As long as Iâm willing to do a little searching, I find that I can get reliable answers to all of my business questions. I have yet to ask a question that hasnât been responded to on someoneâs blog.
Thatâs what we bloggers are here for, right? To provide quality content. But when we read other peopleâs helpful information at no cost to us, what do we do to add to the discussion?
Questions, comments, concerns
I feel like Iâm back in my school days here. Think about this. When the teacher delves into geophysics and you hear Charlie Brown lingo, you should ask for clarification. So, when you read a blog that doesnât explain a topic clearly, donât be embarrassed to ask the blogger for additional insight.
Did you ever have the teacher that had each student go around the room and name their favorite something? I think I was in elementary school when we named our favorite animals in front of the class. (At the time, my answer was cats). I remember thinking this exercise was stupid and a waste of time. Yes, I thought this as a 7-year-old.
I didnât know it all, either. My teacher was preparing us to do at least one thing: socialize. Blogs are a key component of social media. Commenting about our favorite something from a post or sharing some other personal knowledge generates discussion. It makes this social media social.
Teachers make mistakes. When I saw a teacherâs math problem didnât add up – literally – I let her know quietly and tactfully. I was not about to risk my parents making a visit to the school to hear about their mouthy daughter.
When we see a problem with a bloggerâs data, we should let the writer know and do so quietly and tactfully. Even if it isnât a technical error, we should air our concerns because once again, we get to engage in a social conversation.
Whatâs the point?
Questions, comments and concerns help us to learn more. Thatâs why our teachers throughout our years and years of school encouraged them so much. We remember what we talk about. We make connections. We build on this foundation.
Not to mention, the teacher feels his job has been worthwhile when he sees his students responding to his direction. Bloggers, too, feel that sense of worth when people respond to their posts.
Of course, these responses must only contribute to a meaningful discussion. None of that âNice postâ or âGood jobâ stuff. Sure, itâs nice to be complimented, but a few dozen of those a day can amount to nothing more than spam. I cannot tell you how many spammy comments I donât approve per day and from the exact same website!
Since I donât like words full of nothing, why would I give them to someone else? We bloggers have to stick together and truly talk to one another. We can learn so much from one another, but only if we open our mouths, or rather move our fingers, and converse.
How do you engage your readers in conversation?
—
Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clientsâ authority status and net visibility. She regularly blogs at Freelance Writing Mamas . You’ll find her on Twitter @thewriteblogger
Thanks, Terez!
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!
