This marks the occasional blogging tip series inspired by a comment on a blog that warranted a tip series about comments on blogs. Make sense?
While I didn’t read the actual blog post, I did read a comment on the post (not sure how that happened), and it went something like this:
“Thanks for this post about whether I should comment on my own blog when someone comments. I now won’t do it because I think the comment section is for the voice of the reader and not me because they already heard my voice in the post.”
GASP! I AM AGOG!
Please, bloggers, never do this.
- Blogging is NOT a one-way street; that goes for the comment section, too.
- If you want to build community, you have to engage in comments.
- People who comment expect the blogger’s response!
- If you don’t comment, then no one is home; you look dark, curtains drawn, not-welcome sign in the window.
If I comment in your house and you don’t respond? I’m never coming back because that’s rude.
If someone comments and disagrees with what I say and wants me to explain what I’ve written, but I don’t reply in comments…that’s grounds for divorce.
Blogger’s Tip 1: Always respond to comments on your blog.
Jayme Soulati is the Author of Writing with Verve on the Blogging Journey. After more than three years of blogging and writing a ton about blogging, she knows how to build community and responding to all comments is rule numero uno.
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I agree. If you’re going to have open or moderated comments on your blog, you have to respond to them. It’s common courtesy.
Erin F. Erin you are correct, neglecting comments shows that the blogger does not value interaction (or that person’s time). If a blogger does not want to respond to comments then they should turn the comments off. What do you think?
I have never turned off comments over here. There really hasn’t been a need. When I write about my profession in a more educational approach, I find that fewer people comment, yet they are reading.
Makes sense as that comment may be a thanks or interesting piece.
I set out one day to find an app developer to make me a plug in for a blog; like a “Kilroy was here” but it was my name. I could stamp it in comments without commenting to let the blogger know I was reading.
PTheWyse It’s a solution, I suppose, but I think the content itself has to show it’s designed for consumption and thought rather than conversation. If it doesn’t, the writer can still come across as standoffish and uninterested in his or her audience.
When I saw that new blogger’s comment that she had decided to never reply to anyone commenting on her post, I knew I could not remark. I was so upset by her thought process and I wasn’t sure I could nicely say NO, please don’t do that!
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing If I’m really upset about something someone has said, I usually have to take a step back, too. If I don’t, the words just kind of explode and don’t make any sense. 🙂
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing Some people never get it.
It’s interesting. I was chatting to MitchJoel about this on his podcast last week, and he shared how in his earlier days, he didn’t really comment back, for the same reason your example highlights. Yet, while not replying to every comment, Mitch is much more active in the comments section today than he was 12-24 months ago. So even leopards can change their spots. 🙂
For me, it boils down to this – if you’ve had your say and you have no interest in engaging readers when they comment, switch the comments off altogether. If you’re looking to encourage discussion on your post, let it happen away from your blog. G+ and Facebook pages are particularly good at this.
Or, appreciate the fact someone has taken time out of their day and spent it with you, when there are millions of other places they could be on the web, and respect that choice by interacting. It’s a small thing to do but means so much to someone who’s shared their thoughts with you.
Cheers, miss!
Well said, Danny. Funny about Mitch; I went in the earliest days to his house and was so intimidated I think I never returned. I heard him speak, and that guy knows his stuff, aside from a couple racy remarks in his keynote! LOL.
Good tip…you can turn off comments and move them to other channels. I find many people prefer to use G+ (more that channel than FB) to engage on a blog topic.
Many thanks for being here!
As someone who is only just starting to entertain the idea of blogging, it is nice to learn the dos and don’ts from the get go. Thanks.
Good Morning Ottawa! Now, let me be curious and ask if you are handyman and that is your business? Or are you tweeting/blogging under that profile for someone else?
I am so excited for you that you’re launching into blogging! I can think of 50 topics to write about right now. If handyman is your area of expertise…the sky is the limit!
My blogging tips book is being prepared in ebook form; should be next week. If you are in Canada, then of course you will want to have that version and avoid shipping.
Blogging is such a rewarding journey…please ask me anything! Goog luck! Thanks for coming by!
Responding to comments like you suggested is an integral part of building a community. Responding to comments can also inspire new blog posts and establish expertise.
This is my first time here. Thank you Jayme for what you do.
GOOD MORNING! So happy PTheWyse, to lure you here into the comments. That makes my day! Please don’t be a stranger; welcome!
I understand there are so many people just starting their blogging journey. In the community, Bloggers Unite! on G+ Iaunched it has been eye-opening to say the least. Any blogger serious enough to keep going with this commitment has to build community via comments; that’s the first way.
Sorry for my delay in responding…today is the final day of vacation so my time was a bit limited.
Hey, Tim! I agree! You learn right quick who the hobbyist versus professional blogger is. Those who don’t care about building community usually don’t respond to comments.
That’s one thing Livefyre does so very well (and Disqus , but I’m partial)…if someone comments, then everyone knows and can come back to reply again.
I have not had good luck with native comment systems or CommentLuv. Seems I ask for notification that comments are made after I leave and I never know.
Thanks for being by over here! How’s summer? Are you a #DadInSummer and complain like we Moms do b/c the kids are off school? Now, I have forgotten the age of your tots; I think they’re still toddlering!
This might surprise you, coming from me: It depends:
– Type of blog; individual or company, or a ‘blog and its ads ARE the biz’ blog? is it thought leadership or a group ezine? IMO you score a post on Copyblogger or SME or HBR you should stick around, but all to often I see guest writers drop their ‘though leadership’ – along w/ healthy back links to their own posts and books for sale – then disappear. Perhaps on those the expectations are just different?
– Popularity and number of comments. If there are hundreds of ‘wow cool, thanks for posting’ comments, I don’t think it’s necessary to reply to them all. Same on company posts w/ tons of random ‘love, hate, customer service’ comments not really on topic.
– Per Danny Brown and Mitch Joel if all the comments are of the same mind, agreeing w/ the post .. new comments won’t always add to the discussion. Sometimes it’s better to let guests discuss w/ each other (a community, not an audience) and the blogger adds as needed.
I could go on but you get the point. THAT said.. I reply to practically any comment (though eventually someone gets the last word). No matter how busy I am or how many comments my blog got, like you I would try to reply. I try to notice and respect when people drop by my place, add their contributions, share my posts; letting that go unnoticed isn’t how I roll. And it doesn’t escape my notice when my comments, shares, links go ‘ignored,’ that generosity, professional courtesy never returned; – if it’s one way, even if you’re replying to some comments, if you’re never encouraging others to discuss among each other, never stepping out of your house to comment and share elsewhere – then you’re just building an audience for yourself, not a community. FWIW.
3HatsComm Danny Brown Here it is; this lovely comment. I think I’m going to disagree on this one. Any blogger should want to build community which is traffic. To entice actionable and active comments implies healthy content. It’s also a metric that’s valued for measurement, too.
Guests on a blog often need help replying, especially if they are first timers. I think all the huge corporate guys should take lessons from we littler folks — we have it down as far as comments go!
And, thanks for yours, Davina!
Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing I’m not saying I that I agree; I’m saying that’s how it is sometimes. I do question – all the time – when folks disappear, when people don’t respond and engage. And when it’s a blog that does have a healthy comment section, but the guest blogger doesn’t feed that, doesn’t step up to write something discussion-worthy of that group.. I notice and consider it a blogger fail.
As to building community, traffic, etc. – yes. But it can’t be limited to one’s own blog. Again it won’t matter if you always drop a ‘that’s really smart, thanks’ because you always reply to comments or automate that ‘thanks for the RT.’ Members of your community will notice when it’s a one-way street, that you didn’t really read what they wrote or haven’t even bothered to give their blog a once-over. Or it’s just cynical old me, all bitter and jaded. 🙂
Hey, Davina? I saw your comment but now from the airport it’s not here? I am going to come back and comment when i can read it again…thanks for coming by, G-Friend!