As most of you know, I was out of town on a skiing vacation with my family.
My husband and my daughter surely had lots of fun…
Me?
This little vacation made me realize that running your own business is a 24/7 deal and if you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.
Don’t get me wrong though: it doesn’t have to be that way.
I absolutely 100% agree with Todd: online business shouldn’t take over our lives, rather give us the freedom that you are all after. But that’s a story for another blog post, isn’t it?
To get back to my point: the first 2 days of our vacation I couldn’t get the internet to work.
I spent countless hours either talking on the phone trying to get someone to come out and fix my problem or waiting for that person to come out. Needless to say, I wasn’t a happy camper.
When I finally was online, my jaw dropped.
I have over 100 emails to respond to (those are real emails from real people, no spam), 120 blog comments to get back to, Skype messages, not to mention Twitter and Facebook…
Ouch!
Thanks for feeling bad for me. 
However, I do have a point besides just celebrating a pity party and hoping to score some “Poor Ana!” points with you.
As I was going through the comments, I was amazed to notice something: some of you, my dear readers, stepped in and answered some of the comments!
At first, I was simply grateful to see that the world and Traffic Generation Cafe were still functioning even during my involuntary absence.
However, as I had some time to think about it, I realized that you just discovered a brilliant NEW way to do an OLD thing.
I won’t name names - simply because I am bound to forget some of you and I would hate to do it, but this is what you did:
You HIGH-JACKED my blog readership!
Some time ago I wrote a post on how to high jack A-list bloggers’ readership via guest posting, but this is way easier.
That’s right. All you did was answer some of the questions my commentators posed, but in doing so you networked, established yourselves as experts and someone ready to help, AND got my readers’ attention.
All I can say is BRILLIANT!
And so a new commenting technique is born.
Let’s sum it up and use Traffic Generation Cafe as an example.
As I mentioned before, I get dozens if not hundreds of comment per day. Take a look at this:
183 posts. Over 10K comments. 7 months.
Granted, close to half of those comments are my responses to you, but even if you cut 10K comments in half, that means that on average I get over 30 comments per post. Seems manageable when you post 2-3 times per week. But when you post daily? You get my point.
So, let’s say you take an initiative and answer a comment or two or three on my blog when you see that someone needs help or has a question.
You think those people will check you out? You bet.
What if you do it regularly? What if you start a discussion in the comment section? Would you get even more traffic from that? No question.
You are right, you have to be careful and find the right balance between helping people and overtaking my blog , but some of you have already been successfully doing it for a while now.
So here’s a plan of action:
1. Read a post on TGC; let me know what you think about it (network with me).
2. Browse through the other comments on the post; see if anyone is asking for help. If you have the expertise to help them, by all means answer the question! (network with my readers)
3. Get actual traffic to your site from commenting and a huge THANK YOU from me for not letting my readers hang in there, if I couldn’t get to them in time. (network with my readers and me)
By The Way…
As hard as I am trying to catch up on the comments, I am drowning in them.
I LOVE it, but I can’t swim - really!
So I might have to cut down a bit here and there on getting back with you, guys, particularly when you just want to tell me how awesome I am and build a quick link back to your site.
Hope you forgive me, but I still want to see my family and plus producing great content that will keep you learning as way more important.
Marketing Takeaway
Who needs forums anyway: you cant’ get much traffic or good links from them any longer.
However, turn my comment section into a forum-type environment and now you’ve got something!
Plus, I could really use help here. Not that I won’t personally respond to every comment like I normally would, but at least I’ll know that my readers are in good hands - YOUR hands until I get there.
Love it or hate it? Comment to show me that you’re alive!… and don’t forget to check out other readers’ comments, naturally.
I am a wife to a great husband of 13 years (here ya go, now I have to make changes to this sentence once a year), a mother to a beautiful and, no doubt, genius little girl, and a successful internet entrepreneur. I also devoted my life to Jesus Christ many years ago, and He remains my true priority, focus, and hope.
{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
You’ve reached it! For us newbie bloggers it’s comment nirvana! Too many comments to keep up with! That means you made it! People like you, they really do! Congrats.
I won’t expect you to answer anymore. If I have a burning question, I can tweet you or email too.
I think many big time bloggers respond to the first 10-30 comments or so and then give up. I give them kudos too.
So when people answer for you to comments you are only allowed to answer “ike he said’ or “she is right” or “yes”. OK? No more comment exhaustion. lol
Allie´s last blog ..Step by Step Blogging 4- Submit to the Big Engines
Problem is I am a comment addict, Allie. I actually like my readers and like talking to them - go figure!
We’ll see how it goes.
Ana´s last blog ..How KeywordLuv Can Get You on the First Page of Google
Ana, a very good tip indeed. And as I scanned through your post (ya I didn’t read it, bit busy at the moment) I get the point that you are getting busy and hence inclined to make a decision that you won’t reply to all comments. But it seems that you can’t resist and here in this post you have replied to almost all comments.
Well, I am not getting enough comments in my blog as yours. But still I feel pressed to reply to all comments. I try very much to stick to it. But ya we have families too!
And the very reason I chose to work online is to get myself freed from a 9-5 boss. But online home business is taking me to an extent of 24/7. That’s losing the point. So ya.. I don’t know what to do. Let’s blog
BTW I cannot find the GASP tick box while I am posting this comment!
Jane.
Jane | Find All Answers´s last blog ..10 Ways to Catch and Keep Awesome People
Sorry for replying to my own comment, but I forgot to add something. I have had a very similar situation of getting super productive during my offline time and the story is
http://www.findallanswers.com/wrote-ebook-4-days-scratch-part-2/
and
http://www.feelgooder.com/feel-good-online-feel-great-offline/
(Sorry to spam you with link, but they are very similar and I would like to share them in this context
)
Jane.
Jane | Find All Answers´s last blog ..10 Ways to Catch and Keep Awesome People
Yea…
great idea, turn ur blog´s comments section into a forum.
It makes perfect sense for everyone. the blog will be ranked better because of the content and you will get more backlinks becaused of your consistent posting..
jack foley´s last blog ..Why Work So Hard For Something That You Will Never Own
Love it; will see how it goes.
Ana´s last blog ..Sunday Coffee with Ana- Start Engaging Others or No SEO Will Help
Hello Ana,
I know how it is to miss for just one day or two and when you come back to see that you have heaps of emails your websites have hundred of comments. That is why a virtual assistant that helps you with, at least approving the comments and overseeing your emails, answering those that need an impersonal answer or something similar.
Also you could have a holiday message on your email. Every time you go on vacation you can turn on a certain option that will respond to every email you recieve telling them you are in vacation and it’s possible you won’t have internet access thus their answer might be a bit late, but to be patience.
And encouraging your readers to interact more in your comments section, it’s just an awesome technique, especially to answer other comments. But this, like any other good thing has two ways, your readers can benefit from the added input of others while malicious intent and bad answers can decrease your credibility with others. Don’t you agree?
Alex@Jocuri´s last blog ..Barbie Trend in Moda
1. Virtual assistant - do you know of any god one?
2. I see the point behind “out of office” messages, but they always annoy me for some reason.
3. I only moderate comments from new people, but I always look at every comment on my blog, so even if anything malicious sneaks it, I’ll catch it pretty quickly.
PS I’ve been getting a lot of spam with word “jocuri” in it, so I had to blacklist it. As you can imagine, now your comments go into spam and I’d hate to loose them. Any way you can comment without “Jocuri” in your name?
Ana´s last blog ..How KeywordLuv Can Get You on the First Page of Google
Woo hoo! We have a new awesome forum here, better than any other forum out there!
I have been using this strategy with great success. If I happen to come across a comment that needs an answer, I simply jump in (tactfully) without stepping on the blog owner’s toes
And what happens? Naturally, the commenter checks out my blog and leave a comment.
Great to have you back, Ana!
Mavis
Mavis Nong @ Attraction Marketing´s last blog ..How to Rise Above The Noise and Bring More Traffic to Your Blog
Thanks, Mavis - I knew you were ahead of all of us on this one!
I see you do it on my blog sometimes and think it’s brilliant.
One complain though - you don’t do it enough!
On my blog that is.
Ana´s last blog ..Search Engine Ranking Tip- How to Search Google Incognito
Kudos Ana, you just made my day. I love it when people realize things like this for the first time.
For years since I started, I’ve advocated for two of the most important plugins for this exact reason…subscribe to comments and threaded comments!
Dennis Edell@ Direct SalesMark´s last blog ..The Scrolling Homepage- A Sticky Tactic You Haven’t Heard…
and the ReplyMe Plugin is fairly nice as well:)
Don@Internet Marketing Tools´s last blog ..Plug your link leaks!
Why threaded comments though? Why not just let WP original threaded comments be?
For me when I first setup The Nexus WP didnt have threaded comments so I used a plugin to do the job and since then I cant turn it off as it would break the archived comments :S
Don@Internet Marketing Tools´s last blog ..Plug your link leaks!
Taking a break from responding to umpteen comments sounds like a fabulous idea, and a sure-fire way to balance home and work, Ana.
Not that I’d likely ever respond to anyone’s comment, simply b/c I don’t have the tech-skills.
And thanks again to Ben and Josh from http://www.profitblog.com for helping me with my eBook image-you rock!
I love this site, and learn something valuable every week:)
Linda @talktherapybiz.com´s last blog ..How Getting Fired on Porn Night Solidified My Business Plan
Linda - you might be able to help me with this: why am I so obsessed with answering all the comments? OCcommentD? I think I have a problem…
Was that great for them to step in? That’s what I love about blogging!
Lol, Ana! It’s only a problem if it’s keeping you from completing other tasks more important. If so, you may want to cut back. If you normally answer 20 per post, cut it to 10, or a number that works for you. I know that most A-list bloggers don’t respond to many comments, but I doubt you’d lose a lot of traffic by tightening up that boundary.
I can’t imagine answering the volume of comments that you get, here-ugh!
Hope that half-asses psychological assessment resonates…and please DON’T respond to this comment!
Linda @talktherapybiz.com´s last blog ..Taking the Highroad Less Traveled
Definitely a good strategy to network and value add. And in the process help your own cause of increased traffic to your blog. I have taken the liberty of answering Steve’s query on spam and I hope the reply meets your approval.
I would also like to add here that in case a reader wants to answer the questions of other commentators, then he needs to first know the questions. That is possible only in two ways - one, you come on the blog and read the post and then the comments and see if there is something that you can answer. This will be true of a post that you are reading. Now most posts are read only once by a reader. So he’ll be able to answer only those comments that have been made before him. What if, he was one of the first readers? He’ll miss out on all the comments that came after him and in the process the opportunity to use the strategy outlined in this post. That brings me to point number two - one must always subscribe to comments if you want to network, value add and derive benefit for yourself. And one should also use the plugin such as “subscribe to comments” if you want to build a community.
I am sure this is obvious to most of the readers of this blog - but it became obvious to me only after I read this post and thought about it. So, I have started to install the plugin on my blogs and have also subscribed to comments here!
Sanjeev Sharma´s last blog ..The Politics Of Movie Titles
I LOVED it that you answered Steve’s comment, Sanjeev - otherwise, he would’ve had to wait for an answer for quite a while.
You are right about everything: you need to know what you are talking about and subscribing to comments is a great idea.
Definitely great to interact and become a recognizable name around the blogosphere.
That’s a brilliant realization Ana. Not only would the blog owner love you for it, but you will also get more attention. I tend to look for “conversations” in the comments sections. they’re easy to spot is the blog has Thread Comments plugin installed.
I’m definitely giving this a try.. on a massive scale. (after the launch though, this thing is both exciting and stressful at the same time) ;P
talk soon
Hector
I am sure you have your hands full right now, Hector - don’t forget to sleep!
Lol.. I’ll try to fit that into my schedule..
Hector Cuevas´s last blog ..Win A Free Copy Of Podcasting For Bloggers
I have seen some traffic benefits from participating in comments, so I think your observation is a good. I just need to be even more present.
Another observation: I notice you get a fair number of sam comments, but my ratio of spam comments to real ones is much higher than yours. Akismet picks most of them up, but I would rather not have to deal with them at all. Is there a way to reduce spam comments?
Steve@How to go green´s last blog ..Going Green- Do You Walk the Talk
Steve, you could use Growmap Anti Spambot Plugin (GASP). I think that is also the plugin used by Ana on this blog. And I too have started using it on my blogs after seeing it here.
Akismet only classifies a comment as spam or otherwise, but it does nothing to reduce the number. GASP on the other hand ensures that the commentator has to check a box manually to “confirm that you are NOT a spammer”.
Sanjeev Sharma´s last blog ..The Politics Of Movie Titles
+1 for that plugin (which Ana does use here). That, combined with Akismet, keeps spam completely off my blogs.
Robert Dempsey´s last blog ..The Real Secret to Working Less
Thanks Sanjeev. Great tip.
Steve
Steve Stillwater@How to go green´s last blog ..Going Green- Do You Walk the Talk
That’s exactly what I use, Steve, and it works like a charm.
@Robert - I don’t use Akismet though; it has a tendency to label legitimate commentators as spammers.
Plus I am upset with them, since they send my comments to spam on other blogs.
Me? A spammer? Forget about them! 
Hi Steve … I can totally identify with your issue. I was getting so many spam comments on my WP blog that I (hate to admit it) gave up even looking through the spam for valid comments.
But then came across free WP plugin - CONDITIONAL CAPTCHA. It has been a dream. In about 6 weeks of having on my site it has weeded out and zapped approx 2,000 spam comments and only about 1/2 dozen have managed to creep through.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND to give it a try … it has totally made my comment spam and frustration disappear
Would be interested to know if / how works for you.
Cheers,
David Swetlow
Publisher, KidsRideOnVehicles.com
Twitter: @KidsRideOnToys
Interesting recommendation, David.
The only problem with CAPTCHA plugins is the frustration they cause because the wrong input. Plus, it could lose a comment because of that.
If that ever happens to me on a site, I am simply gone.
GASP has only one thing you need to do: check the mark. Easy.
Hello Ana,
Isn’t it amazing how a great idea can come out of nowhere? I normally do not answer others comments for fear of not giving good advice. However, I suppose my answer can be just as useful as the next persons.
I will lend a hand whenever I can. Good luck catching up on your messages.
Carla
I think you are missing on a HUGE opportunity, Carla! There’s absolutely no good reason you can’t leave a great response to someone, tell a joke, give advice…
The floor is yours!
Hmmmm…. not mentioning any names Lisa… I mean Ana! LOL. thanks for letting us hang out at your place while you are gone… we made ourselves comfortable as you may have noticed.
I think it goes to show you Ana that a blog well run can stand on it’s own two feet for a couple of days, but it’s all about the foundation you have laid for us.
Thanks for that. I hope you were able to enjoy the latter part of your Vacation. I have been in the same boat with no internet connection and it really is quite stressful.
Glad to have you back. We could use some fresh coffee when you have a moment! thanks, ~Jayne~
I was going through very bad withdrawals, Jayne - let me tell you.
Isn’t it amazing how attached we are to our blogs/businesses. It’s like having another spoiled brat around the house needing attention all the time.
Looks like this time I was able to leave it behind with some trustworthy relatives.
I’ll drink (coffee) to that!
Ana:
I think it goes to show the level of trust you have built around here. It’s like the TGC forums!
I have been trying to utilize this technique in other places as well, always baring in mind respect for the blog owner. I think if we are regular visitors and commentators, the respective blog owners are appreciative of our efforts. I have to say I do it more to engage others in conversation and make them see my face!!
Cheers my friend,
Lisa
Lisa@start a blog´s last blog ..Can We Talk-Keyword Research & Rainbow Poop
That’s exactly what I would love to have, Lisa - comment forum.
I even looked into it. Unfortunately, the one I found would mess up all the backlinks for my commentators; not good.
Will keep thinking about it!
Great Post Anna,
I will try from now on to get involved in the comment discussions.
Of course If I feel I have value to give, I will do it..
Thanks for the idea..
Jack Foley´s last blog ..Why Work So Hard For Something That You Will Never Own
Value is the key - no one wants another “hey, great post” comment.
And will they feel neglected if I don’t respond to them? 
Ana,
Slick! and fast. I like it. There are times when I would love someone to answer my comments. I am in the middle of product creation and my attention is not on my blog like it usually is. So we can reap the benefits and help out with this system.
Sheila Atwood@www.newbielifeline.com´s last blog ..You Have 3 Seconds To Tell Me Who You Are Or I Am Gone Baby Gone
Good luck with your product Sheila. Dont worry, your comment has just been replied to so go back , focus on your product, and make some money
Edwin@Computer Tips´s last blog ..How To Automate Tasks In Firefox
You know, Sheila - this was one of the ideas that’s been brewing in my mind today.
Why not set up a “commentator comment responding” week? I’d love that!
Ana´s last blog ..How to Track and Manage Your Traffic Generation Efforts
Ana -It is amazing to me that you do as well as you do at keeping up iwth all the comments. Simply trying to respond to all the comment your fans wrote about a single guest post of mine you published on Traffic Generation Cafe was a bit of a chore.
Randy Pickard´s last blog ..Are Sentiment Ratings Another Playground For Spammers
I know, Randy - in the beginning, we all beg for comments, and when we are flooded by them, then what? Shouldn’t be wishing for no comments, but how do you learn how to deal with them?
Ana´s last blog ..Blog Traffic Challenge- Did You See My Glove Laying Around Here
It is really understandable that you can’t reply to everyone’s comments. You are a very busy person.
Tanya´s last blog ..Finally a Customer Reviews & Testimonials Plugin for WordPress
Yeah, I mean who isnt busy? We’re all hustling trying to get our sites bigger than ever
Edwin@Computer Tips´s last blog ..How To Automate Tasks In Firefox
I’ve firmly believed this for a very, very long time. When I was doing the rounds of the “big, popular” blogs I noticed people pouring out their souls in the comments, asking for help even.
But they were hoping the blog author would be the one to answer them; that’s because often weare told to “Go leave comments on the popular blogs to get noticed!” What we missed was that it doesn’t have to be the big name author who notices you.
If you look sideways instead of up, you will see hundreds of people yu can help, hundreds of people you can connect with and hundreds of people you could work with and hundreeds of people you can build a community with.
I try to foster this approach as much as I can, and it’s great to see it being picked up by someone else!
You are so right, Ryah - what a great way to “reap” the benefits of answering some A-lister’ readers’ comments!
Such a simple yet genius way to get noticed; glad you’ve been doing it all along.
Ana´s last blog ..Blog Audit Friday- Lend a Helping Hand to Traffic Generation Cafe
Well well! Now you’ve given your site over to traffic thirsty blogger who’ll do anything to get QUALITY TRAFFIC! Not just anything that’ll increase google analytics but TRAFFIC that’ll stay! For me, I’ve got some trickle of traffic from your blog which I’m off course very grateful. The funny thing is, these guys also stay long and read my content! That means they love my awesome articles cos they spend around 2.5min minimum.
You’ve proven it over and over again that responding to comments is a sure way of building traffic and on one can take that prove away. I’d not be suprised if other bloggers take on the idea in this post and begin to implement the same strategy on their blogs…you’re a role model! Thanks for being there and Enjoy your day!
Tim
Well, thank you so much, Tim, and glad to hear you’ve got a trickle of traffic coming from my blog.
Now you know how to make it into a flood!
Ana´s last blog ..How Ana Got Her Twitter Groove Back
Let’s see if this comment makes it through as your blog ate the last one!
I’ve been hijacking blog comments for a bit now and it’s been working great as a strategy (and is included in a little video I put together today too).
In case my other comment doesn’t make it, I’m really curious to see where things start to go here, based on what you said in your last video. I see a few potential directions, and I suppose only time will tell, or you’ll spill the beans sooner rather than later.
Robert Dempsey´s last blog ..Even HubSpot Pays For Traffic
Being that I was neglecting my poor blog for a while, it now started eating comments… dang!
I love your commenting strategies; you are definitely one of the “in the know” group that has been hijacking my audience. I like you more and more, Robert.
Yes, I have a lot of ideas brewing; just need to sit down and start implementing them.
Ana´s last blog ..Got Traffic So What
I can’t say I’ve been intentionally hijacking comments, but I’ve definitely often replied to visitor comments or even to author replies to comments when it makes sense or to add a specific point (as done here… I know, it’s a little cheeky). It’s a way great to spur a full-on discussion.
In addition (and I just thought about this), commenting on author replies is also a way to show up higher on the comment list but, again, there’s a fine line between being relevant to the conversation and barging in.
Now that I think of it, I actually made it through college and graduate school often not reading the course materials but by commenting on other people’s comments…
papa@because papa knows best´s last blog ..PASS- BT 150 Baby Monitor how a phone company made a great baby product
Smart cookie you are, papa, and the word “cheeky” - priceless.
By the way, in one of my older posts (this one, I think https://trafficgenerationcafe.online/blog-commenting-tips/) one of my tips was to reply to the first commenter. Also works like a charm!
Wow, all that education… at least you are good at commenting on blogs!
Apparently, that’s what mine did for me as well…
Ana´s last blog ..Search Engine Ranking Tip- How to Search Google Incognito
Hearing the stuff you had to go through just to get an Internet connection, while on your vacation, I wouldn’t say “neglecting” is the right word.
Great to have you back and I hope you had a great time with your family. It’s those times that I most enjoy and reinforce the fact that there is no way I can get a full-time job. So that means I just have to keep moving forward. My favorite direction.
Robert Dempsey´s last blog ..Even HubSpot Pays For Traffic
Anxiety attack was more like it.
Hopefully everything is better now. By the way, I sent you an email with a proposal on another guest post. Hopefully it didn’t get eaten
I know you’re still catching up.
Robert Dempsey´s last blog ..Niche Site Strategy For Online Domination
Hey Ana
You are famous woman in social media industry..how many users comments in your website post ..”Awesome”..I salute you and your work too
Facebook Application´s last blog ..Introducing the Facebook Photo Theater- Here to Stay whether we “Like it” or Not!