During a #blogchat chat not long ago (remember they happen on Sunday nights starting at 9 PM EST), someone tweeted out, “Your goal should not be comments.” Or something like that. It got retweeted a lot. I raised my hand, then I remembered no one could see me, so I tweeted instead. I said, “Well, comments are definitely a goal for me.”
Here’s why.
This blog is not intended to make me one red cent
I know. I know. Just put your head between your knees. Get a paper bag. It’ll pass. But this is still the truth. This blog, as a method of communication, is not monetized. Now there might come a time when I say, “Hey, I have this or that piece of work if you’re interested in buying it over there.” But you, my readers, will never be put into a system whereby I make money. It’s really not what this blog is for.
This blog is like public school without the cafeteria. It’s like a gathering in the park without the beautiful surroundings. Or…pick whatever analogy you see fit.
The purpose of this blog is to talk about things that are relevant to our clients (I’m always, first and foremost, an ambassador for my family’s agency) and to offer points of conversation (and hopefully help) for people immersed in Social Media.
Because I’m not monetizing this blog, I don’t need to stress over a lot of the things other people stress about. I LOVE the fact that you subscribed to my blog because it tells me you’re interested, and I consider it a gift. But I’m not going to send you a Margieclayman.com e-newsletter. I like looking at my Google Analytics (sometimes) but there’s no dollar sign looming over it.
So what good are comments?
I can’t really say that comments as a thing to count are what matter to me. Truly what matters to me is conversation. It’s just that on a blog site, conversation happens in the comment section. I care about comments not in terms of how many I get, but rather what people are saying. Do you have a completely different perspective to offer this community? Do you have tips and tricks that I didn’t cover that you’re willing to share? Do you have a question you hadn’t realized you had before reading my post?
Those kinds of comments are what I’m aiming for here.
What this means to you
“This is all very nice,” you may be saying, “but your point would be what?”
Oh, well…I’m getting there.
My point is that no objective for a blog is “unnecessary” or dumb or a waste of time if it’s yours. Now, if you’re trying to monetize and your primary concentration is on getting comments, then yes, you probably need to adjust your priorities. But if you are after something else, that’s okay too.
For me, comments mean I’m writing the kind of posts that you enjoy. It means I have a chance to learn from you and to help you if you need it. It means conversation between me and you and between you and other people who comment here.
I don’t feel the least bit stupid for saying so, either.
What’s your take on comments?
So what’s your perspective? Would you have retweeted that tweet about comments not being a good objective? Are comments your objective? Or do you have something else to add?
Hey – let’s talk. In the comments section!
Image by Mandy Julian. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/mjamanda