Comments: Why aren't I getting any?

Bloggers often ask, "Why aren't I getting comments?" or "Why aren't I getting more comments?"

First let's get a couple of things out of the way:

• Some topics simply draw more comments than others. You topic may not draw a lot.

• The number of comments don't equate to post popularity. I have some very popular posts with few if any comments, and some posts where every other reader seems to comment.

Only perhaps 1% of readers will EVER leave a comment. Of course this is a big guessimate, but overall pretty accurate.

My friend Jon at Air Quality Trends is a new blogger, and new bloggers get few if any comments.

Initially, he had TypePad configured to require a login to comment. That will drive away almost all commenters. Yes, it's useful to cut down on comment spam, but if you try to make people jump through hoops, or even take one simple extra step, most will not.

So, if you're a newish blogger, don't expect many comments, or any quickly, and make it easy to comment. remember you might be pumping out valuable blog posts that people love, yet you may be getting zero comments. Don't let that worry you!