Comments on: Should You Respond to Comments via Email or in Comments?

By: Conrad

Conrad — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:06:02 +0000

I’ve never even thought about writing a new post in response to a comment. When I do this, I will email the person asking the question in the comment to inform them of the post.

By: Michael Harvey

Michael Harvey — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:56:27 +0000

Darren:

I tend to leave private messages in email format. I like to stay out of the public discussion and serve as a moderator. However, I do see merit in your approach of engaging the public in a discussion over the issues your post has covered. I pledge to become more engaging in my own posts in the future.

By: WrenC

WrenC — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:14:39 +0000

Yeah, does anyone know of either

1. A plugin to automatically respond to commentors thanking them for their comments, etc. (by email)
or
2. A plugin that lets you write a response to a commenter and both emails it and posts it as a comment

FOR BLOGGER

By: Jess @ NBP/MomDot/MCC

Jess @ NBP/MomDot/MCC — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:19:50 +0000

What I’ve been doing was respond to them on their blog after I’ve read what they posted that day… which I don’t think is working like I thought it would so I will be doing the comments to comments thing Unless I can somehow get a comment email responder on BLOGGER.

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 19:54:45 +0000

So thrilled to see this, because I’ve been thinking a lot about this. I email the person, because often times I don’t go back to a site where i left the comment, and prefer to be emailed…

on the other hand, if i do both, other people can participate in conversation. I wish i was better about adding it onto my blog comments as well

people like to be acknowledged and heard, so as long as the writer of the comment feels heard, i feel like i’ve done okay

By: Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.

Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:53:14 +0000

I handle this the same way I handle responses to students in my online course.

If a student poses a question in email that calls for a brief answer, I respond in email.

If he poses a question on the Discussion Board, I respond on the Discussion Board.

Regardless of where they post, if the question calls for a deeper and longer answer, and concerns everyone, I write an article and add it to the course resources or FAQs.

I think creating a new blog post about an issue that warrants it, is an excellent way to handle this.

By: engtech @ internet duct tape

engtech @ internet duct tape — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:30:43 +0000

I’ve created a Firefox extension that let’s me respond to comments on the blog AND in email at the same time. It works on all WordPress / WordPress.com blogs.

Should be released by the end of the month.

By: Rich Minx

Rich Minx — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 02:45:01 +0000

I always reply via the comments so everyone can read my response. The only time I email is if I think the person would prefer my reply to be private.

By: Jonathan Franzone

Jonathan Franzone — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:50:49 +0000

I personally try to respond via the comments as much as possible. I’ve thought about doing an email response also, but never had. Then I thought… hey why don’t I write a plugin to do both: submit my comment AND send an email.

Of course one glance down the comments and Linda R. Moore above has suggested an existing plugin that does just that. I’ve gone and downloaded it and will try it out tonight after the commute home.

By: nika

nika — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:17:10 +0000

I started doing both because I found out that as a commentor I really liked it when the blogger emailed ME with the response or even just a personal email extending the conversation more off topic.

I would not mind a plugin (WP) that makes it automatic (may be one, I have not found it yet, would like it) but doing it by hand is not that hard!

By: Cat Laine

Cat Laine — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:51:24 +0000

It depends on the nature of the question. However, I generally try to do respond online. I may follow-up with an email if the person is looking for very specific information.

By: Anton Pishchour

Anton Pishchour — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:23:01 +0000

A ‘Subscribe to Comments’ plugin may be an option, but I’ve never seen one that emails only responces to a particular comment. An entry may get dozens of comments and they will be all emailed to you. This is the reason I seldom subscribe to comments myself (in fact, I did it only once).

On my blogs I never reply to comments via email unless a commenter asks to email him in private. I see it as a minor violation of privacy and even try to make the ‘email’ field optional when it’s possible – I don’t really need people’s email addresses.

By: MInTheGap

MInTheGap — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:13:13 +0000

I’ve gone to using the Subscribe to Comments option on my blog, and I default it to check the check box so that anyone reading gets an e-mail to see that I commented. I’ve had a couple people wonder, when I sent them actual e-mails, whether the e-mail was automatic or not!

Hey Darren, looks like you need to get a plugin to make sure that links don’t overrun your comment section or do some CSS wizardry to clip off the overflow. (See comment from eve above).

By: snwop

snwop — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 08:08:18 +0000

Until now, I have mainly answered in another comment. I think this is the way things should be, but I know that people are lazy and to not follow comments. I may have to write more emails. A couple of times I have writen a post on the matter.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 05:01:52 +0000

Often times I will visit a blog and comment sometimes including a question in that comment. Chances are I will never revisit that blog to find out if someone answers my question. That is why I email commenters when they ask a question but I also answer the question as a comment so that others who visit the post can see the answer.

By: Brian Auer

Brian Auer — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:32:01 +0000

I usually just respond in the comments, but I’m really considering picking up the habit of sending an email to new commentators. They’re easy enough to pick out since I have the blog set up to require one manually approved comment for new commentators. Once they’re approved, the comments just go right through. I could use that initial approval process to make contact with new readers via email.

By: Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:29:37 +0000

I do both depending on the comment. If it’s a continuing discussion sort of thing, then I reply in the comments. If it’s just a “thanks for stopping by” then via email.

By: john - from fat to fit

john - from fat to fit — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 13:46:17 +0000

“Depends on type of reader. If the comment comes from a new one, I send him an email, first contact. If the reader comes daily on my blog, I think that he watches the comment status, i give him a public reply.” – Sorel

This is kind of what I have been doing and feels right to me. It’s probably easier when you have a small reader base like I do though.

Darren – making a post out of the response certainly works as you certainly got my attention! When there is a chance I like this approach.

By: Alan

Alan — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:26:05 +0000

The Rules of Engagement – I agree both works best, a personal response and an open reply so the users can see you proactively engaging.

By: Alan

Alan — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:25:36 +0000

The Rules of Engagement – I agree both works best, a personal response and an open reply so the users can see you proactively engaing.