Day 25: Making A “Hit List” (and checking it twice!)
Posted on August 24th, 2009 by Jim under 30-Day Blogging
… and we’re back! It’s day 25 of the Build-A-Blog Workshop and we have our blog built up and ready to go. A few more modifications and some clever marketing tricks, and you’ll be on your way to owning a popular website.
Today, we are talking about a method of internet marketing that has become hyped to a point of excess (in my opinion), but still definitely works. In addition, this method of viral marketing is becoming more effective as time goes on and the web becomes more and more of a community and less of a dictionary.” What method am I talking about? Why, Blog Commenting of course!
What is Blog Commenting, and why is it effective?
Blog commenting is just what it sounds like, commenting on other blogs! But there is really a lot more than meets the eye. In its best practice, you would spend some time each week visiting similar blogs, interacting with their members and spreading your link around the internet. Essentially, you are using the user base that other blogs have already built up to your advantage… and literally aim to leech off of their success! 
The Proof is in the Pudding!
You can see plain and simple that this method works because of the sheer volume of so-called “spam” comments popping up on blogs around the world. If you have ever owned a blog, you know exactly what I am talking about. Marketers have figured out that dropping blog comments that link back to your own blog is one of the most effective (and FREE) marketing techniques around. Because of this, literally hundreds of dedicated “robot” programs have been made and mass produced to help spammers viciously attack blogs and get their links outbound.
I do not recommend using any kind of auto-comment software specifically because their are really only two end results: your comment gets deleted or ignored. Still, the fact that there is so much buzz from whitehat and blackhat marketers tells you that it is worth your while! 
The Net Fool’s Advice
Using 30 Minutes Time to Supercharge Your Efficiency
Here’s a trick that I use to speed up my “networking” across blogs in my coverage area. Keep in mind that this will work the same for any niche, but you need to make sure that you don’t hit blogs that aren’t audiences you are looking to steal away. What we are going to be doing is creating a word document filled with popular blogs and links to them… that way we can simply reference the list again and again for rapid-fire commenting.
What I typically do is open up a Google Document (which is accessible anywhere you have internet, big advantage) and plug into it two different columns: one with website names, one with website URL links. This makes it very easy for you to hop form link to link, read their latest material and post a comment. Make sure that it isn’t an aggregator blog that is putting out more than 2 posts a day (you want it to be read, so ideally they update 3-5 times a week).
-The Net Fool
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It is true that if you have ever owned a blog you will have seen just how much spam actually gets thrown out there and if the blog owner takes care of the blog most of it goes unseen by the readers.
Is there any precautions you can take to make it harder for people using bots to find your blog in the first place?
Maldives Luxury Holidays´s last blog ..Real Luxury: Unique Travel Experiences from the Sunday Times
Great tip! I’ve never even heard of Google documents, but it does sound much easier than MS Word. I knew there had to be a better way of keeping track of the blogs I visit!
And I agree that blog commenting is a great habit to get into. Another benefit is that if you keep coming back to certain blogs, you end up building a relationship with the owner. It’s an easy way to make a valuable contact with someone in your niche.
Fast Recession Money Online´s last blog ..IM Report Card Update
Better still to subscribe via RSS or email and post a comment when they update.
fas´s last blog ..Toyota India Launch Fortuner D4D
Great tip..but I usually just subscribe to the blogs via email. This allows me to know when there’s a new post rather than checking back for no reasion.
Great tips. Also you should make sure that the blogs are dofollow blogs, so that you can even get a free backlink through commenting!
Make Money Online´s last blog ..Last Week to Join My Contest
Thanks for good tips
This is a very effective method! It has always worked for me, and I still continue to do it. I am saying this from experience, it works!
Kevin´s last blog ..All About Coffee
First welcome back after such a long break.
Nice and very useful tip. I always forget this. Thanks for the reminder.
Agent 001´s last blog ..7 Very Basic Tips for Converting Your First Time Readers into Loyal Readers
It seems that there are so many friends are using the method to comment on blogs,of course,on do follow blogs.But I failed to leave my comment once when I try to experience the so-called best method.
I made a website that tracks all the links I blog on.. pagerank and everything. I also use spreadsheets and track and track if the link stuck or not… that helps me.
I also use spreadsheets and track and track if the link stuck or not… that helps me.It is true that if you have ever owned a blog you will have seen just how much spam actually gets thrown out there
Commenting on blogs is a good way to create backlinks for your site. And it is proven effective. You don’t want to overdo it though. Bloggers are very cautious of spammers. You may end up just getting banned instead of earning backlinks.
Your advice is something that can really be useful to me.. Im not the type of guy who comments on a lot of blogs so I think I can use your 30 minute tip..
Melvin´s last blog ..My Info Product Has Gone Really Far
Blog comments are very important for the blog itself. It gives an impression to Google spider that blog is updating rapidly. So, bloggers must provide topcommentator facility, in order to attract more updates.
I like the idea of keeping a list on the internet, this way no matter where you are you can access it and comment on blogs. The list idea is a great one. Thanks for sharing it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong to get a backlink from a related blog post you decide to comment on. This is one of the effective way of one way link building especially if you comment often on blogs. Comment on blogs related to your niche with a link back to your site as your signature.. and Again, make sure you never spam.
Nice tips, such a useful advice.
catrosinfo´s last blog ..How do I start Earning Online? #1-Set up your website/Blog.
Commenting on blogs is a great way to receive traffic. I actually use comment kuhana (Jason Potash Rocks) and it’s a great way to build up great backlinks.
As Jason teaches though, and I am sure you know, it’s all about adding value when commenting. If you are just using it to post a link and not adding value to the conversation, few people will likely let you comment, or won’t approve them.
I used this to good effect recently when I purchased a brand new domain and using this as part of the strategy, managed to get a page rank 4 in only 22 days for my domain.
If I had wrote this post, I think I would have titled it, “Stop Deleting Your Hit List”. Too many times I start one, work it, and then later delete it because I gave up on the idea. I then alway come back to it because it seems to be the best thing working.
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Hi Jim,
It might sound little out of fashion that I choose to just do few comments in blogs from my own niche, instead of dropping irrelevant blogs, last of all, from my niche. My 2 main reasons are
1. I believe irrelevant comments can’t create good reputation, which is essential criteria in long term.
2. I think few comments may not get results of irrelevant comments but it would build rapport & eventually would produce better results in long term.
Chris Peterson´s last blog ..Great as it’s name: 6-Day Weekend
Definitely a great point. Personally I think the most effective form of gathering backlinks from commenting is keeping a list of blogs that give you do follow backlinks, especially ones that allow keywords. Keeping your own list is the best way to have a list of places that you KNOW will give you a good link. Thanks for sharing.
Writing Desk Fan´s last blog ..White Writing Desks
I have tried this method, and it does work. It is a really good point you have made here. Might be old, but it sure is gold.
Jackson Matthews´s last blog ..Thanks to my dad
The beauty of Google Docs is that you get all the above for free and it comes with security and sharing. Your work is online and only in one place it can only be accessed by people who have your permission. Once permission is given then it maybe worked on this can be 2 or more people anywhere in the world.
Google Docs is best summarized as a completely web-based, simplified, free version of Microsoft Office. It provides basic functionality such as word-processing, spreadsheets and presentations. The fact that it is an online service gives it a number of advantages, but there are also one or two disadvantages you need to be aware of.
all knows blog commenting very helpful, specially as you told spreading network, for website, helps to mix with blogger , beneficial benefits of commenting but hard to find out relevant but sure i will try to improve as you told …
And I agree that blog commenting is a great habit to get into. Another benefit is that if you keep coming back to certain blogs, you end up building a relationship with the owner.
I’d be suprized if the aritcle on blog comments didn’t have at least twice the number of comments that your regular articles have.
Comments are/can be good for page reputation but you’re gonna need quality if you plan on inticeing any readers over.
What makes me laugh is when users only care about blogging on dofollow blogs, such as waste of energy. You have more of a chance of getting real traffic from sites with nofollow as they have less spam and meaning.
Dan Lew´s last blog ..SEO Friendly Landing Pages with InstantLP
Blog commenting is one of the easiest way to gain one-way links and is one of my favorite strategy. It’s also a good start for new sites.
Bryan´s last blog ..Google Sandbox: What it does and How to deal with it
I have a blog and i know what you mean about spammers , i just have some fun and denied the comment .
My favorites are .
You write very well , are you a professional journalist ? ( Love it )
I read your post with great pleassure .
Hajaha .
A useful tip I must say. Visiting other people’s blogs can surely help in finding your new ‘fans’
good luck!
Paul´s last blog ..Short-term credit spreads
Thanx for the useful tip…
Well it’s well known that blog commenting is effective but it’s also time consuming:)
This may seem naive, but I don’t want to STEAL customers away from anybody. That’s sort of zero sum thinking. What I’d like to do is take the tact that there is plenty of business for everyone. It’s sort of like the difference between playing to win or playing not to lose.
But, winning in this sense is trying to give more to everyone, not trying to rob someone of his or her living.
I’m not sure how to do that, but somehow we all have to look out for each other. Otherwise everyone becomes an enemy. I just can’t live my life like that. I would love to be able to help your business and you help mine and expand the market together rather than my trying to cripple your business in some way. Just not something I can do.
Gaston
i have 2 blogs but i can not seem to get people to read my blog
blog commenting is really helpful for getting traffic, and off course backlinks
Commenting on others blogs is a great way to drive traffic to our own blog, i do it everyday for my new blog but it’s always difficult to have readers.
Thanks for the tip of “bucket list”.
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