It has been one year and two months since I became a featured contributor.
Nobody introduced me to BIZCATALYST 360° – I introduced myself to Dennis Pitocco and soon received an e-mail that confirmed my “formal seating” at the Featured Contributors Panel. ☺️
I started blogging six years ago. My first ever blog post The writer in me just woke up! was re-published as my first article on this platform. It always reminds me of how my blogging journey has begun, first on WordPress and then on the beBee blogging platform. The feelings I felt before clicking the Publish button for the first time are still as fresh as if they happened yesterday. I was full of anticipation and excitement.
That button was a turning point, which finally led me here – to my new community of amazing people and writers.
Since then, I have written thirteen articles on this publishing platform - almost an article per month. Not much compared to the other writers, but I write when I am inspired to do so.
In ten years, BIZCATALYST 360° has published over 26,000 articles. Many articles are published daily. To be found in that multitude would be very difficult without the help of Dennis and his team. They share, promote, and do everything to boost the visibility of our stories.
Our articles are shared across LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and beyond. My articles receive dozens of comments on LinkedIn but not much on the site. I appreciate comments on other social media, but receiving feedback on BIZCATALYST 360° is of lasting value. I consider comment sections an integral part of the publishing platform. An empty comment box makes me feel something important is missing. I believe every writer thinks the same.
Let’s see my stats here on BIZCATALYST 360°.
- 13 articles
- 86 comments in total
- almost 7 comments per article on average
- 15 – the highest number of comments
- 2 – the lowest number of comments
- 0 – the number of articles without comments
Out of 86 comments, half is mine. I always try to respond to comments. Commenting should be a two-way conversation.
I don’t know if my stats are good or bad compared to other authors here, but I am happy that readers engage with my articles. Finding an audience that is willing to read and comment (after reading) became very hard.
Unfortunately, so many writers don’t comment on the works of others, and some don’t even respond to the comments on their own posts. I am not perfect either with commenting on the articles of others. Saying something meaningful and related to the topic requires time, and I am not a “great post” type of commenter. I am not perfect either with promoting articles of others. We all rely on Dennis and the BIZCATALYST 360° magical “encore” technology that shares our stories across social media networks.
Should we all do more? Definitely!
The number of commenters compared to the total number of contributors on this platform is very small. Out of more than 860 columnists, featured contributors, and guest contributors, only a small group of people are doing all the commenting work. People just don’t take time to engage. Other social media and publishing platforms also struggle with low comment rates.
If no one comments on your article, it is not because the content isn’t good or no one read it, but because people simply don’t take time to comment.
I accepted that. I will continue to write regardless my writing may not encourage readers to comment.
The audience does matter. Comments from readers do matter. It is important to me that my writing resonates with readers. More importantly, that my words reflect who I am. I write about what’s in my mind and heart and find great joy in it.
Even though the reciprocity rule doesn’t always work, I will continue to comment on other writers’ articles because thoughtful comments benefit everyone: the writer, other readers, and me.
In the past year, I have met many fascinating people here. Some didn’t agree with my always-question-everything approach, but they engaged with my articles, which I appreciate very much. Friendly and civil disagreement is always welcome. Although I have not changed my original position about certain subjects, I learned a lot from conversations with good people who disagree with me.
I look forward to the future and feel grateful for the past year.
I feel I belong here. Thank you, Dennis!
Lada .. Hello .. I know you already warmly responded to my comment on LI .. so need to respond again.
I’m repeating here as per your encouragement & feedback about making commenting here
.. I will confess that due to a prior problem I had logging in (I just placed comments on LI) – in the future will endeavor to be mindful to comment both places.
(from what I see .. most people who comment here & on LI – clip & paste their comment – which makes sense.
That even extends to beBee for many posts are on all (3) platforms – though the engagement/those who comment might be different – reaching different people.
My LI comment:
Engagement is a gift to every writer regardless of platform. It should not be neglected.
It does not always come in the form of agreement .. which is to be expected.
“Friendly and civil disagreement” is rightly respected
Taking abounds while giving back is sadly neglected
“Good citizenship” of engagement can be perfected
We are not always seeing the same things the same way Lada 🙏
.. yet ..
We are engaged & I always see “beauty” in your thoughtful writing 🙏
A wise Professor once said:
“We may say things differently for one or all reasons, but still what we see is beauty.” Ali Anani, PhD
As a writer .. I consider these things “giving” and
“good citizenship” – Alan Geller
.. sharing posts
.. remembering to “react”
.. reading & thoughtfully commenting
This is my unique style
I write: “In His Light”
.. I read thoughtfully
.. I write thoughtfully
.. I comment thoughtfully
I do not sing to the choir 🙏
But consider myself a farmer
.. planting seeds
.. sharing Light & Truth
.. cultivating conversation
Everything in life is a sowing & reaping
.. what one sows .. they will harvest
Dennis Pitocco thank you for having the vision of a good farmer 🙏
Dear Fay, thank you for commenting here too. I echo the words of Len Bernat that fellow writers need to be more willing to comment here on the BC360 site. It is when all the magic happens. 🙂
Sharing posts is essential for enlarging their visibility and exposing our writing to a larger audience. Dennis and his team give all the writers the kind of exposure we just can’t get anywhere else. But engaging/commenting with each other posts is on us.
Receiving comments from people like you who read thoughtfully is rare, and getting that kind of feedback is what every writer expects to see in the comment box (below the article).
Keep doing what you do in your unique style. 🙂
Lada – I am so glad that you wrote this essay. Of course the comments are important and I agree that fellow writers need to be more willing to comment here on the BC360 site. You have inspired me to do better. Sometimes, we just need a little reminder.
Oh, and as you pointed out – Dennis is just wonderful to work with and he is the ultimate cheerleader for his writing team. I can never thank him enough for his support.
Len, thank you for being one of those people who do all the commenting work on BC. You don’t need to be inspired to do more. 🙂
Dennis is indeed the ultimate cheerleader. Just imagine how that would be if every one of us makes only a fraction of his effort to support writers by commenting on their articles (after reading). 🙂
Lada – Thanks for your reply but I truly can do better and I will try just to honor your post. 😊
I love that you have a high standard for your comments, Lada, particularly as I have had the benefit of them.
Like you, there are some comments I would have loved to see below the article rather than on Linkedin because they they didn’t disappear in the vortex that is past posts. And I enjoy reading comments from other people – engaging with the “tribe”, not just with the author.
Personally, I like that I can put a comment here on BC that is not blasted as far and wide as on Linkedin. It is read only by the people who actually read the article to find their way down here – and sometimes context is everything.
Charlotte, I said it before, but I am always glad to see your comment in the box.:)
My thoughts too about engaging with the “tribe”. I remember long comment threads on beBee social media where commenters engaged with each other and not just the author of the post. Those comment threads were more interesting and thoughtful than the posts themselves. They were dialogues and not just courteous responses to comments.
You are one of the people who have mastered the art of dialogue. I still have so much to learn. 🙂
I think there are subgroups where dialogue is encouraged. Ali Anani often refers to other comments on his posts which “allows” for deeper threads with more people involved. Kind of an Anani-norm.
But who said we need permission?
The Anani-norm is difficult to reach. 🙂
And of course…another comment. I love to support fellow writer’s and I sometimes feel I comment too much but You have just made me feel so WORTHY! I agree with you Writer’s Unite…and support and comment if you can. Every article has something in it, if not only a voice just wanting to be heard ! Thank you Lada!
Thank you, Loree! And thank you for being the first commenter. Your comment continues a series of my articles with at least one comment. 🙂
“Writers Unite!” would be a great motto. Yes, we should comment on each other work. If we don’t, why then expect that from our readers.
Thanks again, Loree, for making me feel worthy as a writer. 🙂
I have heard the term “engagement circle” as a derogatory term for a group on Linkedin who boosts each others numbers through likes. I would rather call such a group a clique – pun intended – because what you are describing, Loree, is much more what I imagine engagement should be about.
Like you, I sometimes wonder if I “insert myself in somebody else’s private conversation” if I comment on a comment. When I look through a long comment stream and find something awesome one level down that has only been reacted to by the author (and probably Dennis) I feel sad that such good stuff is not even read by so many. There are so many nuggets of wisdom in our circle and they deserve to be noticed.
Thank you, both, for your engagement.
I’ve heard of “engagement pods”. Some of my LI contacts even sent me messages to like and share their posts, and they will do the same for my posts. That type of engagement is not for me.
I prefer one meaningful comment over dozens of likes.