about a topic isn’t being sociable. It’s more like walking into the middle of a crowded room, closing your eyes and talking.  If you did that everyone might stare a little bit, but they would not talk to you. You have to be sociable first!

Let’s consider some reasons why someone would comment on a blog post: You asked a question in your blog that they have a clever answer for, you are someone they know, like, trust and want to interact with, and you have touched on a controversial topic that they feel the need to be vocal about.  Have I missed any?

All of these involve you being sociable first, either in your blog or outside of it.

Next time instead of checking for new comments on your blog, try finding an interesting blog and reading it instead. Make a comment.  Be friendly.  Provide your link but don’t be spammy–make sure they can tell you really read their post.  Give the thing you desire most to others and watch how many will give it right back to you.