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The REAL CyberMonday: The Gift of Comments

The greatest gift you can give a blogger isn’t a new computer or a year-long membership to self-host their site. It isn’t an Droid Razr or an iPhone 4S so they can blog on the go (though I certainly wouldn’t turn down an iPhone… just saying). It’s something simple and free that you can send out even at 11:59 pm on Christmas Eve and they’ll still have it by Christmas morning.

It’s the gift of the response: comments.

I know you’re probably thinking this gift sounds akin to receiving socks under the Christmas tree, but here me out. What do writers want most of all? They want eyes on their work and a response to their work. Bloggers crave traffic because traffic equals human beings all enjoying the words they’ve strung together. And they like comments because no one wants to speak into a vacuum. We want to know that our words were heard and know how the reader received them.

I think we all have good intentions to comment, but we often forget to actually do it. So here are a few ways you can give the gift of comments or traffic: openly or discreetly.

  • Coupon Book: sometimes the posts we want feedback on the most are the ones that people remain silent on. Give a blogger an electronic coupon book with ten punch card spaces for comments. Whenever they have a post they really want a comment on, they can email you the link and you promise to leave them a thoughtful comment.
  • Social Media Blast: give the gift of a social media blast. Tell a blogger that they can choose any post they wish and you’ll give it the social media royal treatment: tweet it, Facebook it, Stumble it, Google plus it, etc.
  • Queen for a Day: throw a commenting party for a fellow blogger and encourage people to bombard them with comments and traffic for a day.
  • Gift Giving on the Sly: you don’t always have to give gifts wrapped in ribbons and bows. Choose a blogger and without telling them so, commit to leaving a comment on every single blog post they write one month (or, if you’re up to it, the entire year).

While electronics are nice, no tangible gift can really replace the care and love that is shown through the gift of feedback and attention. So this holiday season, give the gift of comments. It won’t bust your budget, but it will make a world of difference in the life of another blogger.

Photo Credit: Vincent Van Der Pas.

Cross-posted with BlogHer

27 comments

1 Valery Valentina { 11.27.11 at 7:49 am }

Sending you a hug from the other side of the ocean…
You got me thinking about this other gift you gave: your hair. On the picture in the sidebar it is still above your shoulders, but I imagine it is longer again?
Precious and free at the same time.

2 HereWeGoAJen { 11.27.11 at 8:45 am }

These are such great ideas! 🙂

3 Her Royal Fabulousness { 11.27.11 at 9:33 am }

I love, love, love this idea. Any of these would make my day!

4 Stephanie { 11.27.11 at 10:18 am }

Until I started blogging myself, I never left comments. Not once. Once I started blogging, I realized how much comments meant to bloggers…not so that they could feel “popular”, but so that they could get feedback on their work. I don’t comment on every blog post that I read, and I don’t leave “hey, great post” comments. But I do try to leave a thoughtful response when a post makes me think. That said, while all of these “gifts” would be fabulous…I’d probably be too shy to try to cash them in! Ha!

5 Foxy { 11.27.11 at 11:47 am }

very sweet. and just inspired me to give some coupon books to friends and family as christmas presents this year. So much more meaningful than a bunch of Stuff.

6 Living Our Life in Cycles { 11.27.11 at 12:38 pm }

These are some wonderful ideas! Thank you for sharing!

7 slowmamma { 11.27.11 at 3:00 pm }

You are so right. I love these ideas. Comments go so far to make blogging wonderful and build real connections.

8 Chickenpig { 11.27.11 at 3:06 pm }

And the best part is that comments have no calories and are always in style 🙂

9 Pam { 11.27.11 at 3:12 pm }

I so agree, it is a treat. I am new to your blog and am excited to look around today

10 Lut C. { 11.27.11 at 3:16 pm }

Encouragement to comment is always welcome.
Personally, I prefer to go with the flow rather than organizing things too strictly.

11 Justine { 11.27.11 at 4:14 pm }

Awesome ideas! I wish other people in my family would appreciate things like this as much as my fellow bloggers do. 🙂

12 Emily { 11.27.11 at 11:08 pm }

Such great ideas! I absolutely love getting comments and I try so hard to leave them as much as possible. It makes me feel good to leave a comment and connect with that person.

13 Lynn { 11.28.11 at 12:27 am }

I do love these ideas! I know I am the world’s worst about commenting. I read a lot of blogs, but I find myself “without time” to comment, so I don’t do so. I feel guilty for it, but I still fail to do it. I think I’m going to consider these ideas and decide which one I can best commit to and do so.

14 Jill Sango { 11.28.11 at 2:31 am }

Absolutely great ideas! Sometimes taking that extra minute or so to write a comment seems like too precious to give to every blog that I read. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Either way, I could do a lot more to be a better cyber neighbor, and you’ve giving me some great ideas. Thanks! Happy Cyber Monday!

15 M { 11.28.11 at 6:14 am }

Great ideas!!

16 Kir { 11.28.11 at 9:10 am }

Oh how I love this, love, love, love it. I am not good at many things in the social media realm, but I pride myself on leaving a good comment..and this would be such a great gift to give someone….or lots of people. I absolutely adore the idea of giving back to people whose words we love with our own (words) xo

17 Krystal { 11.28.11 at 9:56 am }

I’d love followers as well, you know? But yes, I love getting new comments and feedback as well. Who doesn’t like that?

ICLW #46 Krystal
(The Good stuff)

18 Heather { 11.28.11 at 12:23 pm }

You are so right!!! I love seeing comments so much. So if I haven’t commented on your blog recently, I still read and love it!

19 aimee @ smilingmama { 11.28.11 at 12:36 pm }

Fabulous!! How fun would it be to be the recipient of these gifts!!

20 Krystal { 11.28.11 at 1:10 pm }

Thanks for the response on my blog! I didn’t word what I meant this morning really well, I was having lack of sleep issues. I ‘m thinking of stopping it more for the people that are still struggling ttc, I know it’s hard sometimes for them to look upon blogs that are about parenthood. Especially those who’ve miscarried or had infant loss, it’s a hard reminder for them.

21 Eggs In A Row { 11.28.11 at 1:53 pm }

What a good idea! If only I could do the same for my non-bloggy peeps…cheap and meaningful!

22 Christy @ Adventures in Mommyhood { 11.29.11 at 2:07 pm }

I had to come to your personal blog to let you know how much I love this idea (and I am now following you). I originally read it on BlogHer and since then I have been making it a point to leave a comment on every blog I read, even from my phone which is such a pain in the butt to do. I usually have these good intentions to come back later and comment from the computer and never remember to do so once I am actually on the computer.
I also did my own spin on the idea on my blog (giving you full credit of course) to help spread the idea. I am small potatoes but every little bit helps right 🙂

23 Kate { 11.29.11 at 3:19 pm }

I agree with all of the above, I need to make a better effort to comment and remind myself that commenting more then once does not mean I’m a pest to that person.

24 Beef Princess { 11.29.11 at 5:19 pm }

I love these ideas too! I also have a question. Being relatively new to the Blogosphere, I am wondering if there is a “statue of limitations” as it were for commenting. In other words, is it in bad form or look silly to comment on a really old post (assuming it is still open for comments)? I really want to know!

25 Vee { 12.01.11 at 6:28 am }

Lovely idea. Well I haven’t been blogging or commenting much lately, just been busy. But I do miss my comments and blogging. I would love some comments. I feel I am been forgotten the less I write. I hope to be back real soon though. Just catching up om some reading now, I am way behind.

26 Renee { 12.05.11 at 11:46 am }

I love all these Ideas Melissa and I am going to put them into action, great jewels. I did not understand how the suggestion about the one where you give coupons works. Probably how my brain is wired. Thanks you are soooo great.

27 Grace { 03.21.12 at 3:26 pm }

Just hit this via Stumble Upon and I love these ideas! Definitely will try them out!

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