Why you should not disable comments on your blog

Someone wrote the following comment on a Problogger blog post about comments on blogs:

i have disabled comments on my blogs because i think 90% people do comments just to get backlinks.

So what if people comment on your blog with the intention of getting a link back to their site? If they add meaningful, related content by doing so, it will only benefit you:

• Your blog will get more content. This will make your site more popular with the search engine bots.
• Your blog will appear to be more active. People like to know they're not the only ones reading your posts and taking your advice.
• If you take the time to reply to those comments, people will return to read the replies. Engaging readers in meaningful discussions is an easy way to build a relationship with your readers.