Queen to abdicate throne.

I’ve been getting complimented and/or heckled about my plethora of comments littering the Internets.

THIS much commenting was NOT part of my plan – just happened. Very addictive, all of this chatting and talking; nothing beats having people tell you you’re smart, nothing strokes the ego when people laugh at your jokes.

So many benefits.
The crown makes it official  I am queen of everything
Smart folks like Mark Harai, John Falchetto, Ingrid Abboud and Marcus Sheridan are big on the benefits of commenting, the mentors and tribe you develop, the power of commenting, and and understand the time it takes to build a blog community.

  • Meeting people and making contacts.
  • Developing a network of amazing friends and professionals.
  • SEO and inbound marketing juju.
  • Establishing credibility amongst your peers.
  • LEARNING so many things that make me a better writer, communicator and professional.

Too much of a good thing

As a network grows so to does the network of blogs to read: good blogs, smart blogs, sharp amazingly generous people who comment honor my blog with a visit and comment. It’s taken on a life of its own, I spend too much time commenting and now it’s time to stop.

Take it away blog banter King Bill, crown’s yours.

Psyche. I will start scaling it back to something more reasonable, more manageable the still permits time for sleep and the occasional movie or dinner, a book even! Not kidding about the addictive – not as bad other forms of digital crack – but you go to email and Twitter for that next fix, get updates if someone replied, what others had to say.. and you lose an hour of your day!

  • Step 1 of my rehab: Already started this one, don’t subscribe to entire threads. I just get my own replies as I’ll read anyway.
  • Step 2: Modify the Livefyre subs to never. (There needs to be a setting between that and occasional.)
  • Step 3: Try just adding short comment in RT rather than full comment.
  • Step 4: Turn off TD for a few hours at a time.
  • Step 5: Reclaim some time for myself and other biz development.

Commenting is and always will be a part of my blog strategy but until I perfect some mad speed reading skillz, I’m going ‘less is more.’

How do you do it, juggle your blog, the comments elsewhere, that network? Clones, minions, interns? Do you just forgo sleep, blow off luxury time-wasters like bathing? Talk blogging to me.

Want More? Keep Reading.

66 thoughts on “Queen to abdicate throne.

  1. It happened to me a few months ago. I was all over the place and it was great. But I was getting nowhere. So I cut it down a lot and started spending time in different way. Even if I was online, I was trying to write, promote, do other things than blog commenting.

    By the way, I definitely agree that Livefyre needs a setting between never and occasionally, I set it up to occasionally and still get like 30 mails a day.

    Will miss you though 🙂
    Brankica recently posted..If There Was Only One Book in The World, I Wish it Was This One

    1. I miss you too Brankica, and I do check in once in a while. It just got away from me a bit and like you said, it wasn’t always helping or there were just other things I could do. BTW Livefyre just added a setting that you can subscribe to just replies, so I’ve kept that one on.. much better.

    1. I will Riley and I think it’ll be an interesting experiment, to see if I stick to it, how I make it work and maintain my connections. The reason of course, is your headline.. wanna say Gary V did a video a while back on that topic: TIME and its value, so I’m sure to visit later. Thanks.

  2. My secret……..and don’t tell anyone……….is no secret at all. My day schedule usually dictates how ‘involved’ I can be. I typically have my week planned before I leave the office the previous Friday. Most of the people I see will typically be in the 9-11 range in the morning and 2-4 range in the afternoon. I will have some early am and/or lunch meetings to attend, but not every day.

    Therefore, depending on how early I come in I might have an hour or hour and a half to jump in. If I eat lunch in the office I might get on for an hour or so and at the end of the day if I’m in the office I might go from 4:30 to 5:30. At home, since we are empty nesters and are reading or watching TV anyway; I might as well go talk to my friends for a couple of hours, huh? Yes, it is still a lot of time, but it is usually how I chose to use my ‘free’ time for now.

    Yes, I do have a life and will be at the gym weekdays in the am, tennis once or twice a week after work and usually one social event a week at night. Not glamorous, but it’s ‘other stuff’.

    I’m contemplating devoting more time to the writing side and if I do that, it will probably cut down on the commenting side. OR, I will ditch the blog altogether and just keep commenting. Decisions, decisions……….

    Anything you do will be ok ma’am; we know where to find you. FWIW
    Bill Dorman recently posted..Take me to your leader

    1. Voting a big fat NO on the blog ditch Bill, comment a little less if you need to. I’ve started time shifting it some days, moving replies to later in the evening. Or multitask it, read, comment, schedule tweets while watching TV. sure most of this is the pressure I put on myself to be out there, be clever and engaging, all that. Sign me up for the independently wealthy plan, hell I’d settle for some ‘just have all the bills paid’ action. 😉

      1. Cut it out! Both of you.

        2BH, I’m following you two around. I realize I’ll never be as witty as Davina or a blog banter extraordinaire like Bill, but a boy can dream. And this boy needs to keep learning from the best. He can’t do that if you two are AFK for too long. BTW, I’m going to start using Davina-speak. FWIW. And, Bill-speak, …………just sayin’………

        Okay, I can’t pull it off, so I’ll try and be original.

        BFN 🙂

          1. Thanks for the list. My favorite is 99. I’m so out of the loop on this, but I’m sure my kids have typed code for “Parent is no longer watching” more than a few times.

            Your blog is slightly addicting for all the reasons you mentioned.

  3. I refuse to reveal my secrets for fear of the consequences. I am part of a secret blogging society and the last thing that you want to do is aggravate us. For thousands of years we have maintained our silent vigil upon society and I won’t be the first to break ranks.

    Damn, I think that I just gave away more I was supposed to.
    Jack @ TheJackB recently posted..Four Generations & A Wedding

  4. My method is simple:

    1. Skim headlines and descriptions (if available).
    2. Gauge interest level of each.
    3. Prioritize and schedule. Allow yourself to go through the posts that hold the highest interest. Get through as many as possible in the given amount of time.
    4. Note which of those posts you would most like to comment on.
    5. Prioritize and schedule.

    It’ll be a process to refine, of course, but it would probably do you well.
    Shad Boots recently posted..The Art of Conversation: An Ex-Convict and Me

    1. Think maybe you’ve hit something Shad.. I don’t skim too well in the reader. If I hit something that’s interesting, I’m quick to click and jump to the post, finish reading it (and the comments) there. Maybe that’s something else to try, hanging in the Reader a little longer, prioritize .. so thanks.

  5. The time involved in commenting is one of the main things I was not prepared for when I started blogging. Of course, you and Bill take it to another level altogether. I have been working on some sort of system like Marianne mentioned but haven’t really found the secret recipe that fits my schedule.

    Glad you’re finding what works for you! To echo Shakirah, you really won’t be any less valuable, just more rare. 🙂
    Adam Toporek recently posted..Surprise! A Lesson in Superior Customer Service

    1. Like the rare and valuable Adam, maybe even shoot for ‘elusive’ one day. Slowly finding out what works.. and that really, it’s a work in never-ending progress. FWIW.

  6. I understand exactly where you’re coming from. I’m a fast typist, but I’m a bit slower on the commenting side. It often takes me awhile to mull things over first. I definitely cannot comment on as many blogs as I would like to comment on.

    Here’s my strategy: I cull the posts in my Reader down to a list of posts I want to read, then from that list, I cull a list of posts I’m going to comment on. My goal is to comment and re-tweet 5 posts per day, and I block out time each day to accomplish that goal. I admit, sometimes I do this late at night and then schedule the re-tweets using Buffer. But I’m getting better at balancing my time and setting reasonable limits. If I get a deluge of work, though, all bets are off! 😉
    Marianne Worley recently posted..The Miraculous Resurrection of the Mighty Chewbacca

    1. My particular brand of ADHD doesn’t work like that.. I rarely can remember to come back and either comment and/or RT later, has to be done then. All bets are off for me as well Marianne, I’ll not even open email or TweetDeck until I’ve done the other work first, if I’ve got something on deadline. I’ve been thinking of testing Buffer, if it makes my scheduling faster, easier. Hmm..

  7. I buy 200 comments at the beginning of the month from “Get top comments for 9.97$/month’, then its just a matter of cut and paste.

    I agree with Craig you and Bill D are commenting machines. Not only do you comment but your comments actually are smarter than the posts. Commenting is tough for me, I have been culling my Reader to focus on the less is more approach.
    So fewer comments but for special peeps like you.

    1. Big thanks for that.. the giggle and the kind words John. I try to add something more than ‘hey, great post’ or just links to my own stuff. I NEED to cull the Reader; dropped a few news feeds that blow it up, created a ‘must read’ folder. Think it’s special peeps or posts for me, but it’s really hard for me to keep my yap shut sometimes, ya know?

  8. “Luxury time-wasters like bathing,” lol! I’m on a pendulum–I try to keep consistent with certain activities, but sometimes it’s all I can do to keep them up, so the luxury time-wasters turn out to be other blogs and LinkedIn group participation, and other times I’m in the mood to get in on everything, so the luxury time-wasters turn out to be eating and sleeping.

    As I tweeted, I’m very glad to have known you as the Queen of Comments, but you won’t be any less valuable to me no matter how infrequently you show up.
    Shakirah Dawud recently posted..Genuinely Curious Monday: When Would You Prefer Jargon?

    1. Like seriously Shakirah. It’s one of those… you read a good post and it has kick ass comments; next thing you know it’s 26 minutes later and you’re still typing. I’d like to ‘waste’ more time on LI or other business networking activities; I cheat and often use my lunch time, eating at my desk while reading/commenting. I’m sure I’ll delurk by your blog once in a while. 🙂

  9. I honestly don’t know how people like you, Kaarina and Bill D. keep up this pace!! Insightful, clever posts with an oh-so-subtle dash of humor. Technique, Son! Ah, if I could only craft them so well. Good to see you are scaling back so you will have a life, but I’ll miss seeing you just about everywhere.

    It will be interesting to see what the other Commenting Masters have to say regarding this addiction. “My name is ___________. I have a commenting problem and I desperately need help.”

        1. Heh. I crowned you both! And, I’ve already noted your absence and was actually thinking of picking up the phone and asking after your health. I’m not lying.

          The pace is killer; I’m suffering client work for the time I do spend online already. And, in the throes of summer (during which as everyone knows, I suck wind), I’m already dead meat.

          Not sure you can really kick back all the way? You’ll miss us, you’ll want to beef it up again, you’ll want the limelight, and we’ll want you back in spades.
          Jayme Soulati recently posted..Do You Amplify the Echo Chamber?

          1. That’s it.. we’re trading like sentiments as I just wrote that on your blog BEFORE reading this comment. A little of my personal time is taking the hit, which isn’t too bad; I’m getting my work done but the development time I should be spending looking for clients in different places, could use some more effort. Always something.. and yes, I do miss friends. It’s kind of a cold turkey diet too, so hard for me to just read and RT some posts when they are good and I really have something to say. The ever-elusive BALANCE monster strikes again! Damn. 😉

    1. You’ll see me Craig.. just not as often. And thank you.. ‘clever and funny’ with a dash of smarts (I hope) is what I’m trying to do. The pace got away from me, so I figure maybe Neicole, Shakirah, Kaarina can take over, even share the crown with Bill, Jayme and company. Or at least support me at the meetings, shoo me away from any blogjackings. 😉

      1. Blogjackings! Love it 🙂 And I keep looking up all your coded jargon. I need my word helpers for that fun text slang thing you have going for you 🙂

  10. Hi Davina, I can relate very much to your experience. I’m a student of social media and blogging, so the best way to learn is to dive in, start participating and experience first hand what’s going to work best for your business and your goals.

    While I love the folks I met online and participating in the blogosphere, I have found that you’re limited on the number of people you can contribute value to and maintain a good working balance. There’s so many great people on the social web.

    If you go beyond a certain number of people of you really like and would like to get to know better, your personal life and business can feel some negative effects. It can become a time suck on your day.

    And, while the benefits are great for your personal/ business brand and your social currency is gaining value; you can’t pay creditors with social currency — they only take cash… bummer!

    It will be interesting to see how you’re new strategy works out – waiting for your follow up post to this 🙂

    Thank you for your kind comment, and best wishes on the new strategy – cheers!
    Mark Harai recently posted..Three Personal Development Mistakes and How To Fix Them

    1. Nice to see someone else with a similar experience. I’ll follow up Mark.. and then maybe sell the winning formula via online seminars; friends get a discount. 😉 Kidding of course, this is just a ‘diet’ I guess, some type of self-imposed limitations. Writing things down makes it real, hitting ‘publish’ gives me the extra kick in the ass to actually DO it. I’ll still be around, not like I’ll fall off the blogs .. less is more, hopefully less in some places, more in the ‘right’ places with a little more time for other work overall. FWIW.

  11. Davina, I have definitely spent more time commenting than blogging, probably to the detriment of my own blog and business. My strategy was to be a full-time student of “social media” for 3 months. That started in February of this year. It’s now July…one month over my original plan, and one month longer into more commenting than blogging.

    As you probably know, I’m not a believer in balance, so I’m not looking for that utopian place of “balance”. The teeter totter of juggling will remain teetering (or is that tottering:) But my business has certainly been put on a side (back?) burner for too long.

    I also find that I’m still quite “on the outside looking in”. Although I’ve made amazing connections and developed true friendships, I feel pretty much left out of the party (much like Gini’s prom post today) when it comes to being “included” (yes, I’ll have some cheese with that whine).

    Maybe it’s just because I’m attending the funeral of one of my dear friend’s sons tomorrow…maybe it’s because the level of attention and activity to keep up with it all is so high…maybe it’s just because I’m human that it seems quite overwhelming at the moment. But this moment will pass, and I’ll see what the next one brings. But indeed: thoughtfully commenting all over the blogosphere can be a full-time job. Cheers! Kaarina
    Kaarina Dillabough recently posted..Advertising and Marketing Frequency – How Much is Enough?

    1. You can’t just come to the dance, you might have to ask me to dance as well; I’m still kind of shy like that……….I know those feelings, and you are certainly as ‘in’ as I am.

      Sorry to hear about the funeral; life gets in the way sometimes. Good luck with it.
      Bill Dorman recently posted..Take me to your leader

    2. Somehow I missed replying to this earlier, sorry Kaarina and for your friend’s loss. I too started as a student of social media, trying to learn how I wanted to do things. I still feel that way sometimes, like I know I am this. close. to turning that right corner, only I can’t seem to do so. Gotta read the prom post, thanks for mentioning it.

  12. Yay Davina! Not that I won’t miss your visits to LFI, though you’ll still come sometime, won’t you!? I totally get it. It seems to be going around, or is it just that it’s what I see. It’s getting to the point I’m afraid to meet more bloggers because then I’ll want to follow them and etc. and how will I keep up? No answers have been forthcoming to that question in the 8.5 months I’ve been blogging.
    I have to set time-limits, or at least set out blocks of time to visit. I LOVE visiting, that’s the hard part. I’m still not as good at the clever RT as you are, but I’m working on it. I can’t imagine incorporating one more thing [Read: Google+] until I’ve got a handle on what I’ve got, if that ever happens. C’est la vie, I guess. We do our best!
    Good for you taking care of YOU, though.
    Lori
    Lori Gosselin recently posted..Do You Feel Guilty When You Say No?

    1. You won’t miss my visits, or at least I will miss them too. I’ll still be by, just less often and fewer comment bombs. 🙂

      The time-limit strategy is good Lori, I just haven’t figured out how to really do it. Tried just early morning, late at night; may need to use that ‘buzzer’ trick and force some speed reading and writing. Like you it’s b/c of a good problem to have, lots of good blogs to read.. just not enough time.

    1. Thanks, and ‘happy’ Monday. There are Billy.. other things, other bloggers, no way to do it all. If I can’t get some minions, at least I gotta find a way to let it go, understand and accept that I’ll miss way much more than find. FWIW.

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