Few Dofollow Blogs Use Contact Button or Tab
Posted by Linda in Internet Marketing, tags: contact buttonOnly 67 of the 151 dofollow blogs that I follow, have a contact button that leads to a contact form. And many of these hide the contact buttons on their “About” pages.
I know because I just completed going to every one of them, looking for a contact button to send them notices of the 9-09 update.
I decided to contact the dofollow blog owners by contact button because last time when I left my message on a comment, some bloggers considered it spam. I don’t like spam, and don’t want to be associated with it.
How I Researched
Contact Buttons
So this time I looked for a contact button or tab so I could send a private email. I looked in the top, sides, and bottom for a contact button. If I found only an “about” button, I clicked on it, and sometimes found contact information there.
Some blogs have a contact button, but it just brings up an Microsoft Entourage email window. I can’t send emails by Entourage from my computer. I don’t know why. I own Microsoft Office, have had it professionally installed, and was at one time using it. But now it doesn’t work. I believe it’s a mistake for an online business owner to assume that everyone uses Entourage and to eliminate those who don’t from the ability to contact the business.
Building Relationships
With Contact Buttons
But not having a contact button at all is far worse. How can bloggers build relationships with readers without one? Yes as bloggers we want people to leave comments, but we consider an off topic comment spam. So how are people who want to get you important, but off-topic information, supposed to do so.
I’m not preaching, just realizing the importance of a contact button. Presently my contact information is on my “about” page. After this experience, I’m going to add a separate page for it.
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Posted 10-6-09:
Few Dofollow Blogs
Use Contact Button or Tab
Entries (RSS)
Linda,
I’m one of those who has the contact form on a separate page–accessible from the About drop-down menu. I also have a link to it on a page titled “first time here,” which is a prominent link on the blog homepage and directs visitors to various areas of the blog. I thought that was pretty easy to find, but you’ve made me think that I probably need to add a contact button in the sidebar. There is an e-mail link in the header, which is part of the theme, but most of the contacts come through the contact form.
Hi Lilly,
Thanks for this information about your contact button and form. I’d like to use the form. Is it a WP add-on?
It sounds like your will have all of your contact bases covered. After doing this research, I realize that I need to work on mine.
Warmly,
Linda
Thats interesting that do follow owners would encourage discussion on the blog but discourage it by not having a contact button. Interesting.
Hi Linda! Thanks for this invaluable research. You would think that blog owners would want to hear their readers thoughts regardless of how they come in. I must agree with you. There should be a way to speak with the blog owner apart from leaving an actual blog comment for all to see. Without this they are limiting the information they need to be effective in their blog. I for one, would assume they really only want their information out there and stop commenting on their blog. This may be wrong but there are too many blogs online that have an open line of communication to get frustrated with those who are difficult to contact outside of the comment structure.
Linda,
I have used two different contact forms. I started with FormBuilder, and I still use it on most blogs I manage for clients. However, I had a problem with FormBuilder on my blog after I upgraded to 2.8.4 and upgraded other plugins as well. I kept getting an error message that there wasn’t enough PHP memory allocated. My Web host recommended I use a simpler contact form plugin that doesn’t use as many resources since I have so many plugins activated. So on my blog, I’m using Cotact Form 7. It’s a functional, simple contact form.
I don’t see why u wouldn’t want a contact form especially if you were selling a product or service. Even if you aren’t it help convey a relationship between the reader and blogger which will equal greater returning traffic. Its a win win!
Hi tmongan,
I agree. Everybody wins.
Warmly,
Linda
Hi Lillie,
Thanks for the contack form 7 information. I’ll try it.
Warmly,
Linda
Hi Debbie,
I agree. There’s too much competition for us to miss any opportunity to interact with our readers.
Warmly,
Linda
Hi Sam,
I think it’s more an oversight than a strategic decision. As I mentioned in the post, I hadn’t thought of it until I realized how frustrating it is not to be able to contact a blog owner except though comments.
Some blog owners request that you contact them by leaving a comment. But others don’t like anything irrelevant to the post. Different strokes …
Warmly,
Linda
[...] Few Dofollow Blogs Use Contact Button or Tab [...]
I often feel very wary of a site that does not openly and plainly include contact information, especially if that site is attempting to sell a product or service.
Now I understand that most bloggers don’t want to give out their personal email address or phone number but a small contact form at least shows that lines of communication are present should you need them.
My only annoyance is when there is a contact form but when you submit, you don’t get a response. I like to see an automated message of receipt as well as a timely reply. If you can’t provide either, don’t bother letting people waste their time by submitting.
Hi Mango Furniture,
You make a good point, but I bet few people have this kind of response process. I often get an automated reply, but I don’t know the tool people use for them. I rarely get a timely “real” reply.
Maybe I’ll test with the same group of blogs to get percentages.
Warmly,
Linda
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