Warning: This is some dread ‘blogging about blogging’ posts, been kicking in my noggin too long. Hopefully I can zero in on a few points.
As someone who likes conversation, discussion, how one post leads to the next – I think one of the biggest compliments in blogging is a pingback or trackback, someone referencing your work. Unless they’re calling you a moron or douchebaggette, in which case, that happens.
A RT is simple tweet, here today – nope, already gone and covered up by 245 tweets. In the last minute. A ping or trackback lasts for as long as the blog or Internets do.
If you’re a blogging blogger who blogs, here are some reasons to respond to a trackback:
- Professional courtesy. To say “thank you;” it’s polite, it’s easy, and takes all of 15 seconds to type “appreciate you sharing my post.”
- Community. We have things like CommentLuv and participate in blogs other than our own to build community and engage with the audience; replying to a track or link is part of that.
- SEO. Comments will enhance link juice, page rank, all that good Google mojo. Or else, why would spammers bother?
- They got it wrong. Someone decided to call you out? Interesting discussion about negative comments, Gini Dietrich mentioned that some folks won’t always discuss a topic on her blog, instead choose the safer confines of their own blog to disagree. Fine, follow along and set the record straight on theirs.
- No wait, there’s more. Whatever it was you wrote, let me break the bad news: It was not the ‘end all, be all’ of the topic. The ideas and concepts can and WILL be improved, debated and discussed and made better, so it behooves you to follow along.
Bonus reason: it shows your friends, fans, followers, flamers that you are listening, paying attention, that your company or your brand ‘gets it.’
What else? Do you respond to those discussing your posts? Why or why not?
I thought that leaving comments, particularly post ‘Panda’, was pretty much defunct as far as SEO is concerned?
Also isn’t there an issue with approving pingbacks/trackbacks. I know that one I approved just meant it hitched a ride on my search results!! Some of them are genuine but others are just more spam aren’t they?
Not sure about panda, I just think legit pings and tracks – posts that reference and discuss yours – should be acknowledged. Thanks.
I think its a good idea to respond to people commenting/looking at your post, they took time out to read it!
It is, and really doesn’t take much of your own time to do so. Thanks Rochelle.