Is there a right way or a wrong way to respond to comments?
Before I even started this blog I would notice that people handled comments differently. Some respond to comments, and some don't. Some get so many comments that they'd be crazy to try to keep up with them all (yes, I'm talking about you Mrs. G. ).
When I did research, a lot of spots said you should definitely respond. So...I do! But then I never know if people read the responses.
Recently I realized that some bloggers respond to comments via email to the commenter. Is that what we're supposed to do?
Readers, I do NOT want to be known as the blogger b*tch that never responds. I'd rather just be known as the b*tch period (not really, but I had to go there).
So I ask you...what's your preference in how to respond to commenters? Do you ever go back to a site you've commented and see if they've responded??
And...Mrs. G....since I've already issued you an excuse, I'm going to give you a different homework assignment (Sandy C you can play this one too). How the heck do you get so many comments?? ;)
Monday, February 4, 2008
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24 comments:
It depends. I sometimes email, sometimes reply in my blog, and sometimes don't respond at all if I can't think of anything substantive or supportive to add. When I first started blogging and commenting on other blogs, I'd go back to see if there was a response to my comment about half the time, mostly because I was insecure and worried that something I wrote would be misconstrued, which now that I think about it doesn't seem to happen as often. I don't know if it's that bloggers are becoming more sophisticated or if I'm just writing more clearly....
Well, as you know I respond to each and every comment. Sometimes it takes me a day, but most times I respond pretty quickly.
You can go into Blogger and set it up to where you'll receive notification by email when someone comments on your blog. Then you can go respond quickly.
Also, most all blogs offer a way to subscribe to comments one way or another. A lot of them have it set up where you can just subscribe to be notified when a comment is made after the one you just made. You'll still be notified of new responses even weeks after sometimes.
I don't think I've ever responded to anyone who commented on my blog by email. I've had a couple of people respond to me that way. I don't think it makes you a bad blogger if you don't respond by email. I think you're fantabulous and offer such a comical, warm, and welcoming environment that no reader should feel out of place here.
Oh, and there is talk about the ones that are replying by email to comments on their blogs. Most of them are doing that because it's the first time that person commented on their blog. So, to welcome them to the community they welcome them with a kind email.
Hope this helps!
Smiles,
Michele
Oh sweetie, I can understand the confusion. Honestly, I have no idea what the correct comment etiquette is! But...I know I rarely ever check back to read replies on blogs that I've commented on, or subscribe to comments. It tends to flood my inbox, especially if that blogger gets a ton of comments.
My account is sent up so that I get email notification everytime someone comments with linkbacks to their blog. So I tend to find it easier to send a personal message via email as a reply. I find it's more personal, and I like to get to know my readers more and build a rapport.
I will also do my best to go and read the commenters blog and post a comment on their site too, and return the comment luv ;) I actually just sent you a response to a comment you left today on my blog, and now I'm here reading your post of the day :)
Hope this helps! Feel free to message me anytime ;)
Sandy
OMG! I have that same question! Good god, am I that one that doesn't respond too? Crap, now I've spent all this time visiting blogs, and commenting, now I've got to go back and see if they responded to me? And how soon after someone comments do you have to respond? Is two weeks too long? Thank you for asking the hard questions... I'll come back and check here for the answers...
I'm gonna have to go with leaving a comment on my blog! I don't want to look friendless and I'm the only one that see's emails! Hey, it's all for the popularity, right??? LOL!
If I know an email, and responding would be off topic, I'll email. Usually, though, I comment in the blog. It's what seems to work best for me.
Sometimes, I don't feel the comments warrant a response, so maybe I'm coming off as the beyotch. Oops.
I guess it's because I'm still surprised that after two years, I'm finally getting comments.
Good Morning Grandy,
Oh my, I have no clue as the the right way or wrong way to leave a comment. Me personally, I leave a comment unless it is something that I have to think about and then I will come back to leave a comment. I know some people respond to a comment on their blog and emails as well. I prefer that someone just leave a comment for me and I do read each and everyone of them. Sometimes, if I am very bored, I go back and read blogs again. LOL. I hope you figure out which way is right or wrong. If you do, please let us all know. Take care my friend and have a great day. May God Bless You and Yours.
Love & Hugs,
Karen H.
Grandy,
Good questions. I don't know what is considered proper. I respond to comments made on my blog. And I do go back to comments I've left on other blogs as much as possible. For me, the commenting part back and forth creates that community feeling.
I think you are doing fine - your blog is a hoot and always fun to visit!
Tina
We've had this discussion amongst my newly blogging friends too and never came to a conclusion. Personally, if I remember I go back to see if there was a response to my comments, but generally unless I asked a specific question of the writer, I don't go back. On that same note - I will make a point of responding with a follow up comment in my blog if someone asks a question. Sometimes I will do that by email if I feel the response needs to be read for sure.
As for those with lots of comments - I think it's because they get lots and lots of traffic! My experience looking at my stats over the past two years is that only about 20-25% comment. Of course, I started my site just to keep in touch with friends and only recently started joining other blogging circles to widen my readers. Some of these gals are pros at this! And yes, I am jealous, but I am also not giving up my day job just yet to pursue blogging :->>
Well, I'm still going to respond. I respond on the blog or in email if I'm asked a specific question. But my most effort is spent just keeping up with everyone's blog. I really love reading them.
I do a combination of both responding to emails and on my site.
I should aslo add that I check back to see if my remarks were commented on,that is half the fun the give and take of blogland and the real world.Mike
How do you email people? What did I miss in "Blogging 101"? When someone comments on my blog the only info I get (I think?) is their blog URL.
I reply to comments in my blog (as a matter of fact I think I just responded to one of yours ;) ) but sometimes it takes me a few days. I love comments, but I'm worried that at some point I won't be able to keep up with and reply to them all.
I also try to read the blogs of people that visit mine -something else that's difficult to keep up with as more and more people read.
If I comment on someone else's blog, I try to remember to check back. Usually I check the box that subscribes me to those comments so I get an email notification whenever a new comment is left after mine.
Did I miss anything? ;)
I wish Blogger would give us access to email of those who leave comments like the other platforms do because it would make this issue so much simpler. I respond on my blog in comments and try to visit the other blog and comment there on the most recent post(s), sometimes including a thank you for their visit to my blog. There’s no way to know if they ever see the comments I leave o MY blog however ... and when I get crunched I may decide to let that habit go.
If they have email in their profile (or if they email me so I have their address because MY email is on MY profile), then I respond in email too. The days I get lots of comments (like Friday Haiku and T-13) I try to respond individually but have recently given a "group" response then visited their blogs within the next few days as time permits. I'm not sure there are any easy answers for those of us based on Blogger short of switching to another platform, and I'm not ready to do that.
If I notice that a blogger tends to respond in public comments, I try to remember to check the box for email follow-up but sometimes forget, so I see some public responses and miss others. I almost never go back to check for a response because there's just not enough time.
Hugs and blessings,
Some excellent comments everyone. I can tell that some of you check back and some of you don't. Rest assured...I will always comment back. I may group the comments if several people mention the same thing, but I will always try to respond.
That being said...
Kelly~ Maybe it was me just having an insecure moment? Always trying to play by the rules at heart. ;)
Michele~ I do have it set up with the emails, so I guess that's how we overlap so much in our comment world on the cyber highway.
Sandy~ I do the same with you, but usually try to post to you only after I've offered up my post for the day. ;)
Linda~ Breathe WOMAN!! Read all these comments and you'll see everyone has their own thing. I just needed to be sure. I'm not the one with the answers but my readers do share the wealth with theirs. :D
Krissy~ Blech...I'm not sure I handled popularity (or lack thereof) very well in high school either.
Suzanne~ Give yourself more credit than that lovely lady!!
Karen~ No right or wrong way to report here. Whatever you're doing works just fine too!!!
Tina~ You are right, the community feeling in the blogging world is great! p.s. I like your new pic. :)
Christina~ Good call on the day job thing. You've been blogging for 2 years?? I guess I still have a lot to learn because I can't tell the difference between a "visit" and a "view".
Mrs. G~ We REALLY love reading yours too!!
Mike~ Fear not, I will always comment back to yours. I've even commented on your comments on some other sites. ;)
Melissa~ You didn't miss a thing. In fact, you are right on time and quite appropriate! Love your comments. No worries!!
storyteller~ Interesting. I did notice your Haiku and Thursday13's are high comment days for you.
Out of personal laziness, I respond by email, and I don't respond with a comment in comments, because I don't go back often to check to see if blog authors have commented back. I don't expect a response every time I comment, and I don't give an email response to every comment left. I do try to make sure that everyone who comments gets an email response at some point, because I want to acknowledge and thank them for reading, but how I decide who to comment to on any given day is pretty random. I have wordpress email me all my comments to my blc gmail account, and it's much easier to read and response to them than by using the WP interface. Plus then it's easy to archive the ones I've responded to, and I can then see who may not have gotten a response from me.
And if that's not enough randomness, sometimes I repay a comment with a comment on their blog.
When I have a new commenter, I invariably check out their blog, and if it's a great blog or they leave several comments, I add it to my reader. Granted, I sometimes only scan the posts, but I do try to keep up. I'm not so popular that it's overwhelming. : )
LawyerCook~ Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate you stopping by.
Ahh, the comments. I've wondered the same thing. Do people check back? Do people get offended if I don't respond? Am I wasting my time responding to a comment already made if that person doesn't return to the comments? Should I respond via email? (and, yes, i basically just paraphrased your post...woops)
I've not been the best with responding to everyone's comments. I try, but before I know it, several days have passed and comments have either piled up or I just enter the Biyotch Who Sucks Donkey Balls zone. Then, I feel bad about not responding.
I sometimes email folks. Maybe those that I think won't check the blog again later. ???
And, sometimes I'll do a whole Comment Recap post where I take the lazy road and respond to comments in an actual post.
And, now, b/c you've made me feel guilty, I responded to a handful of comments on my blog. ;-)
Dee~ In the event you come back and read this...I had nothing to do with making you feel guilty, pretty lady. You worked yourself into that on your own. ;)
Boo, I'm back. I know you respond to comments, so you caught me...I check back with your blog. I'm a pyscho Grandy comment stalker. ;-)
I'm truly honored you drunken squirrel. ;)
You know some bloggers (well, at least Dooce, who is very popular) don't even allow comments? All her comments are closed. It makes me crazy! What is the point of a blog without comments. Oh well, I still like her blog. And according to her blog, tons of people do because it brings in enough ad money that she and her husband both stay at home. *Jealous*
Oh, and to answer the question...I try to respond. I do that random reinforcement thing, where sometimes I respond and sometimes not. Sometimes I reply in my comments, sometimes I reply in their comments, sometimes I ignore them, sometimes I email them. Sometimes I just talk trash about them to my husband (not--I love all commenter). Sometimes I'll just visit the person's blog and write an essay on random things and on whether or not I respond to comments.
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