I made a stink on Danny Brown’s blog.
Beginning with his essay suggesting Twitter is the death of blog comments and followed by a guest post by Valerie Merahn Simon that comments complement blog articles, I argued comments are less important than views.
I view word of mouth the lifeblood, not necessarily comments. If comments stop appearing on my blog, I’ll keep writing, I typed three days ago.
While I remain true to my belief that I’ll continue blogging if nobody adds comments, I couldn’t be more wrong on my first clause. Comments are the lifeblood of a blog. Reflecting to my early days blogging in 2004–and later in 2007 when I created AriWriter–I remember smiling with glee when that first comment appeared, and then a second, and a third. I fondly recall developing relationships with people who commented here and others when I commented there.
Names come and go but the relationship with commenters, whether one-time passers-by or frequent voices, never changes.
Why didn’t I realize this when I commented to Danny three days ago?
I suppose I was too caught up in the present and didn’t think about the past. I forgot about a span of several months in 2008 when I wrote nearly every day but saw zero comments time and time again–and then one day, they started appearing, leading to a day in August 2008 when I wrote about not wanting Twitter robots and engaging with my community of readers.
And how can I forget about that memorable post in January 2009 when I asked you to de-lurk–and you did, in droves. Not for me, but for each other. Have a look.
In response to Valerie’s guest post, Lauren Fernandez added this:
I try to engage the community in comments – I ask questions to their responses – make them feel wanted – because their opinions are. More often than not, the comments on my blog far outweigh the value I find in just my post. That’s where community is most important.
Of course!
I wave my hat to Lauren and Valerie and Danny and everyone else who is blogging and reading and participating in this greater thing called a blog.
With a nod to Johnny Truant for suggesting confessions yield more comments than news stories, I must conclude he’s right and inspired me to write this. Blog comments are not written for me. The more I write about myself, the more you share about yourself.
Blog comments are not for me. Blog comments are for you.
Related posts:
Comments:
Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
978-558-0008
ConvoTrack
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Kind of the difference between promotion and conversation. I’ve been surprised since I really gave this new world a go at how the comment stream can drive, refresh, alter and commit my thinking about various subjects (and of course correct). Publishers that have knowledgeable comment streams also seem to have more interesting posting habits. It might be that ‘confessions’ work to drive comments, but my bet would be that posters with good comment streams give the impression somewhere that the comments are read and have impact.
New from Fred H Schlegel: Why ATT Is Fabulous and Why Comcast Should Not Be On Twitter.
Is the impression on the poster or the commenter?
Actually, maybe the answer is both. A stream where commentators return to follow-up indicates both are listening. Definition of good conversation, even if not perfect.
New from Fred H Schlegel: Why ATT Is Fabulous and Why Comcast Should Not Be On Twitter.
You know, Ari, it’s blog posts like this that make me respect you so much and why I think you write some of the most thought-provoking stuff around.
(Not because you mentioned me, I hasten to add.)
There are a lot of bloggers – many “A-listers” included – that never evaluate what they’re doing, or saying, or writing, or reading. Simply because they think that since they said it, it must be right. And, of course, we know and soon see that this is far from the truth.
To come out and open up as you have done (and have also done in past posts) just reinforces the view that you truly do care about your community and connections. And at the end of the day, that’s all that (should) really matter.
New from Danny Brown: Opposites Attract
Care to name names, referring to your second paragraph?
Thanks.
“Comments are the lifeblood of a blog”I liked this statement a lot because its a true one.By commenting it will not only a way to express our views but also helps to create a relationship.It will help to earn money and a sort of enjoyment too.
I’d also keep writing my blog if I didn’t get any comments (heck, I don’t get too many now as it is) but I agree with you that it makes for a much richer experience when people do weigh in.
It seems like you hit a Tipping Point of sorts with your blog where suddenly the comments started pouring in and haven’t stopped. What do you think led to this? You mentioned your Twitter robot post as a popular one, but why do you think that the comments kept up on subsequent posts? I’ve had a couple of posts that have drawn a lot of good discussion and comments, only to find that posts I write a few days later are met with silence.
It’s not that comments are singular goal of blogging, but as a blogger it certainly gives you a little validation and encouragement that yes, you are writing things that resonate with people and stir reaction. You (and Danny, and Lauren) have certainly seemed to have mastered writing content that results in a lot of good comments and adds to your blogs’ “lifeblood.” I’m still hoping to figure that out…
New from amymengel: Back to school: 10 years later, what has changed in PR?
If you go to the bottom of this page and click the “previous” link, and go back in time over the past week or two, you’ll find a series of articles in a row with zero comments. Yet the analytics indicate people are reading; hence the part of my belief that I’ll keep writing even if nobody comments.
I couldn’t agree more that it’s all about the people. I love it when someone comments on my blog and tells me what they have gained from my writing. Or even when they show me another viewpoint. It’s what keeps me going to tell you the truth. Making a difference — it’s so much more than “making money”.
I want to look back when I get old and konw that I touched lives and helped others in some way.
New from Eren Mckay: Online Creation Science Videos with Compelling Scientific Evidence Against Evolution
Would you rather make a difference than make money, though?
Loved reading this– I see blog comments as “for us”… the entire community which includes those who blog, read and comment. While I really enjoyed writing the guest post for Danny, what was even more interesting to me was the discussion that followed and what I learned from folks like you and Lauren. But I also think that the WOM is important– whether it occurs through blog posts like this one, on Twitter, or even over dinner conversation. Good blogging gets people talking. Comments simply allow that conversation to be tied to the blog (as Danny pointed out in his original post) for all to consider
Good blogging gets people talking, indeed. The reverse is also true: Good talking gets people blogging. Talking can be in-person, on the phone, by Twitter, even other blog commenting. What does it mean “to talk” these days, anyway?
LOL, too funny… Certain blogs simply don’t engage visitors and certain blogs are designed around catering to their audience. Looking at this post, blog comments are still active
LOL, that is incredible. I think you are right, you “engage your audience”.. Certain blogs are useful, however they are not designed around their target audience and don’t request interaction.