I've been thinking about how I do things around here.
Ever since this blog started I have emailed every single commenter back as long as they left a valid email. I feel strongly about it. I have gained really strong friendships from doing this, and I think it helped me build a sense of community and get to know my readers.
But. On the other sites I write for I respond to comments on the site. And I see the benefit of that as well. Then the conversation happens on the site as opposed to off the site. But, for me, once I leave a comment on someone's site I never, ever go back to that post. Well, rarely. So if someone responds to my comment it is lost on me.
So tell me, readers, what would you prefer? Do you like it when I email you? Would you rather I responded on jodifur so everyone could see? (Yes, I refer to jodifur as a living thing. Doesn't everyone do that with their blog?)
Also, Facebook? I kind of have to join don't I? All of the good conversations are happening over there. You can't be a blogger and not be on Facebook. I KNOW. I'm working on it.
So, it has been four plus years, I'm ready to change things up, what do you want?
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Robin (noteverstill), Susan (whymommy), and Roberta, you all won Life From Scratch. Enjoy it!
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
I think commenting back on the blog allows MORE community. That way readers can respond to your response to other commentators. Allows the conversation to flow a little more.
As for Facebook. I still avoid it for blogging. I have a “fan” page but don’t use it, maybe I should… dammit. Thanks.
I think it’s lovely and amazing that you e-mail each commenter back. It makes us feel all warm and fuzzy and special, you know? I’m impressed that you have made the time and effort to do that. But I do see where the conversation can build when bloggers respond in the comments. Though, I also rarely go back to a post where I’ve left a comment. As for FB, my boring real life and my boring blogging life are somewhat separate. I do not link to blog posts on FB, so it’s not a blogging tool for mel it’s a friendship tool. But my blog identity is not as established as it is for many folks…
i mix it up, sometimes i respond privately (through email) and sometimes i respond on the site. if it’s something that i think others would be interested in i try to respond on site so they can chime in.
but i agree with you that i rarely go back and check on comments after i’ve left them. like, never ever. so if the blogger responds but i don’t get an email notice about it i’ll probably never know.
I don’t mind either way, however, on my own blog I respond in the comments. I feel like it opens up the conversation so everyone can see/join in if they want. I just set up a FB page for my blog, and one annoying thing is the comments over there AND on my blog. I kind of wish they were all on the blog instead of in both spots.
I prefer a comment back on the post I left a comment on – like Sam up there, I think it builds more community.
One blogger responds my coming to my blog and leaving her reply to my comment on HER blog in the comments section of whatever post I have up, where it sticks out like a completely irrelevant sore thumb. In a Pavlovian-style reaction, I rarely comment at her place anymore.
I would love to be able to respond to each of my comments but unfortunately, time prevents this. I do PRIVATELY respond to some comments though. Not enough. I’m very bad for that. I also don’t mind if people comment about my blog on twitter or on FB.
But yes, I do use FB as a different platform and have different discussions over there than I do on twitter or the blog. I like the wide circle the three platforms; twitter, the blog and FB provides.
So yes, get thy arse over there.
I’m kind of bad about replying to comments at all, but if I do it’s most often privately through an email because it is generally a more personal reply including info that I wouldn’t blog about. I do love when a blogger takes the time to email me a response as I don’t often return to a post. I do follow convos on FB a LOT more often because of the way they notify you about who else has replied.
I prefer when people respond on the blog if they have something of substance to say in response. I think that allows for better community building and conversation.
But, I also think that having threaded comments and the ability to subscribe to comments are critical to make that work.
I do my best to reply to each comment via e-mail as well. I do not always go back to a blog to see the comments from other bloggers, so I do it this way. I want to acknowledge that people took the time to stop, read, and leave me a message. I have been telling my hubby/webmaster (TechyDad) that I want to add a plug-in that will allow me to e-mail back and post it on the blog as well. I know they exist, just have never gotten around to it yet.
I use Facebook, but have not really done anything with my blog. I use it more to talk with family, friends, and people who I have met through Social Media (especially from BlogHer and DisneySMMoms). My hubby refuses to use FB. Makes it a nice place for me to use
I have a few ways to respond. I use WordPress, so there are many plugins to choose from to suit the blogger and the type of community he or she wants to build. Comment Redirect sends first-time commenters to a welcome page that thanks them for leaving their first comment and I wrote it as a mini about-me page. Reply Me sends an email to a commenter’s valid email each time anyone replied directly to their comment on the blog. So that allows me to reply directly on the blog and email them at the same time.
Great question.
I always thought replying on the blog was a better way to build community, and it is what I typically do, of course I don’t get a lot of comments on mine so take that for what its worth. I can certainly see how email responses has the potential to build closer relationships.
I also had no idea so many people didn’t go back an check comments. I almost always do.
I don’t expect replies to my comments. Sometimes, my comments don’t really warrant a reply and I think it is a waste of time for the person replying. Hope that makes sense!
I like comment responses by email, but I also don’t think every comment requires a response. But I also think that sometimes, a reply as a comment is appropriate as well, if it furthers discussion. So, I guess I’d say I go either way. I rarely go back to read the comments on a post I’ve already read, unless it is something where I would expect a further discussion to pop up in the comments.
There are a few blogs I’ve commented on where the blogger’s response comment is automatically emailed to me, so it’s the best of both worlds! I’m not quite sure how that works though.
Also, no, you do not have to join Facebook.
I don’t have a personal preference, but I will say that your e-mail sent after I commented was the first time ANYONE has ever emailed me after I commented on their blog. I really noticed it and it certainly made me have warm fuzzy feelings for you. So in terms of first-time commenters, it might be helping to build loyal fans. I can see how it might further the conversation though to comment on the page.
I think commenting on the blog is fine as long as there is some structure for notifying people when there are more comments. I’m not going to just keep wandering over to see if anyone had anything to say about what I had to say, but if I can subscribe and only check back if someone replies or says something that I want to comment back on it, that’s much better.
I do love your emails, though. They do make me feel, I don’t know, appreciated? I guess.
And I suck at Twitter, so I think it’s okay if you don’t do Facebook. We’ll all survive.
I prefer the email replies because I don’t usually go back to the original blog post. I do know some bloggers reply in the comments and those replies show up in my email, but I don’t know how…
I email all my commenters back (HA! that makes it sound like there are tons – so not the case)
I feel the same way that I doubt people will return to the post to read a follow up comment.
I prefer emails back because I never check back on a post (well, usually never). And yes, it’s time for Timesuck, er I mean Facebook!
I used to respond by email and it did allow for conversations….and then i switched to commenting on the reply itself on the post. My responses get emailed to the person I’m replying to…so that makes me feel better about them knowing I have responded. I’m of the belief that it has to work for you and that there is no right or wrong. Maybe I’m wrong on that
I like replying in the comments, and having an email go to the original commenter telling them about the reply. This works sort of like Facebook. I think Miss Britt (http://miss-britt.com/) does it this way.
I have to say, I love it when people email me back. Or comment to my comment and it emails me. Because otherwise? I will never see it. I barely have time to read through my reader, much less go back and look at them again.
I love the widget I have. CommentLuv. It puts the comment for everyone else to see, but emails the person as well.
To tell you the truth, I get a teeny bit annoyed when I leave a comment on a post and get an email. Comment sections can be great conversations, and taking things right to email stifles that. If I wanted an email conversation I would have emailed the blogger in the first place.
As long as there’s a way to subscribe to the comments for that post, or to receive an email when someone responds to my particular comment, then I’m covered, and I’d rather keep everything on the blog.
I always think it’s thoughtful to get an e-mail when I comment but I do like the sense of community you get with the back and forth dialog directly on the blog.
As far as Facebook goes, I keep my blog separate. I have friends on thee who know about the blog, but there are plenty who don’t. After 2.5 years I feel weird suddenly connecting my blog to it.
I was going to say I reply in comments and an email goes out to the commenter – but DemMom already did.
I agree with the previous poster that said to “mix it up” a little. Sometimes you respond to me on a more personal level- I have said something that you are commenting back SPECIFICALLY to. Other times your responses are more of a confirmation that you received my comment. Sometimes the comment back would encourage the discussion on the site. Other times it is just a validation that you agree with the reader. If you posted only on the site, you wouldn’t be expected to post every affirmation, but sometimes I wonder about what YOU think about what another reader has posted. I know you are responding to it, but I don’t get to SEE it! Maybe I am just nosey!
I always love seeing a response in my email box, like the previous commenter said it kinda confirms that you saw the comment and appreciated it… However, I am terrible in that I love that, but don’t do it myself! I do, however, not like the auto-emails I have gotten in response to comments left on other sites, those stink.
I love receiving emails in response to a comment I have left, I think it shows that the blogger appreciated the comment. I too never go back and read comments I have left to see if there’s a response so I like the way you do it from a personal perspective.
However, when I’m reading through comments I think it is nice when the blogger has responded in the comments because it makes the conversation flow a bit. I get round this on my blog by responding to comments but there is a tick box that allows the commenter to get an email when there is a response to their comment. That way they don’t have to come back to my blog to see the response.
I joined Facebook because everyone else was but now I do have quite a lot of new readers as lots of people are on Facebook who don’t necessarily blog or read blogs.
I like getting notified if there are responses to my post specifically. I have on occasion subscribed to replies thinking it would only give me the threaded replies, but received every comment instead. Not good.
I’m hardly on FB these days, I spend most of my time reading/commenting on blogs and on twitter.
I think that it’s such a nice thing to do, responding to every commenter. Like PP said, it makes one feel ‘special’. But I completely understand that it takes a lot of time and energy to do that. Please don’t feel guilty or anything if you want to discontinue the practice. This is your blog, we are just along for the ride.
I like to respond to comments on my blog (when I’m not overwhelmed and actually have the chance to do so). But then I use Wordpress and loaded a plugin that emails the commenter with any replies to their particular comment. I like to make sure that when I reply to a comment (or anyone else for that matter) that the commenter actually knows someone read and responded to them. Not sure if Typepad has that ability.
First off…. I put Disqus on my blog for commenting because if you comment on my blog it get’s e-mailed to me. THEN I hit reply on the e-mail… and the return comment gets put on my blog AND e-mailed to you.
And Facebook…. you should totally be there.
maybe you could blog about blogging about blogging