Soulati-’TUDE – Blog

Do Blog Comments Inspire Blog Posts?

Posted on: 07-23-2012 With: 48 Comments Posted by: Jayme Soulati

Heidi Cohen wrote a thoughtful, tip-oriented post today in honor of Stephen Covey, one of the most incredible business writers of our time with his popular  book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Heidi featured each habit from the late Mr. Covey’s book and then provided an actionable blogging tip alongside.

Here’s Habit 5 along with Heidi’s blogging tip taken exactly from her blog that appears in my mail box:

This Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Start by taking the time to truly listen to others before jumping in to get your point across. Consider what the individual is trying to say, not how your experience relates to the incident at hand. Hear what the person is saying to be respectful and caring. Actionable Blogging Tip: At their heart, many blogs are started to communicate an individual’s perspective on an important issue to him or her. Yet, as its readership increases, the blog’s “ownership” is transferred to its community. This requires bloggers to listen more carefully to the issues upon which their readers are focused and to contribute useful content on those topics. This is best accomplished through the use of blog comments.

This tip got me thinking more than the others she offered – “Yet, as its readership increases, the blogs ‘ownership’ is transferred to its community.”

Has this happened to you as a blogger; does your community control or influence topics you write about based on comments?

Here’s where I’m stuck about this…on a few occasions I’ve been able to glean a follow-up blog post from comments; however, the comments squarely originated in a post I created with my thoughts driving the community to think more provocatively about an issue.

I wish the comment section would drive topics; then, I’d not need to think about what to write on each week. I’m wondering, too, if Heidi gleans topics from her community because she writes such amazing content always relevant and full of teachable tips? This likely works for her type of blog where she is such an expert and knows the content she writes begets questions from her community that thusly drives her to dive a bit deeper into the topic.

So, Soulati-’TUDE! community, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you glean topics from the comment section of your blog? Does your community ask for actual topics for you to cover, or do you take inspiration from a comment and then write about it?

 

 

Categories:  Tags: , , ,

44 comments
  Livefyre
Newest | Oldest
susansilver
susansilver

one of my most popular posts came from a comment. A friend was discussing how twitter chats were useful in supporting her writing. She mentioned two or three and realized she knew a lot more about the writing communities than I did. So I asked to interview her and she agreed.  It still draws traffic and comments. 

 

I think we can read comments and recognize the experts in our community. I like getting the chance to put a spotlight on them. Especially if they haven't had the before. 

Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing moderator

 @susansilver Great way to develop and maintain a strong community, too, Susan. I'm always hunting in comments for something more to add. Part of what I do, too, is to point out someone's url or what they said in a fresh comment so everyone is sure to see it who is following comments. 

Latest blog post: Blogger, Twitter, Triberr

lauraclick
lauraclick

I definitely get blog post ideas on comments - but not always from my own blog! But yes, I do sometimes get blog posts out of my own comments...but more often, they come from clients, prospects and people I talk to on social media.

 

I think this all comes back to a question you posed awhile back - who are you writing for? For me, I write for my clients and prospects. That's why they're more basic in nature and might not attract as many of my peers or lots of comments. I often find that there are people who read my blog, but never comment. I hear from them later or I'll get an email or question in person about something I wrote. I often write in response to questions I get.

 

 

Hajra
Hajra

It happened to me once and I totally loved it when it did. It actually makes it easier to come up with the next post and yes, when I am running out of ideas or too busy to think of something interesting, it is a life - saver! 

tracysestili
tracysestili

I've had this happen on my blog - particularly on Facebook posts. I like what New England Multimedia said below about going back and updating the previous blog with the link. Too often times bloggers forget to do that. 

Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing moderator

 @tracysestili Hi, Tracy! That's a great reminder. I also welcome people to add links in comments to their blogs or posts or something so we can all find material easier. That said, care to introduce this community to your blog? I'd love to come visit! Thanks for sharing!

Latest blog post: Blogger, Twitter, Triberr

New England Multimedia
New England Multimedia like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

I don't recall ever writing a new blog post based on the community's comments, Jayme, but I definitely get inspired by comments on other people's blogs!

 

As a matter of fact, that's a great way to grow a community. If the reply you're formulating would be of interest to your own audience, AND fits with your brand, write that reply in the form of a blog post instead, including an excerpt, and link it back to the original writer's post. Then head back to the original blog post and leave a short but valuable comment there, with mention of the longer post back on your own website "for anyone interested." 

 

Etiquette: I would never do this on the blog of a competitor, even a friendly competitor. I know others do, but I feel slimy doing so!

 

Next, Tweet the original writer and let him or her know about the post you wrote in reply, and thank them for the inspiration!

Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing moderator

 @New England Multimedia  I recall using many blog comments as original blog posts the next day which kind of became series. I wanted to capture the comments in a post so they wouldn't be so obscure. 

 

We've always had such lengthy and in-depth comments in this community, and so many of them are worthy of a post. I know @johnAkerson comes to mind; his comment was about 400 words!

Latest blog post: Blogger, Twitter, Triberr

TheJackB
TheJackB

How do you think I came up with my post about glass blowing. ;)

 

The readers at my blog have given me ideas for posts on many occasions, but most of the time I come up with my own stuff, be it business or personal.

Latest blog post: The Birthday Girl

GeoffReiner
GeoffReiner like.author.displayName 1 Like

Hey Jayme,

 

I think many times community members may be afraid to push the envelope and say what they truly feel in the comments section.  When members are truly open to providing rich feedback and thought provoking questions / statements, great value can be contrived from the experience.  However, based on my experience and this may be a reflection of the communities I follow, the greatest content comes from personal experience!  Thoughts?Thanks

@geoffreiner

Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing moderator like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @GeoffReiner Hi, Geoff! As you're pretty newish here (or maybe you've been a lurker awhile! ;-) ], this community usually sticks out its necks in comments as we've cultivated a warm and friendly environ that is safe. 

 

No one gets blasted; well, maybe they get teased @rdopping (tee hee!) but it's all in the name of love -- for real.

 

That said, when I am new in a community, I tend to keep it on the up and up without too much banter skew; that way, I develop the professional first dabbed with the zany personality that is typical me. 

 

What I so love about this community is the length of comments and the insightful responses. When I look at others' blogs and see the one-line gests more frequently, I often think there's beauty in quality. 

rdopping
rdopping like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing THAT's what you call it, huh? :-)

 

Now that I am here I will say that I have used some of the comments to enhance future posts but since I am just getting out into the community more I can see how the benefits of other ideas brought to you through comments being fodder for upcoming content. It would work especially well if you had a specifi niche.

 

I love to ask questions in the comments to see if another train of thought or direction is viable. I really do value the comments as sometimes they let you see the error of your ways. Right @Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing ?

Latest blog post: How can Big vs Boutique and the Art of Service affect your choice in coffee?

Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing moderator

 @rdopping Oh, yes, Sir! You're quite right, she said in all her British primrose style. 

 

Questions do provoke more insight and these also can lead to more blog fodder. I like what @geoffreiner says above -- "we're all content providers!" 

 

Indeed.

GeoffReiner
GeoffReiner like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing  @rdopping

haha I can promise you I haven't been lurking for too long!  And I totally appreciate a community that is willing to stick their necks out there AND a community that fosters that safety that you mentioned (as I feel like the teasing is almost inevitable!!) 

 

In that case, I can certainly see how thought provoking comments would drive content and provide an inspiration for many members in the community as we are all content providers. Thanks again ;)

Shonali
Shonali like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

That has definitely happened with me - where blog comments have inspired posts, sometimes several, and I love it when it does. But I don't think the comments are all that should drive the posts - some of my most-commented/shared posts are ones that did not come "from" anywhere else. I think like everything else, what ends up being workable is a bit of this and a bit of that.

Latest blog post: Why Klout Doesn't Measure True Influence

Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing moderator

 @Shonali A little of this and a little of that! You're so right and thanks for coming by to say so, Friend! Hope your new gig is exactly perfect for you, too.

jennwhinnem
jennwhinnem like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @Shonali new gig what??? sounds like I need to catch up on WUL

HeidiCohen
HeidiCohen

Jayne -- Thank you for reading and thinking about my posts. I truly believe that a blog is owned by its community as is any other form of social media. To answer your question, I have been inspired to write articles based on the comments on my blog. Don't overlook the fact that you use comments on other people's blogs. Happy marketing, Heidi Cohen

 

Trackbacks

  1. Interns' Choice -- Week of 7/23 says:
    07/27/2012 at 6:45 pm

    [...] Do blog comments inspire blog posts? You might be able to guess my opinion on this one. Jayme Soulati tackles the subject on her site, Soulati Media. [...]