Daily Blog Tips had an interesting article last month about improving your readers’ experience on your blog. When the discussion centered on responding to comments, there was a brief mention of rewarding your readers with incentives for their words.

One of the key ways of doing so is to create a ‘Top Comments’ or ‘Top Commentators’ list that shows displays the names (and back links) of those who participate the most on your blog. There are several plug-ins available for Wordpress that allow you to create such a list. One of them is Show Top Commentators and is available for free download.

This plug-in shows your top commentators, their names and websites, along with the number of comments they’ve shared on your blog. Here are some clear benefits to installing and activating this plug-in or one similar to it:

Give credit to your most dedicated fans.
People like to know they are appreciated, so recognize the hard work, wit and candor of your readership when they show it. They will see that you respect and encourage their input.

Give your blog a sense of community.
Showing that your blog has a series of regulars contributing to the discussion develops its status as a functioning community. Curious readers can come to your blog not only seeking your advice, but also gain some valuable insight from your fan base. Blogs are places for ideas and solutions, and listing your commentators can reveal a good part of its usefulness.

Encourage other readers to leave their comments.
When new visitors see your top commentators glorified by your list, they may be driven to contribute on a regular basis, too. After all, doing so will also help get their blog or site more visits. People like being part of a team, especially when they can take a leadership role. So give them the opportunity to rise to the top of the pack.

The top commentators plug-in, both as a functional application and a concept, is incredibly intriguing and will surely show its value as your blog increases its readership.

Displaying the top participants is a winning solution for everyone involved. The author gets a novel way of encouraging participation and the audience has an even greater incentive to jump into the discussion. Of course, if you have yet to receive comments from a variety of readers, you may need more time crafting your content and generating traffic before you move on to this phase.

We hope these tips will help you build your blog and realize your potential online. Does anybody out there use this plug-in or one similar to it? If so has it helped your blog earn more comments?