Send to Kindle
Several of my social media buddies—smart, passionate people—were debating the value of blog comments on the Web this week.
But whether we believe that getting comments is key to a blog’s success or not, most of us like to get them.
I love to get comments. Much of the learning happens with the rich interactions in the comments section of my blog. And the more comments, the more new readers and subscribers I get.
Now I’m not going to tell you that you need to care about how many comments you get on your blog. But if you do care, here are some things bloggers do that make me run away before the discussion starts.
10 Reasons I Won’t Leave a Comment on Your Blog
1. You make it too hard for me.
If you make me copy letters and numbers I can’t read—even in a sober state—recite the alphabet backwards to prove I’m not an evil robot, or give you the name of my first born child, sorry. The barrier to entry is just too high.
And why should I have to register for an account, just to comment on your blog? You are asking for three minutes of my life for no good reason.
2. I can’t think of anything to say.
Your post is so complete, so perfect, that I don’t know what I could possibly add to the conversation. And since I don’t want to comment with a lame, “Nice post. I agree with everything you said,” I just quietly disappear.
Of course, if you are writing an opinion or taking a controversial stand, I’m more likely to jump in and say something.
3. You don’t ask me to.
I’m not a mind reader. If you want me to speak up, ask me a question or two at the end of your post. If you don’t, I’ll just think you wanted to educate me, inform me or help me solve a problem. (And that’s cool, too.)
4. You are driving me away with too many outbound links.
I appreciate that you want to give me links to all these other great blog posts and articles. But when you throw in 4 or 5, I get confused. Do you want me to stay on your blog or leave?
And sometimes, well, that other site is just so darned interesting that I forget about going back to your blog, finishing your post and leaving a comment.
5. I don’t see my comment for hours (or days) when I do leave one.
Whether it’s your overambitious comment spam filter or you are just too busy to approve your comments , I like to be recognized with something other than that annoying, “Your comment is awaiting moderation” message.
“Yes, Judy. You left a comment. I like it.” Or, “I hate it.” Or, “Here’s another way to think about that.” But for God’s sake, don’t make me feel invisible. Because I don’t like to talk to walls.
6. I don’t want to be the first to leave a comment.
I don’t want to show up all by myself. I feel more comfortable getting to the party after a few people are there.
Besides, what if I showed up and nobody else did? That would be too embarrassing. I’m much more likely to chime in if other people are already talking.
7. I have no reason to speak up.
It’s like that old joke my dad used to tell. This couple had a son who never talked. Years went by and, still, he never said a word.
One day, when he was 13, at the dinner table, he blurted out, “Please pass the salt.”
Dumbfounded, his dad said, “Why didn’t you say anything all these years?”
The boy said, “Because everything was okay up until now.”
Like the son who finally spoke because he needed the salt shaker, when I have something important to say, I’ll comment.
If not, I’ll just be the quiet one in the room, the one in the corner, just watching and listening.
8. Because you tricked me and now I hate you.
Okay, maybe “hate” is a little strong.
But if you reeled me in with a sensational headline and then didn’t deliver the goods, I’ll not be sticking around. A headline is a promise that your posts must fulfill.
There is a difference between having a little fun with a blog post title and deceiving me about what your post is about.
9. You made me feel like I’m outside the circle.
Yes, it’s middle school all over again. I don’t get to sit at the ‘cool kids’ lunchroom table. Certain people are dominating the conversation. And I’m not in on the inside jokes. Basically, I’m not feeling loved.
10. You didn’t make me laugh or cry or get particularly hot under the collar.
I’ll speak up when something you said makes me feel something. In fact, you won’t be able to shut me up. Because you have touched a passion, a love, or an emotion.
There you go. 10 reasons I may not leave a comment on your blog.
If you need help getting more readers and comments, I invite you to pop on over to the CatsEyeWriter blog coaching page.
What about you? Are comments important to you? How do you make your blog comment-friendly?
Share some of your strategies in…the comments! (See, I asked you.)
About the author
- More at
Hi Judy,
Comments are important to me; it’s one of the primary reasons I switched from doing a one-way eNewsletter to a blog. I like that others can add their thoughts, opinions and experiences, thereby enriching the conversation and inviting deeper learning.
I agree with your points, and #6 is the only one that doesn’t bother me when it happens. Someone’s got to be first (this is a case in point, unless someone else is typing and hits submit at the same time)! That comment is like the “lead-off man” that makes it safe for others to come on board. I am more likely to skip commenting if there are lots of comments already; unless I have something really compellingly different to add, by then most of what I would have said has already been said (and “Ditto @soandso” isn’t good form).
Another thing that I think spurs comments is when the blogger makes him/herself vulnerable in some way. That doesn’t mean we have to spill our guts, but being really honest and speaking from the heart connects much more than “Life is grand, don’t you love me?” posts.
One more thought that might be 5b: When I post a comment, I’d not only like to see it right away, I’d like to see a reply from the blogger sometime in the next few days. That acknowledgment will keep me coming back and let me know that you care.
Thoughtful blog comments are like a little gift someone has given me – they are sharing their ideas and time and letting me know I’m not writing into a vacuum.
And besides giving me warm fuzzies, comments also are important to developing a lively blog that people want to hang out around. They create community.
Glad to be part of your community, Judy!!
Beth Buelow, ACC, The Introvert Entrepreneur recently posted..75 Reasons I’m Grateful to be an Introvert
Beth,
Thanks for the insights. You and I have talked about e-letter vs blog before. The interactive part is what excites me the most and why I love comments.
You are right. Someone does have to be first. But maybe not the hesitant one who has never left a comment before and is wondering what it’s all about.
On #5, this is a pet peeve of mine. I took the time to not only read the post, but share a part of my soul in the comments and the blogger is too “busy” to recognize that? I want to see my comment right away but I also expect the blogger to answer me—and in sooner than one week.
What you said at the end is perfect: Comments create COMMUNITY.
Thanks, Beth.
So true about the reply. There is a relatively prominent community management blogger who *never* replies to comments, not even requests for clarification or other questions!
This calls into question all of his self-proclaimed expertise in my mind, and I avoid his blog as a result.
laura,
Thanks for chiming in. I would suppose that for some of the bloggers, replying to every single comment might be time-intensive, but, still, it is nice to be recognized. And very important in keeping that sense of community that every blogger wants to build. : )
Fabulous post, Judy! I thought most people lurked (like me). These are great thought-provoking hard-hitting points.
Robyn,
So happy that you left a comment! It’s true. We wonder why we don’t get more comments, but most readers ARE lurkers. And there is nothing wrong with that.
I just wish that you would leave a comment more often because you have such good stuff to say!
Nice list Judy.
Making it hard for me is usually what puts me off commenting. I don’t want to be filling in a lot of spam related fields in order to post a comment. We have other WordPress plugins to sort spammers out.
Phil,
I know. The jumping through hoops to comment is one of the biggest turnoffs for me!
I feel that we need to make it super-easy for our readers to join the discussion. And, yes, we can sort the spammers out on the back end. Great point.
Judy – thanks for another practical and to-the-point post about human behavior online. I agree because I have done most of your list of 10 as a blogger and as a commenter.
I’ve had my comments disappear into spam filters enough recently to shout a hearty “Aye!” for #5. It is discouraging to hit submit and not have my comment join the community of other comments.
Your title put your post at the head of the line to read: I loved its contrary position. You delivered on the title because you reminded us how our readers feel through our own experience as reader. In my experience, that reminder is needed as most of us need practice thinking from the perspective of our audience instead of good old number one.
Barbara Breckenfeld recently posted..Giving thanks for horses
Barbara,
Thanks for chiming in here. Glad your comment didn’t get sent to spam this time! It’s weird. I’ve only had a handful of legitimate comments sent to the spam folder since i started blogging. Maybe it doesn’t like readers with a lot of “B”s in their name. : )
On negative headlines, I don’t like to use them too often (because then it feels like I’m always screaming at my reader). But this one just seemed to cry out for one.
And, yes.I agree. Putting yourself in your reader/audience’s shoes is key to writing a post they can relate to.
Great list here, Judy, and advice that every blogger ca take something from.
Curious about #1 – do you see systems like Livefyre as barriers (since it uses Livefyre, Twitter or Facebook profiles for comment publishing), or are you more on about ones that physically make you register with the blog itself?
(And I wonder who you were on about in the opening of this post..?)
Danny Brown recently posted..25 Ways to Use the Web to Find Content for Your Blog
Danny,
Yes. You were one of the smart, passionate people I was referring to in paragraph #1. : ) I absolutely love debates on blogs. Must be my previous life as a political activist!
On comment management systems like livefyre and Intense Debate, I’m still deciding. I know I can sign in using my Twitter or Facebook account, but what about other readers? If they aren’t on Twitter or FB, what kind of a process is it for them? And will I lose the people who don’t want to bother with registering, even if it’s only a one-time thing.
So I’m torn on this issue.
I do love the capabilities that allow readers to continue conversations with the blog’s author and other readers, though. I like that kind of back-and-forth.
Thanks for leaving a comment, Danny.
It’s a valid point. I know when I was looking at Livefyre (I had previously used Disqus), one of the concerns was the “sign in process” and would that have a negative effect.
So far, it seems to have been more beneficial – but I’m always looking for feedback (I’ve only had two complaints about the system, but they’re worth listening to).
I know they’re implementing Google Profile sign-ins soon, and possibly LinkedIn – but I guess that still doesn’t leave options for just the regular commenter using a name and email.
One to keep an eye on!
And yes, I agree, love healthy debates on blogs – just not a fan of personal attacks, and felt a few comments in that post’s comments veered towards that. Hey ho..
Danny Brown recently posted..25 Ways to Use the Web to Find Content for Your Blog
Danny,
On your weighing the pro’s and con’s of the Livefyre comment management system before implementing, you were wise to consider the potential consequences of asking people to register. I think it’s working for you because, frankly, you have a little more focused readership in terms of experience and comfort with technology and social media. My readers are all over the board and some of them don’t have blogs yet and are just considering starting one. I didn’t want to create too many barriers for them.
And on the “healthy debates,” on the blog of which we speak, I didn’t see the personal attacks coming ahead of time in the comments so that threw me off a little. Not to be a pollyannish diplomat here, but there are civil ways to hold discussions, even if people disagree. I think you handled yourself very well.
Agree, Judy – I think if it was another blog/topic, I’d probably still be with either Disqus or vanilla WordPress comments. Like you say, look after your audience first, and they’ll look after your blog.
Danny Brown recently posted..The Power of Ideas
Danny,
I’ll never say never. May decide to give Livefyre a try sometime. : )
Judy,
Everything you offer on your blog I find practical and useful. Thank you so much for that!
Sometimes I comment on your and other blogs because I’m inspired, it’s easy, and I think I have something to offer. Biggest reason for my not commenting, though, is something you don’t mention – I’m just plain tired. I often read blogs at the end of the day as a sort of mental dessert. And when I do that, I’m mostly not in writing and responding mode. It takes a lot to pry me out of that place and into writing anything.
I do, however, feel the community among commenters and enjoy being part of that. I like that Havi in her blog, The Fluent Self, always refers to her “beloved lurkers” and “commenter mice” – it makes the silent people just as much a part of the community as the ones who write.
Miriam,
The best thing a blogger can hear is that she is helping someone. So thanks for that. Made my day.
And, yes, being an involved reader of blogs does take energy, that’s for sure. I tend to do my reading in the first part of my workday, when I am refreshed and able to think. But not everyone can do that.
And I just love Havi’s blog. She has such a way of welcoming her readers to the table, even the “silent” ones. And with the 90-9-1 rule that applies to blog commenters (90% never comment, 9% comment now and then and 1% chime in regularly), we definitely need to make out lurkers feel like they are part of the community, too. Great point.
Hi Judy, Your topic is most timely as it has been a discussion point for several of us ‘beginning bloggers’ out here in cyber-land.
One thing I have discovered is that as my subscriber numbers grow, the less likely it is that they will go to the actual blog page to see all the other goodies there, including the opportunity to hit the comment button.
These folks simply reply to the emailed post they’ve received in their inbox. And for them to have to go back to the blog, then comment, would be a lot of effort when a simple reply will get their thoughts to me.
It doesn’t create a sense of community but it does provide feedback and often prompts a more in-depth response from me.
I enjoyed your comments and they are a good source of food for thought.
Jackie,
Don’t think I’ve seen you here before. Welcome!
I really get what you are saying here. You have to be a serious commenter to take that extra step. Personally, if I subscribe to a blog, it’s because I not only want the content, I want to be part of the discussions. So when I get mine by email, I always click through to the blog before I start reading because at least 50% of the time, I end up leaving a comment.
But your point is well taken. Many people read business blogs to be educated and informed. All they want is to consume the content and get the heck out. Commenting is just one more step in their busy lives.
I have done what you do when a reader emails me. And you are right. It’s an opportunity to respond in a deeper way and begin to develop that relationship. I’ve also found that some people are not comfortable leaving a public comment, but they still want to communicate something to the blogger about something she wrote.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Jackie.
Hey, Jackie,
Sorry about that. I had no idea you were my long lost friend Jackie when I responded to your comment! Great to reconnect with you . : )
Judy – as you know I love leaving comments on blogs that I read regularly. On the milquetoast, blah blah blah, import everyone else’s RSS feed, not so much. I want an interaction with the writer, not sending a message off into cyberspace to play in a black hole somewhere.
I feel the same way about getting comments. I love getting comments – but not the “nice blog, look at mine” or the “good job” ones, but the ones where someone actually took the time to contribute. Those are the best. Blogging can be very lonely or it can be very social. I prefer the latter.
Good to see you here, DeBorah. And it was fun meeting your in person when we took our blogging workshop to Portland, OR!
I’m with you, both on the getting and leaving of comments. I enjoy leaving a comment as much, if not more, than reading a blogger’s post. Sometimes the conversations and learning are extended in amazing ways.
Blogging can be be a lonely pursuit. Not so much so when our readers choose to jump in and talk to us. Thanks for doing that.
Judy,
Thanks for the 10 tips! I guess I need to start ‘asking’ people to leave a comment, or just be the first to leave one on my blog. Great ideas to put into practice. Kerri
Kerri,
Glad you took something useful away. And yes, it’s surprising how many bloggers write a beautiful, meaty post and forget to ask for comments. Usually asking a question or two (be sure they can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”—make them more open-ended) will do the trick.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
I am currently reviewing how I communicate. Make that over-communicate! When I first started blogging I found people piled on to sell their stuff on my posts and it was hard to read them all so I turned off the comments and decided my posts are static articles. Now that managing comments is easier, I am reconsidering their value as a way to get actual useful feedback but then I would have to use that feedback…right? Thanks for pointing out it’s a responsibility to acknowledge your audience participation.
Susan,
You are right that managing comments has gotten easier. And on the feedback issue, readers will always have different views in the comments section. I use the feedback mostly to understand better what my readers’ (and potential clients’) needs and problems are. And lots of time, they give me ideas for new posts.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Susan.
It’s awesome when you read a great blog post, you have something to say and then bam! they hit you with “registration required.” It’s like a stop sign that reads “Wait! No comments here!”
Blog’s should make it easy for you to comment, not put up barriers for you to do so.
Great write-up and great list Judy!
Ricardo,
Thanks. Glad this was helpful. It all seems like common sense, but… I have great problems with the jumping-through-hoops-to-comment thing, too.
Whether we want to admit it or not, I think most bloggers at least “like” getting comments on their posts. Like Beth pointed out, it’s usually the reason we choose a blog vs a newsletter or other website type.
Because of this, I often try and leave comments as I’m reading others’ sites. #1 on your list is definitely my personal pet peeve. The captcha code is pretty annoying by itself, but having to subscribe to leave a comment brings #9 into play. If I have to be a member of join your site to comment, maybe it should be a member only site. Whether it is or not, if “feels” like you’re just trying to get my information and don’t really want to have a conversation with me. Ironically (or not) these are often the sites where I don’t feel the moderator/author engages in the comments so maybe that really is the reasoning.
Thanks for reminding us all that if our goal is to create community and foster discussions, we should remove the barriers that prevent that from happening.
Karie Price recently posted..7 Lessons a BA Can Learn From Playing Diner Dash
Karrie,
Yeah, #1 seems to be the most troublesome one for many of us. And there is a big difference between being a “member” and being a part of a community. I’m still torn on systems like Livefyre and Intense Debate, though, because they do foster and promote richer discussions.
Thanks for weighing in here.
What a great post (and blog!), Judy. Just discovering you via Danny Brown — gotta love the blogging community! I’m esp not a fan of screaming, sensational headlines (#8), or as I call it, SEO gone wild. But although I totally get your 10th point, it often begs hyped up headlines. And couldn’t agree more re: #1 – I forsook 3rd party commenting systems because of that.
P.S. love that you were a political activist
Tim Baran recently posted..Did To Do Lists Miss the Tech Revolution
Tim,
So many blogs. So little time. : )
SEO gone wild. Heh. On point #10, I honestly feel there are ways to find the emotional hook without creating a sensational, hypey headline. And I don’t really mind a sensational title, as long as the post delivers on the promise. But bait and switch? Not so much.
Yes, the political fire in the belly. I try to douse it but it flames up every once in a while. : )
Okay I’m doing it – since you said you like getting comments – Great post, and there really isn’t anything I can add to it; thanks for writing it! Ok, I do have one thing to add, that you can’t do anything about, but let’s talks to the blog software creators. I wish posts had a counter button to show how many people have read a specific post (and I know the system would be gamed, and that currently google analytics & RSS subscribers can tell us a lot). But even just an “I read this button” to click on (for lurkers who don’t want to give their email address, make a comment, retweet or Facebook “like” a post). I know lurkers read my blog, but it sure would be nice to know how many?
CathyWhyDoWeBlog recently posted..Round Up – How to Guest Post
Cathy,
I know exactly what you mean. I have never fully trusted my google analytics numbers, although I monitor them regularly. But the lurkers who don’t want to leave comments, may not want to click on “I read this,” either. : )
The stats I have heard that really stuck with me is the 90-9-1 rule. (90 percent read and never leave a comment; 9 percent of readers leave a comment now and then; and 1 percent leave a comment regularly.) Readers-to-commenters ratio would be very interesting to track.
YES! I want an “I read this” button too.
And Judy…not only do I want comments, I sort of wish people would quit advising that if all they have to say is “nice post” that they shouldn’t say anything at all.
I, for one, would be happy to have simple comments like: “nice post” or even “I read this.” Sometimes blogging is a lonely business.
Patty K recently posted..If I’m not shy anymore- who am I
Patty,
The “I read this” button would be very cool IF all readers would use it and the stats we got from it were accurate. Very cool.
And, I wasn’t speaking from the perspective of the blogger, many of whom would be tickled with any kind of response, including, “Nice post.” I was really speaking with the reader’s hat on. I hear from people a lot that they feel like they need to say something more substantial/meaningful than “great post.”
I get what you are saying, though. Sometimes you just need to know that you haven’t been talking to yourself. And, totally agree, blogging can be lonely. Thanks for the good insights, Patty.
Ooh, this is very helpful information. Thanks, Judy! (And thanks Tammy Redmon for the find!)
Leslie,
I am delighted to meet you. Many of my friends have spoken so highly of you. Look forward to getting to know you better!
And Judy models the behavior! Way to go, Judy! I’m looking forward to your blogging class in B’ham on the 8th (driving up from Seattle for the day!)
Margit Crane recently posted..Gift-Giving and receiving Tips for Families
Margit,
Wow. You are going to be there for our blogging workshop in beautiful Bellingham, WA! That’s great! I’m honored that you are driving up north for this. See you then.
Great advice Judy – thank you! Especially like the bits about having to sign up (I HATE that!) and as the blogger not saying anything thought provoking or asking for comments. Straightforward advice, great stuff!
Jo,
Thanks. We all struggle with these issues. Just so glad we have a blogging community to discuss them in. : )
Hi Judy,
This is a fantastic post. Not only is it spot on but the humor in it makes it all the more enjoyable to read. Thanks for sharing it
.
Here are my 2 but more like 4 lol. Danny B. is used to my novel lengths posts and comments so if he sees this, I’m sure he’ll laugh
. But I’m hoping you won’t gasp at the sight of it haha.
I can’t think of a blogger who wouldn’t like to get comments – I for one, love em’ and make sure to reply to each and every one. Even the effortless but good intentioned drive-by’s
.
1. There are only so many times I’m willing to “generate new words” because I need a PhD to decipher them in captcha. If you’re not the official site for the CIA or FBI then don’t have me go through the process they would!
2. Like you, if the post is beyond thorough and has said everything there is to say – I may shy away. But as you will see with this long comment – if I’m interested enough in the subject, I’ll find something that will hopefully add value or be worthy of the author’s time.
3. I make an effort to always include a little note to my readers to leave their thoughts. I try to include questions for them as I’m always interested to hear the opinion of others but sometimes it’s just a “let me know what you think” type of thing.
4. I admit to including outbound links – especially and only if they’re relevant and can shed more light on the topic or can help my readers in some way or other. But and a big BUT, whichever way you click on it – it opens in a new tab or window. For crying out loud, if I got you to come to my post I sure as heck don’t want you to leave so soon
.
5. I personally don’t moderate comments. I can handle removing the few spams here and there – and I prefer doing that than keeping my commentators waiting to see whether and when they’ve been approved. I’m not Godin or Rowse and I don’t get 300 comments on every post I publish. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to go back to posts to see if my comment (which I took a while to write) has been posted! Plus, I’m usually expecting some kind of reply so it makes it even more frustrating. But if you do have a moderation system, the faster the better – in turn – the more willing your readers will want to come back and chip in.
PS – I use Disqus but will be switching over to CommentLuv very soon.
6. Oddly enough, I don’t mind being the first to comment – even though I know most people do. Although, I rarely have been. Bottom line is: if I have something useful or remotely intelligent to say – I’ll say it.
8. I won’t hate you either but your headline better tell me what to expect in the reading. A great headline is awesome but if the post has nothing to do with it then I’m gonna’ be a bit disappointed.
9. I don’t like crashing private parties with cliques.
Plus, I wouldn’t want to intrude lol.
10. Leave an impact on me and I’m all over you – as I am here and now lol
. Teach me, make me laugh, entertain me, shock me, educate me, whatever…but do something to me that stirs me up enough to want to talk back. I usually try and use humor, wit or sarcasm to entertain my guests while they read. Plus I write the way I talk – after all, isn’t it what blogging is somewhat about? I want my readers to feel that they’re reading but in fact listening to a person that’s on the other end of a phone. But I also make sure that they get something out of the reading – useful, helpful, insightful – they’re all my objectives.
Okay, I’m done. And I know you just took a deep breath and phewwwwwwww lol! All that and I’m sure I left out a ton
.
All that to say – excellent points you’ve made here. Thank you!
PS – please excuse the excessive use of smiley’s. But if I smile at something I type then I just gotta’ let ya know
.
Cheers
Ingrid Abboud recently posted..nittyGriddy is 1 Year New! Happy Blogoversary!
Good gravy!!!
Danny Brown recently posted..The Power of Ideas
And the some! LOL
Ingrid Abboud recently posted..SuperPost Sunday – Weekly Roundup 6
Wow, Ingrid. Just wow.
Sorry you got caught in spam. All I can think is that the length of your comment was some kind of red flag for Askimet. : )
Seriously, what a thoughtful response. it’s interesting, My readers who know me personally challenged me on the first-to-leave-a-comment. They didn’t get that I was playing devil’s advocate with some of these. I have no problem at all being the first to comment, but I know that it is troublesome for some of my readers.
Thanks for sharing your view on all 10. Sounds like we have the same philosophy on most of them. Oh, and on #4, I’ve cut down my use of outbound links. Try to limit to no more than 2.
Thanks again for the insights.
Hi Judy,
.
I’m hoping the “WOW Ingrid” is a good thing lol
If Danny sees your reply about my comment being flagged by Akismet for its length – he’s gonna’ have a field day with that lol.
I think you have a point about outbound links, I should put a limit to them on each post.
And yeah, like I said, I don’t mind being the first to leave my 2 cents. Glad we think alike on that one
.
Thanks again for sharing this and for your kind reply.
Cheers
Ingrid Abboud recently posted..17 Things About Me- If You’re Curious to Know – My Special Bday Post!
Ingrid,
Yes. WOW is definitely a good thing.
Here’s Reason Number 11:
Identity Breach.
I’m on twitter, and somehow (because I made a new separate account)-it’s tied my real name to an entire hub of talkbacks.
I would throw an entire series of internet expletives at this particular issue, but for now-I just say-what the heck.
Privacy and Discretion are important to online discourse-Guess not these days…
Peace!
Boy, that one hadn’t occurred to me. Privacy is a huge concern in all of social media and monitoring and protecting one’s online reputation is crucial. Sorry about your experience. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Judy,
Great points. It’s funny, I often get people who email me or direct message me on FB rather than comment on my blog and I think it’s because they are afraid to be public with their comments. Etiquette can be a private topic for some people and they seem afraid to show they may not know something. I always encourage them to still comment on the blog post because others learn from their questions or feedback.
So, this leads to another reason I think people don’t comment and that’s that they are afraid to be public, or afraid they will look stupid or afraid they can’t write well.
I loved what Beth Buelow said about being vulnerable as a blogger. It’s so true that when bloggers are vulnerable I’m more likely to feel safe and free to share my thoughts on their posts. Anyway, great points and food for thought.
Arden,
Makes perfect sense for you. I hear this from mortgage, real estate and financial bloggers, too. Understandably, we are not always comfortable sharing some of these sensitive issues with the world. I think that keeping that email communication line open serves much of the same purpose for you as comments. Because you can find out more about people problems and start to build those relationships.
And, yes, I hear people who say they agonize over every word when trying to leave a comment, writing and rewriting. That just takes too much time and effort!
Beth’s point about being vulnerable is an excellent one. The kind of openness we demonstrate goes a long way in opening up honest conversations and sharing among our readers.
Thanks for sharing your insights here.
I somewhat disagree with point number one. A big turn off for me is when I see a blog about potato soup that is followed by comments hawking viagra, new WordPress widgets, and a link to someone else’s blog post or website. Spam comments make me believe that the blog I’m reading isn’t well-kept so I don’t bother adding my two cents worth to the bank vault.
Captchas have a place in blogs as do moderated comments.
Other than that, good points you made and I’ll keep them in mind.
Linda Jenkinson recently posted..Toilet Paper and Freelance
Yeah, I think everyone would agree that spam is bad. I get many spam comments each day but thankfully my spam app catches almost all of them. I don’t use any sort of captcha system, but do moderate comments if there is more than one link in it. This is usually a red flag for spam comments. And I get notified every time a new comment is needing moderation and try and approve it within a couple hours at the very most.
This isn’t ideal, because I know people would like to see their comments right away – but you only need your first comment moderated. Once I know you’re for real, you can comment away. (You would still get caught on the 2+ links though.)
Karie Price recently posted..7 Lessons a BA Can Learn From Playing Diner Dash
Katie,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Lots of bloggers I know do that first-comment-only-moderation thing. And, yes, more than one link is a sure sign. : )
Hey, Linda,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Every blogger needs to decide their own strategy on #1 and of course all our needs are different. I, too, get a bad impression when I land on a blog with tons of spam comments. What I think has changed, at least in my opinion, is the level of sophistication of spam filters. For instance, since I moved my blog to WordPress, not a single spam comment has gotten through (and they are catching many, many comments.)
I am choosing to make the task of commenting as easy as possible. But if a blogger doesn’t have a good spam filtering system, they need to put more controls in. I hate spam with a passion, don’t you? : )
Some of the anti-spam captchas are really, really hard to figure out! YOu don’t even need them to eliminate 99% of comment spam – ‘Akismet’ and ‘Bad Behavior’are two wordpress plugins that will pretty much take care of that.
I also agree about being the first to comment. This is mainly because though lots of people have a comment form, nothing ever gets through moderation… seriously don’t waste peoples time by putting the form there if you don’t want to have a discussion.
Bob recently posted..Arnold Schwarzenegger Eco Warrior
Bob,
I’m with you on this. When I have to try to decipher the captcha symbols 3 times or more (happens on Facebook a lot, too), I just want to give up. Akismet is indeed excellent and I have virtually no spam in my comments because it all gets filtered out.
And on the first comment, yes, it might be held up due to moderation. But even when there is no hold on a comment, some people just aren’t comfortable leaving that first one. (And some are, thank God.) Your points are well taken.
Hey Judy, Jordan from Livefyre here. Just let me if you’d like an invite
We’d love to have you give it a try. jordank at livefyre dot com
Jordan,
I’m still on the fence, but I appreciate the invitation. (And your availability if or when I have questions.) Thanks for that.
First of all, WOW – look at all the people who WANT to comment on your blog! Congratulations on creating such a wonderful portal for people to gain knowledge and access ideas from as they share robustly.
You post was particularly interesting to me this week because of the surprises and the pushing of a few buttons. Ha, and I still want to comment!
The surprises were some of your list of Ten. I was surprised to read that you don’t want to be the first to comment #6, I had never put into thought or given any attention to being the first or the fiftieth to comment. My thoughts or praise are simply my own as acknowledgment to the author. And your explanation totally made good sense.
I was particularly taken back by #2, that you don’t comment if you feel you have nothing to add to the story. What surprised me is that I see you as always having a golden nugget to share. You are a wealth of information and good opinion – I look forward most to hearing from YOU! And while I know you said you don’t respond with just a ‘atta Boy’ I think that from someone like you, those are of high value. It’s nice to be acknowledged for work well done. To me there are often times I am not able to elevate the conversation when it’s been well covered, and I can send a shout of praise for work well done. So it was an interesting twist of perspective for me. (Thanks for the insight.)
And can I say #10 was the one that got me big time! At first read, ok maybe second and third too, I thought you were saying you ‘didn’t respond if there was emotion’ and that just didn’t sound right! After a long pause and take four, I got the essence of what you meant and what I agreed with. We comment when fueled to do so with the emotion that was evoked from the post. haha, it’s Monday. I too love to comment when I have that fire lit under me. And I find that I want to share when I am emotionally charged by the read too. They go hand in hand.
This list is one that is a good lesson learned and one to share with other bloggers too. If we all began writing with the end in mind, what might our rankings, site visits and comments look like then!
Thank you for sharing your list and I will do my best to perform so that I am honored with your input.
Oh and P.S. I LOVE #8!!
Tammy,
What a thoughtful response. Boy, you really took the time to read and ponder this post. : )
First of all, to clarify, I was taking the position of my own readers when I wrote this. So no wonder you were surprised at parts. For instance, on #6, you are right. I have no problem being the first one to comment. But I know that some of my readers do and that may be preventing them from speaking up, at least if they land on my blog first thing, before anyone has left a comment.
Same on #2. As you know, I often have things to say after reading someone’s post. There is always something to add, at least in my mind. : ) Other readers may read a post with the purpose of gathering they information they need and moving on.
And on #10: What I meant was that I find it much easier to comment when someone’s post has touched me personally and made me feel (as your posts often do). : )
I look forward to reading your next one.
haha – I feel so much better knowing this is Not You. It sure didn’t sound like you or resemble my experience with you. I know you to be always generous with your comments and thoughtful with your input. As I stated, your comments are my favorite to read!
Thank you again for such a great post, it has me thinking about my future blogging.
Tammy Redmon recently posted..When The Bags Get You Down – Let Go and Live Full
This was inspiring & now I’m writing a comment. I like your logic & the way you think. I warming up to starting a brand new blog…. ACK!
E.B.,
Look forward to answering more of your questions as you consider starting your brand new blog! Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
I LOVED your blog 10 Reasons I wont leave a comment on your blog, Judy.. And I COULD think of plenty to say.. Soo yeah.. I must add a comment.. I love your blog, your sharing, and your helpful spirit.
Dawn Khan recently posted..DMular- 4 JobSearch Timewasters http-previewtinyurlcom-4jobtimewasters
Dawn,
You took me up on my challenge. : )
Thanks for those nice words. Hope to have more conversations with you here.
This has definitely given me some things to consider. I find it really hard leaving comments on blogs that I have nothing in common with. I’m there because they commented on my blog and want to be courteous. I end up feeling like they’re going to see through my comment and realize I’m totally pulling it out of my butt. But this has also helped me realize that maybe I’m not leaving a call to action on my posts. Sometimes I just share some artwork, but when I’m looking for feedback and ideas I should make a comment to get readers participating. Thanks for the post, Judy, I really enjoyed it.
Dennis Salvatier recently posted..A Happy Thanksgiving Post- Old Ideas Make Great New Ones
Dennis,
I know what you mean.
“Pulling it out of your butt.” Ha! It can be challenging comment on blogs out of your area, that’s for sure. I usually try to find one thing that I can apply to my business or personal life by turning it sideways or modifying it slightly. Sometime it takes some thinking, though. : )
In sharing artwork, I think it might be fun to think of one or two open-ended questions about the piece, its meaning, the feelings it evokes with readers, etc. Otherwise, if you get comments at all, they are likely to be, “Beautiful!” and “Nice. I like it.” And while that’s good for the ego, it doesn’t really start or continue a conversation.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here.
Ooh, great list!
I’d add — you have obvious spam comments on your blog, so I’d feel dumb adding a real comment.
Your post has a lot of typos and grammar errors, so I think you don’t care.
I left a comment before, and you didn’t respond to it, so I don’t think you’re interested in what I have to say.
Well now I can add “Your CommentLuv doesn’t like me”…but I think it was me…now it’s working!
Carol Tice recently posted..What Freelance Writers Can Learn from Sarah Palin
Carol,
So glad that sharon Baker tipped me off about you. I have no idea why you weren’t on my radar screen.
I think that with your three great additions and the other ones readers have left in the comments, this could almost be a book./ : )
On the spam comment, yes! Bloggers who display them in the comments either have a rotten filtering system or they don’t take the time to go in and remove them. Either way, it shows a certain carelessness. And who want their thoughtful comment to be in the midst of the voices of evil spammers?
Your #2 is valid as well. hat is what spell check is for. (Although every once in a while, one embarrassing one slips through.)
And I’ve said before in these comments (and I agree with you), why make the effort if no one is listening. Great additions. Thanks.
You exemplify what you write about in this post…made it easy to comment, clear post, and clearly lots of people are giving you comment love as a result. Nice!
Marsha,
Thanks for the reinforcing words. They mean a lot. : )
One more reason to not comment: too many comments already. Like, say, more than 70.
Patty K recently posted..If I’m not shy anymore- who am I
Patty,
I would have loved to have heard your thoughts on this post. There can never be too many comments.
You always have such good stuff to say. : )
Good points. Bloggers like many marketers feel that once they’ve done the work of composing a post they’re done. This is fine if you’re not looking for interaction. If you want people to take another step you need to give them guidance with a CTA or call-to-action. For a CTA to work, you need to make it easy for readers to act. Happy marketing, Heidi Cohen
Heidi Cohen recently posted..One Out of Three Businesses Doesn’t Use Social Media
Heidi,
I’ve enjoyed talking with you on Twitter’s #blogchat. Yes, the call-to-action can occur in different forms, but it’s always good to include one, whether it’s an invitation to sign up for the blogger’s eletter, questions to evoke opinions and comments, a link to an offer that relates to the post topic, or something else. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Judy:
Thanks for posting these. I also agree with you (and several others) that adding in numbers, letters, punctuation marks) gets annoying. I totally understand the waiting time for moderator approval though as it helps weed out the more particularly inventive trolls.
GE,
If you don’t have a good spam filtering system, I can see why you need to go the “awaiting approval” route. And some bloggers make this work by getting in there and approving comments as quickly as they can. Thanks for offering another perspective.
I think I make the grade. I take pleasure in replying to comments on my blog and do not do it out of a sense of duty – and I make it a point when I can to visit the blogs of those who visit, if they have one.
My blog is easy to comment on, but I wonder whether my information is general enough to please everyone. That would be hard. Still, I think there’s enough of me in what I do.
It was fun reading these points, Judy.
Rosanne Dingli recently posted..Some Artists Who Have Painted Saint Luke
Rosanne,
Glad you measured up well when you read this list. That’s a good sign. I love responding to comments, too. On the question of whether your blog content is “general enough to please everyone,” I hope not! What you want to do is develop a loyal band of readers and you can only do that when your topics are focused. So when your readers go there, they know they will always find the information they are looking for. A blogging niche is a very good way to do that. You will turn away some readers, but you will attract lots others—the right kind. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have nothing to say about this!
Catherine Lockey recently posted..Virtual Biznazz Success- It’s Not All in Your Mind
Ha! That was very funny. : )
Good to think about. More often than not, I leave a question for my audience, though I do enjoy sharing great sites for my readers as well. I guess as long as they come back for more. =)
ting recently posted..Menstrual pads extra TSA groin checks
ting,
A question or two is always good to get the thinking started. Sometimes, depending on the nature of your post, you want some other kind of call-to-action, though. I try to leave include only one or two links. Any more and readers get frustrated trying to get through my post (and, of course, there is the potential of losing them altogether. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. : )
I nearly didn’t comment because too many people already left their wise words. But, yes, two things put me off: if it takes ages for me to comment with endless hurdles to overcome until I can finally submit my twopence worth of opinion. Even worse: misleading headlines. I expect something and the I get let down. That I really hate.
inka recently posted..The Grand Tour of Petra-Jordan
inka,
Ha! Another reason for not leaving a comment. Because there are already too many. Nice “problem” for the blogger, but I can see how it would put a reader off. We are afraid that what we want to say has already been said. Makes sense.
On the hurdles, the smart bloggers have figured out how to make the commenting process as easy and as painless as possible. And, yes, misleading headlines are close to the top of my list of peeves. I feel so strongly about it that I wrote a post recently titled, “Headline Trickery.”
Thanks for making that extra effort to comment!
10 hard hitting points. I am new to blogging and am “begging” people to visit and comment and I might be able to make out why.
Nice piece. An eye opener for all bloggers.
Hajra recently posted..WHY BABIES ARE BETTER
Hajra,
Glad you took something useful away from this post. You will build your traffic and comments if you keep reading and learning from others like you seem to be doing. : )
Thanks for the comment.
And yes I am asking you…I would love it if you could come visit and drop a comment if it matches the “10 steps screening process” !!!
If you don’t have anything to say, still mention you stopped by!
Hajra recently posted..WHY BABIES ARE BETTER
You know, Judy, I really get what you’re saying about making it EASY for folks to leave a comment. That usually means NO CAPTCHA.
I admit that in the VERY rare case that the post was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious EXCELLENT, I’ve repeatedly typed in those exceedingly hard-to-read letters in order to submit my comment, but in the majority of the cases, I didn’t even bother with commenting when I saw that I had to sacrifice my firstborn to leave one.
I think I may have inadvertently committed Sin #2 where the post was so complete that people simply liked it, agreed with what I talked about, and had nothing more to add. I will definitely be more cognizant of this when I’m creating content so that I make a conscious decision in the specific post to either ask for feedback or to create a complete argument that offers a thesis and thoroughly supports it.
In the latter case, I still would like thoughts and comments, but now I can consciously construct my post to invite them or not.
The most profound point for me that you bring up is the You-tricked-me-and-now-I-will-never-leave-a-comment-let-alone-even-read-your-articles-again situation.
Entice me to read your article with a compelling headline and then talk about something else entirely is a No-No of the highest order!
Tshombe recently posted..Why playing slot machine with your business can get you into trouble
Tshombe,
I know! I’m a writer and I should know my letters, but sometimes I have to try three or four times. By then, my enthusiasm for leaving a comment has evaporated.
On #2, I think there is always something to add in the way of a comment. But you are right. Sometimes you have to think about it. And, being a copywriter by trade, I forget that writing is not an effortless task for many people. But, if you want a good discussion (and sometimes just presenting your content is all you want to do), then I think, like you said, it’s key to ask a couple of questions to get the thinking—and conversations—going.
Yes, the headline trickery is the one I hate with a passion. It shows that the writer/blogger doesn’t respect her reader and only cares about click-throughs.
Thanks for the insightful comment, Tshombe.
Hi Judy,
Finally got around to reading this post. I know it took a while, but with all the comments, seems like you’ve stayed busy.
I agree with the “hate” being taken in by a headline. That is my pet peeve. Usually those blogs I don’t go back to.
What I did learn is some tips and tools to use in the future. You are a very smart and caring lady! Thanks for sharing all you do.
Jen recently posted..Is Your Social Media Producing Results
Jen,
How nice to see you here! I know we’ve talked about the bait and switch headline before. : )
Thanks for reading and commenting and, yes, kind of hard to wade through this many comments. Appreciate your contribution here.
This is the first and the last time that I comment to your blog post, just because I have to write my email adress to comment – otherwise, I like your post. But I don’t like number six, cause it pays too much attention to image – like – why would it be so wrong to comment first…
Hi Mya,
The email address is mandatory on most blogs. It’s needed to make sure the comment if left by a real person. It is not made public (the blogger can see your email address, but no one else can) and it’s not used for anything else but verification (unless you chose to receive email notification when new comments come in).
Reason #6 has prompted much discussion. I’m not saying it’s wrong to be the first person to leave a comment (doesn’t bother me to be first), just that some readers don’t like to be first. I was writing with the reader hat on here.
Thanks for leaving a comment, Mya. : )
oh, the battle for comments! LOL I will take your thoughts into consideration when I write my posts.
I think not wanting to leave the first comment is interesting – someone has to do it, right? I guess it has to be a pretty engaging blog to merit the first comment or a famous blogger when you are racing to be the first! 
Glad I found your blog – congrats on your award from Write to Done!!
Julie recently posted..Writing Offers Different Perspective on Same Old Story
Julie,
Yes, someone has to do it (leave the first comment) and some people have no problem with that, but certain other readers, for one reason or another, feel more comfortable jumping in after the conversation has started.
For those of us who love talking, interacting and posing questions, we sometimes forget that it’s more of an effort for some readers to jump in and take that first step.
Thanks, Julie, and I appreciate your good wishes!
I am a new reader, and I wanted to see how easy your comment section is, and it looks like you walk the talk. I look forward to more of your posts. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Jane,
Thanks for reading (and leaving a comment). Look forward to hearing more from you in the comments section. : )
Hi
I’m a bit late to the party with this one, but I still left a comment on the blog.
Just to say that it’s a great post and the points made are all very true. I suppose the most pertinent point a month after you posted this is that, if you do spark the conversation it will rumble on and on.
Thanks,
Rob@Voz Media
Thanks. Never know when a post is going to “strike a nerve.” Thanks for leaving a comment. : )
Interesting how we generally tend to get a lot of comments on blog posts about comments.
I have noticed #5 on other blogs, and just now realized that I haven’t actually implemented it in my own. I have it set so that I approve first time comments, and the rest from that author are let through no hassle. On second thought, though, this is a barrier to new members of my community, which I don’t want.
So I am changing that.
Thanks for the post!
Jay,
Ha! Yeah, we all pretend we don’t care about comments, but when it really comes down to it… : )
I get the question, “Is it okay to moderate just the first comment?” in my blogging workshops all the time. My advice is always: Even with a first comment, it presents a barrier to a new reader. They may put up with it or they may go away. Personally, I don’t want to risk even one person going away and not coming back. If you want to grow your readers and subscribes, I say don’t moderate. At all.
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
Hi Judy!
Couldn’t really help but comment!
I value comments on my blog and unlike other blogsites like yours, I don’t really have enough comments really thrown my way. This post of yours made me realize that I may have been doing some things wrong!
This has been an eye-opener to things I could improve on in 2011. Hope to read your comments in my blog soon, too!
Thanks for this enlightening post, really!
Elmar,
Glad this helped. Some things are so obvious that we don’t see them until someone else points them out. (At least, that’s been true in my blogging journey.) Best wishes for a successful year of blogging in 2011.
Hi Judy -
Wow, great post, lots to think about. I especially like # 2, which was the biggest surprise to me — it had never occurred to me to really ask for comments, or set the stage for them. What a great idea!
This is my first visit here, found you through copybloggers’ Top 10 list, and am so glad I did. Am subscribing and will be a regular now.
Happy New Year!
Thanks for visiting. I’m amazed at (and humbled by) how much traffic is coming from Copyblogger. : )
On asking for comments, yes, it’s the obvious, in-your-face things that we don’t seem to see. I did see a jump in comment numbers when I figured that one out. Glad you became a subscriber. Thanks for that.
Great Post. I agree with most of them (if not all)
Kypros,
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Hope you visit us again. : )
This list makes so much sense to me, and has given me something to think about.
acleansurface recently posted..I Laughed – 2
Glad it helped.
what a nice post. great help for me and my friends. LOL
kyle ward recently posted..Community Colleges in North Carolina- The Blue Ridge Community College
the baby above looks like my nephew. LOL
any ways, the post is such a great help but not that significant to me. XD
Claudia O’Keefe recently posted..Community Colleges in North Carolina- The Blue Ridge Community College
Hi Judy, love the article. Thank you for replying to my post as well. Another reason why people don’t comment is because they are not using their computer but perhaps browsing on their cellphone, with limited access or time. And I agree with Tshombe, if I have to veryify any letters or Captcha, I will usually pass.
Lena,
Good point. I think the whole mobile device thing is taking a bite out of the comments. Too bad because most bloggers love the interactions that happen in the comments section.
Ha! Another reason for not leaving a comment. Because there are already too many!!!!
Ooh, great list!
I’d add — you have obvious spam comments on your blog, so I’d feel dumb adding a real comment.
Very informative post. Thank You for taking the time to share your view with us.
Thanks
http://www.dolphintransfers.com
Sorry. Didn’t catch this comment after all these months! Your addition is a good one. No one wants to see garbage comments when they go to leave one.
@T-Shirt Printing Thanks. : )
Who don’t like getting lots of comments?The problem I faced is that sometimes people put too spam comments like “great post” or “brilliant post”. While I don’t mind if they contribute something about the topic.
That’s interesting, actually I have a problem with comments on my blog as there aren’t many. Surely it has to do to the fact that I don’t have so much traffic as my blog is small but also I make some of the mistakes you detailed above. I also moderate all comments, error n° 5 but this is due to preventing spam, or trying to. Anyway very good post, printed for further reference.
@hypnodude Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes, #5 is certainly a personal decision, but just know that moderating, especially if it takes several hours (or days) for the reader’s comment to be approved and published, will turn some people away. There are anti-spam tools out there that can be very effective.
Blog comments bring live discussions
My home: http://mp3filez.org
Judy,
A question after reading this interesting post:
what’s the (professional) blogging term for the invisible reader – the one who usualy reads, without making any comments?
Yael
Great question, Yael. People have coined different terms for readers who don’t leave comments: I’ve heard “lurkers” (which I don’t like, because it sounds like they are shady characters, lurking about, spying); and I’ve heard “comment mice,” which to me sounds rather endearing. I’m up for more ideas. Do you have any? : )
Judy Dunn recently posted..Can Google+ Pull More Readers to Your Blog?
Dear Judy,
Thank you so much for this detailed and enlightening reply. I believe that “comment mice” is much nicer than “lurkers” from the very same reason you mentioned.
Thanks
lurkers and trolls, the derogatory of the latter is for those that like to leave really inflammatory comments.
You recognize therefore considerably relating to this subject, produced me personally consider it from numerous varied angles. Its like men and women don’t seem to be involved unless it’s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs nice. All the time maintain it up!
deep recently posted..1
I’ve gone through your all postings, awesome piece of work. The words are catchy and speech is attractive. I really appreciate your efforts.
Please allow me to write for you in very low rates, I will not let you down or disappoint you at any cost. Hoping for positive response from you.
Best Regards,
One reason I don’t leave a comment is that what I wanted to say has already been said.
This is a great article! I will be trying some of these techniques. Slowly, I’m starting to blog by other standards than my own.
@Wendy’s Adventures in Weight Loss Sorry I missed your comment. Glad you found something useful here. And have a great week.
@JudyDunn I actually took turned off the moderate comments on my blog the same day and I just posted something the other day and comments came flying in. It worked like a charm. I guess I’ll be a run of the mill blogger who follows all of the “rules” of successful blogging whether I like it or know it or not lol.
@Wendy’s Adventures in Weight Loss @JudyDunn Do you find yourself moderating lots of comments with Livefyre implemented on your site here?
Since I’ve been using LF..i spend next to”0″ time filtering comments in the admin panel.
Impermium looks like a real beast against the spam.
@Wendy’s Adventures in Weight Loss Wendy, I have a philosophy with the “rules” thing. I call it blog-as-lab. I like to experiment with different strategies to find the right ones for my blog and readers. So, no one rule will fit everyone.
That post is here, in case in missed it:
http://bestbloggingtipsonline.com/7-ways-to-use-your-blog-as-a-lab-even-if-you-sucked-at-science/
@tonygreene113 @Wendy’s Adventures in Weight Loss Tony, actually I have never moderated comments, but since I switched to livefyre, the spam has been nonexistent on my end…they do a great job of filtering it out). I’ve had a few hiccups with the version 3, but the folks at LF have been very responsive. I’m hoping that it was just a one-time thing with last week’s post.
@JudyDunn the moderation is what really kills me from returning back to a site for future content or even subscribing. When I take the time to comment something relevant and then the site says “comment waiting in moderation”, I pretty much log that as not being a comment that will be seen.
Many of the commentluv types like to have this enabled along with the “sneaky”buttons for subscribing pre-checked as well.
Good looking stuff. Now,if only I can become a better atmosphere.
@tonygreene113 Hey, Tony. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment (and for tweeting this post out to your followers!) By atmosphere, do you mean creating a more friendly and welcoming setting for your readers? Because that is probably the single most important things you can do (besides great content) to attract more readers.
@JudyDunn You’re so right. The atmosphere and tone of the site within the first few seconds of a visit is the key. I’ve been trying different widgets and various tools to make my site extremely sticky.
Some things over the years have failed miserably while the more interactive has been a bit better
Or how about when the blog poster fails to respond to any kind of interaction from the commenter
I completely agree with your blog sometimes its more difficult to comment than writing a blog so hats off great blog.
Thank you very much for this excellent tips, i really appreciate it.