blog comments

One Way Streets

The way ahead Recently David Henderson was kind enough to invite me on his blog to offer my views on traditional media and its relationship with social media. I’m really grateful to David for allowing me his space – he’s an incredibly smart person so giving up some of his real estate for my ramblings was particularly appreciated.

Like any view, there will be some that agree and disagree.

And, as I mentioned in the post itself, I’m far from an expert in any of the areas I was discussing – I was just starting the conversation.

Michelle Belaski disagreed with my view and instead of taking up too much space in David’s comments section, decided to write what she disagreed about on her blog. Fair enough. She was also kind enough to let me know about this post via Twitter. Great – I read it and had a few points I wished to clarify on the post.

But I can’t. Nor can you (if you wished to).

If you check Michelle’s blog, there isn’t a comments section. There’s a little voting section that allows you to say whether the article is “funny”, “interesting” or “cool”. But no comments area.

This is a shame. I can’t respond to Michelle’s views (some of which are incorrect from a factual point of view) so instead of offering a chance for some discussion, it’s simply Michelle’s point of view that’s on show. Which, fair enough, it’s Michelle’s blog and she can run it how she feels best.

But isn’t she missing an opportunity here? Don’t points of view benefit from the debate they can open up? What’s your take – do you prefer discussion or just one way streets?

photo credit: Incessant Flux

The Thing About Blog Comments Is…

"Point of View" binoculars in West Seattle — Image by jcolman via Flickr

They’re a privilege, not a right. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t mean that in an elitist or dictator-type way. After all, comments are the passengers to the bus driver that is the blog author. They’re what makes the trip so enjoyable.

Yet it’s still at the discretion of the bus driver whether it’s a private journey or an open one.

Which is why you’ll see some blogs requiring you to register before commenting; some with no comment options at all; and others that are open-ended and encourage comments wholeheartedly. I’ve always been of the last mindset, as are the majority of bloggers.

Yet this is what also makes them a privilege. When you comment, it’s at the invitation of the blogger. Blogs don’t have to offer comments, although they’re missing out if they don’t (just my opinion). The blogger is essentially inviting the readers into his or her house. You wouldn’t trash a house you’re a guest in, would you?

So why the equivalent in comments?

Here’s an example. On one of Chris Brogan’s recent posts, a comment was left that disagreed with the post in question by a visitor called Agitationist. Fair enough. Yet the person then went on to say, “I hope you?ll take this constructively, but your writing is very sloppy. Ending a sentence with ‘and things like that’ is just lazy.”

We all like (or need) constructive criticism – it’s how we grow and evolve into being better at whatever we do. But calling someone lazy and sloppy isn’t constructive, in my book. If anything, it seems a little vindictive. Jealousy, perhaps? But constructive – no.

Blogs used to have a reputation of being childish – a waste of time for loners in their bedrooms.This view is still entertained in certain circles, but by and large blogs are now more respected than much of mainstream media. Much of this is due to people like Chris Brogan, Rob Scoble, Peter Kim and others.

Blogs are growing up. This is thanks to both the bloggers and the commentators that combine to offer a truly interactive learning space. It’s not too much to ask that we show the host and the home a little respect, is it?

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Competition Time with CommentLuv

One thing that I love to encourage here is conversation. While I hope that you visit my blog because you find it (reasonably) entertaining and interesting, nothing pleases me more when I see lines of conversation opening up in the comments section of each post.

This is where I feel social media really comes into its own, and accounts for the increasing maturity and quality of blog comments. Instead of the old-school “my dad’s bigger than yours” and “wareZ ruleZ!” type of comments, the majority of blog visitors are now engaging the other visitors in conversation and views. This offers an invaluable insight into not only your readers, but the world you inhabit in general.

Yet it also takes a commitment from blog visitors to comment on blogs – time from their day, time to post and often without recognition. I always try and respond to each and every comment made – I feel it’s the least I can do when someone makes the effort to communicate with me and share some of their day.

The good people at CommentLuv obviously agree. They’ve just announced details of a competition that anyone who comments on a blog can take part in. CommentLuv is an excellent blog plug-in, that shows the last blog post of anyone who comments (as long as they have a blog, obviously). It’s a great way of recognizing the time and effort someone puts in when leaving a comment.

(For anyone who’s commented on my blog, you’ll see what I mean at the end of each comment.)

The prizes are still to be determined, although it looks like it will be between some cool gadgets and monetary prizes – or even a mix of both. Participation is easy – all you have to do is register your blog at CommentLuv and your blog details/profile, and that’s it. Full details can be found on the competition’s FAQ page. The only real stipulation is that there are no Spam comments just to increase your chances.

I love this idea. As I said earlier, it shows commitment when someone leaves a comment on a post. It’s nice to be able to recognize this. Good luck, and happy commenting!

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