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Should I Reply to Every Comment?

  1. followmyfilm
    Member

    I'm in the midst of a series of posts (pages, actually) that are receiving quite a bit of comments. Most are simply congratulatory and affirming, rather than questions or suggestions. Of course I reply to the questions and/or suggestions.

    My question concerns congratulatory comments. When I have more than, say 5 congratulatory comments, should I reply to each one and thank them? Of course I'd love to and absolutely appreciate every comment, but I don't like cluttering up the comment thread, and honestly, it seems a bit overly appreciative. Instead, I wait a day or two and thank all the commentators.

    What do you think? Here's a good example page with lots of comments: http://followmyfilm.com/film1/

    Thank you!
    Christopher

    The blog I need help with is followmyfilm.com.

  2. timethief
    Member

    This is not a technical support issue. I'm flagging your thread so you can chat with other WordPress.com bloggers in the Off-Topic Forum.

  3. wpgaurav
    Member

    Suggestion: You can edit the comments by visitors and add your thanks; like this

    ABCD says:
    Wow. Interesting article. etc etc etc.

    You can edit that post as :

    ABCD says:
    Wow. Interesting article. etc etc etc.
    [Thanks : your name]

  4. timethief
    Member

    You can also answer a number of commneters in a single comment.

    Example:
    @commenter1, commenter3, commenter7 (replace with actual usernames)
    Thanks so much for the positive feedback. I appreciate it.

  5. footballblogscotland
    Member

    Yeah I think if someone takes the time to comment then it's always nice to give a reply

  6. timethief
    Member

    I think that if one has a string of "good post" or other "congratulatory comments" that do not make a meaningful contribution to the discussion that it's quite acceptable to respond to them as I suggest above. http://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/should-i-reply-to-every-comment?replies=5#post-658161 When I receive "meaty" comments that do contribute to the discussion then then I answer each one individually.

  7. wiibii
    Member

    you don't have to reply it I guess.... In a way, people wouldn't really come back to your blog to check if you replied to their congratulatory comments, as apposed to questions or opinions.

  8. timethief
    Member

    I agree with you.

  9. narmuriel
    Member

    I think you should reply, but maybe not individually, especially if it's not a question.

  10. wpgaurav
    Member

    I don't agree with @wiibii. I always go back to places where I'd commented.

  11. followmyfilm
    Member

    Thank you all for the great feedback! So far, @timethief's suggestion of one comment with specific mentions is most appealing to me:

    Example:
    @commenter1, commenter3, commenter7 (replace with actual usernames)
    Thanks so much for the positive feedback. I appreciate it.

    cB

  12. timethief
    Member

    You're welcome. :)

  13. chopinslut
    Member

    @followmyfilm I think you're wise to follow what @timethief advised.

    In my simplistic version:

    If someone said "nice shirt" to you on the street, you'd acknowledge it (unless you were in a very wrong part of town :D ). I've never understood what things are different online...except that they are.

    %%robert

  14. pattydixon
    Member

    Agree with all the above. Whether a group response or individually, I respond to every comment. I would consider it bad form not to. Not judging anyone who doesn't(!), most definitely not. Just for me, my blog, I respond to every comment. (This is likely to do with my transparent desperation for readers but I'll just leave that alone for now.)

  15. followmyfilm
    Member

    Thank you again for all the additional thoughts!

    You know what I just thought of: I wish there was a "Like" option on comments a la FB comments. That's the best in this situation. When I receive a lot of comments on a FB post, I click "Like" on the non-specific ones as an acknowledgment of their comment.

    Hmm....

  16. pattydixon
    Member

    White. On. Rice.

    I'd be all over a WordPress "like" option like white on rice.

    In fact, followmyfilm, kindly consider your comment "liked" right now.

  17. followmyfilm
    Member

    Sweet! Always nice to be "liked"! :) I'll look for a way to suggest that officially. I love the WP.com staff and I'm sure they'll consider it, if it's not already in the works...

  18. followmyfilm
    Member

    Official request made :)

  19. mastalife
    Member

    What about rude comments? Do you all reply to those too. I'm thinking in the beginning when you don't get a ton of comments it's easy to reply to them all but once it picks up...it becomes more difficult to reply.
    Then the rude comment, I have decided that I will put them on my blog but not reply.

  20. wpgaurav
    Member

    There are both Like (thumbs up) and unlike(thumbs down) icons for comments. You can enable it by going Dashboard -> Ratings. :)

  21. sayali611
    Member

    I haven't got any rude comments yet. But I reply to every comment I get. I have a 'like' button on the post, so mostly the comments are from people who want to add to the discussion. I love being answered when I comment. I usually check my old comments by 'Track my comments'. So it is only fair that I reply to all the comments on my page.

  22. timethief
    Member

    @mastalife
    You are in charge of your blog and you are under no compulsion to post any comment that's not on topic and civilized. Everything you post on your blog reflects your blog's brand. I do not advise posting rude or ignorant or off-topic or obscene or trollish comments. I have a commenting policy and you can view it here > http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/commenting/

    Knowing how to deal with a deluge of annoying or negative comments from off-beat subscribers and commenters comes with the territory of being a blogger. They cannot trigger your emotions, unless you allow them to do so.
    http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2011/07/21/dealing-with-annoying-subscribers/
    http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2008/06/04/how-to-handle-negative-comments/

  23. followmyfilm
    Member

    @wpgaurav - thanks for your reply. I looked into the Ratings option and discovered the Thumbs and Stars system. But you know? I really don't like it.

    Why should I subject my commentators to a qualitative rating system? It's like: "Comment on my blog and we'll rate how well you did." I'm not a fan of that, which is why a simple "Like" or "Thank You" button would be better - you either show appreciation for the comment or you don't, rather than beating it down with a negative/low rating, even worse, a thumbs down. In fact, the ratings system might arguable discourage people from commenting, since they may not want to subject themselves to critique.

    Perhaps on a more opinionated, argumentative blog, the ratings style works. I can see that, but not on a conversational blog like mine...

    cB

  24. timethief
    Member

    @followmyfilm
    I'm with you. I will never activate ratings on the comments I receive.

  25. mewithmycamera
    Member

    i try to reply when i can, i'm not to wordy on my blog anyway so i hope people see that i don't say much and understand but i always view others blogs when they comment and usually i have a short comment for their work or mark things i like

  26. jeynagrace
    Member

    yes :)

  27. mastalife
    Member

    @timethief - Thanks, I actually have read a lot of your posts and they are very helpful.

    I haven't really received any rude comments yet. I got an iffy comment but I think it was a person writing as a dog and didn't like my dog neutering post. This person mentioned it would be funny to think of my husband wearing the dog cone so I actualy put it on his and then updated the post with another picture. : )

  28. timethief
    Member

    @mastalife
    It's always good to meet a person who is reading my blog that I haven't met before. Getting positive feedback is a boost too. Thank you. :)

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