I found a comment made by John Chow over at NetBusinessBlog and to be quite honest I was a bit shocked at first but then I just didn’t agree with him.
I don’t know about you but personally I don’t comment on other people’s blogs with the sole purpose of getting Link Love. First of all then most of the blogs I visit still use the no-follow tag so that won’t get me anywhere. I have a purpose of commenting to share some of my knowledge and hopefully gain a little reputation on the blogs that I visit frequently. I am a firm believe that if people like what they read in comments then they will follow the link (or at least some of them will).
John basically said that commenting on other people’s blogs were a waste of time or with his own words:
“Comments nowadays are almost useless, since most posters just want the link love. And because of the new fad, which is stealing pro-bloggers identities in order to gather curious clicks.”
I’m not a pro like John and I’m not saying that I don’t agree with his statement that
“Just create a damn good article and make JC, Shoemoney or Darren Rowse talk about it. Much more effective and less time consuming than spamming hundreds of comments”
isn’t going to save time and be a lot more effective but I do know that as a brand new blogger I’m not likely to do a brilliant article in my first attempt and in order for people to come to my blog it needs promotion. Promotion is what I get by commenting on blogs.
Maybe I can look back on this one day and smile because I’ll be in a situation where I don’t need to comment on blogs to drive traffic or because I care about the blogger, but simply because of the link. But “one day” seems far away so until then you’ll be seeing me in your blogs 
July 25th, 2008
July 24th, 2008
3 Comments at "Is John Chow Only Commenting On you Blog Because of the Link Juice?"
I don’t comment on blogs for the link love. I comment because I love to chat and discuss. I have been involved with forums for as long as I’ve been online and now this new format on blogging has really been great since I discovered it just 2 months ago. I read blogs but didn’t comment for some reason. I didn’t realize the community aspect of a blog and how much information can be obtained.
I won’t be surprised that John Chow posts just for link love or assumes comments are only for such, especially if he is using them for that. But there are a lot of great discussions and things to learn about when commenting on other blogs. Also I think overall when I read others blogs and comment I learn a lot more than just reading their article and moving on. I guess everybody comments for different reasons. I am a knowledge junkie on any subject (well most, not all), so commenting helps feed my need to know more!
It’s funny that he doesn’t really comment on other people’s blogs- or even respond to most of his emails- when that’s what got him where he is in the first place! He’s been to my blog a ton of times, downloaded my “e-book” and I’ve sent him at least 5 emails and I’ve never heard a word from him!
If you look at his blog posts from a year or two ago, they were articles that helped you survive online. Now, the only posts he makes are all about him surviving online. What information do you get from his blog anymore that helps YOU? I don’t see much.
- John
To be honest I don’t read most of his posts. I did enjoy his ebook as is contains a lot of great advice. I didn’t think of the shift you’re mentioning John, but I see what you’re saying. We can only how that Mr. Chow “wakes up”
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