I bet the title of this one threw you through a loop. And no, I am not making up junk – people do this more than anything else online, especially bloggers. It is perfectly okay to go site lurking. I think just about anyone reading this article has site lurked more than a couple times. 🙂
Site lurking gives the user that anonymous cover to go check out a friend or competition’s site for the goodies. However, all you are doing is adding to that bounce rate. If the site is good, do a favor, look around some, perhaps a couple pages. Commenting is not necessary, but always nice.
Maybe slip a letter to the site owner and ask them questions or ask them if they could cover certain topics that have not been done. If you are a regular lurker, you are doing the site owner a favor, especially if they have indicated that they encourage you to leave some type of feedback.
Of course, if you are going for the dark side of lurking like flaming, stealing content, or trolling – well that is not welcomed. That part is not cool.
It is the visitor who has the power in the end. They are the ones that visit and leave, whether right after reading one article, or perhaps after viewing a couple pages. A lot of times lurkers come and read, but may not have anything to say, which either means the article is not engaging them by asking their opinion, the blog is not interesting, or there really is nothing more to say.
Site owners and bloggers – do yourself a favor and make their visit worthwhile, even if they are lurking. Entice them to come in and leave a comment, or at least go deeper into your site so that bounce rate will go down.
Even when you read those articles on Yahoo! or CNN, they need some love too. Journalists are just about competing with bloggers. There are people who work with newspapers and magazines and television news stations that are jumping aboard the blogging trend to hopefully connect more with people who are flocking elsewhere. Face it, even bloggers are being written about in the news and even magazines – and in some cases are being hired to write for these places.
Site lurk away, but feel free to share a comment sometimes.
How often do you give suggestions to site owners or bloggers? Are there sites that you generally just visit and leave after reading an article without commenting or leaving any feedback?
As for feedback, what types of topics would you like to see covered here at Blondish.net?
I couldn't agree more! lol. I always leave a comment. well, 99 out of a hundred times. Plus, leaving a comment more than likely will attract those viewers to your own site. Plus, it's always nice to say hello!
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Hmm, site lurking…I like the name you have given to checking out sites, Nile 🙂 As to the leaving of comments, I may have missed doing that several times. But, I guess the site owners will forgive me because I also did not steal, flame or troll 😀
So far, I really appreciate the topics you have covered here in your blog. They are refreshing to read and often offers great insight. Keep them coming, Nile.
Regards,
Wes
I left a comment earlier and was brought back here instead of the usual message that my comment is to be moderated…So, here I am again, leaving my two cents worth.
As I said, I like the name that you have given to checking out sites, Nile…site lurking has a different and more fun ring to it. Of course, it won't be fun to site owners if stealing is what's being done on this visits, but if it's leaving some love (which I do most of the time), then that's another matter. That will surely be appreciated.
As for the topics you cover here on your site, I think you should keep them coming. They are quite refreshing and offers great insight. I am always looking forward to what you have to say again next. So, thanks. 🙂
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lol… I got your message. Sometimes Intense Debate keeps it in my moderation queue. I need to update my whitelist so people who have regularly commented are no longer caught in that queue.
I try to leave a comment whenever I read a blog, but on occasion it just happens that I don't have anything to say about that particular subject. I will admit, I have had times when I have started a comment and then decided not to leave it because the comment sounds rude, harsh, or not as I intended. I do not want to leave a comment that will offend someone.
I am all about leaving comments but there are a few sites that I like just visit and read and hang round in the dark corner with my trenchcoat and Coach shades on…LOL but I feel what you are saying.
Nile – great topic. I find that if I can offer some relevant additional comments, then I'll jump in. This article in itself is good strategy to turn lurkers into using your site more. (Good calls to action! and engaging.) I have always left feedback for site owners, having been one myself since 1997. Sometimes I do refrain though, when I feel that my advice will not be accepted in the same manner I intended to deliver it.
Lurking… and I like what I see 😉
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I've been lurking over your site for several months now. I think it was the guitar that keeps me coming back..lol. Just kidding, you have an awesome talent for telling it like it is and of course the skills to pay the bills with the coding.
I just wish I had paid more attention when I was in HTML class way back when…
To your success and endeavors!
Tony
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