I’m obsessed with comments. When Grechen’s Closet was all I had, I could have cared less about comments; before I switched it over to wordpress, it was more of a magazine than a blog, and there was no way to moderate comments for spam, so most of the time I had them turned off.
I didn’t spend a lot of time reading and commenting on other blogs either. As I look back on a portion of last year and the 4 years before, I realize I isolated myself in many ways from the greater fashion blogging community. Which, incidentally, is the WORST thing you can do if you’re a blogger. I achieved a lot of success during those years, but now that I’m engaged with other bloggers and with my own visitors, I FEEL more successful and like I’m part of a community. Although the emotional side of feeling connected with other people who do the same thing you do is important, benefits like guest blogging, link exchanges, project participation & more tangible things are essential to success as a blogger.
Anyway, in a round about way, I’m trying to say that now that I’ve become more involved, I’m obsessed with comments. And not only with comments on my blogs – I look at comment counts on every blog I go to. I’ve always envied those blogs who get tons of comments – it doesn’t just mean they have a lot of visitors, it means they have ENGAGED visitors. And ENGAGED visitors are the ones who come back. I will also admit that I do sometimes judge blogs based on the number of comments posts receive, and I know that advertisers and PR companies do that too.
So, I get a little frustrated (ok, upset, dejected, obsessed LOL) when I write something that I think is somewhat controversial or should illicit comments and it doesn’t. What’s even worse is when I get feedback on twitter but not on the blog!! ProBlogger did a survey about this a while back on Twitip, I remember, and the overwhelming response to the question would you rather have more twitter followers or blog readers, the answer was blog readers. I LOVE my twitter followers; they are also my blog readers, but I want you to comment on my posts too!
I mean, bloggers all talk about how they started blogging for fun, and sometimes just to hear themselves talk (or type), but the truth is, that we continue to do it because we like the social interaction of blogging, we like engaging with people who care about the same things we do, and yes, we like the gratification that comes from knowing that someone out there hears what we’re saying and finds it important enough or interesting enough to comment on. We CARE about comments because we love what we do, and we want our readers to as well. (the attention is cool too…)
What do you think? are you obsessed with your own comment count? do you really make an effort to comment on other blogs? do you pay attention to comment counts on blogs you visit (or compete with?) Those of you whose posts always get a lot of comments, why do you think that is? Do you make a special effort to make a post “comment-worthy?”
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I’m totally with you on this. Posts about controversial/interesting stuff that get no responses? Lame. The funny (sucky?) part of it is that most of the people reading your blog are the people who also blog themselves. Wouldn’t you think they’d want *you* to comment on *their* stuff if you were reading it? /shakes her head: Such strange problems the internet has brought us.
ITA…what strange problems the internet has brought us…
I love getting comments on my Myspace and FB accounts…it lets me know that people care and like or don’t like what I am saying. I totally agree though that having to sign up to get an account to post a comment is a bad idea. I never do it.
i think that commenting and receiving comments brings a bit of “reality” in that it’s like you’re having a conversation face to face. you’re not going to say something to a few people you’re hanging around with and no one says anything back…so when you get a comment, it’s almost like “real” human interaction, not virtual, if that makes sense LOL
Well I wouldn’t call myself a blogger, but I’m a long time blog reader (who just started blogging).
I think it’s so interesting to read the reactions and conversations that emerge from the posts! It makes the blogger feel so much more approachable if there are comments and the blogger sometimes responds to them (not always, but when appropriate). I can see why more people comment on twitter though, since twitter harbors conversations and feels more interactive than commenting. It’s like email vs. IM.
that’s a good point jesica about reading the reactions and conversations that emerge from posts – i love that too! dialog is important i think – one-way communication is boring! that’s why social media has become so important now. and i do agree with you about twitter, i am guilty of only responding on twitter also sometimes. i’m just always there…
Comments are important to me, in so much as they do provide a social interaction. That being said, I’d much rather have fewer, engaged comments, that many comments without much subtext…
@ashemischief i totally agree with you
i think commenting is important, i try to comment as much as possible, but i’ve waned over the years. (i used to comment on 30 blogs a day)
though i think commenting does reflect user engagement, it doesn’t always mean the content is particularly provocative. there are lots of great blogs i read that i never comment on because either they never comment back, or reply to my comment or because they already have a hundred people saying what i was going to say.
@jennine – you’re absolutely right about not commenting because they never comment back, or what you would say has already been said (that stops me a lot) – there’s only so many ways to say the same thing…
I think comments are important! You are absolutely right, they do reflect reader engagement. I always visit the commentor’s blog, if he/she has one, and leave a comment back, because I feel like that way, we are engaging with one another and it is not one-sided. Strangely enough, I get more blog comments than twitter comments, and I think the same is true for my blog partner! I also read somewhere that it is good ‘blogger etiquette’ to leave a comment if you have read a blog article, but I don’t always do that, although I do try, because I know how much it lifts my own spirits when I see a new comment.
@leia – hi!! it could be good “etiquette” to leave a comment after reading an article, but i think it’s more meaningful if the comment is constructive somehow, and not just “nice article.” those are cool to get every once in a while, but who knows how sincere they are? i mean, are you just commenting because you think you “have” to? numbers are only important if there’s substance behind them – like twitter followers, i don’t get people those “get 400 twitter followers” schemes. they don’t care about what you have to say? what’s the point?? oy, that’s another rant for another day
I totally agree with everyone here.
I would love for more of my readers to comment in an engaging way, and I make it a point to reply to their comments – if you took the time to comment on my work, I definitely have the time to respond. That interaction helps solidify points, expand on ideas and make Bonne Vie better.
I also make it a point to try and comment (in a relevant fashion) on what I read and find interesting. I do it because I want to give writers the same chance to expand on ideas and themes.
@birdie i love what you say about taking the time to respond to someone who leaves a comment – that’s so important! i know when i leave a comment on a blog, i really appreciate getting a personal response, it makes me want to come back. and i always try to respond to every comment. like i mentioned before, i love dialog and conversation – not just hearing myself talk. well, okay, i don’t mind that so much either LOL, but i’d rather have a conversation.
incidentally birdie – you won the MOTM contest over at greengrechen.com – i sent you an e-mail but didn’t get a confirmation from you yet!! hurry it up so i can get your info over to melissa and you can get your prize!!!
I love leaving and receiving comments! I really feel like I’ve gotten to know my readers and their blogs over these past few months. The only problem with reciprocal commenting is that when you get too busy to comment back, you feel like you’re really losing out. Like me lately… I wish I could split myself into two!
@dreamsequins – yeah, i need 5 of myself, one to keep up with each blog! i hear you on the reciprocal commenting – i also feel guilty if i can’t/don’t respond, i really try, but sometimes, it’s just not going to happen…
I’m obsessed with comments, both getting them and leaving them. I make a concious effort to comment back on every comment to stay connected.
@meg, thanks for your comment! as i mentioned, i’ve become obsessed also, it’s very easy to…
I’m so glad I found this site…Keep up the good work
Like you, I live for comments! I love engaging with my readers and I learn so much from them. I'm sure a lot of readers follow my blog more for other readers' comments than for my original posts
After 8 months of blogging, I'm pretty good at predicting which posts will elicit a lot of comments. If a post has a bunch of pretty pictures and maybe a funny story, there will be a fair amount of polite and friendly comments. If a post addresses a popular subject in my niche (city cycling in style) and asks readers questions, I know it will get 40, 60, 80 comments.