1) Have you written a post in the past that has encouraged readers to do something other than just comment on your blog?

• I have written a few posts of this type before, and really want to implement more of them in the future.  I do see an increase in comments when I do this. 

2) How has this task changed the way you look at making your blog more interactive?

• I am really trying to remember to engage my readers, and leave them with a call to action at the end of my posts.  Since this is new, I have a tendency to forget to do this.  Maybe I need to leave a sticky note on my laptop... ;)

I recently wrote a post announcing changes to my Wordless Wednesday posts, and in it I gave my readers a call to action asking them to feel free to leave a comment and links of their own.

Peaceful Wednesdays

I have a weekly series called Friday Finds where I ask readers to submit photographs based on the theme I choose.

I frequently ask questions at the bottom of my posts to try to generate a discussion in the comments. An example is yesterday's post, How to Track Comments in Google Reader.

I've had a couple of entries where I asked someone to link up to me (mcklinky) based on a specific call to action.  That last type doesn't usually generate much interest though.

I've done a lot of the things on the list in my own blog, but today's task definitely gave me more to think about and implement!

1) Have you written a post in the past that has encouraged readers to do something other than just comment on your blog?  I often ask a specific question in hopes that it will get my readers thinking and also commenting.

2) How has this task changed the way you look at making your blog more interactive?

I've realized sometimes a question is just not enough. 

On today's post, I included a poll.  I don't like the look of the poll and will consider trying to figure out something better tomorrow, but for now, I'm too tired.

1) Have you written a post in the past that has encouraged readers to do something other than just comment on your blog?

I don't think I've done this too often.  I have written a few posts linking to other blogs and asked people to go and comment on another blog.  I've done 'delurking day' where I've asked everyone to leave a comment. 

2) How has this task changed the way you look at making your blog more interactive?

I think that one really good point Darren makes is that a call to action doesn't have to be something huge.  You could be asking people to comment on a particular post, asking a simple question, putting up a poll, or asking people to visit your profile somewhere else.  It doesn't have to be anything huge, but it gets people to participate.  It is always fun to ask a question at the end of a post and see how people respond.  I think that this definitely tweaked my mind a little bit in thinking about how to make my blog more of a community or how to turn comments into more of a discussion.

Today I wrote a call to action for my readers - I want to know where you're from, and what says 'home' to you.  Day 22:  Tell Me About the Place You Call Home

I wrote this post http://dishwaterdreams.com/2010/08/blog-for-breasts-crafts-for-cancer/ to call readers to action. So far, no action.

I would like to make my blog more interactive, but it seems that I get the opposite effect. When I put something out there just because I have something to say, I get a lot of comments. When I call readers to action, I get nada.

I am a little frustrated at this point that more people aren't acting on my calls. Then again, maybe its just the heat. :)

I use "calls to action" a lot to get readers commenting on my posts. I like to invite people to share their opinions or similar experiences. It seems to work reasonably well once I'm getting a decent number of visitors.

I don't feel that either of my blogs are particularly interactive, although I try to make them that way. Fallen Kitten is just too new/small still, and people on Maastricht Minutiae don't seem to come back after their first comment or they are emailing me directly with questions.

I cheated a bit on today's challenge. I wrote a call to action for each of my blogs encouraging readers to visit my other blog and give their first impressions. Links: Maastricht Minutiae post & Fallen Kitten post.

1) Have you written a post in the past that has encouraged readers to do something other than just comment on your blog?

As my blog is about changing your life, all of my posts kind of fit into this category but I'm really inspired by some of the ProBlogger tips to ask for comments and subscriptions more directly.

I seem to have lots of people who will endlessly comment on Facebook but not on the blog itself. Anyone else have that problem? How did you encourage them to comment on the blog instead without getting all bossy? : )

2) How has this task changed the way you look at making your blog more interactive?

I'll definitely be looking at changing my post footer to include a more direct call to action on comments and subscriptions.

I love asking questions at the end of each post, since I've started doing this I've has a lot more comments.

I did a selection of polls to celebrate my 200th post which was quite good fun and gave me some insight into my readers:

http://www.jadedickinson.com/2010/04/tell-me-about-you-200th-post.html

Victoria - Want to swap lives??? 

1) Have you written a post in the past that has encouraged readers to do something other than just comment on your blog?

I think so but not specific as the explanation on the book said. I'll have to incorporate this more. Does asking people to vote counts? If so then I just posted a vote request on my blog lol.

2) How has this task changed the way you look at making your blog more interactive?

Poll sounds like a great idea. And will definitely use it in the future.

Btw, Nicola, I feel you about the facebook comments. My friends and families are more likely to leave their comments there.