Blogging Discussion: Commenting
This discussion accompanies lesson six of the mum blogger e-course – blog etiquette & commenting.
One of the questions that has come up regarding commenting is whether as a blog writer you should reply to every comment left on your blog.
Some bloggers I know respond to every comment, others reply to some and yet others never add comment replies.
If you’re an established blogger what do you do and why.
If you’re new to blogging what are your thoughts.
As a commenter do you like a response or doesn’t it bother you.
Leave comments below and discuss…
I respond to comments if I have something to say, I don’t answer every comment. Sometimes I don’t feel I have anything to add so I’m comfortable not commenting as I wouldn’t leave a comment on someonelse’s blog if I had nothing to say.
I've been blogging for four years and write about anything and everything that takes my fancy.
Above is me with my beloved Ernie in Port Aventura and left with our love child in Florida.
Themocracy
Totally agree with you Erica. I like to respond to comments but some simply don’t warrant it and I don’t want to do it for the sake of it.
And as a commenter I like a response if I ask something but other than that I don’t expect it. Have to say thought I hate it if no reponse it made at all – it gives the impression that the blogger isn’t even reading the comments left, so why would I bother writing anything?
Thanks for raising this Erica. I have decided to reply to comments when I feel they form part of an important discussion and also when I know people have taken time to reply at length. I have decided from now on that if it’s just a silly post then commenters don’t really expect a reply and my reply is likely to be longer than the original comment.
If I have left a short comment on a post then I would not expect a reply. If it’s a longer comment that I have taken time to write then I would appreciate hearing what the blogger who has written the post thinks.
Do need to reply to this comment I might add!
It depends.
One of the photography communities I hang out with we don’t tend to reply to comments as it’s mostly positive remarks or observations about photos we’re sharing.
Weekly memes develop their own etiquette and I tend to go with the flow when I take part in those.
I didn’t reply to much at all until I started noticing some blogs I was commenting on were replying, either privately through email or publicly through comments. And I liked it. I liked the connection.
If I have a “system” at all it’s that if I reply to one comment on a thread I will endeavour to reply to all comments on that thread as otherwise I’d feel a bit rude – I didn’t decide to do this – it just sort of happened.
Well Rosie, if a commenter asks a question or asks for a response (like yourself) then I’ll reply. Partly because I love interacting with my readers, and partly because it’s an important part of bloggig for me. It’s also it’s a sign to readers old and new that I’m reading, and I do read every comment, even if I don’t reply to every comment. I will usually make a little more effort to answer ‘any’ comment by a new commenter, it takes a lot of courage to leave a comment and I believe that it helps draw the new commenter into my community, it demonstrates a lack of cliqueness too.
That’s an interesting point about responding to every comment in the stream, I don’t do that but I think I mix up who I’m answering well enough.
For example in this stream I haven’t answered Tara, but I know she won’t be offended as I respond to her lots elsewhere. I think it’s the reason I always try and answer new commnters though, I don’t want them to think there is favouritism
I’m not offended. Oh alright then I am I am. Why did you respond to everyone else except me? Off to sulk in the corner.
Another point, if a commenter comments twice you must respond to at least one.
Tara – Grow up you over-grown child.
There *dusts hands*
Hi Erica – I posted about this a little while ago and got some really interesting comments and points of view expressed in response:
http://www.gotyourhandsfull.com/2009/11/ten-reasons-i-dont-comment-on-your-blog.html
I didn’t think I would get any comments of course!
Tara – Maybe Erica took your advice “but some simply don’t warrant it”.
As a blogger I write for other people to read it. Although I have the stats on visits and length of time etc, the only way I know what people think of my posts is if they comment. I love comments on my blog, no matter how short. What I don’t know is if me replying to those comments encourages more people to comment or not. If I felt it did, I would definitely reply to each one. I think it depends on what you have blogged about as to whether the comments merit reply or not. If it is something deeper where you have opened yourself up then you should reply to comments. If it is light-hearted and whimsical probably not
Erica never ever takes my advice. Ever.
The Moiderer – I think it does encourage comments, especially extra comments in response to your own. I think this is good as whole conversations evolve.
Tara – I value your advice as a veteran of the blogosphere
right – I’m off to comment on my very few comments on my blog then
(
I always try and reply to comments – I think of it as a bit like a friend popping in to my house when someone comments, and I wouldn’t ignore a visitor! Some people get tetchy if they are ignored (mentioning no names, Tara x) Mind you, if they are commenting on a post made ages ago, I might not get round to commenting, just from the way my blog works technically these days – comments can get a bit lost
That’s it I’m off, I put perfectly sensible tweets on twitter and get insulted about the size of my arse. Good day to you and the horse you rode in on.
Sometimes I respond to the comments left on my blog, and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I like to see the interaction between the comment-leavers without me interfering. But if they leave a commment that I feel warrants a comment from me, then I respond. Dialogue is good.
Linda is that your way of calling me a princess
I don’t respond to every comment. Most people who do respond do so to further the conversation. I don’t usually get many “I agree.” or “Good post” I try and write posts where we can have a conversation and people can add. I try and see my blog as a community rather than me just giving the whole dish.
I do try and respond to new comments because it is hard to hit that return button.
I love the commentluv feature because I can immediately go to their site ( if they have one) and comment back if I choose.
It used to bother me no end that I would comment on others blogs but they would never reply in the comments, to my posts just like school they would totally ignore you. But have learned not to take myself so seriously.
I got a personal email this week from a new blog I had commented on. That was nice but I don’t know how realistic that is for everyone to do. I have also received those generic….thanks for commenting on my blog emails that a WP plugin does. Not a fan! Personal connection is great. I’m all about making friends
Melitsa – No, for me anything generic is as good as junk mail
I love receiving comments, who doesn’t but I don’t reply unless I have been asked a direct question.
Time is my main constraint, I prefer to spend the short time I have each day reading and commenting on other people’s blogs.
I use Blogger, and the commenting system isn’t great because you cannot reply to the commenter, just add a new comment on your blog. I rarely have time to go back and check if a blogger has responded to one of my comments so I wonder if my readers have time to check if I have replied anyway.
Occasionally I feel bad because I am not interacting with my readers in the way I wish I could but I simply don’t have the time and the system does not help.
Hi Kelly, I’m guessing you may never see this comment
but if time is an issue I think it’s more important to comment on other blogs than your own.
I’m a jump in head first kinda girl and will comment on any blog I feel compelled to, regardless of whether it’s one I read regularly or one I’ve stumbled on.
I like the interaction and will often return to a post to see replies to comments that have been left.
My blog is on Blogger and I’m really fed up with it’s commenting system. It seems so impersonal replying to people in one huge comment and I’d love to hop skip on over to a self hosted wordpress blog with it’s threaded commenting in an ideal word.
I think connecting with readers is important and I often click through to blogs from my comments.
I’ll shut up now.
Rather than commenting to everyone in one comment I prefer to dip into the stream wherever and answer which is why my comments are littered with my own responses.
I always reply to comments. In fact, I’m slightly anal about it. I sometimes think I try too hard, especially after trying to think of something original to 24 different people who’ve all basically said the same thing! Still, I’m with Dulwich Divorcee – I treat it a little bit like a chat with friends, and love it when my commenters get in little chats with each other too! x
EM – You were the example I had in my mind of someone who responds to every comment
I am now trying to comment back more often. That is all.
Interesting topic. I have only responded once to any comments and it was a thank you to all the comments left on a post and not individual respponses. I think if someone left a comment that asked for a reply I would, otherwise I don’t think I need to.