I read dozens of blog posts every week and subscribe to more than 50 different blogs on my Feedly account. However, I can say with confidence that I don’t comment on as many posts as I should, and I also know that I’m not the only one.

It’s not enough to be a blogger, you have to also be a commenter. Remember when you first started your blog? How nerve-wracking it can be to put your opinions, experiences and knowledge out for the world to see (and judge)? Now, think back to some of your first commenters.

Too often, we get caught up in our online networks and rarely stray outside of those contacts and engage with others. Comments give the blogger the confidence and encouragement necessary to put up the next post, possibly that extra push to try something new or post about something out of their comfort zone.

Whether it’s a comment about one particular post, a question to ponder or simple words that acknowledge the effort it took to click “submit,” the act of commenting can make all the difference to the author.

I’ve started to make a conscious effort to comment on the blog posts that I read each day. I encourage other bloggers to add “commenter” to their online activity as well.