Commenting on other sites and blogs can be a great way to extend your network. However, there are some ways of commenting which can actually hurt your reputation and brand. If in doubt, ask yourself whether you would want your comment on your own site. Here are some things to avoid:
- “great post!” with your name and website – These types of comments don’t add to the conversation and most people will see through your attempt at linkbait.
- “I agree and you can get a great deal on ___ at ….” – No one wants a blatant advertisement on their website and you just look like a jerk.
- “asdlkjasfoweiu” – Ok, now you’re not even trying and it really looks like spam.
- “You are totally wrong. How can you be such an idiot!” – Would you say this to the person if they were in front of them? How about in front of other customers? Consider that anything you publish is permanently available via search engines.
- “some very controversial subject to get people angry” – This is called trolling if the purpose is just to get people to react. Having a calm discussion of differences is different. Sharing your opinion is fine, just remember that it’ll be available for all time and does affect your reputation.
So what type of comments should you leave on other sites? Take a few minutes to think of a response that adds to the conversation. Being respectful and insightful will go a lot further to enhance your reputation than any of the comment types above.
(photo by kevindooley @ Flickr CC)
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