Comment Marketing: The Most Underrated (and Free) Growth Tactic You’re Probably Ignoring
If you’re a small business owner, freelancer, creator, or early‑career marketer, it often feels like successful marketing needs budgets, ads, funnels, fancy tools, or hours of content creation.
Here’s a secret most people overlook, you don’t always need big budgets, large teams or fancy software to make marketing work. You can make a lot of ground with great content and authentic engagement, and this is where content marketing punches well above it’s weight.
Read on to see why comment marketing is one of the most powerful and under‑used marketing tactics you can add to your toolkit - and it’s completely free.
What is comment marketing?
Comment marketing is the practice of using comments - on your content and on other people’s content — as a strategic channel to build visibility, trust, awareness, and connection.
That includes:
Responding thoughtfully to comments on your own posts
Adding value in the comments on other people’s posts
Participating in comment threads where your audience already spends time
This isn’t about dropping links or pitching your services. Good comment marketing feels human, helpful, and contextual - not promotional.
Why comment marketing matters (especially for small operators)
Purchasing decisions today are shaped by social signals. People don’t just scroll posts, they read replies, judge tone, watch how brands interact, and make decisions based on behaviour more than headlines. Comments are where that behaviour lives.
Here’s why comment marketing is so effective:
It costs nothing
Unlike ads, software, and carefully curated content, comment marketing doesn’t cost a cent, only attention and awareness.
It builds trust faster than posting alone
When someone watches how you respond in public, they form perceptions deeper than any caption.
It humanises your brand
People buy from people. Comments make brands feel real, not robotic.
It creates social proof in real time
When others join the conversation, defend you, or chip in, that’s trust - unfiltered and community‑driven.
Negative comments aren’t the enemy - they’re an opportunity
One of the biggest reasons people shy away from comment marketing is fear of negativity.
When faced with a critical comment, the instinct is often:
Delete it
Hide it
Ignore it
Respond defensively
But here’s the practical truth seasoned marketers have observed: handling criticism well publicly builds more trust than avoiding criticism altogether. When you respond with empathy and genuine effort to help, you signal to every silent observer that you stand behind your brand and make things right.
Handled well, a negative comment can turn into your best customer. When you acknowledge the issue and offer a resolution or thoughtful dialogue, the original critic may calm, reflect, and even convert, and other observers often become customers precisely because they saw how you responded, not what you said.
This idea isn’t new - marketing theory has long held that how a brand responds to problems matters more than perfect marketing messages. Today, as we communicate publicly on social platforms, this dynamic amplifies brand trust and influences buying decisions more directly than ever.
The three main types of comment marketing
1. Responding to comments on your own posts
This is the most obvious and necessary form. When someone takes the time to engage with you, a thoughtful reply keeps the conversation alive and demonstrates care. A short, one‑emoji reply or ignoring the comment means you miss a moment of connection.
Good replies:
Use the commenter’s name (or tag them so they’re notified of your comment)
Acknowledge what they said so they feel heard
Add insight or a follow‑up question
Bad replies:
One‑word responses (if you could replace your comment with, ‘great post!’, then you’re not really adding any value
Copy‑pasted answers or AI generated responses
Ignoring the comment entirely
2. Commenting on other people’s posts (strategically)
This is where comment marketing scales beyond your own audience.
Thoughtful comments on relevant posts can:
Put your name in front of new audiences
Position you as knowledgeable, passionate and an authentic leader in the field, without self‑promotion
Drive profile visits naturally
But relevance is key. Comment where it genuinely makes sense for you to be. A small business mechanic commenting respectfully on a classic car page adds value. Dropping links in a buy/sell community page trying to upsell things that the poster is not looking for - does not add value to anyone.
3. Responding to comments on other people’s posts
This is a quieter, subtle form of comment marketing.
You’re not trying to steal the spotlight - you’re helping someone else in the thread. When you answer a question, share an insight, or clear up confusion in a way that helps those reading the thread, that builds credibility.
It’s lower visibility than commenting on the original post, but it’s often the most authentic form of contribution.
How to find relevant pages, groups, posts, and comments
If you’re ready to practice comment marketing but you’re not sure where to start, here’s a simple map:
Search with keywords and hashtags
On platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, search for topics your audience is actually talking about, not generic marketing phrases. Examples:
A mechanic might search
#classiccars,#carmaintenance, or#carenthusiaststo join relevant conversations.A dog groomer or pet services provider could search
#doglovers,#petcaretips, or#dogwalkingcommunity.A small coffee shop could look for
#localcoffee,#coffeelovers, or#supportlocalbusiness.An events marketer could try
#festivalmarketing,#livemusicevents, or#eventtips.
The key is to find posts where people ask questions, share experiences, or need advice, so your comments naturally add value without feeling promotional.
Follow communities and groups
Niche communities are gold:
Facebook groups for niche groups - classic cars, coffee lovers, baking enthusiasts - you can find a community for literally anything on Facebook
Instagram accounts - you could chime in on a famous pet account about your favourite places to walk your dog and if people check out your page they’ll find your dog-washing service or handmade doggy clothing line
LinkedIn groups for different professions and industries
Industry forums where people ask real questions
In these spaces, people already ask for help or discuss their niche interests and passions - and that’s where comment marketing connects
Engage with influencer conversations
Find people who are adjacent to your audience (not direct competitors), such as:
Industry thought leaders
Local business advocates
Creators who ask questions or share dilemmas
Comment early and with substance.
Look for questions left unanswered
Posts where people ask questions but don’t get any responses are prime opportunities. A thoughtful answer here can bring profile visits and trust.
A real example where comment marketing built insight and awareness
While working for an events venue, I posted a fun holiday poll: “Which Christmas Carol is your favourite?” with a few options.
One commenter pointed out - pretty matter‑of‑factly - that the tracks listed weren’t technically “Christmas carols,” but rather popular Christmas songs.
Instead of deleting the comment or shutting down the thread, I responded in a friendly, inclusive way and rather than derailing the post:
Other followers chimed in
Some mentioned their favourite Christmas shows at the venue
A few reminded the original commenter how much they enjoyed hearing these songs at a recent Christmas event
The conversation stayed light and fun, and the disgruntled commenter actually joined in and mentioned they had also attended Christmas shows at the venue! More importantly, it reinforced good memories associated with the brand rather than a correction or debate.
A post that wasn’t sales‑oriented suddenly did what great marketing often does:
Built brand awareness
Amplified audience engagement
Strengthened positive association through shared experience
Gave people a reason to remember us
And none of that required a pitch.
Famous examples of comment marketing that moved the dial
Here are actual word‑for‑word examples from real brands and why they worked:
Wendy’s - biting, memorable, and on‑brand
When a user tweeted:
“@Wendys you can keep your burgers frozen, that’s cute. My meal deserves better.”
Wendy’s responded:
“We like our beef like we like our comebacks: fresh.”
This isn’t textbook value content, but Wendy’s blunt and sassy responses are distinctive, confident, and memorable. People shared the reply widely, and that visibility is a form of organic reach.
Netflix - playful and community‑centric
On a fan tweet about a confusing plot twist in a series, Netflix replied:
“We are currently scheduling a writers’ intervention.”
This kind of comment isn’t about selling - it’s about joining the conversation, acknowledging fan emotion, and making scrolling feel more personal.
In both cases:
The replies weren’t salesy
They matched the brand voice
They rewarded engagement with something worth remembering
Common ways comment marketing goes wrong
Even seasoned marketers can misstep. Here’s what to watch out for:
Don’t try to steal clients on competitors’ pages
Jumping into a competitor’s comment section to pitch your services (e.g., “If this isn’t working for you, check out my stuff!”) usually comes off opportunistic and disingenuous. It rarely works and often damages credibility.
Instead, focus on related spaces where you add value - adjacent communities, groups, and conversations where your perspective genuinely helps.
Don’t overdo it
Commenting everywhere nonstop looks frantic. Be selective. Be thoughtful. Be meaningful.
Don’t be salesy
If your comments read like mini advertisements, people see right through them. Add insight first - let curiosity lead to profile visits and later exploration.
Match your authentic voice
Humour works for some brands, sincerity works for others. Use the tone that fits your audience and your personality - not what you think marketing content should sound like. And once you’ve found your voice, be consistent, even if you have a team with multiple people working on socials - write a brief brand voice guideline doc and ensure everyone sticks to it.
How to start using comment marketing today
You don’t need a big strategy document. You need consistency and intention.
Reply to comments on your posts daily
Comments are opportunities, not tasks.Spend 10–20 minutes engaging where your audience lives
Choose a few communities and contribute meaningfully.Focus on help, not selling
People engage with people who solve problems, not people who pitch services.Use comment interactions to inform future content
What questions come up again and again? Turn those into posts or videos.
After a few days of doing this regularly, I assure you it will start to come very naturally and will likely become one of the strongest tools in your marketing toolkit.
Summary (TL;DR)
Comment marketing is free and high‑impact
It builds trust faster than posting alone
Negative comments handled well can strengthen your brand and even win customers
Engage in relevant spaces, genuinely and helpfully
Add value and foster genuine engagement - this is not a place for direct selling
Final thoughts
Comment marketing isn’t a hack, it’s a part of your marketing and engagement strategy.
It’s about listening, contributing, and being present. In a world full of scheduled posts and AI‑generated content, real conversation still stands out.
Show up, add value, and watch engagement turn into real connections that grow your brand.