Why Does No-one Comment On My Blog?
It’s a question a lot of people ask, they can see the number of readers they have in their stats packages, they know that people are coming to read and yet they get only a couple, maybe a handful of comments, why is that?
I was having this discussion with AussieJazz from Sunny Side Up yesterday in the comments section to this post where she told me ’I have anywhere between 30-100 readers a day, yet I rarely get more than 3 people to comment.’ and she just didn’t understand why. She reads other blogs and nearly always comments on them, her own blog is fun and interesting to read -I read and comment over there often- and yet she gets so few comments.
She is starting to find it all a bit disheartening.
Yes, yes, I know some people reading this will be thinking ‘but it’s not about the readers or the comments it’s about the love of it, or the art, or something’ but quite frankly, that’s mostly nonsense. In my book, anyway. For me it’s all about engaging with people, talking and having conversations, learning stuff from people and having a laugh. Difficult to do that if no-one comments, so I can understand the disheartening feeling.
And, as AussieJazz said, ‘no matter if your blog is light banter or goes to Titanic depths of your soul, you’re still giving part of yourself’ and when you’re not getting anything back, it can feeling a little hurtful, bruising. After all you are giving people something and they are taking it, but not stopping to even say hello. It can feel like you are being ripped off somehow.
So how to change that? How to get people to comment?
Beats the hell out of me. I’m grateful people do comments here, I love getting the comments and having the comment conversations with people like the one with AussieJazz yesterday that get you talking and thinking, but I don’t really know why so many people choose to comment here and not on blogs like Sunny Side Up.
But I do know some people that might know.
You.
I can think of no better people to ask than blog readers, so please, put us all out of our misery and tell me, why do you comment on blog posts? Do you have an always comment policy or are you selective? What drives you to comment on the ones you do?
And for those that are reading this but not commenting (because I know there are a lot of you), break the silence this one time and tell me why you don’t comment normally.
**to clear up a misunderstanding, it’s not because I get 100′s upon 100′s of readers a day here at Notes From Lapland. I get about 100 people a day, not much more than AussieJazz. You can see for yourself by clicking the sitemeter button at the bottom of my sidebar if you wish – anyone can see how many visitors I get, where they come from and all that jazz, any time they like.
I'm Heather, an expat Brit living in Kuusamo, northern Finland.
I comment on most posts I read that I like. That's a large proportion of them. I tend not to comment if I see that there's already a long thread and am more likely to if there are very few or no comments. I also like to leave comments for people who've commented on my blog and new blogs I come across. But then again I'm fairly new to this. I don't get that many visitors (only on average about 25 per day) but some lovely people comment regularly. And my sister's photo posts always gather more comments. I'm off to visit Aussie Jazz now!
Awww. That’s so nice of you! The only people that comment mine either leave nasty comments (haters) or i get no comments at all.
I doesn’t bother me though, since i have more importnat things to worry about in the real world. lol.
I try to be selective because i think it means more then. i comment if something makes me laugh, think, cry. If it resonates. And also, in all honesty, will also depend how tired i am!
i totally sympathise with your blog friend. As for not caring about comments / readers. *llocks! Check out my post on this subject (and comment pretty please, ha!)
http://marketingtomilk.wordpress.com/2010/04/19…
ps i always feel small when i see bloggers with 40+ comments, but then when i check they have been responding to every one. makes me feel a little less like a schmuck! until i realise i'm not responding to mine – bad service!
Quite simply, you need to be commenting on other people's blog before people will take the time to comment on yours. It's as simple as that.
I wonder this sometimes and I have absolutely no idea. Sometimes I write posts that I think loads of people will comment on and virtually no one does, other days I stick a post up without any thought, go out for the day and can't believe how many people have commented – on something that I didn't think would be worth a comment. Who knows? Will be interested to see what everyone else reckons.
Hey! I feel like I've not paid for my advertorial ;=P Can only hope my comments in the positive are payment enough for you.
As for this:
“but I don’t really know why so many people choose to comment here and not on blogs like Sunny Side Up.”
I think it does also come down to how you promote your blog – you are a Twitter girl, I'm not, so that would help.
Other thing as well I just wanted to clarify, these visitor numbers on average are from mostly regular readers – they come from blog readers, many of them (meaning, they have followed the link from their rss/reader and come to visit. This is the thing I find most curious – that I am interesting enough to be in their readers and to not only read in their readers but experience it by viewing the blog itself, but apparently not worth the time to comment…..
I simply don't get it, it shall probably remain a mystery! But now at least I don't feel so alone in it.
I think long threads do tend to put people off if they don't 'know' the
blogger. Once you've built up a relationship with them, fo me at least,
i'll comment if there's 1 or 100 comments, but I felt exactly the same when
I was new. It can be intimidating seeing so many and not being sure if your
will even get read.
Steve, not necessarily so! Unless I am really poor at choosing the *best* blogs to comment on, in your estimation, I should be getting 3 or 4-fold return. I barely even get blog 'owners' to reply to me in their own comments section. You and Heather are two rare exceptions, or so I have found in the expansive blogging world. Need to broaden my horizons in a better direction, methinks….
I read and I commented! And I agree with everything you said and had a mini
rant too.
Comments for me are a big deal, i'll admmit, I love knowing that people want
to talk back – even if it is just to say 'shut up!'
What I've found is that posts which ask people advice or invite people to share experiences always get more comments. Or something that everyone has an opinion on that they would be willing to share – do you smack, do you do homework.
Sometimes it's easier to say why I don't comment. If someone has poured out their soul, I tend not to comment because I think whatever I have to add will be ultimately inadequate and pointless. If there are already 50 comments and I don't have anything new to say. If the post doesn't invite opinion or anecdote, I won't bother posting just to say, 'Great Post!'
But Steve, this is the thing, she does. Maybe just not at the right
places…
I think in order to get comments you gave to give comments. It is a two way street. I comment on posts when I want to. I dont comment on every post I read, I dont have time. But I do ebjoy a relationship with the people that read my blog. But I dont know the lasat time I checked my stats, I just dont do it regularly, maybe once a month. I find that new blogs are great to comment on and they often comment back, rather than the established blogs.
It is interesting isn't it. I think it then leads onto why we read certain
blogs. do we read and comment only on those that we know will return
comments or those we really enjoy regardless of whether they come and
comment on our blogs. And if we only comment to get comments back are thos
ecomments we recieve from it worth anything? Does it mean our writing is
touching them in anyway or that they feel obligated? Oooh, it goes so much
further that first thought, huh?
At the beginning, I was fairly shy about commenting. Things like disqus and intensedebate put me off a little (there seemed to be a psychological hurdle in having to log in) – it has only really been since I started my blog that I understood the etiquette around commenting.
I am selective in my commenting:
- I tend to comment more on certain days of the week (mainly around having time to myself on certain evenings etc (I am less likely to comment at the weekend, as I consider this family time.
- I work pretty much full time. Sometimes I read blogs via my phone, but commenting is a real pain, so less likely.
- I am generally less likely to comment if I already see hundreds of comments – not because I don't think that person deserves any more comments, but because most of the points have already been made, and my comments just end up sounding like “I agree with X”
- there are some favourite blogs that I simply relate to more, for one reason or another (not v. scientific this one)
- If I am interested in that particular subject, I am more likely to comment. This may come across as rude, but there are some posts that go on and on about the tiniest minute detail of what their child did over the weekend. If this is written in a particular way, or if my child did something similar, I might comment, but generally I will think “that's nice” and move on.
- I also have the attention span of a fruit fly – if a post is too long, 9 times out of 10 I won't even get to the end, and I therefore probably won't comment. Harsh, but true.
Off to visit Aussiejazz now!
I get that too! A few weeks ago, before I left for the UK, I wrote a post
about a doll i accidentily put in the washing machine. I had no time for
anything else and thought 'oh God, no one is going to read this' but loads
of people did. I guess sometimes people enjoy a quick and easy read and
perhaps they can be more appealing some days tha ones where you have to
think?
I dunno. But it is interesting.
That is interesting what you say about readers – I will generally read something in my reader, and only if I am sure I want to comment I will then click through to the blog – otherwise I won't bother.
I think it depends on why people read blogs. Some people read them in order to interact with the author – hence leaving comments. Some – and I probably fall more into this second camp – read them purely out of nosiness, but are too damn lazy to actually write anything. I quite often spend a couple of hours on the laptop without actually typing anything, so I get out of the habit of doing it. Ultimately though, the reason I comment so very rarely, is because I still haven't actually got my head round this whole 'interaction' thing. You want to unburden your soul, you've written it in your blog … good; job done. Subject closed. Blogs for me are still very much about a one way form of communication – a bit like a diary. But then that's because that's how I feel with my blog – I'm always surprised if anyone comments at all. Although it's lovely to get comments, that's not why I write it. I write it because it entertains me to see the stream of random consciousness which falls out of my head … if anyone else likes it as well then that's a bonus.
Oh, and I don't comment because I have far too much of a tendency to ramble …
The bill is in the post :p
Yes, that's very true, I do get quite a few visits from Twitter and also
perhaps because i am on there and chat with people there is more of a
feeling of 'knowing' them, maybe that has a lot to do with it?
Yes, the fact that they subscribe, and then click from their reader rather
than just read it in the reader and still dont comment is a bit mystifying.
I'm dying to hear from one of these people – do they not feel they CAN
comment? do they just not like commenting?
You see I try to always comment – unless it's an old post or I think I'll be
lynched for my opinion or really am not interested in the blog. Even if
it's a deep subject, I like to leave something that says I was here, I read
it because i know how nice it is to get comments, nice to know who is
reading and that they care enough to comment.
That is very true, new bloggers are often more into commenting
reciprocation, older blogs tend to wait until they see you around a few
times before coming over. I guess they just get so many comments and people
flying in and out that they dont have the time. Thos that get 100's of
comments muct find it hard to find the time even to read them all let alone
reply and then go back to the commentors blog and comment.
I do admire people that genuinly dont care about their stats.
oooh, thank you for such a great comment. Keep it short and interesting.
*scibbles note* Right ho. I do know whast you mean about the tiny minuist
details. i think if you want to be read then you should make an effort to
be interesting to people other than yourself. Some people just dont care
though, they want to write for their family or just to keep a journal for
themselves and that cool too. I dont really 'get' it, but horses for
courses and all that.
Yes, absolutely!
Yes, me too JulieB!
Ah but it's good to know you are out there reading
i love you blog and
comment when I get chance to read it but yes, i did wonder if you really
read other blogs because I rarely see you in the comments sections. It's
interersting hearing from someone that doesnt get the communication thing
and i think I can understand it to some extant. In fact, its quite
admirable really as you dont go about doing self promotion, you just blog
write it and thats it. I still don't think I could do it that way, I would
get too lonely. Sad sap, aren't I?
Personally confidence was the first hurdle to get over. I would visit blogs and sense the connection between the writer and commenters and feel as if I had no right to be there. Gradually I felt able to join in, but it took a while.
I'm also conscious that my comments are 'out there' so I give some thought to them – I don't comment for the sake of being seen, I like to feel I've got something to add, or to offer support, or show my appreciation.
Even now when I visit new blogs, I find it hard – it's like starting a conversation with a stranger – and I'll often just read their posts for a while before leaving a comment.
Twitter definitely makes that part easier for me – if I 'know' the writer, I'll be more inclined to comment, thinking that they'll already have a better understanding of who I am and where I'm coming from.
And finally, the reciprocal nature is important to me too- even though I don't always achieve it on my own blog, if I leave a number of comments and receive no response it turns me off – makes me feel unwelcome, and I'll be unlikely to comment again.
*phew* think I'll stop there – good post lovely x
Personally confidence was the first hurdle to get over. I would visit blogs and sense the connection between the writer and commenters and feel as if I had no right to be there. Gradually I felt able to join in, but it took a while.
I'm also conscious that my comments are 'out there' so I give some thought to them – I don't comment for the sake of being seen, I like to feel I've got something to add, or to offer support, or show my appreciation.
Even now when I visit new blogs, I find it hard – it's like starting a conversation with a stranger – and I'll often just read their posts for a while before leaving a comment.
Twitter definitely makes that part easier for me – if I 'know' the writer, I'll be more inclined to comment, thinking that they'll already have a better understanding of who I am and where I'm coming from.
And finally, the reciprocal nature is important to me too- even though I don't always achieve it on my own blog, if I leave a number of comments and receive no response it turns me off – makes me feel unwelcome, and I'll be unlikely to comment again.
*phew* think I'll stop there – good post lovely x
I very rarely comment unless i feel like I have a personal relationship with that person, which can generally only be built up from months of lurking on their site. There was a time i left comments everywhere in order to try and entice people back to my blog, but i realized how shallow i was being and so knocked that on the head.
On my own site I can never really figure out what gets comments and what doesn't. There is the old trick of asking a question at the end of each post, but I've never really bothered with doing that.
Posts like this one, talking about blogging, always tend to get reactions (although whether you _want_ those reactions is another matter). I think you are probably the queen of enticing comments Heather to be honest, and as far as I see it this is your formula:
Post on a issue that has heat to it, but not white hot heat
)
Ask questions within the body of the post
Have a reputation of following up on comments, therefore creating a discussion in the comments section rather than just a list of opinion
Maintain a high profile in the blogging community
Promote the post on twitter (lets not get into my oppinions on that again
Have an easier commenting system that doesn't require registration.
and that's it, i think.
It's frustrating when you see hits but no, or very few comments. I don't get very many (maybe 1 or 2) , unless it's Gallery day and I post a photo with a link over at Sticky Fingers, so I can completely sympathise with AussieJazz. You can go to some blogs and they've got 20, 30, 40 or more comments, yet others are really good and have few.
I try to leave comments where I can, especially if I can relate to a post that's been written. I don't feel it's worth leave a comment saying 'nice post', so I have to have something to say about what I've just read.
It's also hard when you see so many who obviously 'know' each other in blogland and are comfortable with each other, so I often feel like an intruder.
I also think google reader has a hand in it. Posts get read in the reader but people don't necessarily go to the relevant blog and leave a comment.
Interesting question, and one I ponder often. I go through peaks and troughs on the blog, some weeks I get lots of views others not so many. I have developed something of a strategy (sounds horrible but I don't mean it to be). I have a steady group of about fifty blogs that I comment on frequently, a smaller group of about five I try to comment on every post, and a group of 'floaters' who I check in with most weeks. I try to reciprocate comments on my blog, and show 'comment love'. Gosh this is all sounding a bit up myself and I don't mean that at all. Like Heather I love comments, and I can feel quite rejected if I don't get many. For example yesterday on my blog I wrote a personal piece about celebrating step-dads. That piece had about 150 views (exc mine of course) but only about 10 comments. It was retweeted about 8 times and a number of people tweeted how much they loved it, but interestingly not the same people who commented neccessarily!! I did wonder whether it was a little too mushy for some people? I wondered if it was badly written, or had too many literals. Or maybe it was just Father's Day Sunday and people were out and about with their Dads. The time I publish seems to have a lot to do with it. I'd love to have a publishing schedule but I'm just too disorganised and quite often don't know what to blog. Like today!! A couple of ideas for encouraging dialogue – writing 'reply' posts is one that I've found works quite well, or finding someone writing in a similar niche and showing them some comment love. Asking questions works. Some blogs leave nothing to comment on. Oh and putting a reaction button on. Sometimes people don't want to say 'oh that was so funny' they'd prefer to click an awesome button!! Just a few ideas. Off to visit your blog now AussieJazz……… xx
**scuffs toe in the sand**actually I hadn't come across your blog before. I tend to follow links from comments on my blog an then add the blog to my reader which often leads to comments. I do find the more I comment on the blogs of my commentators the more they comment on mine. They then develop a habit of always commenting, even on the inane posts, and I tend to do the same. It a slow process though. I would say the longer and more “intense” a post is the less likely I am to comment cos I am not going to read it in detail. I don't mean intense in terms of emotion but more in terms of depth. If you are doing a long post, lots of paragraphs, pictures and one-liners makes it easer for your reader to read and therefore comment. Also, sometimes you need to ask your reader what they think
I don't comment on all posts, only if I have something to say, either because I agree, I disagree or connect in some way. My process is: open reader, open in new tabs all the posts that interest me from the title, and leave comments at about one third of those I read. I.e. I “weed” already at reader stage and may not read a post just because the title doesn't appeal. That's just because I can't physically read all the posts in my reader.
I don't comment on some blogs that get hundreds of comments. But I do on blogs that have between 0 and 30 comments per post.
I comment on virtually all the posts I read. If someone doesn't want to comment on mine then I figure it's their loss. I'm not trying to sound arrogant (even though I know I do), but my blog is important to me and I thoroughly enjoy people commenting on it, making me see that it's being read and, possibly, enjoyed. There are a lot of fantastic blogs out there that only receive one or two comments; some of them don't bother visiting other blogs which is the reason why, I think, they don't get the comments back. I could be wrong. It beats me too, Heather!
CJ xx
You know I was about to comment as I was going to say that I don't comment on everything I read as there isn't always something I have that is relevent to say and then I saw that you had 30 comments and I figured that you'd already have someone saying that so you didn't need me saing that and then I thought but this is the whole point isn't it! So I had to comment to tell you…
oh and can I add that many of my readers who I know don't ever comment, but I know they read every single post? Non bloggers are less confident/likely to comment. They may not understand why we appreciate comment, or feel they don't have anything to add.
I usually comment if I'm reading on computer, unless it's a post that really hasn't moved me at all in any way, which is rare. If I'm reading on my phone, which I do quite a lot, commenting can be very difficult, so I don't bother. I've lost too many carefully tapped with one finger messages to bother these days, unless it's a wordpress site, which I'm always signed in to, as I use wordpress.
I know that non-bloggers almost never comment. Sometimes I'll be chatting to a friend and she'll mention that she's read a post and we'll talk about it, but I don't think it's ever occurred to anyone I know IRL to actually comment. So I think quite a big proportion of my readers are non bloggers. Don't know if that's any help!
Mostly I comment because I feel if someone takes the time to put themselves out there then it is great for them to get feedback. Sometimes I just don't know what to say but I would rather leave a proper comment than a 'great post' comment that means nothing. I genuinely appreciate getting comments myself so I understand that others will too, but I don't like commenting for the sake of it either.
One thing that turns me off is super long posts. I read many fantastic blogs and enjoy all of them, but 500 words is about my max. 1000 words and I glaze over unless it is riveting stuff!
Will go visit Sunny Side Up
Jen
Gosh, it depends hugely on my mood at the time. Sometimes I am comment happy and will comment on every blog I read, at other times I'll just read and bugger off. I find that disqus has helped my comments ratio go up hugely, that and replying to comments left. I think it changes it then and makes the blog a lot more interactive.
I unashamedly love comments (thanks for yours on mine!) and have even threatened to quit blogging from time to time because no one comments enough! (which usually gets lots of comments – AussieJazz should try it!!). I think it does have a lot to do with how much you comment on other people's and whether you reply to the comments on yours. Having said that I'm crap at replying and commenting. Naughty naughty me. In my defense my internet connection here is terrible and I often write long rambling comments only to have the connection dropped and the words lost. Bloody annoying. And yes I'm lazy and still want it both ways! I sometimes wish it was like Facebook where you could just 'like' something to show you were there. bla bla bla
Gosh could I say 'comment' any more times? Any comment?
I like to say something if I feel a connection, identify with the post and have something valuable (in my opinion) to share, if others have already covered my reactions, I try not to 'ditto'.
I like your posts, Heather, & will check out another Aussie as well 
Not commenting does not mean I don't like it, I just might not feel inspired enough to do the post justice at the time
I'm not blogging to be popular, and I cover lots of subjects, so when people don't comment I just assume they are not interested, or think it's cr*p. I also have some non-blogging readers – such as friends and family – and they tend to leave comments on Facebook.
People blog for different reasons. Either to market sth or to write, inform & discuss about a special topic. The way I see it if people visit your blog they are interested in reading what you have to say. The information they get is free. Why not show some gratitude and give feedback? Book authors get rewarded by people buying their books.
Thanks Heather for commenting on our blog. It might not be everyone's thing to comment on blogs but on the other hand I think it's only fair to give a short feedback (e.g. questions, critics as well) to give the blogger a little stimulation to continue blogging. No feedback is worse because you have no clue how popular your posts are and what people want to read/see.
It depends on tha day for me. There are days where I will comment on nearly everything. And days when I'll just read and leave. If I think I don't have anything nice to say, then I'll just shut up! X
I try to comment whenever there is something relevant I can say as I know how lovely it feels to know when my blog is interesting to someone and they have taken the time to leave a comment. Some blogs are insular and although the writer is talking to us out here, I feel she is 'telling' rather than offering a two way conversation, so those ones I might not comment on as much. Some writers are just so delightful, you wish you could know them better and are compelled to comment (you can put yourself in that category Heather!). I don't mind how many people view/comment on my blog because I created it as diary about me for my boys to look at when they are all grown up. But I do feel really happy when I find comments.
Hi, I found your blog via @karamina
For me, sometimes it takes me a while to feel like I belong in a community and can join in.
Also, sometimes — and this is a boring reason — I just don't have enough time to give the kind of thoughtful response I want to give, so I don't comment at all. I get just snippets of personal time throughout the day; it's maddening, but if I use up all my time reading blog posts, then I run out of time to comment!
I comment on personal posts. (Not so much on recipes or fashion and definitely not sponsored stuff.) Also – I comment a lot more on blogs whose writers comment on my blog. Makes sense somehow.
Ok I'm going to point out the obvious! Look how many comments this post has! I guess so many of us really do care about how many people are reading.
By the way did you realise that your blog name isn't coming up when you hover on your name? Just thought I'd let you know so that people can jump from your comments to your blog…
I used to have a “comment on every post I read” policy but at the moment I've got way too much going on and I've subscribed to too many blogs (but I can't bear to unsubscribe to any of them) to be able to do that now so I'm barely commenting at all (as you may have noticed). Its not that I don't want to, it's just that I need more than a couple of hours sleep a night!
I comment if I read the post. Every Single Time. I feel cheated if I don't. I mean I spent 3-5-10 minutes reading it, surely I can think of something to say. If someone comments on a post of mine I go as soon as I see the comment and find some post of theirs to comment on. Even if they only blog about recipes or cats or their period. I can find something to say. I also reply to nearly every comment. If their comment has their email attached I reply directly from my inbox, in short order. I try to engage every commenter. Every time. I don't know how to understand my stat counter but the hits show 3-400 daily and the comments reflect 5% of that maybe. My content is all over the map and NSFW sometimes, politics that leave me in the minority and pictures that are un appealing to some so I kind of get why people don't comment some of the time. It has been my experience that if you want comments you either need be an outstanding writer (which I surely am not) or a friendly blogger who leaves comments and engages the reader. I also expect comments from blogs I comment on. Not daily but at least some. I will x a blog out if they don't return the comment favor no matter how outstanding their blog is, or how much I like it.
So my advice is to engage the reader, comment on others, or write really really well!
That is my take.
**scuffs toe in the sand**actually I hadn't come across your blog before. I tend to follow links from comments on my blog an then add the blog to my reader which often leads to comments. I do find the more I comment on the blogs of my commentators the more they comment on mine. They then develop a habit of always commenting, even on the inane posts, and I tend to do the same. It a slow process though. I would say the longer and more “intense” a post is the less likely I am to comment cos I am not going to read it in detail. I don't mean intense in terms of emotion but more in terms of depth. If you are doing a long post, lots of paragraphs, pictures and one-liners makes it easer for your reader to read and therefore comment. Also, sometimes you need to ask your reader what they think
I can't talk for other people but I can talk for myself. A) I read a lot of blogs through my iphone and it is a right old faff commenting on it so often I don't bother. B) I am lazy and I often read things on the hop or during a two minute stand still so don't comment. C)my own experience on my own blog is that I get a lot more comments through Twitter and Email than I do on my blog. I think it's just easier for people. D) Often I read things and really enjoy it but don't have anything to offer in terms of a comment.
I try and comment more now as I know how much I appreciate it when people do. I have however learnt not to be bothered about the numbers of comments. If your blog stats are consistent and people keep coming back for more then that is enough.
There's so many fabulous blogs out there — too many for me to keep up with unfortunately, but I do try and comment on all the posts I read because I know how lovely it is when you get them.
PS Not sure if I told you or not, but I tagged you over on my blog.
I comment when I'd have something to say if the same thing had come up at the pub or in the office tea room… although if nothing comes to mind straight away I tend to move on.
On my own blog, there's absolutely no predicting what things will get most comments. Once or twice recently I've started ending a post with 'What are your favourite…?' etc etc to start a discussion but got next to no response at all!
For me, I always try to leave a comment on new blogs I come across to let the reader know I'm 'here' reading their blog, and if they come back to my blog and comment then I know I can go back and engage with a new blogger. for blogs I already am familiar sometimes I don't always comment because sometimes after reading the post I get distracted by my daughter who wants my attention and I mean to return to the post but I can't or sometimes I try to leave a comment but I have to put my name, my email, word verification (it's a long process you know) anyways anytime someone leaves me a comment I try to also comment because I know your minutes , time is precious.
Great post Heather and AussieJazz – one I've been wondering about myself but don't have the balls to post in on my own blog! I also am a bit p***d off commenting on certain other blogs over and over and they never return a visit/comment on my blog and they are not necessarily the 'big' bloggers. So for those people I have a rule that if they haven't reciprocated then, no more visits from me (I'm sure they probably don't give a toss but at least I feel better
It does tend to get a bit disheartening from time to time doesn't it?
I'm off to make friends with AussieJazz.
I comment when I have something to say, or something's moved me. If I commented on every post I read I'd be fast out of things to say and sounding very repetitive!
I also find that some blogs are just easier to comment on, the blogger seems somehow more approachable to me, much like in real life. I can't put my finger on why, but it's just a vibe I get.
This is exactly my policy too!
Very interesting question. Many of the previous comments have already hit on what I'm going to say – which is why I generally don't comment if there is a huge amount of previous comments. If it's something I feel I have to get my view across then I will. If it doesn't I don't. Where I work – I can't access blog-land – so a lot of time it's all I can do just to read the blogs I follow, much less try to comment. And forget about trying to comment from the phone, it's impossible.
I read way more than I comment on mostly because I'm usually 'just having a quick look' at google reader when I should be going to bed (almost 1am again..aagh!). Also tend only to comment if I have something relevant to say or different (unlike now when I think loads have people have said what I'm saying) and am not a good writer so it often takes me ages to manage to get what I want to say down and making some sense (though this doesn't as I need to get to sleep!). Also I think a lot of the blogs I read are high profile so feel like a bit of an intruder by commenting. Or if I've commented on someone's blog recently I don't tend to do so again even if I want to say something as don't want to look like a stalker as I'm quite new to this so don't 'know' anyone. Another reason I don't often comment is I don't want to obligate people into commenting back. However, this post has made me realize I should perhaps be less timid and comment more (when I'm awake enough write properly though!).
I can't be arsed to comment if I have to jump through hoops to do it! If I have to login and create a user ID or do a stupid captcha, and of course sometimes I just have nothing to say – maybe I should just add, “read and inwardly digested” as a comment when I have nothing to add! LOL
blimey – you have so many comments here i won't comment!! …….oh……damn
You know it's really a good question. I think in my experience, funny posts get lots of comments. Where thoughtful and deep may still get you plenty of readers, it takes more work to respond to these type of posts. That doesn't mean that funny is better, just that it is easier for readers to comment. But I must say that what I've also noticed is that bloggers who reply to their commenters by email get more comments as well. When I first started blogging I didn't even know you were supposed to respond to commenters. I thought comments were gravy. I didn't get a lot of them, but I loved every one. Once I realized that replying to commenters was part of it, my comments increased 10-fold. Blogging is a lot of work, but all the relationships are so much fun! It is amazing how much better I've gotten to know other bloggers since I began replying to comments and emailing back and forth. Great post, Heather. And great conversation!
Hi…I am fairly new to blogging,and some would say new to the 21st century, as I don't twitter, facebook, understand lots of things about computers or even manage to use fancy phones…..but I do visit certain blogs regularly and try to comment each time…if only to be polite……if there are lots of comments and the blog already has tons and tons of followers and the commenting people all seem to know each other I do tend to stay away…it feels a bit like trying to interrupt a conversation with the cool people at a party! I have no idea if/when people read my blog because I don't know how..it's baby steps with me at the moment…I only know that blogging is really addictive, and a bit like waiting for the postman every day anticipating a letter….exciting and fabulous.
I comment on posts that interest me or where I have something to say – on days when my g-reader is full I'll skim through lots of posts and it'll take more to get me to engage
I like to comment because its part of the dialogue with other bloggers
That said, I tend to comment more on the smaller, newer blogs than ones with 20+ comments, I sort of think those ones are doing so well and have so many other readers its not worth it
Well obviously posting an article about how to get comments is a good way to get them!! LOL. But seriously this post is obviously interesting to people and so they feel they want to add their “two sense”. It's an issue bloggers are affected by. I find articles about blogging interesting because I am a blogger but I always wonder about their appeal to non-bloggers. When I first came upon blogs it was because I was googling things and they started to come up along with the big sites. This is particularly true of food blogs. I was looking for recipes and often thought an individual (not a famous chef or big corp) would provide more realistic things to cook. However, until I started blogging myself I would never have dreamed of actually commenting. I am interested in attracting both types of readers. The bloggers who comment and the “lay people” who are searching for things I am posting about. Does that make sense? So stats are equally important to me as comments. When you read an article in a paper or magazine you don't get the chance to comment. We are use to absorbing someone elses thoughts and ideas without immediately responding to them. I think it will take a while longer before responding becomes second nature. Before I blogged and I read things online I always wondered who all these “nutters” were who spent all their time commenting. Like product reviews. I find them invaluable but would never be bothered myself. Now I blog it is different. I am a part of a community and I enjoy the interaction. I love other bloggers reading my posts and responding. I like going back to their blogs and leaving comments in return. If someone comes to my blog for the first time I always click on their link and try and return the compliment by commenting on at least one post. It doesn't always make me go back though. I guess it depends on how interesting I found their blog. I do feel twitter really helps. Making connections with people and getting to know their blogs. But I don't feel blgogers are the only readers I want to attract. And I don't expept those people to comment. I think they will come to my site, take what they need and move on. Hopefully come back if they find it interesting enough. I've only been doing it a short time but I can say networking and the look and feel of your of blog are crucial. Anyway you got a lot more than my two sense! I always love talking about blogging! Hx
Yes, this. I have a lot of non-blogging readers who never comment. My sister, for example, says she wouldn't ever think to comment, saying that you don't feel moved to write in every time you read a good article in the paper or a magazine. I only comment if I have something to say, and if I have time. And unfortunately time is in short supply round here!
[...] Jun So, earlier this week Heather over at Notes from Lapland wrote a great blog post about stats, blogging and [...]
If I've gone to the trouble to find it & read it, it seems daft not to comment even if it is just a few words
that's true and the way I often feel. It's a rare post that I don't write
anything.
I'm guilty of reading and not always commenting (bad me), but sometimes I just don't have anything to contribute, and don't believe in making a vacuous comment, just for the sake of it. A point in case is your long discussion on another post about Cybermummy. I'm a blogger and a mother, but my child is a teen, so I'm guessing it's not for me, so I'm not planning to add my tuppence-worth.
I do look forward, however, to getting to know all the lovely bloggers participating in the Secret Post Club, including yourself – thanks for inviting me.
Hi Helga, thanks for commenting! I do know what you mean, some posts, for
whatever reason, you don't feel an affinity with or have nothing to say. I
think we all come up against those at times. I'm looking forwrad to the
enxt SPC swap too, i missed it last month. only a few days to go before we
get our swap partners!
Just seen this post. I don't comment on many posts but if I'm honest I don't feel I have to, and this is how many people are. I read a hell of a lot of posts though. It's a well known fact that on average less than 1% of a blogs readership comments. Now this can increase because of a drive to comment through things like Twitter or having a smaller readership – in engaged sub communities part of commenting is self-motivated because it's communicated that to get comments you should comment on others, so if you're in with the right crowd, it's like a pyramid commenting scheme.
I understand the desire for comments but it's good to ask why they're important but also to ask yourself if a reader is truly less valuable or less engaged because they don't comment?
Readers that don't comment are just as valuable. Some take a while to warm up and eventually comment and others don't comment but are loyal, tell their friends about you, buy from you, donate when you ask, share you on Google Reader etc.
I would also say that if getting comments is a key motivation, state it, ask for comments on your blog by asking for feedback, or write controversial stuff… Yes you will alienate some but at least you'll get what you want. It's either that or ask your readers why they don't comment because your readers are, well, your readers.
I wonder the same thing sometimes. I try to remind myself that the most important thing is I'm writing, and I'm proud of what I'm writing. But when you see other blogs that have tons of comments and you don't have many, it can be a bummer. With regard to other blogs, I read fast and don't always comment, so I am just as much at fault!
I read the posts in my google reader via my telephone, and then I star the ones that I want to comment on (like I did this one) and then when I am at the laptop I try and comment. It is a bit delayed as I have been away! Comments are always nice to read but I judge my blog, and my posts by how I feel about them, not the amount of comments I get. I only comment on roughly 1 in 10 posts that I read, and I know that people are busy and a lack of comments does not indicate a lack of readers.
When I commented to my son that I wished I had more friends on Facebook he replied `Mum, Facebook is not a barometer of how popular you are!` and I think the same philosophy can be applied to blog comments.Personally speaking, I only have a handful of `followers`, whether that`s because I`m just an ordinary person with nothing extraordinary to report compared to some outstanding bloggers I`m not quite sure (I`m a novice to Blogland so that doesn`t worry me in the least) but I am very comfortable with them, a couple of them could almost be my twin, we have so much in common! so I tend to just stick to the familiar and comment accordingly and they in their politeness comment back. I haven`t done the `stats` thingy because I`m not quite sure how to negotiate it yet! but I think I can survive without it thus far.
I think the trick about blogging is to not get too hung up with the politics of the thing and just go with the flow. As with everything else in life, if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging! Happy Blogging Everyone
Hhe article’s content rich variety which make us move for our mood after reading this article. surprise, here you will find what you want! Recently, I found some wedsites which commodity is colorful of fashion. Such as that worth you to see. Believe me these websites wont let you down. australia ugg boots