Encouraging Engagement with Website Comments

Letting visitors comment on your blog articles is a great way to boost engagement. Whether you call it a Blog; News; Tips & Tricks; Important Information; or something else, regularly sharing custom content helps you educate, inform, show off your expertise, build credibility, and attract your ideal prospective clients.

Today, let’s talk about the pros and cons of allowing comments on your blog. But first, here are some topics you might consider when producing blog content for your business’ website:

Blog Topic Ideas

• Your Business: Share updates, achievements, and behind-the-scenes insights including key new hires, changes in services, participation at industry trade shows (don’t forget to take pictures of your team, your booth, and interactions with guests!).
• Client Pain Points: Address common challenges your ideal clients face.
• Case Studies: Showcase problems solved for other clients, highlighting your expertise and success stories.
• Industry Trends: Discuss recent developments and trends in your industry to keep your audience informed.
• Tips & Tricks: Provide valuable advice and actionable tips that your audience can apply.
• Recent Press Coverage: Share and comment on any media coverage or accolades your business has received.
• FAQs: Do you find yourself answering the same questions over and over again? Maybe it’s about your fees or the services you offer (or don’t offer!). Consider an FAQs section to provide clarity to your audience and help save yourself some time.
• Educational Content: Offer in-depth articles that educate your audience on topics relevant to your field.
• Guest Posts: Feature articles from industry experts or clients to add variety and different perspectives.

Allowing comments lets visitors engage with your business directly through your content.

Pros of Allowing Comments

Boosts Engagement: Comments create a platform for interaction, making your content more dynamic and engaging. Visitors can ask questions, provide feedback, and share their thoughts.

Showcases Expertise: Responding to comments lets you show off your knowledge. Thoughtful replies can reinforce your position as an authority in your field.

Builds Community: Comments can foster a sense of community among your readers, encouraging repeat visits and loyalty.

SEO Benefits: User-generated content in the form of comments can improve your SEO by adding relevant keywords and fresh content to your pages.

Direct Feedback: Comments give you direct feedback from your audience, offering insights into what your clients and prospects find valuable or challenging.

Cons of Allowing Comments

Time-Consuming: Moderating and responding to comments can take up a lot of time, requiring a dedicated team member to manage them well.

Spam and Trolls: Without proper moderation, your site can get flooded with spam comments or negative, unconstructive feedback from trolls.

Revealing Too Much Expertise: While demonstrating your expertise is great, there’s a fine line between sharing your knowledge and giving away too much for free. You have to balance helpfulness with discretion.

Potential for Negative Feedback: Public comments can sometimes include negative feedback or criticism. Handling these professionally and constructively is crucial but can be challenging.

A Special Note for Lawyers

The American Bar Association in their Formal Opinion 10-457 on Lawyer Websites says lawyers…”must carefully manage inquiries invited through the website. Websites that invite inquiries may create a prospective client-lawyer relationship under Rule 1.18. Lawyers who respond to website-initiated inquiries about legal services should consider the possibility that Rule 1.18 may apply.”

Your local state bar rules may differ, but I know that New York and Connecticut State Bars support this. You can help avoid confusion with your website visitors by including, along with your comment replies, a disclaimer that says something like, ‘the information in these comments is not intended to be legal advise, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship’. (BTW, you should also attach a similar disclaimer to any fill-in Contact Us forms on your site.) Here’s my disclaimer: please research this matter to ensure whatever you decide to publish on your website complies with your local laws.

Best Practices for Managing Comments

Setting up comments in WordPress is easy, but managing them well takes some effort.

Let’s start with the easier part first: WordPress lets you moderate comments (recommended) or allow them to be posted without moderation. You can set up email alerts to notify a designated team member of incoming comments. Spam software can handle typical unwanted posts, saving your team time and effort.

Now the harder part: It’s important not to allow comments and then ignore them. Empower your designated person to review, approve, and respond thoughtfully to comments as appropriate. Map out a path of escalation for your team member should they get stuck.

If engaging with site visitors is part of your lead generation strategy, you have to take action and do so quickly if you want to increase engagement. While general answers and feedback are readily available online, your business’s expertise is what people seek when looking for your particular services.

Conclusion

Turn on comments on your blog if you want to foster engagement and interact with site visitors who seek confirmation of your business’s credibility and expertise. If you can’t engage promptly, it’s better not to enable comments at all. By carefully considering the pros and cons and implementing best practices, you can leverage comments to enhance your content and build stronger relationships with your audience.