comments question...

It depends on what type of comment it is. If they are asking a question, by all means answer it. It it is just a "I like you blog" type of comment, you can either answer it, or just let it go as that.

Many people post comments as a way of telling others about their sites. So, you can visit theres and if you like it, comment there. But, you are under no obligation to.

I know some bloggers who NEVER respond in comment sections. They let the post be their voice, and leaves the comment section for the readers. That is one option as well.

I generally respond if I can to comments in my own comment section if it's related to the post. And some of the time, I'll go across to their blog, and if I find something interesting, comment on one of their posts whilst also thanking them for the comment on my blog.

Personally, I'm subtly offended if no one responds to my comments. It sort of turns me off to commenting further. Why bother commenting if no one answers anyway, right?

-Feathers

Even a thank you means a lot to many people

I respond back on my blog to keep the conversation going. If I feel like I need to, I also visit their blog and respond to one of their posts. It is all about building conversations and community.

It's great to get any comments. (Just look at most blogs. The vast majority of posts have "no comments" after them.) I make sure to at least write a quick "thanks for reading" type comment, even if there isn't anything of particular interest to add to a comment.

Dan
http://indycomics.today.com
www.propertycrossroads.com
www.blogprorealty.com

Replies turn it into a conversation

I wondered about this myself and learned by experimenting. I found three things. One is that an individual email response to every comment was a lot of work and I wasn't sure if it was worth it or even appropriate. The second was that by responding on my own blog, I turned the comment into a conversation so people who visit the blog later get a better feeling for who you are. It's another way to share yourself with your readers. Third, I usually go and visit the commenter's blog and if I can think of something worthwhile to say, I'll leave a comment on their blog, usually related to their own writing.

Jerry

If it's someone new I thank them for coming over to my blog in the comments form, and I go to their blog and leave a comment there in return. I've made some great blogging friends that way. If it's a regular blog reader I usually respond with at least a brief comment, the same way I would during an actual conversation. If I have extra time I search for other blogs with topics similar to mine or I find similar blogs through clicking on names in other bloggers' comments. Then I leave comments there, and those bloggers come over to my blog. All this networking makes for a much more stimulating blog and traffic also increases its value.

Here's a "what is your blog worth?" site. Plug your URL in and you can find out the value.
http://www.business-opportunities.biz/projects/how-much-is-your-blog-worth/
Having a lot of traffic translates into a valuable blog and can contribute to having a strong platform.