I have been playing the sims the last few days. Before that, I was cleaning like crazy. It was weird. Anyway, the sims… last night when I went to bed, my eyes were a bit stingy and I think I’ve suffered permanent nerve damage in my tailbone. But that’s what it’s like with the sims, I don’t play for a long time, but when I do I play a lot and for several days.
Anyway, I have a question that’s long been on my mind. It’s about blog comments. It’s two questions I want to ask you really.
1. If you are a blogger, how do you handle your comments? Do you reply directly to people by email? Do you respond in the comments section of your own blog? Do you even reply at all?
2. If you are a commenter on many blogs, how do you like your comments handled? Do you like them to be acknowledged in the comments section? Do you go back and check for responses? Do like to get emails if you comment warrants a response?
I ask because I go back and forth. As a commenter, I don’t always go back to a post to see if my comments are acknowledged, I read too many blogs. Many blogs have “Subscribe to this post” features and I really like that. It allows me to get email follow up comments on any posts on which I comment, if I so choose. Some people get soooo many comments, I don’t really want an email follow up for each one. I like the conversational tone of acknowledging comments in the comments section, and I like the idea that other people can see your response. In the past, this is how I handled all comments.
On the other hand, there are blogs that acknowledge my comments with emails and I really like that too. I’ve gotten to know certain bloggers better, simply because of an established email relationship. I tend to do that a bit more now, email responses to commenters. I always try to send an email response to a new commenter no matter what, just to say “hi!” But I miss the conversational tone my comments used to have back in the day.
So its a quandary to me, how to handle comments. I was curious what you guys thought, what you prefer.
Hi Jody. I like receiving comments and sometimes I reply; no real plan, just play it as it goes. I started my blog in November of 2005, a few months after coming across yours in August 2005. (I stumbled on your blog when I was looking for music for the british comedy Coupling and found the tune Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps you had hipcast.) I had great interest in starting my own blog after seeing how cool yours was. You even helped me at the time with how to get hipcast started (which I did). Come visit at csajournal.blogspot.com. Don’t expect much though, it’s connected to my magazine I edit for my job; but it’s also my own thing so it’s kinda freewheeling; my own “bar of chocolate” as you’d say.
Wish I had as many comments as you have but word of mouth is good so I guess I’ll keep doing it. I figure if you can keep going so can I. Thanks for having such an awesome blog!
Oops, meant ‘Jodi’
I prefer a response via Twitter. 🙂 Just kidding…. I hardly go back through the comments so I guess email is the best way. Unless the blog has a “Recent Comments” section like Vox.
I’m like you – I go back and forth. If I’m just posting some inane little observation, I don’t care about follow-up.
But if I’m posting something thoughtful, and want to know how others are reacting to it, I like to be notified.
On the rare occasion when I get comments on my blog, I like to reply in the comments, so that third parties can see both sides of whatever conversation I’m having.
To be honest I really can’t say that I prefer one over the other. It’s all very hit and miss with me.
I guess I like to see the replies in the actual comments themselves though as I think it does keep the conversational tone alive. The question is just whether I like getting email. And that’s where I go “I dunno”.
I also think it’s hit and miss for a lot of people. I read a lot of blogs and some people reply only in the comments, some people reply only in email, some people reply in the comments and in the email. I get all kinds with no apparent rhyme or reason 😉
On my own blog I always try to reply in the comments and if someone has taken the time to write something of any length, I’ll send an email reply too.
1) I reply in my comments when I can. Doesn’t happen very often as of late though. 🙁
2) If I expect a response, I’ll go back in check. Or if the comments were really interesting when I was there leaving my comment, I’ll go back. I don’t mind an email reply, but it’s not necessary.
I generally post something not particularly expecting a reply, but I usually check back in on it to see if it gets one – if someone allows comments, I figure they wish to engage in discourse. I only expect e-mail if it’s not for general consumption or a non-sequiter. I usually visit my favorite blogs regularly, so I see the replies soon enough.
I’m a half-assed smart ass on some blogs, but those are more open ones, and I don’t expect many replies – the more personal ones, like yours, I generally leave my weirdness at home out of politeness, altho it can seep out a little. I expect a sharp slap if I get outta line, tho. I haven’t been active on my own blog this year due to unforeseen circumstances, and never had many comments, but I usually replied out of courtesy – at some time most of them have been deleted somehow, not by me, so some sort of update screwed things up for a while. Things will be more active there this spring and summer I hope, so I’ll see how the comments run. BTW, it’s your blog, so do as you wish!
first, it depends on the blog. if the blogger engages in discussions in the comments or even emails, i tend to do more commenting because it’s more like a conversation and i like that. if a blogger pretty much just spouts off but never returns comments, or at least never returns my comments, then i tend to comment less. it’s much less personal and more like reading an autobiography than being friendly. both types of experiences can be nice, but i certainly prefer it when i can connect with another blogger.
ok so…
1. i always try to comment back as an acknowledgement that i ‘hear’ the person. for me, it’s akin to ignoring someone who is taking the time to speak directly to me. now, if i received 300 comments a day, well, i think i would only respond via email to the people who i know in real life and the ones who made an impression for the topic…if that.
i only email if i have a lot to say in response and i don’t want to bog down the comments, or if i want to have a private conversation with someone.
i’ve heard some people say they never comment back in their blog because that is an egomaniacal thing to do, and i think that is just plain crazy. but whatev.
2. depends. for the blogs where i can tell the blogger does not comment or only does so sporadically, i comment far less, and i tend to not expect anything in return to my two cents.
i do like when i am acknowledged in the comments section…though not everything i say needs to be recognized with a response. but i definitely prefer visiting people who comment back to hold that conversation. i do go back and check, and i do subscribe to the comments on posts where i am interested in a response or what others have to say.
i also like it when i get emails from people. it’s far less common, and by no means necessary for me, but it’s always a pleasant surprise.
Aside from Brazilians trying to sell me stereo equipment, I don’t get a lot of comments. But when I do! Hoo hoo! Now that I think about it though, I think I’ve only ever responded by email. Maybe I should use the comment section and make myself look more popular.
Getting any type of response from a comment I’ve made is nice. Receiving an email feels like you’ve made more of a connection with the person though.
My usual response to a comment is to go to the person’s blog and leave a comment. Being all community-like and sharing, yo.
If it is a person I have a “relationship” with (real-life or through blog commenting back and forth), sometimes I send an email.
I’ve been trying to get better about responding to people’s comments because I don’t like it when I’m not acknowledged. Well, not all the time (if it’s just a silly little comment, no biggie), but if it is actually a somewhat intelligent contribution to a discussion…
I’ve stopped commenting (and reading) quite a few blogs that have ignored me – I felt like the last kid picked on the team in gym class, and I don’t need to revisit those times.
I try to reply to comments in the entry. I most often have the time to do this, but sometimes don’t. I always try to reply to new commenters.
I’ve never sent mail as a reply, but I always like it when I receive on. I don’t want to bother people — but I don’t see it as a bother when I get a mail. Maybe I should rethink that and send a mail here and there.
I will sometimes check to see if a comment of mine has been responded to. I often forget I’ve left a comment.