The 9 Do’s And Don’ts For Better Engagements

Dear Hivers,

There is a slight change on Hive right now. Some of the key members are stressing the importance of engagement — with the #POSH initiative.

The vision is not only to write comments but also to spend more time creating quality engagements – and eventually build a quality relationship.

After all, we are on a social platform, isn’t it?

This is why I have compiled this ultimate guide for anyone interested in taking your experience to the next level. It contains the do's and don'ts of engagements.

I have taken my 8 years of blogging experience to share these ideas, and I hope you will find them useful. Glance through them. Pick what you like. Then use it the next time – when you are writing in that little box.

#1. Avoid one-word and two-word comments.

Do you remember seeing “nice post” in the comment section? How did you feel? We all have been there. In fact, the author already knows it is a nice post, so no point in simply repeating what was not required. Avoid this at all cost.

#2. Say no to "blind" comments.

Blind comments are comments written without reading the post. Is that cool? No. In fact, recently, someone asked me a question for which the answer was inside the post. My thoughts: "Well, did you even read?"

#3: Don't copy-paste comments.

You don't win a noble prize by doing what is already done. So if you are copy-pasting comments again and again, do not expect anything new – any prize. If anything, you lose your reputation.

So never ever copy comments and paste on several posts.

#4: Self-linking is a killer.

Have you found several links at the bottom of the comment pointing to a profile, social media, and so on. Such spammy self-linking serves no purpose. In the eyes of the author, you are a spammer.

Remember: That box is not an advertising space.

#5: Avoid being a copycat.

I remember long back when the #introduceyourself section was abused with “welcome” messages. One can refresh the tag, find new post, and then comment "welcome" over and over again. Avoid this behavior.

#6: Don't be a broken record

If you are going to repeat what is already said, then there's little-to-no value added. Comments are written to drive engagements and quality conversations – not to repeat like a broken record. It simply gets boring.

#7: Don't pick a fight over personal reasons.

Never leave a comment to settle personal issues. If you want to fight – to prove who is right and who is wrong – then take your battle to DMs (use Discord).

#8: Meaningless comments / trolling.

One of my blogger friend used to receive several hate / troll comments. Luckily, he was able to moderate and remove them. (Not possible here on Hive). On a good note, trolling is rare here. If you are planning for it? Well, let's use our time wisely.

#9: “I don’t know what to say.”

There are dozens of photos, paintings, and art work here. When you see them and don't know what to say? Perhaps you are confused?

Then here's what you do:

You don’t say anything. Move on. Not everything requires your commentary.

#1: Read the post before commenting.

This is the first rule. It is the most basic and important rule of engagement. Only when you read the post? You will know if you should drop a comment or not.

#2: Your opinion counts.

It is called "content expansion." Through your comment, you can expand on what the author has already said. One way to do this is by sharing your opinion on the subject.

(It is assumed that you know more about this subject than the author)

#3: State unknown yet relevant facts.

Another form of "content expansion" where you leave a comment stating new facts – so it helps not only the author but also other readers. This way, you are filling the gap while making good content even better.

#4: Ask the “right” question.

Not any question. Ask questions that the author didn’t answer in his post. Any hard-hitting question will create insightful debates and ignite meaningful conversations.

#5: Create a dialogue by responding to other comments.

You don’t always have to talk to the author. You can always continue the conversation by responding to someone else’s comment. If you haven't done this before? Give it a shot.

#6: Share your personal experience.

Say someone talked about shitcoins here. Then you can share your own experience in the comment section below. Again, first you read the post. Then acknowledge what the author has said. And finally expand the content with your personal story.

#7: Link to other’s article.

Something we all can do. Many times we find a good post but don’t link it in the comment section below. Moment we start doing this, we turn into a true community-based platform.

#8: Be bold.

I have written comments correcting spelling mistakes. Best done politely. For example: First, if you resonate with the content, share your thoughtful comment. And then start with "by the way, I also want to share..."

#9: Be yourself when you are writing.

Have you ever tried to be someone you are not? It is easy to spot. The same rule applies to life. When you are trying to engage, you have to be you. Each and every comment should be a reflection of your hidden personality.

So there you have it...

My favorite 9 do's and don'ts of engaging on Hive...and literally every other platform. Some of them you already know. And some are new to you.

Why don't you pick a few and test it out the next time you are engaging?

The don'ts list showed you what to avoid. And the do's list showed you what is important – to be you.

Because the idea is not just to comment — for the heck of it. It is also to share something meaningful — to add value — and to make sure your contribution leads to a quality relationship.

I would love to hear your thoughts. In fact, can you drop a comment below and tell me your thoughts? Did you like this article? What is the most annoying comment have you ever seen? Do you even believe in engaging? Maybe you spotted a mistake in this article? Or found this article useful? Whatever it is, let me know!

Let us engage.

Cheers,
Sid

Liked this article? Feel free to comment and upvote and reblog.