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How to be a Top Commentator/First to Comment
So today I am bringing you guys a topic that has been much requested from me, from not only my readers, but the owners of other blogs. The big question at hand today is HOW exactly do you become a top commentator on your favourite blogs. By top commentator, I mean not only by the numbers, but by the position as well. I’m talking about the coveted 1st comment on the page kind of top commentator!!
Being both the top commentator and first to comment will go light years to increasing both your blog traffic and your reputation in the blogosphere. The reason being simply the sheer number of people that will come across your avatar/comments/content will get your readers, recommendations etc.
In all honesty, when I first started looking for interesting blogs to read, I went straight to the top commentators list on my favourite blogs. So far so good!!
1) First things first - to become a top commentator by numbers will be fairly easy in principle. Comment a lot!! The thing is, that on high traffic blogs, this can be very time consuming. So if you’re short on time, you’ve gotta work on your time management, and MAKE the time - cause comments don’t just happen by themselves!!
2) BE RELEVANT!! That’s right - ADD to the conversation. No one likes the “Sweet” or the “Great” one word comments, and if you’re like me, you’ll delete any of these irrelevant comments. No better way to keep yourself at the top than to ensure your comments don’t get deleted!!!
3) Comment on peoples comments - This simply keeps the conversation going - if you have nothing else to say about the topic at hand, comment on someone else’s opinion!!
Now that was fairly simply, straight forward, and perhaps even obvious!! The nitty gritty that I often get commended for is being number one comment!! There are three points I can hopefully pass on to the beginner bloggers out there about how this happens.
1) Use an RSS reader that refreshes often! I personally use Google reader, which bases the update time on the number of subscribers on each blog. For example, Shoemoneys blog gets updated more often than my blog. The advantage of this is that it will tell you when theres a new post to respond to. Google reader seems to tell me within a few minutes for the more popular blogs if there’s a new post for me. Another one I’ve been made aware of is Comment Sniper - but as long as they update themselves, you’re golden.
2) Have an idea of what you’re going to say. This is kind of an underhanded tactic - but it could go both ways. When I see a new post, I will read the title, and quickly skim over the content. Usually, as soon as I’ve finished the title, I have something to say, and after I’ve skimmed the article, I have a couple sentences to add. This is usually good enough to get in the first comment spot, and you can add more in depth opinions later. Taking 5 minutes to write a great comment will not get you top spot on a popular blog - sad but true. Save that for your SECOND comment. 
3) Reply to threaded comments. This is another “underhanded” idea that I use. It’s for when you’ve done your best to get to get to that page fast enough to comment, but someone beat you to the punch. If the blog supports threaded comments, simply reply to the first comment, and it’s almost as good as being the first to comment. You’re still up there, and you won’t be pushed down any further by other peoples comments or replies. Just make sure you make a RELEVANT response - at least you have more time to write up a quality response though, as often people will neglect the ability to reply to comments.
4) Be able to spend some time at the computer. For the above to work REALLY well - it always helps to be able to devote time to spend infront of the computer. I have the luxury/curse of being stuck to the computer for most of the day as my business ventures are all computer related. As soon as Google reader updates me, BOOM - first to comment. If I had a more out of the office job, I would not be so lucky!!
So anyways - thats that - I hope that I have helped shed some light on how to be the top commentator, and the first to comment, as it will definitely help drive people to your blog, regardless of if it is a high traffic one or just a startup like mine. Happy blogging!!!
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Fantastic post Taris. Now i know why you are the first to comment on Shoemoney, John Chow and other blogs.
To be honest i stumbled upon your blog through John Chows blog as i usually read the first few comments. Also your gravtaar caught my eye so i clicked through. I think thats the best thing i have done to stumble upon your site.
Thanks!! I’m glad to hear that my gravatar helped draw attention to my post as that is exactly why I picked it!!
Where did you get it from, its very unique and eye catching as well.
Indeed your gravatar is striking and stands out.
Mine I chose only because I didn’t know what else to put up. So I took a pic and had it simpsonized (having seen others do it). An after thought that I need to rethink.
To be honest when i see your gravtaar i think its you :p
Great success!!
I love your tip with threaded comments. I must admit I have used this quite often to get well placed comments.
This isn’t some I have tried, but now that you talk about it being successful, will have to start.
Even i was thinking of adding threaded comments to my blog, but i don’t get as many comments on a regular basis so did not think about it earlier.
Thanks!! I think this is an interesting article for a topic that I haven’t seen covered on any of the other major blogs - hopefully some people can make use of it
Honestly i have been to many blogs with this feature but it never struck me. Its when you mentioned i came to know. Thanks a ton
Plenty of people will be able to make us of it to be sure. Actually haven’t seen a detailed post in the topic, usually just a point in a list.
The A group bloggers dont comment on other sites as much so we never read such stuff from them.
Congrats on first comment on a first comment post.
Hey Taris
You beter not be skim reading my posts or i’m coming to get ya.
Just messin’, very good post.
hehehe - I only use that on blogs where the traffic is so high that precious seconds can determine the top spot, or the fifth spot!
Yeah, blogs where the traffic high. Right now you would be assured first comment (only comment?) on my posts. Need to do something about that.
Where traffic is high, your comments wont be seen out of the blue.
Truly speaking Taris this article you have written is fantastic, hence i have dugg it. Waiting to poke it
Thanks for the digg!!
Your most welcome. Its my duty to digg, because this way other people too can read such a fantastic article and benefit from it.
I always used to wonder how you landed up on with the first comment on so many sites. You are number 1 on top commentator list on John Chow Dot Com which is really fantastic. I myself used to comment alot there but could not get to the first spot, used to keep 5th or 6th spot with great difficulty.
This article is fantastic, i just dugg it.
Where to get threaded comments plugin? Wordpress data base?
Yes! Just search for “Brian’s Threaded Comments”
Thanks for the heads up on that.
That is cool, does it slow down the site or something. Because when i had installed the Let it snow plugin, a reader emailed me saying its slowing down the site.
Great post and as you said being number one is important. First to be seen, and if you are first comment everyone has to comment after you. Or using the tactic you mentioned, comment on their comment giving you a chance to respond in kind. Just more comment, name, and icon in front of everyone first. Seen you have three or four comments with in the first ten comments. With a huge blog that is significant.
Not significant, but very important to drive traffic. If you notice Taris your blog has most visitors from other blogs through comments.
Being first is significant because he is the top commenter, that is why people visit. Can’t imagine many people visit 5th top versus 1st top commenter.
Obviously being in the first three is important. But the first few commentators do get clicks. It also depends on your name while posting the comment.
Aww Taris, now I know your little tricks! Gotcha!
We should be happy that he shares his secrets with us, now shouldn’t we?
hehehe - gotta give to recieve right!! Think of how fast this post will be buried in the pile of articles that I put out - very few people will actually get to read this until I eventually recycle the information!!!
You should install the popular plugin which shows the most popular plugin in the sidebar.
As I have said elsewhere, seen Ben post frequently elsewhere. He too knows about commenting.
The art of Commenting is to be consistent. Rest all will take care of itself.
This is an excellent time to post this as you have the street cred being the #1 commenter with both John Chow and Shoemoney.
Taris has so many good things to write about that he can continue to write without thinking twice. Way to go, i need to learn something
Plus the rep as an early poster/first commenter.
This quickly hit most popular. Even with comment contest this is good news for a quality post.
Good posts usually get comments even if the blog is relatively new.
Taking your advise Taris i am planning to open an account in google reader.
Thirty Day challenge recommended this.
Or you could wait for OnePoke.
I am currently waiting, lets see what is good.
Many people recommend google reader, i was ok with email subscription only.
Writing relevant is very important. I usually keep a neutral tone.
I will implement these tips on high traffic blogs and try to get the number uno postion.