After I’ve read a blog post I can’t help but at least peruse through the comments, especially if it’s a guide or something I’ve found really useful.

If I’ve learnt anything from my own site it’s that sometimes no matter how in depth or complete you thought you’re coverage was on something, all it takes is one reader to come along with a new perspective for you to see something you’d previously overlooked.

When you’re representing a website the importance of the value of your comment increases. Not only are people reading your comment but they’re also forming a subconscious first impression of your website and that’s before they’ve even visited it.

Think of leaving a comment as the contents of a shopping trolley. The way people form an opinion on your site from your comment is the same thought process that people use when making assumptions when they take a peak at what’s in someone’s trolley.

Instead of people though imagine you’re peeking into a website’s trolley. For example if McDonalds.com was standing in the queue with a trolley full of fruit and vegetables, you’d know something was up and not be inclined to trust them.

Similarly if a comment is posted that makes no sense, is irrelevant to the topic or contradictory to the nature of the advertised website, people aren’t going to click to visit your site.

At least not for the reasons your hoping they will.

Over at ProBlogger I’ve noticed a new serial commenter ‘Salman’, who runs a few months old blog on ‘blogging tips and hacks’ and continually leaves a textbook example of how not to write comments.

Darren has even written two posts about commenting recently, the first during the 31 Days to build a better blog challenge:

It should go without saying but just having moderated the comments on my own blogs I suspect it needs to be said a day – DON’T BE A COMMENT SPAMMER!

More than that – DON’T LOOK LIKE A COMMENT SPAMMER!

I add that second warning because I come across a lot of bloggers who try to leave comments on other blogs in a way that they think is genuine – but that looks very spammy. Their comments more often than not get them on blacklists of comment spam filters.

A comment that simply says ‘great post’ and that then has a link signature back to your own blog adds little if any value to the blog. It looks spammy.


And the second titled “How not to promote your blog: Top 10 broken blog promotion strategies”.

Where’s the sincerity? Where’s the realness? It’s a fake comment meant to do one thing, drive traffic. It’s a waste of everyone’s time and it’s a big no no.

When you leave comments on other blogs, remember these three things: sincere, relevant, and valuable.


Now keep in mind Salman is supposed to be the author of a blog teaching others ‘blogging tips and hacks’ so how he missed these important points about commenting I have no idea.

Here are the last 10 examples of his comments from the last 10 ProBlogger posts. I’ve included links to the posts so you can see that they are genuine along with the spammy comment signature Salman includes with every comment linking back to his blog. No he’s too lazy to use the neat comment username link – he spams his url in every comment ARGH!

Apologies in advance for the trackback spam Darren.


1. What blogging platforms do we use?

Hi Darren,

I always use blogger because blogger is the best in my opinion.Before 1 month I have created a wordpress blog but it was not much satisfying as blogger.


Well gee I’m glad you shared your opinion but care to explain WHY it’s better or HOW it’s more satisfying then blogger? We’re not talking about brands of softdrink here we’re talking about communication tools people use to express themselves.


2. Warning: Do you recognise these 21 blogging mistakes?

Hi Darren,

Nice post. I understood many things from this post. Keep it up.


The whole world didn’t need to know you understood the post and whilst encouragement is nice do you really think Darren would stop posting if you hadn’t have told him to keep it up? Comment value: a big fat zero.


3. Speedlinking: 10 posts I read today

Hi Darren

Out of the ten I felt one is useful for me “10 golden rules of social media”


WHY was it useful?! Are you saying the rest of the post was not useful? If you don’t explain why, then why the hell is anyone care what you did or didn’t find useful?


4. 6 More tips for affiliate marketing on blogs

Hi Darren

Superb post.
Can you post anything that helps bloggers to create an e-book and keep it downloadable.


This one was actually semi-decent bar the superb post bit (you’ll see why over the next few comments).

If you’re going to ask for such specific help though that isn’t directly related to the content of the post (ebooks weren’t mentioned specifically in the post), you’re probably better off searching to see if the question has been covered in a previous post or emailing the author directly.


5. How listening to a waiter can jack your profits up 33%

Hi Darren
Superb article But how does this help bloggers in making money?


Really? It was such a superb post that you read it and seemingly not understood the comparisons it was drawing? Jesus christ if a superb post is one you completely miss the point of, I wonder how you describe a post you actually get the point of?


6. How NOT to get a guest post published on a blog

Hi Darren
SUperb post
But you always say to write guest posts with our link at bottom.


I couldn’t find reference to Darren suggesting this anywhere in the article. If you’re going to accuse someone of doing something is probably a good idea to check to see if they’ve done it first.


7. 5 Tips to help you get a blogging job

Hi Darren
Superb Wonderful video post
Thanx I did learn many things.


WHAT DID YOU LEARN?!?!? Seriously, I don’t think I can take much more of this superb wonderfulness…


8. How I got 12,000 pageviews for $50

Hi Darren
Are there any free ways to increase page views.
As I am a starter so I cant afford paying out $50


This comment was posted twice verbatim just because spammy mcspam spam forgot to include a link back to his website the first time he posted.

Not only that, for a guy who’s advertising a website for blogging tips and hacks that has ads everywhere, do you really want to be telling the world you don’t even have a spare $50 to your name?

Because you know, if there’s one thing that makes me click on blogging tip sites it’s the author shouting ‘HEY EVERYONE, I’M WORTH LESS THEN AN AIG BACKED ZIMBABWEAN SUB PRIME MORTGAGE!’


9. The weekend is here… The perfect time to get your blog in order…

Hi Darren,
Is that for starters or anyone can use it?I am blogging from 2 months and almost I have developed my blog according to my satisfaction.


No, of course this is only for starters. If you’ve been running a blog for more then ten minutes and dare to even think about using the information nasty men will show up at your doorstep, kidnap your children, rape your wife and burn your house down.


10. How to protect against invalid clicks

Hi Darren,
Superb post but I think if I had known this I would have also put adsense click lock on my blog.I got my account disabled 2 times and I am not able to apply for adsense again.


On Salmans’ previous comment he states he’s only been blogging for 2 months. Really, you’ve had your adsense account disabled twice in two months? I think someone’s telling porky pies.


If you’re not ready to kick someone in the nuts as hard as you can after reading all of Salman’s comments I salute you as you’ve obviously got the patience and understanding of a quadriplegic charity worker.

As for Salman’s site itself, well here’s some blogging tips and hack suggestions of my own:

• ITALIC FREAKING TEXT?!?! Unless your chosen niche is ‘retarded people who have an italic text fetish’ there is no goddamn excuse to have the ENTIRE site written in italics! What were you thinking??

• Black backgrounds are so goth era 90′s. Come on, at least look like you’ve put some effort into a theme.

• Having a giant spammy box at the bottom of your blog linking to 3000 spam sites with blatant adbrite keywords is not a good way to inspire confidence in your content

• Get rid of the hitcounter.

• White text on a light pink background is horrendously unreadable.

If you’re going to leave comments and masquerade as a regular reader please, for the sake of everyone else reading it and out of respect for the author themselves don’t do a Salman. Darren has written some excellent starting points on how to comment, so let’s put them into practice people.


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