Apples to Oranges
I always noticed that some blogs and sites like Threadwatch got uber tons of comments while this blog did not get many.
I recently bought Threadwatch, and the last couple days I have put far more effort into that site, but have noticed a good number of comments on this one as well. It sorta goes to show that sometimes by changing your perspective you can appreciate stuff more.
Thanks to everyone who has been commenting and whatnot.
Now another thing that is a huge difference between this site and that one is that in the past I think I spent lots of time thinking about and analyzing stuff to the point where few people would want to comment on any of the posts (ie: if you already say it all then there is nothing left).
On Threadwatch the audience, editors, format, and whole system is more geared around an infoporn mechanism. Find cool stuff and let others comment on it. Try to find at least 1 or 2 things every day that make readers become smilers and most likely writers.
If you want others to comment sometimes it is easy to leave a bit out. If you work really hard to say both sides of a story it is much harder for readers to quickly add something than if you mostly highlight one side and give people easy things to add.
Shorter is typically better as well. As far as social interaction goes short sweet and funny will typically beat out comprehensive and perhaps being a bit overly wordy.
I still need to work out lots of the mechanisms for the social stuff, but that is one hell of a site to be able to learn on and while I hope it does great even if I hosed up I think the experience is worth so much money. Thanks again for the opportunity Nick and all the readers / editors / writers at TW.
Comments
You are right Aaron. The blogs that generate the more comments and activity are blogs that quickly post interesting subjects and that give the impression that the post is not finished but that it's waiting for feedback.
I visit daily 2 or 3 web sites or linkdumps that are similar to threadwatch (but other subjects) and those sites generate a lot of comments. I think they are intended for writers. While other sites like seobook have more complete content and are intended for readers.
I prefer web sites like seobook and will visit seobook more times in a day than I could visit threadwatch. While a writer will probably do the opposite.
That's how I view it :-)
I enjoy SEObook cause your a pretty interesting guy that expresses your opinion in an easy to read manner. I have posted a couple comments in past, mostly with an added thought of my own in hopes spur even more thought into your blog.
But I think you could get a heck of a lot more comments if your comments were expanded by default. I think a lot of people forget that you can even post a comment to your pieces because it is a bit tucked away in a single link. I have a blog of my own and have it set up just like yours for commenting, so I'm not telling you to change it. I'd keep it the way it is for asthetic purposes. Kudos to Aaron for an interesting site. Cheers! (as they say)
I prefer long posts and deep thought BUT Threadwatch is good in the morning when the coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Somtimes blogspeed is too high and needs to be slowed down, setting a metered pace that your audience likes seems to be key.
I regularly read your posts and your mention of Threadwatch as if it were yours yesterday, caught me off guard. I think you have two of the best resources in this space now - great job. Onward and Upward!
Louis G.
Bingo, Aaron. I believe your analysis is right on regarding the number of reader post on this blog compared to TW.
That said, I sincerely hope you will NOT....that's NOT....(pretty please)...(hint, hint)....scale back the quality (i.e. complete, well thought out and very helpful) of your post on this blog. Horses for courses and all that.
Consider yourself as covering all the bases/niches with more than one blog style, which naturally result in more than one profile of reader posting frequency from site to site.
I'll bet that if you look at your logs, you will find that you have a LOT of repeat traffic coming to this blog. I think it's the traffic patterns that will tell the story here, rather than the comments per post count. And for precisely for the reason that your post here are so complete and well thought out.
Moreover, that's the type of post that go a long way towards establishing your credibility in the reader's mind as someone qualified to author an ebook on SEO they would want to buy. ;-)
Indeed, it goes back to the/a purpose of this blog -- to feature and sell your ebook. Your posting style here supports and furthers that aim. So I hope you keep it up!
In fact, just to support the point, I'm going to stop procrastinating and do what I've already decided I'm going to do anyway someday -- buy a copy of your ebook from this site as soon as I finish this post! Sorry for taking so long to get around to it.
After all, your post here -- day after day -- have not only demonstrated clearly that you are indeed qualified to write the book you offer, but have also instilled in me a feeling that I owe it to you after all the knowledge you've shared here time and time again.
"The workwman is worthy of his wages" as the saying goes. And I have no doubt your book is worth much more than the amount I am about to pay for it.
Thank you for sharing as you have...and thank you for writting this ebook for folks like me who still have a lot to learn about SEO -- and who want to get it right up front with the SEO of their site so as not to waste time doing less well than I otherwise would if only I did the right things (which I obviously have to know to do, site optimization wise). I want to succeed, and considering all the hours I'm going to put into my site, your ebook is well worth every penny, as I want my work on my site to matter. I want results.
I can't wait to see what goodies lie in store for me inside your book to help me with my next site!
Your new customer (and satisfied long time reader),
Louis G.
Louis G., a very impressive comment there.
This shows how well blogs can attract business. I dont mean this blog is 100% meant for business but it helps for business by sharing knowledge.
Aaron almost shares everything that he can and there are hundreds of intresting topics on this blog and thousands of comments which can make another seo book.
I just came across this post about blogging styles that has a lot to do with the subject of this post. Interesting reading.
I guess posting only this could be looking like blog comment spam, it is not :-)
I think that link was broken Martin?
I clicked on it and it looks like it's working. The URL is : http://mistersnitch.blogspot.com/2005/11/blogging-styles-and-traffic-sta...
Aaron,
I have noticed the number of comments on this blog going up as well in the last few days, and I could bet a lot of people are coming over from Threadwatch. You have just acquired a great marketing tool, and I don't mean it in a bad way as long as you don't make Threadwatch secondary to SEOBook and only serving the purpose of marketing SEO Book (which I believe you won't). This is definitely an acquision worth every penny spent on it.
Congrats on taking over TW. I'm shocked!! :)
You know, I have never thought to post here and I have never read the comments, until now. I think that is because the nugget of info I have just read read on SEO book has to gestate in my brain until I figure out the full ramifications of the nugget. The info here is so dense and useful I do not want to miss anything as the point of coming here is not to advertise my own blog or point of view but to learn Aarons.
You can smell a comment that has only been generated for the purpose of self inflation rather than genuine desire to share something. I know, post on other peoples blogs to get more people to come to yours, I hear you cry. My reply is, there is more than one way to open a can of coke.
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