Comments on: Move beyond questions to engage your community http://blog.angelaconnor.com/2009/11/21/move-beyond-questions-to-engage-your-community/ Angela Connor on Growing Successful Online Communities Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:34:05 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Angela Connor http://blog.angelaconnor.com/2009/11/21/move-beyond-questions-to-engage-your-community/#comment-2689 Angela Connor Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:28:04 +0000 http://blog.angelaconnor.com/?p=1643#comment-2689 Oh you are absolutely right, Martin. I agree with you. There is nothing wrong with it and I think questions are a great tactic for engagement. I just think that some people think all they have to do is write a one-liner and then ask a question to get the ball rolling. That's all. Oh you are absolutely right, Martin. I agree with you. There is nothing wrong with it and I think questions are a great tactic for engagement. I just think that some people think all they have to do is write a one-liner and then ask a question to get the ball rolling. That’s all.

]]> By: Martin Reed http://blog.angelaconnor.com/2009/11/21/move-beyond-questions-to-engage-your-community/#comment-2684 Martin Reed Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:17:54 +0000 http://blog.angelaconnor.com/?p=1643#comment-2684 Sometimes I'll ask questions at the end of my articles - not to raise the comment count, but because I am generally interested in what my readers have to say. I'll even admit that I am pretty sure I've used the phrase, 'What did I miss?' - I don't say that because I know I've missed something. I say it because I know everyone thinks differently (hopefully) and I want the comments section of my blog to create new ideas that benefit both my readers and myself. Yes, I understand your view that always asking questions gets a little boring - however I don't think there is anything wrong with actively prompting people to think about a specific issue and share their thoughts. Sometimes I’ll ask questions at the end of my articles – not to raise the comment count, but because I am generally interested in what my readers have to say.

I’ll even admit that I am pretty sure I’ve used the phrase, ‘What did I miss?’ – I don’t say that because I know I’ve missed something. I say it because I know everyone thinks differently (hopefully) and I want the comments section of my blog to create new ideas that benefit both my readers and myself.

Yes, I understand your view that always asking questions gets a little boring – however I don’t think there is anything wrong with actively prompting people to think about a specific issue and share their thoughts.

]]> By: Angela Connor http://blog.angelaconnor.com/2009/11/21/move-beyond-questions-to-engage-your-community/#comment-2677 Angela Connor Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:15:43 +0000 http://blog.angelaconnor.com/?p=1643#comment-2677 Hi <strong>Shane</strong>: Absolutely not a bad thing. Again I find asking questions to be a very effective method of engagement. What I'm saying in this post is that it would be nice to switch it up sometimes. I don't think EVERY post should be a question. And again, that's just me. You make very valid points. Hi Shane: Absolutely not a bad thing. Again I find asking questions to be a very effective method of engagement. What I’m saying in this post is that it would be nice to switch it up sometimes. I don’t think EVERY post should be a question. And again, that’s just me. You make very valid points.

]]> By: Shane http://blog.angelaconnor.com/2009/11/21/move-beyond-questions-to-engage-your-community/#comment-2675 Shane Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:16:27 +0000 http://blog.angelaconnor.com/?p=1643#comment-2675 The majority of blogs our there offer more opinion-based content than factual information; everybody already knows Oprah's quitting in a couple of years, for instance, it's what the pundit de jour has to say about it that generates blog traffic. Questions may well seem like the fast route to get that comment number rising, but they're a natural avenue to generate discourse. From a commercial perspective, the easier marketers make it for their target audience to respond, the more time users are spent on their site, exposed to their brand and thinking about their product. It may well seem like crowdsourcing, but is that necessarily a bad thing? (Deliberate end question intended.) The majority of blogs our there offer more opinion-based content than factual information; everybody already knows Oprah’s quitting in a couple of years, for instance, it’s what the pundit de jour has to say about it that generates blog traffic.

Questions may well seem like the fast route to get that comment number rising, but they’re a natural avenue to generate discourse.

From a commercial perspective, the easier marketers make it for their target audience to respond, the more time users are spent on their site, exposed to their brand and thinking about their product.

It may well seem like crowdsourcing, but is that necessarily a bad thing? (Deliberate end question intended.)

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