Content creators, especially on sites like YouTube, will ask you to comment at the end of every video. Why’s that? Often, they don’t even reply to the comments because there are just too many. And if there are hundreds, there’s no way they are going to read them all! So why do they keep asking?
And what about websites that have comment sections? Does anyone read those? Even newsletter writers ask you to hit reply and tell them what you think. In some cases, they definitely care. But the main reason why everyone asks you to leave a comment is so they can reach more people who might be interested in their content.
Algorithms
Every video or post uploaded to a social media site is ranked, meaning it gets points. The higher it is ranked, the more people get to see it. When you search for something on YouTube you get a list of results. The order of the list is determined by the ranks of the videos. The higher up on the list a video is, the more likely you are to click on it. Let’s be honest here. When was the last time you looked at the second page of search results?
Content creators want as many people as possible to see their videos and posts. First of all, because we have something to share and we genuinely think it will be helpful. And then there’s the money. The more people see a video, the more we earn from ads and tips or donations.
Rankings
So the aim is to rank as high as possible by having a lot of views and engagement. What engagement means is different for each site. Some sites, like Facebook and Instagram, measure how long you look at a post. Others record if you click on it. Almost all sites count the likes, and even more importantly the comments. The interaction you have with a post is called engagement.
That’s why content creators ask for comments. It helps boost a post or a video to the top of the search results so more people can see it. If you want to help your favourite content creator, post a comment underneath a video. Share it with anyone else who might like it. It’s a great way to help content creators make a living so they can keep creating more of the content you like.
What about websites?
For websites the system works in a similar way. Search sites, like Google, also measure engagement: how long a visitor stays on a page, how much they click around and if they leave a comment. The more people engage with a website, the higher it ranks in the search results because search engines assume that engagement means the site is useful.
If this is so important, why would anyone (like me) turn comments off? Allowing comments on websites costs time. I tried them once with a blog on intercultural communication. I was just starting out, so all the posted comments were from spammers. Luckily, I had to approve every single one before it was published, so I could delete them. But this easily took half an hour a month and I turned them off.
What about newsletters?
I do ask people questions at the end of every newsletter. Partly, because I’m genuinely curious about my readers but also because e-mail providers, like YahooMail and Gmail, try their best to protect us from spam. They filter out e-mails from senders they consider spammy.
One of the things that makes the sender of an e-mail look legit, is engagement from readers. When you open a newsletter, click on links in the message and, most importantly, reply to it, you tell your e-mail provider that you trust the sender. Your trust is recorded, so when someone else who also uses Gmail, for example, subscribes to the same newsletter, it won’t end up in their spam folder either.
It’s all about engagement
And that’s why every content creator will ask you in one form or another to comment. I just want to point out that even if we have to do this to make sure our content actually reaches you and anyone else who might find it helpful, this really isn’t the only reason.
We all share for free because we have something to tell. (I want everyone to notice immediately if they are talking to a scammer so they can hang up!) If you like what we are sharing, the easiest way to say thank you is to take a few minutes and engage. Leave a comment, like a post or reply to an e-mail. You’re probably glad you found the content. Why not help others find it too?