Answering Comments: Obligation, Optional or Off?
I hate to “beat a dead horse”, but I see movement and would like to know your thoughts. All bloggers love receiving comments on their blog, but as a blog grows, for some, life gets in the way and responding to all comments can take a lot of time.
So what do you do, respond to some and ignore the others? Post less and spend more time interacting with your readers? It might take me a few days, but for now I like responding to each comment.
Comments are like multiple births. I have 6 of a kind, but each one is treated as an individual.
What about turning comments off for certain posts? This is not a favorite of mine, so I won’t do it here,1 because I don’t like the feeling of being shut out. However, some blog posts, like this one, don’t require interaction in the comment section from the blogger. Should you let your readers know you won’t be responding?
I admit, if I leave repeated comments on a blog and the blogger never responds, I lose interest. I like feeling that I’m talking to a person and not a wall.
How do you feel when a blogger doesn’t respond to your comment? What if the comments are turned off, are you? Should a blogger respond to every comment? What’s the protocol on your blog?
I’ve shared my feelings, so I will leave the comment section open for your thoughts.
Additional Reading and Plug-ins
Is There A Such Thing As Commenters Burnout?
A.S.K. Darren Rowse: How Does a Problogger Deal With Comments
How to get more comments on your blog
Close Old Posts – Closes comments on old posts on the fly, by default it’s 14 days
Comment Time Out – Comment Timeout closes comments on old posts on your blog
- although I did once, but that post is so buried no one will be able to find it [↩]
In: Blogging · Tagged with: Blogging, Comments, Old Posts
on October 31, 2008 at 4:48 pm
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Protocol Schmotocol. I try to respond to comments left at my blog but I don’t wack myself with a wet salami if I don’t get a round tuit.
Rules are for school & work – blogging, well, I think of it like free love, you know, that groovy thing I missed out on in the 60′s. I say, “it is what it is”.
Comment back “if the spirit moves you” is my mantra. No pressure. No expectation. Why stress out about it.
Happy Hollo-weenie day!
on October 31, 2008 at 9:09 pm
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Well…I haven’t dealt with this problem honestly. I wish I had it. haha I know at this point I enjoy responding to each comment…as long as it isn’t some strange off the wall statment that I don’t know how to respond to. That has happened. I did notice how many comments you get and I can see how that could become completely impossible.
Sandi´s last blog post..Well I found something….I think
on October 31, 2008 at 9:45 pm
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I really try to reply to my comments but sometimes I just don’t have the time, or energy to do it. I’ll admit to skipping comment replies on a couple of posts, but for the most part, I try to keep up on it.
As for how I feel if a blogger doesn’t respond to my comment? It’s, honestly, ok with me. I’ll keep leaving them anyway.
on November 1, 2008 at 1:36 am
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I get way less comments than you do….so I have a lot to learn from you…and yes I have learnt a lot by reading your posts.
I usually respond to comments by visiting the blog of the person and commenting on articles that interest me there.
lvs´s last blog post..The Search Has Just Begun
on November 1, 2008 at 10:07 am
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I usually respond to every comment, and I like getting a response to comments I leave on others’ blogs. It really makes it feel like you are interacting with fellow bloggers, which I think is what blogging is all about.
However, I don’t see anything wrong with putting up the occasional post that requires no comments from your readers. Sometimes just putting a thought out there for your readers to ponder is a good thing.
Matt´s last blog post..Obama Worship: Like Letting Your GPS Steer You Into A Lake?
on November 1, 2008 at 11:57 am
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hi thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving comments – this posting is interesting.
I signed-up to a photography blog – were I leave a comment to the blog and link of the theme foto for that day. I enjoyed it the first time – I am driving people to appreciate my foto – it was an encouragement and naturally as they comment I go back and comment on them. 12 or 16 comments is no joke to reply back. Then comes a month long work that was hard to keep up blogging so I lie low a bit.
Definitely bloggers would want you to return the favor so since I can’t return the favor I stop awhile submitting fotos since I don’t want it that people comments on my blog and I don’t comments on their blogs.
I moderate comments now since some posts rude comments – it is my blog anyway so I have control and authority over it.
I am still up for the 2nd day of Nanowrimo – it is midnite here. I have started in 2005 if I am not mistaken but never done anything, then last year I did a bit but never managed to make half of the target, hope this time something comes out.
I have a blog of my nano writings but it is not open to the public – it also contains stuff that I have researched on the net as my resource to my writing. For the first day I managed to come up with 1,130 words not so bad but I hope I could carry on…
good luck to your writing as well…
good wishes,
pete
peterahon´s last blog post..BlogRush Is Shutting Down
on November 1, 2008 at 1:38 pm
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I try to always respond because I have some readers who suscribe and get my comments in their email. I know a lot of people think it is just building your amount of comments…but to me it is only being polite!!:-)))
on November 2, 2008 at 11:55 am
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I am terrible about responding to comments. Part of it is having too much to do, and part of it is never knowing whether to respond with a comment on my post or whether to post a comment at the other person’s blog that responds to their comment but has nothing to do with their post. I did respond to your comment on my post, and have managed to let you know that here while sticking to your topic. This happens about, ummm, well, I think this is the only time.
LuckyGirl´s last blog post..Celebrate at 2 Witches and Save at Lucky Girl Trading
on November 2, 2008 at 9:38 pm
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I like to be part of a discussion and enjoy reading my comments so I like to respond to every comment. But then I only post a couple of times a week so that’s not too big a commitment. the times when it has been due to life taking over, I post one EVERYONE comment letting people know I can’t do anything more right now. I think that’s considerate and your readers understand. I think there are some kinds of posts where turning comments off does not detract from the post or the blog. It’s an individual choice I guess, but it’s definitely a hard call for people who get 60+ comments regularly.
Kelly
on November 3, 2008 at 12:53 am
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If it’s a blog that I visit a lot, I like getting feedback from the author.
On other blogs, I leave a comment and don’t even remember it (I comment a lot), so whether they respond or not, I have no idea, LOL.
On some posts I don’t reply to any of the comments, so as not to make any one person feel like I’m ignoring them. But I usually reply to most of the comments left on my blog.
Angelika´s last blog post..The Host
on November 3, 2008 at 1:10 am
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I always try to reply to comments when needed on all my blogs. I subscribe to my own rss comment feed so I can always quickly reply when needed. On the other hand when I comment on blogs I don’t expect a reply but I’m always tickled with excitement when I do get one.
New York´s last blog post..Need Author guidelines written by optimizehosting
on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 am
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Wow! You got a lot of comments. This makes it less feasible to respond to any of them.
I share the same feelings on comments. I try to be a regular commenter on a blog that I’m interested with – I have this three-comment rule. I love participating in blogs that comment on my blog, and also those that interacts with their readers.
But seeing a huge number of commenters like this? I would understand that you will not be able to connect to a lot of readers. I’d probably respond to the comment that interests me.
on November 3, 2008 at 12:33 pm
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I don’t expect return comments unless I have asked a question. Even then, I realize that it could take someone awhile to get back to me. I definitely don’t respond to every comment on my various blogs, but I do respond if I feel a response is necessary.
I also don’t turn comments off, but I have recently been toying with the idea in my mind for certain situations.
I would rather spend more time blogging, but I have never been a very social person. I can definitely see others having styles that vary from my own!
Jacqueline Parks´s last blog post..Day 2: Breaking Away from Perfectionism
on November 3, 2008 at 2:02 pm
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I welcome feedback…it can tie bits and pieces of ones journey together!
on November 4, 2008 at 10:56 am
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I appreciate getting comments and I appreciate the opportunity to leave comments and take part in a dialogue.
I certainly never expect every comment I leave will generate a response. I’m happy to get comments but not disappointed if none are left in return.
Sometimes the comments sections tend to be more fun than the bog that generated them.
Barry´s last blog post..Exploring the Life of an Artist
on November 4, 2008 at 1:24 pm
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I haven’t read the other comments so please don’t shoot me if I repeat something someone else has said.
Leave your comments for all your posts. After reading this, I won’t feel bad if you don’t respond. We all know that life happens. But when you leave the comments on it will give other commenters the chance to interact amongst themselves. Sometimes dialog can go on without the person who initiated it in the first place. At that point you can consider your blog post a bridge of interaction between folk who may not have known of each other prior to your post.
You know what I mean?
Urban Thought´s last blog post..Hand Service
on November 5, 2008 at 4:21 pm
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Hello. I like answering all comments, as soon as I can. Sometimes, when I can, I answer in my blog and I comment in the other blogger´s blog.
I love the interaction and constructive comments but since I´ve changed my blog to “dofollow”, I get alot of spam, and that makes me spend my precious time (and makes me angry). I wonder why do they bother? All comments are moderated.
With Entrecard, I feel a little guilty in those days I don´t comment and just drop. The truth is I don´t have time to comment on every blog that drops on my blogs. I have a few blogs, and that makes it even more difficult.
I wish I had more time, I already found great blogs on Entrecard and didn´t visit half of the categories.
Well, that´s how I feel about commenting. Cheers!
Mizé´s last blog post..Simply Wp Contest
on November 7, 2008 at 10:24 pm
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I’ve never had a post where I had too many comments to respond to … sometimes it takes me a few days to get back with everyone. Usually I get a handful of comments; if there’s a break-up with a douchebag, then the numbers increase lol.
on November 8, 2008 at 6:32 am
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I believe is important to answer all the comments even tough sometimes can be a time consuming task.
on November 11, 2008 at 9:44 am
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woooh hoo! Thanks so much for leaving me my first comment! I was ecstatic. I, for one, will be responding to comments. It’s not at all time consuming for me because I don’t have a lot of traffic, but I can see how it could become almost a full-time job for those with lots of traffic. Comment responses let your readers know you are interested in their feedback. Thanks again for the comments – you now have a special place in my heart….lol!
Tamika´s last blog post..Stop Writing Checks
on November 12, 2008 at 12:06 am
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I respond when I have something kind or worthy or funny to say . otherwise just read and appreciate.. sandy
sandy k´s last blog post..No cock a doodle doo today !!
on November 14, 2008 at 5:02 am
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I prefer to read visitor’s comments because they add value to the original post or at least reflect their reaction for what’s written. I however don’t comment unless I feel their’s something else to add that haven’t been said over the original post.
Hicham´s last blog post..To Blog or not to Blah?!
on December 6, 2008 at 5:45 am
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For people like Darren and John Chow, answering to comments are no more fun because they have to write several posts a day, manage several blogs and hence moderating/replying to comments is a pain. Since they have made a several thousand ‘followers’ (not necessarily readers), they can survive without replying to any comments. Comments on such blogs are like ‘after effects’ of their statements or thoughts not necessarily any clarifications, questions. Also, I feel that for make-money-online blogs comments mean more or less nothing.
For blogs like yours or Tammy’s (A day to share), user interaction means a lot because you teach and share a few lessons from life that people try to reflect and compare. I would say that such blogs and bloggers don’t consider it a pain to reply or engage.
For small blogs like mine, comments mean a lot. I reply to most my comments for the time being even to those ‘nice post’ comments.
Ajith Edassery´s last blog post..Contact Commenters WordPress Plugin Released!
on December 7, 2008 at 7:41 pm
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Hiya Val
yeah I know long time no talk to Iv’e been a blogging fool still technicalley lame after a year and a half blogging. Damm you have hella comments! I wonder WTF my problem is? I get vistors but hardly any commentators.. the most I ever had (if I was lucky is 14 ) I must be doing something wrong? maybe my blogs just suck? I am a crappy writer but do my best, my one blog I hardly ever spend time on..I always respond to the few that DO comment..
I see you are doing well say hello hello some time
ta
hb~
harleyblues´s last blog post..Best Albums of ’08: The Fireman – Electric Arguments Examiner