Now I know you religiously answer every comment on your own blog. It’s one of the ways you thank people for taking the time to read your work, right? ;-) Commenters on your blog deserve to be thanked and responded to, because they’re loyal and interested...This is the first impression you make! Be present, be attentive, be responsive. Tell them you appreciate them by appreciating them! Loudly and publicly. You’re not just being polite when you engage with commenters in this way. You’re also able to gain valuable insights into what about your work interests, bothers or inspires them.
~ Author/Blogger Danny Iny
One of my weaknesses has always been replying to comments left on my blog posts. I know I'm not the only one. Some bloggers are fantastic at it, and I've had some good only conversations about writing topics via the comment section, or read those left by others. But there have also been numerous times I've left comments or questions on a post that have never been replied to (and I don't say that in a judgemental way, because I'm the WORST at it!). So are comment threads useful? Is it important to respond to those who leave them? Do they ever check back for a reply?
It's easy as a blogger to check for comments on the blogger dashboard. There's a button totally dedicated to them. But it can become difficult to check back to the dozens of blogs you might visit in a week to see if anyone replied to anything you said. So while the Danny Iny quote above certainly made me stop and think, I wonder what the consensus out there is on its validity?
What do you think? (And yes, this means you have to comment :) It also means I had better reply!!
On another note, the Canadian Government recently stopped manufacturing the penny, and is in the process of removing it from circulation. I wonder what will become of the cliche phrase, penny for your thoughts? Perhaps inflation has already altered it to be more along the line of 'quarter for your thoughts?' Just sayin!
I’m not always the greatest at responding to comments either, unless it’s a specific question. I would say it is good to do it, though, if for no other reason than the fact that others who read the comments will see that you responded and know that you want to connect with your readers. It makes you more human, I think. That’s my two cents! (or fifty, if we’re going with inflation?) ;-)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be too hard on yourself, Kasey. You've always been a commenting superstar in my books - you leave me a comment almost every week, even when I never respond! It is seen and appreciated...
DeleteI try to respond to every thoughtful comment on my blog. There are often comments that are "Hey this is so funny!" that don't seem to require a response, but otherwise, I respond to everybody. I also installed Disqus, which helps a lot. I can moderate comments from my inbox, it filters spam, and alerts the commentor that I replied to them. I love it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree, it does make a good impression. It fosters a sense of community and encourages readers to become dedicated followers. I've made some of my very best friends via blogs and the internet in general, so it's definitely worth the extra effort :)
Those one-liner comments stump me too. I have never heard of Disqus, so I will have to look into that. Thanks for the suggestion...
DeleteOh - comments would be a lot easier if you guys had a spam filter (like Disqus or IntenseDebate) instead of CAPTCHA. I always skip commenting when I'm on a mobile device because it's just too difficult when you have CAPTCHA turned on.
ReplyDeleteThese acronymns are new to me. It would appear I have some research to do... Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI think it's good etiquette to reply to comments or even to leave a comment,and I would love to have to develop the habit of replying to comments, but I don't get many. Is that bad? It's been a question on my mind lately so funny that you even blogged about comments. Is there a trick to getting people to leave comments? I'm hoping it's not because my blog is boring or not worth a discussion? That was my purpose in the first place in starting a blog; discussing topics. What do you think? I value opinions. And as far as the penny has gone in Canada? I might be sad if we lost it; there's something secure in having a penny jar on my dresser! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone's on the same wavelength as me. It's funny, because while I like getting comments on posts, I rarely leave them, and almost never respond. I don't know if that is connected to the fact that I also rarely get comments on my own posts.
DeleteAnd it is a sad time for the penny, but it supposed to be an economic thing (at least, that is how it was explained to me). They said it took two cents to make each penny. I wonder if people also felt this way when the fifty cent piece was eliminated however many years ago?
I comment as much as I can. part of blogging is looking for that connection. I reply through email. It's seems too much to ask people to return to your blog to check for your reply. Sometimes email exchanges can go back and forth for a while, and I've found good bloggy friends that way. As for the penny, I read it costs a nickle to make a penny. Crazy! I think we should eliminate it here in the U.S. too. :-)
ReplyDelete