Attention Bloggers: We Need To Change
Note the pronoun, we, which I used. I'm as guilty as anyone. All of us bloggers need to change some of our bad habits. It doesn't matter if the habits are forced upon us or if we've developed them out of sheer laziness. One of the bad habits is not commenting and/or replying to comments. While I'd like to blame feedreaders for the lack of commenting that's going on, it's really just a bad habit we've developed. Read the final section to see what I plan to do about it, at least for a period of time.
Responding to comments on our blogs:
When visitors make the effort to comment on our blogs, we need to reply to those comments when the situation calls for it. Granted, not all comments warrant a reply, but it's our responsibility to make sure we check. Even a late reply is better than none at all. No one likes to be ignored. You want your visitors to return, don't you? When in doubt, reply.
Commenting on other blogs:
We all read other blogs at one time or another. We have to or we have no idea what's going on around us. Why is it then that so few of us comment on the blogs we read? I realize some blogs have comments closed and there's nothing we can do about that. Still, we need to make a concentrated effort to comment on every blog we read (where the comments aren't closed), not just those we like.
Comments are appreciation.
Regardless of what you may think, even negative comments are appreciated. How can we improve as bloggers (and we all need improvement even if we won't admit it to ourselves) if we always get nothing but positive comments? I don't know about you, but I not only like being told I'm wrong, I need to be told I'm wrong, even if it pisses me off. I know I'll get over it once I calm down.
Comments are motivation.
A blogger who receives a lot of comments on a particular post/article is motivated by those comments. What kind of motivation am I talking about? The kind that makes a blogger want to improve. The kind that makes a blogger want to keep writing. The kind that makes a blogger keep going.
As one of my frequent contacts (Hari) mentioned to me, all of this one-sidedness is starting to make some bloggers bitter. They're taking the time to comment frequently on other blogs but that effort isn't being reciprocated by but a fraction of those other bloggers. This tells me that we're not doing a good enough job. We harp about getting more traffic to our blogs and we won't even take the time to do something basic that actually drives traffic.
The "Comment King (or Queen) Award".
For those of you who are willing to participate, I'm starting a comment contest as of right now. Make a comment on a blog you read (but not as the sole comment — just as an aside or something) and let the blogger know about the contest. I'll create the image or have one of my more graphically-oriented online friends do it for me.
You, as the blog author of your own blog, need to count how many comments per commenter you receive. Every week, ending in Saturday, send me the name, URL, and comment count of the person who commented on your blog the most (ties are okay). I will pick a weekly winner from all the submissions.
Needless to say, while I'll be participating myself, I won't by vying for the award. If no one else participates, I won't have a much of a list to pick a winner from, will I?
Similar Posts:
Slick idea. What about non-blogger comments? I think most of our traffic comes from readers, not fellow bloggers. I've been trying to figure out the best way to convert readers to talkers.
If there isn't a URL to work with, I'll have to find another way to reward them. I'm open to suggestions.
You have a plugin that automatically does this? I don't have one for blogger. I would have to hand count. Let me think on this.
Nope, no plugin. Sorry.
Good post RT and very true. Active commenting works for us all and I for one certainly appreciate those who take the time. It seems only right to me to engage those folks in conversation as much as possible.
I realize that it's not feasible for those who have a torrent of comments to respond to everyone individually. For me it's plain good old fashioned manners and civility to talk to those who bother to talk to me.
To not do so is akin to the behavior of people who answer their cell phones in company, wag a finger at you and expect you to sit or stand there while waiting for them to finish their more "important" talking. Grrrr…..
It will be interesting to see if this idea can get off the ground – I like it
Thanks Maurice, I hope it takes off. You'd be surprised at how many really good articles have zero comments on them, even on more popular blogs.
I try to respond to comments, but at times it is a challenge. Given your advice I will try more.
Trying to improve is all that anyone can ask.
RT, What you're saying about the need to comment is spot on. However, what I'm planning to do is to add one of the top commentator plugins. The top commentators on my site will have a dofollow link on every page of my site. Personally, I'm not into awards – I'd rather have a link!
The link thing is well and good, but doesn't foster communication. Most bloggers are looking for some kind of communication. I have the top commentators plugin on a dedicated page.
Attention Bloggers: We Need To Change – Untwisted Vortex…
All of us bloggers need to change some of our bad habits. It doesn't matter if the habits are forced upon us or if we've developed them out of sheer laziness. One of the bad habits is not commenting and/or replying to comments. While I'd like to bla…
RT, you've expressed this better than I could. Thanks for bringing it up. Your contest sounds interesting. I'm not sure how I'll count the comments since b2evolution doesn't exactly have a "top commenters" plugin.
By hand, Hari. That's how I'll be doing it. I don't trust plugins for something like this.
"I dont care to write a comment" syndrome!!!
The syndrome that needs to change.
Great post RT,I pray we all change after reading a post like this.Will get back to you on the commenters,don't have much to count anyway.
Hopefully a contest like this will change that.
Good post as ever. Inspired me to write a post of my own to spread the commenting word. http://www.thepisstakers.com/weekly/webtech3oct06_files/Blog-commenting-RT-rocket-up-the-ass.html
I am pretty good acknowledging posts on my own site, although I am sure I have fallen behind at times.
I get the impression that once a community grows so far, it is a self perpetuating commenting scene and the owner doesnt necessarily get involved too much in comments. I wonder if that is a long term mistake or perhaps the kudos for creating a platform that people can discuss stuff on is enough to sustain the blog without owner comments.
btw When you have a prize or badge, let me know.
cheers Ed
Thanks, Ed. I'm working on setting up something suitable.
Hey there,
I'll try to spread your contest around a little:
http://redneckbarandgrill.com/2007/11/crowning-the-co.html
A lot of us commentors are looking for communication, that's true. I sometimes feel that my comments fall on deaf ears. I don't mean here, I mean all those other bloggers out there who have never acknowledged a comment. It feels like they don't even read them….
Well, I hope this helps to change all that.
Great idea! I could really get into this. I love comments and leaving comments and I agree that when the blogger responds to my comment, that is the best!
Thanx, Gerri. I hope it works out for all of us.
I get kind of frustrated by this sort of thing as well. In some ways it's even worse for me; technically I'm the co-author of Tim's and my blog. As such I don't have access to the numbers of people who are viewing us, so somedays I have to wonder if anyone (other than a handful of regulars) are picking up what I'm laying down. One thing I need some clarification on, if I may, "Make a comment on a blog you read (but not as the sole comment — just as an aside or something)". I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that.
Sorry about that Ernie. Sometimes I forget you have limited access. I'll try to send you some info right away.
What I meant was, don't make a comment just to announce that. It would make it look kind of spammy.
Heck, I don't get a lot of comments (unlike RT here), but I do make a point to leave a follow-up response to those I get. And I'll admit, it makes me giddy to get even a single response. I feel inclined to follow up.
I like to follow up when I can, regardless of how many comments I receive. It's just being neighborly.
RT – thanks for a great post. I couldn't agree more. I zoomed the post on BloggingZoom and also Stumbled it.
Just subscribed to your feed, also. Cheers.
Thanks, Rod. I haven't been over to your blog recently, but I think I already have it in my feedreader.
I do my level best to comment on blogs whenever I feel I can contribute in some small way to a conversation. And I do always respond to comments left on my own blog. This is all just part of being a good, responsible netizen.
Now if I could just figure out how to get more of my visitors/readers to leave comments…
Easy. Participate in the "Comment King/Queen" contest and watch your comments increase.
[...] Posted in November 18th, 2007 by Stine in Friends, Blogging I read a post about commenting over at RT's @ Untwisted Vortex today, and I can only plead guilty as charged. I've been very bad at visiting my commenters [...]
RT, I think this is a great post. Comments mean the world to me, and I think to blogging in general. In fact, without comments blogs aren't any different than other web sites. It's this advancement in communication that makes blogging interesting to me as a reader and a writer. Again, excellent post.
Ann
[...] Attention Bloggers: We Need To Change is one of my favorite articles — why? Because it brings attention to some of my biggest flaws as a blogger. I don't comment as much as I could on other blogs and sometimes I'm not sure how to comment to people who comment on my blog! [...]
As a Blog writer I find that, although I can spout on about my favourite subjects forever, I am much more reticent to wade in on subjects in which I don't have much experience.
Nevertheless, after blogging as I have been for 18 months and with a Newsletter following today of 260 subscribers, I am really getting impatient with the lack of commenting.
I finish off at least half of my posts with a request for comments, but with very little success, so far.
So, I really like to see any ideas to encourage commenting. I am also making a point to make myself comment as I am here.
A top commenters page, or sidebar widget, a comment contest like the one I run continually, and other measures that reward people for commenting works well. It's a form of baiting, but most people don't mind it when it's done like that.
If somebody replies to your comment it shows the blog is still active rather than somebody setting it up and then just leaving it to run . To Steve I dont know if you use the do follow but I am sure if you do and you advertise it U COMMENT I FOLLOW more people would surely comment.As they get a link back and you get fresh new content for the search engines and hopefully an active discussion. If they are totally spammy I am sure you can just delete them as it sounds like you actively monitor your blog. Just about to pop over now
Short, detailed, useful analysis – thanks for RT!
Lizon B.'s last blog post..Petite greenies. That greenies petite: greenies petite bulk from greenies petite c ster how greenies petite c ster a greenies petite dog bones by greenish mucus at weeks pregnant
If everyone commented, you'd have quite alot of messes to go through.
It really doesn't take that long with a WordPress blog. I just stick 'em on a spreadsheet and start incrementing.
Absolutely true! People underestimate the power of interacting and building communities on blogs, well said!
DotGirlfriend.com – How to Talk to Girls's last blog post..Bad Dates – How to Eject Safely and Easily!
Sometimes there is simply laziness to make comments.
Yes, sometimes it's just nice to see that a blogger is in touch with his readers ..
Digi's last blog post..Handys kabellos aufladen
[...] Attention Bloggers: We need To Change [...]
Nevertheless, after blogging as I have been for 18 months and with a Newsletter following today of 260 subscribers, I am really getting impatient with the lack of commenting.
News's last blog post..Ulysses spacecraft known for its resourcefulness
I'm a stumble-a-holic. I stumble blogs on a daily basis. I find that I probably comment on about 15-20% of the blogs I stumble.
As a rule of thumb, I only comment if I can add value to the post. I hate it when people comment on my site with a simple *Thanks* or similar comments.
Those are not value added comments, they are simply trying to get their link on my site.
I will either reply to the comments, or delete them if they are spam.
I do agree with your post though, and have given a well-deserved stumble.
Thanks for bringing this subject to light.
unTECHy's last blog post..How I’ve reduced my spam
Sometimes I don't want comment because I am so lazy)))
I only comment on blogs that i find interesting. I come across a few of those on a regular day and i don hesitate to comment on more than one time.
There must always be some spam policy on the blogs as i only posts on the blogs which i have the knowledge and which interest me a lot.
Nothing other than that and i like the same followup from all bloggers..