When a person visits my blog I reply to what they had to say and I make an effort to visit their home as well, as a show of common courtesy. If I find that I am constantly commenting on someone’s blog and Tweeting them and voting etc and they don’t turn around and make a basic acknowledgement then I have to forgo that blog and consider them to be self centered and out for their own best interest. Which is okay there is nothing wrong with that either.

No, we shouldn’t ever do anything with the expectation of being rewarded or recognized, but there is nothing wrong with hoping others practice the golden rule.

@Ruth – Only just getting started, hopefully have some content out ready to start promoting it next month. Your blog seems to be going really well, didn’t even notice you hadn’t been active for a while. Seems very current.

@Mike – Yep things just seem to happen when you stop worrying about ‘oh I’ve done something nice for him I should get something back now’. Just keep doing your thang and the good stuff just rolls in, don’t even think about it.

@beachroses – definitely give more than you receive. I follow that motto too. Good luck with the forum – go for it. Even if it doesn’t work out you can at least say you tried it out which is much better than not doing it at all.

@Glen – You never know Glen… Just keep at it. As others have said there are other ways to get engagement than comments on your own blog. Look right here we’re engaging on this blog

@Ruth – I can see what you mean if you’re making an impact on someones blog through the comments but they’re not commenting back – but don’t expect it. Maybe they are visiting your site just not commenting. Perhaps they have nothing of value to contribute like you said. You never know they may have signed up to your RSS feed and email list (hint hint )

If they’re engaging back with you on the blog you’re commenting on then that’s a good thing, right?
BTW how is greenhealthexpert going for the blog flip challenge?

@Ileane – Very good point Ileane! You won’t always see eye to eye with everyone you meet online. You can’t please everyone and you can’t be friends with everyone that comes along in the online world.

@ITW – Thanks – It’s not always about traffic. I would argue it’s all about what content you can produce so you would then try and get some traffic to see what the general consensus is.

@Will – I will check out that book, thanks Will. Indeed quality is a personal thing. Everything is a personal thing really you make your own opinions and values. Great anology, it does feel like ‘emotional blackmail’ if you get the feeling of being obligated to do something. It’s really uncomfortable that people expect comments back which is why I made this blog post. I wanted people to know where I stand.
Ruth is great – very helpful

I remember reading a book called “Zen and the Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance” by ( I think) Robert Purcey – many many years ago. Above all else it’s about quality and I was hugely impressed with it at a young age. I think ( if you haven’t already read it ) that you’d like it a lot.

Quality of course is a very personal thing – and since I’ve started to become involved with blogging I’ve read, listened to and watched a lot of things that I consider to have quality … and these are the only ones I comment on. Reciprocating comments with others out of a feeling of obligation ( + wants of traffic ) would be like giving in to some sort of emotional blackmail – and sort of negative in the extreme I think.

Cheers

Will
P.S. I like Ruth’s comment above a lot – so off to visit her blog now …..

Great post.

P.s. I expect a comment back. haha