Comments on: The Thing About Blog Comments Is…

By: Sticklers of the world, chillax « Mighty Red Pen

Sticklers of the world, chillax « Mighty Red Pen — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:47:47 +0000

[...] spelling errors (heaven forfend you should leave out an apostrophe!) to put others down. Check out Danny Brown’s discussion about blog comments. McKean talks about online comments, too: Online, of course, [...]

By: Hendry Lee

Hendry Lee — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:31:18 +0000

Commenting is a privilege. Agree 100%.

I so expect that person is not my customer or client, or otherwise s/he is going to request a refund after getting the product/ service because of a simple flaw. If I can get him/her out of my RSS feed, I'll do that. Everyone will be much more happy without that kind of comment.

Regarding comments as the lifeblood, I have to partially disagree. The conversation part is the lifeblood, but the format of the conversation doesn't have to be comments. I mean, nowadays, blogs are not only blogs.

They are also content publishing tools. Many bloggers are using WordPress, for instance, to get static pages up, and then turn on comments selectively to encourage conversations. I'd prefer this route and soon will implement it on my blog.

By: Danny Brown

Danny Brown — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:30:06 +0000

It's been one of the things that have held blogs back from *respectability*, I think. A lot of times when I've mentioned I blog/read blogs, people say "Oh, that's just for people with too much time on their hands and that like bitching about others." Sadly, sometimes you have to go along with this when you look at some non blog-related comments.

It's one of the reasons I stopped reading things like TechCrunch – that's often just a battlefield waiting to happen!

Slightly off-topic, but your blog usually brings a smile to my face each day, particularly the grammar issues

By: mighty red pen

mighty red pen — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:05:39 +0000

I'm pretty interested in how blog comments work, so thanks for opening up a discussion here. My two peeves include the one you've mentioned: people who correct each other just for the sake of correcting each other, the sort of blog equivalent of playground insults (I was reading a blog the other day where one commenter wrote to another, "You must be the child left behind"). Unless you're on a blog where that sort of thing is relevant, I say leave well enough alone if another commenter chooses to use dangling participles or what have you. My other peeve is how blog commenters treat dissent. Although I like to think that blog comments generate dialogue, often they're just a forum for relentlessly hammering home opposing viewpoints. What I find disappointing is when people who disagree with a blogger are ganged up on with the desired result of forcing that person to take their toys and go home. Not dialogue.

By: katbron

katbron — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:49:55 +0000

I agree with many comments here and also remember being told that "when you stick your head above the crowd, you will be the one the sniper takes a shot at" – social media experts like Chris Brogan are leading and some people are looking for any reason to "discredit" him. Sort of like they are creating their own worth. Doesn't mean they can't have an opinion, but let's be polite. Good old-fashioned courtesy and constructive criticism goes a long way in my book. We are allowed to be anonymous too often, less shirking responsibility for our behavior. I say identify yourself – own your words:)

By: Danny Brown

Danny Brown — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:53:46 +0000

While I see what you're saying, doesn't the fact you moderate comments mean they're less of a right than privilege, Jason?

I definitely agree that comments are the viewpoint for the readers that the blog author may miss otherwise, and will always have open comments because of it.

I guess I view it from the house analogy I used. This is my house, your blog is your house, other blogs are their author's house. Just because it's on the public street doesn't mean I can just walk in willy-nilly.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it is a right. I just feel otherwise.

Thanks for stopping by, always a pleasure good sir.

By: Jasontryfon

Jasontryfon — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:40:13 +0000

I think if you're going to put the content out there it's a right to be able to respond. We're making ourselves known publicly by blogging and it from a particular perspective is journalism. As a "web journalist" on all things customer sat my readers have the right to chime in and say they feel. Obviously I moderate comments and if one came in that was belligerent I would delete it. Nothing irritates me more than reading a great blog post where the comments are closed, or you are unable to leave feedback.

Again I think it's the readers right to chime in.

By: Teresa Hll

Teresa Hll — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:20:04 +0000

Hey Danny,
I totally agree that blog comments are a privilege. I find it sad (and rather amazing) that some folks feel they have the right to leave nasty, abusive comments on someone's blog. Of course it is fine. to disagree, that's part of the fun, but it never needs to be done rudely. If you have something to say, use that awesome gray matter and say it! Resorting to insults and rudeness generally reflects the intelligence level of the person leaving the comments, IMHO. That's right- I said it!)

So – thanks for the privilege, Danny! You can always be depended upon to say what needs to be said!!

By: Adam Gainer

Adam Gainer — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:45:53 +0000

This is a great post. I think comments are one of the most valuable aspects of the blogging world. It helps us to learn what we are getting right and doing wrong. I always encourage my readers to leave comments ( not many of them do). Direct feedback is the greatest way we learn to write better or look at new ideas and viewpoints that we might be missing.

Keep up the great work.

By: Matt Batt

Matt Batt — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:43:43 +0000

I am privileged to be typing in this comment box right now:). Seriously, you bring up a very good point about "constructive criticism" and what qualifies as such. I view social media and conversations on blogs no different than I do in real-life. I offer the same type of feedback here as I would face-to-face. Often I think others feel like they have a shield of defense with this being virtual in nature and often lash out much more than they would ever think of doing in-person.

As a result, my advice to everyone is to 1) be yourself above all else and 2) ask yourself if what you're typing you would feel comfortable saying to this person and group in-person. Or as David Armano said in a presentation last week, "social media will amplify your personality. If you're a jerk in real life…you'll be a huge jerk within social media"…how true.