No comments? Why bother?
- 10 Comment
I’ve encountered one or two blogs recently that I’ve noticed have turned off their comments. I don’t really get that? Why would you do such a thing? Leaving comments is such a large part of what makes a blog.
It’s the promise of web 2.0 – complete interaction. Don’t just passively read content like a lot of the lurkers here do. Interact with the medium. By all means have moderation in place. Don’t let someone hijack your blog and change the tone with swearing or stupid comments (I mean really stupid comments).
But it is important to the life of your blog to keep that connection with your readers. If I see a blog and I can’t comment on it I feel cheated. Like the transaction didn’t complete itself.
The other gripe I have about comments are when you will only allow blogger account holders or wordpress only members etc. This irritates me even further than if you have just turned them off (mmmm actually maybe I’m irritated equally).
There is a responsibility as good blogging community members:
- As readers to comment on a story or a post as if you were having a conversation with the writer even if it’s just to tell them that you agree. As a side point there is enough negativity in the world so if you’ve got nothing nice to say don’t say anything. I’m not saying you have to comment on every little thing you come across but i think if you are even slightly entertained by the piece maybe you should say something.
- As writers to allow comments and to respond to comments. I know people who might get 60 odd comments on a post and still respond to them all! It makes your reader feel noticed and important and it’s building that relationship. But reserve the right to delete objectional comments. And that’s something that you and the tone of your blog need to decide on.
Hopefully some people will feel moved enough to comment on this post purely because of it’s topic. I guess I’ll count myself lucky if I get three comments.
I will take a moment though to send out some kudos to one of the other authors here who even though she was really busy at the time, she posted a round up post mentioning what was going on in all the blogs that she frequents because it was important to her to let her blogging community know that she was still there and noticing us! Good on you Lucky!
Actually whilst i have the bag of kudos out I’ll throw some Matts way. He really busts himself keeping this place running and making sure people are getting their blogs noticed and I don’t know if everyone who visits here realizes how much work he puts in! So good on you too Matt!!
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Ed the Editor said:
You are right on the money with comments being an intrinsic part of blogging. it is telling though how many different commenting systems there are and there doesnt seem to be a definitive best way to have them set up.
We have haloscan which pop up so you can see the original article while you reply, but lots of people criticise that because it isnt built into the blog. Then you have comments always on display, but they get too long until you forget the original thread… and so it goes on.
Your tracker system is pretty cool though, presunmably the tags will make the comments SE friendly? Again, though, I just wonder, how far do people want to go with comments?
January 22nd, 2007 at 4:28 pm -
Jean MacManus said:
Hello,
My first blog which I started 2 – 3 years ago really spooked me on comments. I had used movable type and the blog was hosted on my daughter’s server. It was a blog on dreams and the dream time. I didn’t even realize the spam that was coming in on the archives and threatening to overwhelm the server – particularly because I had stopped posting after a while but had not taken the blog down. When I became aware of it, I was horrified at the spam that was being posted on what was a spiritual site – and was causing traffic from search engines because of its nature. Times have changed – I know more – everything I do is moderated and comments are allowed again – but the experience certainly left a bad taste in my mouth.By the way, I love to comment and interact with the blog authors – and like you, now feel cheated when I can’t.
January 22nd, 2007 at 4:30 pm -
Chris said:
Agree with you 100%
I hate Blogger blogs which don’t allow ‘anonymous comments’ because what that really means is they don’t allow comments from people who don’t use Blogger – I wonder if the blog authors realise this?
I try & reply to all of my comments-I’ve found it to be one of the best bits about blogging.
January 22nd, 2007 at 8:03 pm -
engtech said:
The reason why some more popular blogs turn off comments is because they’d much rather you respond with a link and a trackback.
It’s a promotion tactic.
January 22nd, 2007 at 9:40 pm -
Matt said:
Thanks for the shoutout, I will definitely get a post together of what I actually do, lol more importantly how I am promoting this blog. It might be worthwhile post.
Lee for the past few weeks you have been right there beside me teaching me about wordpress and other opportunities we can expand on to make BAYB better. Thank you for that.
I cant begin to put in words how glad I am BAYB has come together like this. 🙂
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:11 pm -
Matt Keegan said:
I think some people blog simply to have a site where they can arrange all of their thoughts on-line.
Some writers tend to do this as it their online journal becomes somewhat like a diary, but open to the world.
Yes, it is strange.
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:45 am -
Doris said:
Thanks for the article. I’m a strong believer of leaving comments behind (but I won’t if I really have nothing to say!) It helps to ‘build relationships and network’ and it’s really a ‘circle of life’. You rub mine and I rub yours! I made contacts and friends that way. Some don’t even have a comment box in their blogs??
January 23rd, 2007 at 2:04 am -
Lee said:
Ed – I wonder if the trick would be after X amount of comments then close the comments with a note saying discuss further in the forums?
Jean – I think that happens to the best! The problem is a few people can ruin it for others. I have no problem deleting a comment if it is against the grain of the blog – I don’t mind people disagreeing but being downright rude is not on.
Chris – some people who start out to blogger are new to the blogging world so I hope that explains some of those blogger only pages! I feel the same way about comments!!
engtech – you’re right on this one too – the only thing is I’d argue that they’re missing the point of what blogging is about LOL
Matt – Ahhhh you’re not getting any more of my commenting time LOL
Matt K – Yeah I know – the sites I’m referring to have done it because of that reason. I just still think it’s odd myself. But each to their own – someone like that should never complain about not getting visitors! Of course if they’re happy with that then good on them!
Doris – You’re very welcome! Same here I’ve made plenty of friends via comments!
Well everyone proved me wrong and e got more than 3 comments!!! So kudos to all of you!! Now head on up to Ed’s forum post and comment there too!!!
January 23rd, 2007 at 9:25 am -
Florian said:
Hi,
I found your blog via google by accident and have to admit that youve a really interesting blog 🙂
Just saved your feed in my reader, have a nice day 🙂January 28th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
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