Bloggers continue to want to know how to build a community or blog communities on their blog. I have been researching this for the past couple months as I regularly get questions about it in my inbox. But I figured out the basics of building great blog communities. Most bloggers base success on how many people frequently comment on their blog. Well, you can’t build a community if people aren’t commenting. In some sense building a community on your blog is the same thing as getting people to comment on your blog.
One of the best ways to get people to start commenting is by rewarding them. Throw up a contest and give money to the person that comments the most on your blog in a month. However, if one person gets way ahead in the competition than others will give up quickly. I have seen this happen on many blogs, but the ones that are competitive and close see many comments throughout the month. So try to make rules that will keep the contest close throughout the month. Even though it is likely that it will only help one month, at least you started getting people to comment on your blog posts. It is likely after they do that they will want to be part of your blog for days to come.
Another way to help build a community on your blog is by using avatars in your comments section. A community is easier to build its people can see each other’s personal picture or logos so that you can get a sense of one another. You can’t get that if you do not have avatars in your comments section. There are free services such as Gravatar that can be coded into your blog. If you do not know how to do this then you can go get someone to do it over at the Digital Point forum. You will have to pay a fee for it, but it is likely to be able to get it done for around $20.
Of course another way to get your community up and running is by using the CommentLuv plugin. There has been a lot of talk as to whether or not this plugin gets people to comment more. With all the research I have done watching other blogs, I have found that people tend to comment on blogs that have this feature. Most people that comment on blogs do not know how to get the most out of this plugin, but it doesn’t matter because they still think that it will help them. As long as people think that it will help their blog then they will do something (like comment).
Using threaded comments will also help you build a community. It allows people to interact with less effort and makes your comment section more organized. People are given the ability to respond to each other’s comments and they are placed under the comment that is being responded to. This makes it easy for other readers to follow the conversation. Which, is another step of building your community.
One of the easiest ways to get your readers involved is by allowing them to ask questions. Having a Q&A blog post every once in awhile is not such a bad idea. It gives people the feeling that you do care about them and want to answer their questions. To build a community you have to have people want to be part of your community. This is a way to get people involved with your blog and they often begin to talk amongst each other, most likely through your comments section or their own blogs.
Your overall comments section is so important when building a blog community. I have noticed that user friendly comments sections have more comments than ones that are not user friendly. I did a redesign on this blog a week ago and one of the things that I made sure to do was make a user friendly comments section. It is very organized and simple so that it is easy to comment and reply to other peoples comments.
Overall, the best way to get people involved so that you can build a community is by asking them questions in your blog post. Make your readers and visitors feel like you want something from them. Don’t make them feel like you’re the head honcho and what you say goes. No, instead make them feel like their opinion is valued. So ask questions throughout your blog posts to get people more involved.
Building a community on a blog is most successfully done by trying to get your readers and visitors involved. There are many techniques to do this, but by watching other blogs for the past couple months I have found that the above points are the most successful ways to do so. You may have other ways that have worked for your blog, but not for others. I have found that also. However, I think it is better to do things that are working on most other blogs than do something that is only working on one or two blogs.
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Nice post. I am following all these rules in my blog. Now I am planning to have my first contest run to see how will this help in building a community in my blog.
Another thing that you forgot to mention that may help in this is by commenting on other people blogs. This does not only help you with the traffic but also many blogger’s will return your favour by commenting on your blog too and hopefully become your everyday reader’s.
I can’t believe I forgot to tell people to comment on other people’s posts. I have wrote so many articles about commenting on this blog so I’m disappointed with myself that I forgot to talk about it in this blog post. If other people see that you try to be part of a community also on other blogs than they are more likely to try to be part of your community also. Thanks for bringing that up Salwa!
Nearly every post I’ve done where I’ve asked the most simple question has gotten some kind of comment.
Having a blogspot blog, it is harder to have a user friendly comment section because so many of the comment plug-ins that I like (Comment Luv, Sez Who) can’t be used on a blogspot blog.
Still, you can comment on my blog and people do.
I’m still searching for the perfect comment tool.
For blogger it is a little more difficult. I really wish they would work on the comments section so that you can have more flexibility as how it shows up on your page. I know some people are able to code well so they could help you. The problem is finding people that are kind enough to help. If you are still getting comments on your blog then I’m sure you are doing fine.
Great blog post! I have been wondering how to build a community like Shoemoney’s. Love these tips Franklin. You’re building a nice community yourself.
Well, I am hoping that I am building a good community here. I am glad you liked my post. ShoeMoney has a great community going and that is one of the great aspects of his blog.
Awesome post. I should start practicing few of these methods in my blog too. Just downloaded CommentLove pluggin. I downloaded threaded comments long time ago. But do not have a clue on how to install this. I think I have to hire a coder for that since my design breaks when I enable it. Keep up the good work. Stumbled and voted on reddit.
I’m glad you liked my post. Thanks. I noticed a lot of people have problems with the commentluv plugin. A lot of blog designs are just not compatible which is a disadvantage to some of you trying to build a community.
Although I have comment,keyword luv and my blog is do follow.I don’t respond to people in my comment section.I know this hurts me in a way
I always thank people for stopping by in the end of my post.But
but if I have something to say I tell them by email etc. I just always thought
it was corny to respond back and forth to blow up my comment count.I also
thought that I would have my say in the post and the comment section was what people had to say. I’m going to change my attitude about this and add
the threaded comments and I may just swoop down on someone and say something
I will try to reach out a little.I look forward to the email alerts on your post
and admire your skill and style of blogging.
Thanks
Thanks for the kind words about my skill and style of blogging. I think having threaded comments will make it easier for you to respond to other peoples comments. I just think it is important to respond because I have noticed on my blog and others that if you don’t respond than people tend to feel like you do not care and began to not comment. However, that is only for my blog and the other few that I researched. It could be completely different for other blogs.
There is also one another way, that is using by you
, to build good community you must try to answer on every comment on your blog, and you use this tip very good 
Yes, sorry I forgot that one. I tried to mention that above in one of my replies. It does make people feel like you do notice them and appreciate them commenting on your blog.
hi… but here’s a discerning question for you: Does this technique work if there are many, many comments on the post? Does this work for art and personal blogs as well as commercial blogs?
thanks
I believe it works for all blogs. If you have a lot of comments on some of your blog posts then I am guessing you have a nice community already going.
You give so many wonderful tips here. I agree with you that the best way to create a community is through comments. If you don’t give your readers a reason to provide valuable comments, then it will be difficult to build community. I always suggest posing thought provoking questions. Question and Answer posts are great, as you mentioned, because there is usually at least one question to which your readers identify and want to respond. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for stopping by Rebecca. You’re so right when you say that if you don’t give your readers a reason to provide valuable comments that it will be difficult to build a community.
Some great tips there its always difficult for new bloggers to build a community but these tips will definatly work
I think if you are a new blogger you should try to pull people that comment on other blogs to your own blog. Then you are likely to get people that will have a conversation.
Yes you are right there
Other than the contest, I’m doing all the other things you mentioned, and the one you didn’t mention, which is commenting on other people’s blogs. There’s a lot of great stuff that bloggers can bring to all of us, and I have to say that I’m learning a heck of a lot.
Commenting on other peoples blogs is a month so I’m happy you are doing it. Hopefully success comes your way.
I have read and seen quite alot about commentluv.. does it really help the blog so much? Still in consideration whether to use it or not..
The main reason it works, Ben, is that people get to see their posts listed on someone else’s blog, and they like that so they want to comment. I also use it because it alerts me to new blogs and I’ll follow those links, whether on my blog or someone else’s blog, to see what people are saying. This one is a biggie, and it’s growing; jump on the train!
I completely agree with you Mitch.
I had no idea what this was and whether it was worthwhile. Happy to be featured on your blog
Nice post. I have started my website lately and trying to get subscribers to comment on my site content. I am using wordpress software for my content. I think I like the idea of commenting on other people’s blog. That is going to help everyone sharing information along with more people interaction.