This was first posted 2 years ago; this version has been updated a bit from comments over the years

Most of the time, when you read an interesting blog here on Steemit, you find something in that blog that you can comment on - to share additional information, a counter-argument, or just that you agree with the post.

Authors love that! It shows that the reader is actually reading the work that the creator put into the post. I did a poll last year, and slightly more than half of authors actually would choose a comment over an upvote IF they had to choose just one reward for a post they had written.. That is amazing considering the payout potential. (FWIW, the reSteem came in last after the other two).

Comments are an excellent method of networking and building followers to your blog. Minnows and new Steemers need followers if they are to swim up to Dolphins and Whales.

And yet some comments can leave the writer (or artist, etc) feeling a little cheated:
Great Post!
I like this
Cool, Please follow me

And if that blogger is suspicious, and checks the comment history, and finds a trail of such comments left indiscriminately all over Steemit, that commenter is not likely to be rewarded with an upvote, a follow, or an answering comment. In fact, the rewars may be a flag for spam.

But sometimes you as the commenter are being honest...you like the post, but don't have much to say. How to overcome that?

• In your head, summarize what the main point of the articles is; compare this to your own thoughts. Is there another point in the blog that you think is more important. Explain why; it doesn't need to be a dissertation. Some bloggers like long answers b/c it does add value to their post, and I think others don't want to lose focus on their own post.

• The best Markdown there is -the ">" symbol. Leave this bad boy at the beginning of your line, and copy the line you find most important to the message of the blog. The resulting comment will look like this:

Leave this bad boy at the beginning of your line, and copy the line you find most important to the message of the blog. The resulting comment will look like this

--This shows that you at least skimmed the damn post ;> Plus, when you do this, it will kick your brain up a bit, and perhaps create a real comment on your part in answer to the one line you chose. You can do this more than once, and point out contradictions or connections between the quotes the author missed...but..

• Don't be a dick - I come across as starchy or wise-assed...I have to pay attention to what I write and how I write it. Some comments are better left unsaid (see my earlier post There are times when you don't want to post, and times you really shouldn't). Your goal on Steemit is to contribute to the value of the community. One objective in this goal should be to make the author feel good that you read the post; that doesn't mean don't be critical, but when you do so, be polite and avoid language that may be misunderstood.

• Ask about something you're not sure of (you may want to do a search engine check real quick to make sure it's not a dumb question, even though most folks don't mind one or two basic level questions

• Speaking of adding to value - So you've read the blog, considered the main points, like the work, but still can't find anything to add? Well thank your Duck Duck Go. Do a search on the topics, and find an article that supports the author's blog. The format for linking an article is "open bracket[" "enter the title as you like" "close bracket ]" "open parenthesis (" "copy/past URL" "close parenthesis )".
  If that is too complicated, you can just copy/paste the URL in, and Steemit will create it into a link for you, like this:
  https://steemit.com/steemit/@stevescoins/there-are-times-when-you-don-t-want-to-post-and-times-you-really-shouldn-t
  You can add links to your own Steemit posts, but they had damn well be relevant to the author's point...or instead of leaving your criticism of his post on his post, you write that on your blog, you can say something like:
  I answered some of your points on this URL

• A picture says a 100 words - find a pic or a meme that speaks for you. Copy/paste the URL of the pic into the post and...
  
  you have just contributed to the discussion w/o writing a word

• Be a smartass, not a wiseass - How about cracking a joke? Don't do this on sad or morbid posts, but we all like to laugh. Just in case you haven't read this in the post though...be relevant!

• Steemer @sc-steemit added the following advice on the first post

A mini post
A comment should truly add something to the post, not just be another here here post that none likes. A comment can perhaps come trough with little less tought through than actual posts, but should also aim for the same thing... people liking them. They are sort of mini-posts :)
Whenever I comment I try to think on a few things
I like this, because!
I have encountered something similar, explain!
It affected my thoughts on the topic, because!
It inspired me for the future, so I will do this!
A comment should be complementary!

Finally

We love comments, really, For the author, it is measurable appreciation, and for the commenter, they can add value to the post and make personal connections. Comments can lead to digressions in the thread, but as long as the author is helping direct the digression, that's fine. An author can be annoyed when his post becomes the nesting site for something completely away from what he wants to say.

That copy/paste "Great Post!" you see so many new Steemers do in every NEW post?

Don't do it.

Stay relevant

Add Value

Thanks for reading today!