When I come home from work every day, I head straight for my mailbox. I jiggle the key, open the box, and hope for a letter from a friend, a magazine or a mini package that’s small enough to fit inside my tiny letter holder.
When I had a day off from school or work back home in Massachusetts, I used to jump at the sound of the mail truck when it would turn the corner onto my street at 3:30 p.m. each day. The mailman, Ray G., and I were friends. He knew me because I’d already be at the mailbox just as he was about to stuff it like a stocking full of goodies.
Now, I look for blogalicious goodies. Whenever I write a blog post, I think about what readers might want to learn, and what might entice them to post feedback. Of course, comments aren’t always positive, but as long as they are not offensive, even “negative” comments can help generate a lively discussion.If I get a comment a week, I consider myself lucky. And so this begs the question: Why don’t people comment more often?
Steve Outing, a self-proclaimed online media pioneer, has put together a document, “Talk, Why Don’t You,” highlighting answers and possible remedies for this problem. Outing says there is a “90-9-1” rule, meaning that of the total number of blog readers, 90 percent will read or view the blog, 9 percent will occasionally comment on the blog, and 1 percent will comment regularly. This sounds about right. Outing makes some other interesting points, which you can read here. (Scroll down to the Oct. 8 entry.) There is also a Facebook discussion about this topic.
Here’s to hoping for more comments and stuffed mailboxes.
What compels you to reply to a post on this blog (or any blog)? Do you have suggestions for getting more people to comment?
Word on the Street 