Ever since I started my blog a whole 2 months ago, I’ve wanted to write a post on comments. I’m not up on blog etiquette and wanted to open a discussion on the subject to hear other people’s views on commenting.
Before I started blogging, I would read various blogs and NEVER comment. I was the definition of a lurker. I reasoned that the person I was reading didn’t know me and what I had to say couldn’t possibly interest them. The more comments the person had, the less they’d “need” my 2 cents. I remember leaving my first comment vividly for JeezLouise when she mentioned that no one was probably reading her stuff. She had no comments on that particular post. It was a very personal one and I could feel her pain. It made me sad to think she felt so alone and I had to be the one to try to reach out. After I’d commented on one, I still didn’t feel inclined to do more commenting.
Once I started blogging, I had it in my head that as long as 10 people read my first entry, I would write another. I got 7 comments and 7 more people who told me via Twitter that they read it. That was enough to feed my ego and keep me going. Considering I don’t know how to get traffic to my site except through Twitter, I’d say that was pretty good. I have no clue how to include tags, links or pictures. I’m going to have to get a book on WordPress because right now I’m just flying by the seat of my pants.
After I’d received comments on my own blog, I realized the power of them. They are tangible proof that you matter. Just being told someone read what you wrote is nice too but the feeling can’t exactly be relived like it can be by rereading old comments.
I have made a point of personally thanking everyone who has commented on my blog via Twitter. I don’t want to ever get to the point where I don’t let my appreciation be known to my readers. I know some people comment back to each person on their blog which makes it look like the number of comments is double what it really is. I’m wondering if that is the “correct” way to handle comments? I’ve noticed that those who get hundreds of comments on a single entry don’t reply at all to the comments. I would assume it has to do with how time consuming it would be. A lot of the comments they receive are just a single sentence of encouragement. Does that warrant a thank you comment beneath it on a blog post? Any thoughts on this would be helpful.
Some blogs have tough security where you have to jump through hoops to leave a comment. That kind of drives me batty to have to go through that much trouble. I don’t have time to read all blogs all the time but now I make a point of commenting if I find a post especially moving or if it is a person I consider an internet friend I want to support. I’ve often wondered if someone leaves a comment for every entry and then quits leaving comments, do you assume they’ve quit reading or just are too busy to comment?
So much of this commenting business is over my head. My blog came set up with comments needing approval from me before posting. I don’t know if it’s necessary or not but I hope it’s not discouraging people from commenting.
There are different comment systems like Disqus which I don’t understand at all. When I’ve commented on others’ blogs, they ask for name, email and website. Whenever I’ve filled that in, it never lists my last blog entry like it does for others. I don’t know why or how to fix it. Sigh. It’s nothing to get panicked over but it just reinforces that my site is not making it out into the blogosphere.
I have also started to wonder if some commenters have an agenda to get themselves noticed and get validation by leaving comments. At times it almost seems like a type of self-promotion. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In any case, my opinion on comments has completely changed and I now think they are golden! My questions for all of you are:
1) What determines whether you comment on a blog or not?
2) Have you ever left a comment that was anything but nice? (I’ve never received any and would never leave any.)
3) Does the more complicated comment systems with heightened security make you less inclined to leave a comment?
4) What percentage of blogs you read do you leave a comment on?
5) Do you still continue to comment if the person doesn’t acknowledge you or what you’ve said?
I’m sure there’s more to cover on this topic but it’s a start. Anything you’d like to share about your experiences with leaving or receiving comments is welcome! 🙂
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I’ve never thought about it in this much detail but I will say that that whole Disqus system drives me insane and I haaaaate it. There’s only one blog I will try to conquer Disqus for and that’s @grace134’s blog. I like her a lot – but I don’t comment as often over there because it takes so long.
I think you may be overthinking the whole comments thing. 🙂 Personally, I don’t know that there is any etiquette re comments other than to try and be respectful. I usually don’t comment on things I read online, mainly just out of sheer laziness and/or not really having anything to say. And not wanting to take the time to try and think of something to say just for the sake of saying something. But I admit that I do love to see encouraging comments on my own blogs.
I just found you via Twitter and…
1) I don’t know. If I find the post particularly funny/moving/interesting, I’m more likely to comment, but often it just has to do with the mood I’m in. *shrug*
2) I don’t think so. I usually will stop reading if I find something particularly offensive, so I wouldn’t really get to the point of commenting.
3) Yes. I hate trying to figure out what the stupid letter/number combinations are.
4) What percentage of blogs you read do you leave a comment on? 5%-ish?
5) Do you still continue to comment if the person doesn’t acknowledge you or what you’ve said? Yep.
And I hope you’re having a good one… =)
This is a great post. I try to comment on all of the blogs I read, just to let the writer know I appreciated the post or thought it was funny, insightful, touching…whatever. The only time I don’t comment is if I really can’t think of anything to say (which doesn’t happen to me that often!)
Thanks for the great post!
1) What determines whether you comment on a blog or not?
Mostly, the material. Good, bad, happy, sad – whenever it moves me to words, I guess.
2) Have you ever left a comment that was anything but nice?
(I’ve never received any and would never leave any.)
Totally. Sometimes it’s a post ripping someone undeserving to shreds.
3) Does the more complicated comment systems with heightened security make you less inclined to leave a comment?
Only if I’m in a hurry. I get that when people use them, it’s because they’ve had some recent spam, usually.
4) What percentage of blogs you read do you leave a comment on?
About 80% – I’m pretty loyal!
5) Do you still continue to comment if the person doesn’t acknowledge you or what you’ve said?
Again – depends on the post itself. Some people never respond. If I felt singled out and ignored, however, I’d stop commenting, probably.
I agree with everything Vicky is saying. I’m one of those people who comments on a blog if I feel like I have something to add. I won’t just comment to say “yeah, I agree” or “this rocks” unless I feel very strongly or have an opinion, I’m more into having a discussion.
I almost always reply to each comment left on my blogs, but I’m not one of those people who won’t comment on someone’s blog just because they don’t comment on mine.
I used to comment on just about everything but it really isn’t practical. I comment when something moves me, is really well written or if the blogger touches on a subject I am thinking about at the time.
Comments left on my blog are tricky. I find that replying to comments is quite time-consuming and often I avoid it and then feel guilty and reply to every one in a big rush. I’m still not sure what the actual etiquette is.
I don’t like negative, nasty comments. I think being respectful is key. If a blogger writes something that offends me and continues to write that way then I just stop reading them.
Oh and word verification? Drives me crazy. Sometimes it takes ages.
Best wishes for you and your blog!
I comment when I have time. Sometimes I just read from my reader. It just depends on how busy I am.
I would never leave a negative comment. I tend to comment more to people who will visit my blog. I want it to be a two sided relationship.
And I hate when its hard to comment. Drives me insane.
1) Sometimes it’s the content that will spur me to leave a comment, but sometimes it’s because it’s someone who I consider my friend.
2) Yes, once. I will never do it again. I felt crappy, even though my point was valid to me.
3) Yes. I read 90% of blogs on my phone and if it’s too hard I don’t comment.
4) Probably 30%?
5) Yes. I like blogs that email a comment response best, which is how mine is set up, but I will still comment if they don’t. I don’t subscribe to comments, though, because I don’t want to see everyone’s responses, just mine.
1) What determines whether you comment on a blog or not?
I suppose the truth is it’s a mix of time, emotion and relationship. Many blogs I go to specifically to comment out of a desire to reciprocate for a comment on my blog. Also, if I m on my blackberry commenting is really hard so I try to remember to go back…
2) Have you ever left a comment that was anything but nice?
No, but I have left well-intended kick-in-the-pants comments when someone is clearly in a rut and seeking a way out.
(I’ve never received any and would never leave any.)
3) Does the more complicated comment systems with heightened security make you less inclined to leave a comment?
I don’t mind filling things out, I have a Disqus account and generally have everything I need stored. However, when the word verifications refuse to give me a pass I seethe. If I know the person I’ll send them a tweet or emails to say that I tried.
4) What percentage of blogs you read do you leave a comment on?
Generally if I am taking the time to read a blog I’ll comment if I have something of value to say. If the comments are nearing 100 I’ll refrain if I don’t have the time or interest to read all the comments.
The fading presence of comments makes me sad and so, thanks to posts like this, I try to remember to not be a part of the problem.
5) Do you still continue to comment if the person doesn’t acknowledge you or what you’ve said?
It is very tempting to turn away from blogs where I feel there is no connection. If the writing isn’t strong enough and the storytelling isn’t compelling, I leave.
This was a wonderful exercise. I am glad I followed Karen’s tweet.
1) A combination of having something to say and wanting to let the writer know I read it: the blog world can feel very lonely if you feel like you’re writing into a void.
2) Yes, but it wasn’t directed to the writer, it was directed at someone trolling the writer (which just resulted in said troll coming to my blog). It’s true: don’t feed the trolls!
3) Generally, no. To be fair, I have one of those “difficult” comment systems, so it feels hypocritical of me to decide against commenting. I didn’t realize Disqus and the like were so disliked: I installed it because I like being able to reply to commenters (I cut my teeth on message boards, so I’m used to – and really enjoy – the back and forth interaction).
4) I have no clue, because a lot of the blogs I subscribe to are cooking, craft, humour, etc. blogs that don’t really require comments. (And I’ve been commenting a LOT less lately. :-s )
5) Yes, because I rarely go back to see if the writer replied, so I’m clueless if they didn’t! 🙂
I’d leave a comment here, but I’m more of a lurker.
Nice post. 😉
First of all, thank you for mentioning me in your post! I’ve been terrible at reading blogs lately (back to school blah blah) but it was so nice to be mentioned 🙂 I’ve been blogging for oh… 7 years? 8? and I’ve sort of asked myself the same questions as you are.
1) What determines whether you comment on a blog or not?
I will generally comment on a blog if I think I have something to say that would add to the discussion. I will generally *not* comment on a blog if they have 800 other commenters all saying the same thing as I would.
2) Have you ever left a comment that was anything but nice?
Having received some (in the distant past, when I did actually receive comments from more than one person), I can’t say I’d ever do that. I have left comments that didn’t necessarily agree with the blog author’s opinion, but I think that’s different than a “mean” comment.
3) Does the more complicated comment systems with heightened security make you less inclined to leave a comment?
If I have to sign up for something before I can comment, I’m probably not going to comment. I don’t mind a captcha, or a system where they hold your first comment for moderation, but when it’s something that’s too much work, eh. I’m lazy.
4) What percentage of blogs you read do you leave a comment on?
It depends on the day – some days I will have something to say everywhere, some days I will lurk. And, of course, time is a factor.
5) Do you still continue to comment if the person doesn’t acknowledge you or what you’ve said?
To be honest? No, not as often. There is one blog that I used to comment on all the time. I never received one response from the author. Which, fine, people don’t always have time… but when I noticed that the author was responding to the “bigger” bloggers who had said the same thing as I had, AFTER I’d said it… I didn’t feel like what I had to say was very important.
I always try to respond to every commenter – since I hardly have any, it’s fairly easy, and I understand people getting 900 comments don’t always have time for that. I don’t always do it in comments (in fact I hardly ever do it in comments) unless it’s something that would further the conversation… otherwise I respond via email. I just think it’s polite to answer people, no matter if they’ve written a novel in your comments or a one-liner.