How do you get so many responses?
By kbourgerie
@kbourgerie (8780)
United States
March 24, 2008 9:54am CST
I have had several people ask me how I get the number of responses that I do. I don't feel that I get any more than a lot of people do, but I have had a few discussions that have illicited more responses than I anticipated. There are a number of people who have been here a long time that get many responses a day and I thought perhaps to help the new people here or those who are struggling we could give them a few tips on what we think makes for posting a discussion that will prompt others to respond. My personal advice would be to post topics that others can relate to. For example, I posted a discussion about whether or not you check your mail everyday? Who doesn't check their mail almost daily? Its a topic that everyone, from every country, from every culture can understand and respond to. Make it simple. We have alot of people on this site from other countries whose command of the english language is not as good as ours. Write your topic in simple language without making it to short. Add friends so that people know that your discussions exist. Those are just a few things I would say to someone new or someone having a hard time. What would you add to this or change? What advice would you give to someone to help them on this site? We are a community of warm, kind, generous and supportive people, so lets help one another.
7 people like this
22 responses
@andyvish (901)
• India
24 Mar 08
Nice little question. I am just not sure. People have different interests and they actually respond to discussions which interests them. I try to arose their curiosity by starting such discussions, but no matter how I try, I fail. The maximum response I got was 28.
2 people like this
@bradhart (659)
• United States
24 Mar 08
If helps if you are interesting but mostly it is hit or miss and a lot of luck that either you have lots of friends on here who follow your posts or someone who does replies to you. As with most things in life lots of responses are mostly about luck rather than effort.
@enchantedleppard (1541)
• United States
24 Mar 08
The most important thing that I would stress about mylot is that if you are on here to earn, posting quality discussions and responses are what helps you earn. I see SO many one liner answers and discussions that it makes me wonder if people know what they need to do. Personally I like your discussions because I can relate to them. If people can relate to you, then you'll get alot of responses-- you are right!
@mummymo (23706)
•
24 Mar 08
That is all vwery good advice sweety and I am nit sure what I can add! I don't get tons of responses but I am very happy with the responses I get! Iguess i would say that people can get quite disillusioned if they respond to someones posts and they never comment on that response - or at least I know quuite a few people do! Great post sweetheart , proud of you! xxx
2 people like this
@jeanniemay (1798)
• Philippines
24 Mar 08
Wow! This is just another of your good helpful discussions. Yes, I agree with your points. "Simple and something that everybody relates to." I had few good suggestions from you few hours ago and I find that very helpful. It's good that you made a discussion for it. I admire you giving out a topic and attracts many responses. It's awestruck amazing for me. You will have feed back from more who have different views and opinions of different origins, beliefs, attitude and experiences. It is something I also want to look forward to. Thank you for this good points.
More so, I just want to leave my note of thanks! 
@beaniecat (329)
• United States
25 Mar 08
Guess it goes back to the fact that more people will take the time to complain than to stop and say thank you or good job.
1 person likes this
@sunshinegirl1 (436)
• United States
24 Mar 08
Thanks for the good tips I learned something from your tips. My advice is just to write about things everybody can relate to. such as hobbies,pets,family and so on.
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
24 Mar 08
Well, for me, it depends on what the discussion is about. I have some discussions with over 100 responses, and then I have some discussions with like 2-3 answers only, and I have been here for almost a yr. and a half now.
What I have found personally, that works Best for me, is go and respond to a lot of discussions each day, finding New people to add to your friends list. Then continue to add on trusting New people while responding back to their discussions to where you develop a following of people who will Trust you, and want to respond to each of the New discussions that you start. In time you will start seeing a lot more of your discussions getting a lot more responses, to where you will feel Happier and Happier about being a member here.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
24 Mar 08
I couldn't agree with you more. Discussion needs to be simple and global. In fact, one of my most popular discussions get 800 responds, just because it was simple.
HUGS
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
25 Mar 08
The number of responses depends on how good the question is... and on the intellect of your friends.
I would not usually answer a question about "Who doesn't check their mail almost daily?". Triviality bores me. I would answer it if I was here to make money. But I am only here looking for something to challenge my brain. 
There are many different people here... and the quality of your questions will attract different people. I probably would have to agree that trivia will attract the most responses. But I cannot be bothered asking silly questions.
There are many different people here... and the quality of your questions will attract different people. I probably would have to agree that trivia will attract the most responses. But I cannot be bothered asking silly questions.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
24 Mar 08
Personally, and I know that there are people out there, including myLot HQ that disagree, i like to acknowledge every response if I can. Even if it is a simple thank you. But that's just me. Your posts are invariably good quality too. That's partly why I return again and again.
@beaniecat (329)
• United States
25 Mar 08
I think it's a nice idea to try to respond to everyone's responses to your posts. Of course, you can't always get them all.
@sminut13 (1783)
• Singapore
9 Apr 08
yes, i do notice that you get a lot of responses usually, for your topics. i have no advice to give as i'm one of those who need help in this area. hehe but thanks for your advice, it definitely makes sense. hope this topic has helped others too just like it has for me. have a great day.
@Swaana (1205)
• India
25 Mar 08
I did start a few discussions. But have not got much of responses. Dunno why!!! Probably, I dint make questions that interested many. Or didnot take a simple but thought provoking question. But yes, let me try posting, simple thought provoking, interesting questions in the future.
@beaniecat (329)
• United States
25 Mar 08
I am definitely interested in reading the advice everyone posts for this.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
25 Mar 08
Idid get one suggestion that is helping me and that is not to be too quick to pick best responses as that turns off a lot of responders as it is only human to want to win a best response also was told that I should make my topic line sound appealing so that was good to know. also keep it simple would help those for whom English is a second language.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
25 Mar 08
those points you brought up are the major one, general topics that people can related to, try to post the same thing someone else has though,
I don't want to see another do you read the newspaper, there are just so many people who ask that same question.
also comment on other people's discussion to just expect people to come to you. It is a two way street,
@youless (112141)
• Guangzhou, China
25 Mar 08
I think the most important depends on your friends here. If you have a good reputation here and have lots of friends, it's easy that your discussions will have more responses. Especially at usual you tend to reply to others' discussions, and at the mean time they will like to reply to yours, too. And another important key depends on your discussion title. It shall be in brief and others can know what it is immediately. A complicated and sensitive discussion is difficult to say something on it.
@Deea48 (1166)
• United States
25 Mar 08
I have had it both ways myself, I have had several that did not recieve many responses and then I had several that did very well. My biggest problem is just doing the discussion itself. I have no problem with responses, but discussions I seem to struggle to put together. I like your discussions Katherine, they always seem to catch my attention.
@clowdine (1402)
• Philippines
24 Mar 08
I like what you're suggesting. Adding friends is very important and in addition to that, they should also take the time to read posts of other people so they will have a clue based on these people's answers whether they are good people before they finally add them. It will be wise to discern how they think or would react to certain things. Adding friends takes a great deal of trust here. I am more comfortable adding people who are not that profound with the topics and contents they post but humble and friendly rather than the know-it-all type but has tendency to be rude sometimes even to their friends. Being supportive to new mylotters is a noble act. I'm all for that. What I am suggesting all the regulars, if you see someone with one post, try to respond immediately and suggest him to look for friends. If they have zero to a few post and it looks like they need some help, or struggling, we may want to proactively offer friendship. And PM them for some suggestions to increase their productivity here but that should be done one at a time because I think, it's not a good idea to bombard them with everything we got and they will find it hard to chew those altogether while they're still learning their way here. It should be little by little.
@idaantipolo (472)
• Philippines
25 Mar 08
I do not know what really interests myLot members, there are certain topics that I opened up and to my surprise, got a number of responses. I'm quite new here, so far, my topics didn't get zero response, the least response I got is 1. I guess if your new, I suggest that do not give up or get discouraged when you didn't get any response, just go on and make several topics to discuss and sooner, you'll get the hang of it.
