September 2018 has been highlighted as Scroll Free September. This is when you are supposed to give up looking at social media, especially on your phone, for 30 days.
The reasons behind this are to draw attention to the dangers of perpetually being on social media, 24/7.
And that social media is dangerous for children and young people. Especially in the light of cyber bullying, radicalisation, image awareness problems and too much screen time.
So what else can you do?
This is The Commenting Club, so I am going to suggest you post a comment on a blog instead!
Some people say blogs are part of social media. And yes, they are certainly connected. But I would say reading a post properly from beginning to end, and then thinking carefully about it, is a much better pastime than the disjointed and sporadic posts you find on social media.
And once you've thought about it, create a structured and relevant answer in your head. Then find the comment box and write down your thoughts in there. Et voilá, that is how you post a comment!
The joys of reading
In a world of time-poor people, and the ever-shortening attention spans, the art of reading something properly is fast declining.
We expect everything to be immediate. We wallow in quick reading, like comics and cartoons. Videos do better if they are short, likewise with podcasts.
And writing has had to adapt in order to get read. Shorter sentences and paragraphs. Ignoring the ancient ways of grammar to reinvent a new punctuation usage.
Time for more focus
If you're no longer being constantly distracted by social media, you'll soon find the time to post a comment now and again.
And I mean a proper comment. Not something useless and worthless like a single word or a one-liner. There is space in your day to have a really good think about your comment, and to write something decent and respectable that is worth reading.
Take the opportunity to practice your comment writing too. Focus on providing a beginning, middle and end. Learn the wonders of précis to fit in what you want to say within a small space. Brush up on your powers of communication in the written form whenever you next post a comment.
When did you last post a comment on a blog?
The art of blog commenting has declined since 2014, after many eminent bloggers closed their comment facilities. And as a result everybody moved onto social media, which meant the style of commenting changed.
So if you are participating in Scroll Free September this year, but your fingers are still itching to use your phone, use it to find blog posts instead! Read them carefully and search for the comment boxes to post a comment. Start using your brain differently, to exercise those writing skills that have lain dormant for so long.
This is the month for some proper comment writing. No reaching for emojis and gifs to fill up the spaces. No inane noises that are meaningless, there is no need to just 'do something' to save face and show you are 'there'.
Let's see if this makes you a better person
They say all detoxing is good for you. If you give up on something, you need an alternative to distract you. Blog commenting is a half way house from using social media and completely nothing.
You will learn new things and broaden your horizons. You may even find reading enjoyable again. Your responses and reactions will always be there, just this time you will express them differently.
Have a go at commenting again. Post a comment on a blog and let me know how you felt about it in this comment box below. Let us relate to each other on how we are going to get through Scroll Free September.
And you never know, it might be the making of you!
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Ohhh… I have been missing blog commenting too!!
Well now’s your chance to something about that, Kimberley. Go and comment on another blog…
The challenge is to think of something that is interesting that instigates a dialog so the comments are just as interesting as the blog itself. If the readership is right I take it this should happen naturally?
Yes, Gill, it does depend upon the readership. If they are chatty and like to be interactive, there will be more comments.
However, it also depends upon the subject matter, and whether it resonates with the readers. If they can relate to what the post says, this will make it more likely to get comments.
And if a commenter is able to think of something that would provoke a dialogue, this will lead onto a discussion, which is even better!
I like the idea of reading more blogs than social media. Where would I find the blogs I would like to read and is there a way of seeing how long they are before I start reading as time is the issue.
Thank you for your comment Honey. I am creating an online course on How to Create a Commenting Marketing Strategy in which I discuss where to find relevant and suitable blogs to comment on. It will be available to non-members at a much larger price than if you become a member of The Commenting Club. Watch this space for more details.
Hi Alice,
Good to be here again. You brought out yet another serious issue thru this post. It is really sad to note that this trend is growing among the internet users. After publishing a post on our blog page we generally post the link in the social media, but unfortunately, the majority likes it and post one or two line comments, there they leave it and do not take the pain to post a comment on the original page.
This really pained me several times, especially when I post a roundup post with a good number of influencers, but sad to note when I tag those influencers most of them respond to the social media share, and only a very few come to the original page to post a feedback.
As the post heading, yes, we need to ditch the social media and active on the original post.
Thanks for sharing this.
Have a great time of commenting and sharing ahead.
Best Regard,
~ Philip
Hi Philip, thanks for commenting and apologies for taking so long to reply (I’ve been on holiday without WiFi access).
You’re right, the connection between posting blog updates on social media and then returning to the original source to comment has been lost. A comment will mean so much more if it is placed underneath the post it refers to. However the world is either lazy or time-poor and has little inclination to bother finding the relevant post – it’s much easier to comment there and then.
Closing comments on a blog reveals the reverse situation. There have been plenty of times when I’ve read an excellent post, only to find I cannot leave a comment. The process of searching out the author on social media to leave my comment evaporates the ardour I once had, and the momentum is lost.
Hi Alice,
Glad to see my comment approved though it is a bit late. I understand the difficulty in getting a wifi connection in travel or holiday season.
Yes, I fully agree with you, that may be people are so busy with their daily routine. It is really good to see the readers comment on the original post’s space, which can be found easily even years after. But If it is on social media it will go down the pit, and even a swimming expert can’t find it from the bottom of the vast ocean called Facebook!! 🙂
Regarding closing comment option too is an awkward situation for comment authors. Once I asked one of the top commentator and travel blogger about the closing of his comment option in one of his websites. He said, Philip, since I am a moving blogger, I may not get time to respond to the comment authors and that creates a kind of confusion and misunderstanding so I closed it and am responding instantly to my commenters via my facebook.
I think this is not a good option, and sad to say that he was and is a comment promoter and a spokesperson of comment promotion. In fact, he was known among bloggers as Comment King.
Oh my! I am writing a mini post here! 🙂
I think I need to put a full stop here.
Oh thank you so much for selecting my above comment as the COMMENT OF THE MONTH
I am much elated by this!
Thank you so much.
Have a wonderful and profitable weekend.
Best
~ Phil
Hi Philip – you’re becoming more than one of my regular commenters, I’m almost expecting you to turn up!
How interesting about the Comment King! He finds the time to respond to his comments on social media, but not on his blog! This may be because the kind of comments he can get away with on social media may be instant, but are obviously not suitable for his blog. This is why I feel the quality of commenting has gone down hill since 2014.
Well, it might not be September but that is okay.
I found you post on social media and reading it was definitely more meaningful than scrolling through tweets.
I’ve not commented on a blog post for sometime so this is a good start.
Thank you for an enjoyable article. I will definitely comment more often from now on.
I do have one question though…
I actually found this post after reading a post about being shy about being the first to comment on a new blog post. I have recently launched a new blog so as you can imagine everything is shiny and new with empty comment forms.
So my question is, if I post the first comment on each of my own posts to invite people to comment, do you think this would encourage other people to comment???
Sorry for writing a blog post in your comment box. Haha
Thank you for your comment, Gordon. I think your idea of posting a comment on your own posts to get the ball rolling is an excellent idea. Keep in reserve a special point for your first comment, which you could use in the form of a question to inspire other readers to answer it.
Good luck, and let me know how you get on.
I wish I could do more blog commenting.. i just need more time.. nice reading!
Thank you Nural for taking the time to comment. Commenting is a marketing tactic like any other, and it does need time to do it. However, it takes up less time than writing a post, it makes you more focused when browsing through social media, and if you parcel out portions of time to comment in your diary, you’ll soon benefit from it rather than moaning about your lack of time.
That’s OK Nurul, just allocated some time in your diary and make a start. Even five minutes is worth more than nothing.
Hi Alice,
I am so glad to be here again to read the updated Post. I found the notification today again on Twitter.
Yes, Instead of wasting time on social media comment, post that on the original blog post!
I liked the concept or the phrase/title you penned! ”
“Ditch or cheat social media!
That’s really interesting or fitting! 🙂
Thanks
~ Phil
Hi Phil, good to see you here again. This post was written for a social media free month in which I suggested people comment on blogs instead! It’s good to have a change in what we always do sometimes.
Yes, the excessive use of social media many forget to drop their feedbacks on the original post. They sad party is that, once the SM use is over, one cannot find the comment they dropped on SM but if it’s made on the orginal post it will stay forever and it will be easy to locate on a later stage. But the comments made on social media you can’t find it.
You really need a good swimmer to find the comment which is lying deep underneath the vast ocean called social media. 🙂
Regards.
~ Phil
Yes, you’re right Phil. Many people forget that a comment on social media is lost forever once everything has moved on. Whereas on a blog the comment is there for perpetuity for everyone to read.
Yes, definitely. On blogs we can have well researched content. On the other hand Instagram Facebook etc are not about hard work. They are more about fun. Haha.
Hi Boris, thanks for your comment. Social media platforms are used for fun, but the answer is use them to socialise in a fun way in order to create relationships with your followers, before you broach the idea of doing business with them.
Thanks Alice for your post.
I like when you share your knowledge
You are amazing !!
Thank you Thanya for your comment – which bit of my post inspired you the most?
this topic is great,
I like the idea of reading more blogs than social media.
Hi Chia, I’m glad you like the idea of reading more blogs than on social media. How many blogs have you read and commented on lately?
Alice, great post. Comments on the blog are a great way to communicate. Also, it is an excellent strategy to boost your presence. Thanks for sharing an amazing idea. Keep updating your blog with more informative posts.
Thank you Sarah. Yes, commenting on blogs is excellent for communicating in another way to a different audience.
Looking forward for great ideas from you about social media blogging. Thanks for sharing such wonderful ideas.
You’re welcome Zia. Keep reading this blog and you’ll soon learn more.
Thanks for sharing your ideas it’s wonderful and I agree to comment on a post is a good way to share your ideas and thoughts with the audience. Keep it up!
Thank you Olivia for your comment. Which idea did you glean from this post which made you want to leave a comment?
Really nice blog. I really enjoyed it. Will definitely implement these thing in my social media strategy.
Excellent James, I’m glad you enjoyed my post. Which elements will you be implementing first?
Thank you So much For your Effective Information. This is so much Helpful For everyone.
Thank you Exertpro.
The thing is, not all blog owners allowed their readers to post a comment on the article, and a lot of them have to go through strict moderation before it goes live. So, yeah..
Well, Dias, if the blogger is so short-sighted to not allow comments, then they don’t deserve any! The strict moderation is because we are plagued with spam, or by people who don’t know how to comment properly. We need to keep our commenting areas clean!