Written on October 12th, 2008 at 12:10 am by Darren Rowse
Should Blogs Have Comments?
Should blogs have comments?
It is a question that comes up fairly regularly in blogging circles and one that different bloggers take different approaches to.
- Most bloggers have them – they’re on by default when they set their blog up and they never switch them off. They see the comments as adding a lot to the blog – making it a place of shared learning, interactivity and dynamic conversation.
- Other bloggers decide not to have them. Their reasons vary from not having time to moderate them to being frustrated by comment spam.
Between these views other bloggers take a variety of other approaches ranging from:
- having comments on some posts but not others
- switching comments off over a certain amount of time (to protect from comment spam)
- to not having comments in the early days of a blog and switching them on later once there is a big enough audience to justify them (this is what I did on DPS).
- to requiring membership for comments (thereby effectively switching them off to the general public and reserving the privilege to comment for those willing to sign up).
There are many options – but I thought it’d be interesting to open it up for some discussion.
- Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not?
- Do you think a blog is a blog without comments?
- What are the advantages of having or not having them?
Interested to see where this discussion leads us.
Further Reading on Comments on Blogs:
- Blogging with or without Comments?
- Should Low Traffic Blogs Disable Comments
- 10 Techniques to Get More Comments on Your Blog
156 Responses to “Should Blogs Have Comments?” - Add Yours
Saurabh
October 12th, 2008 12:42 am
Well, this blog has comments so I am commenting here.
Yes, blogs should have comments (even if very few people comment). It increases the interactivity.
The Blog Academy [dot com]
October 12th, 2008 12:44 am
Its not just a place to leave your opinion. It lets you share knowledge and starts conversations with future contacts.
Definately a fan of comments
Karin RN
October 12th, 2008 12:47 am
Any suggestion for bloggers like Dr. Wes and Zoe (rocket scientist) whose blogs are beeing abused by a very angry(?) anonymous commenter. Please read: Note it contains adult words I can’t repeat here–hence the links.http://drwes.blogspot.com/2008/10/so-now-what.html and http://aebrain.blogspot.com/2008/10/little-boxes.html
Mark Avey
October 12th, 2008 12:48 am
Yes, I have comments “on” for all my blogs. Without comments, it’s just you speaking out to the world – there’s no interaction with your readers.
Todd
October 12th, 2008 12:48 am
I think comments are essential if you want any chance of creating a community for your readers.
Hussein
October 12th, 2008 12:50 am
Blog is still a blog even without comments. Becaause you still publish your thoughts and opinion and it’s just that you don’t get any response :D
Tressa
October 12th, 2008 12:52 am
I think blogs should have comments because it gives readers a great way to connect with the blogger. And as a blogger I enjoy feedback, so I think that’s a great idea.
Anyway just started my pitch page, but I think I should start a blog too so I can really brand myself, I plan on having comments, because it’s important to interact with your viewers.
T
http://www.traffic101.org
Adam Singer
October 12th, 2008 12:54 am
I do have comments on, however I added a captcha on purpose. This makes it so that if you want to comment, you’ll have to fill out a form.
It elminates the riff-raff, because it adds that extra step…you can eliminate spam comments without the captcha – but it’s even better to elminiate people who just cause trouble =)
A Cowboy's Wife
October 12th, 2008 12:54 am
I think turning comments off is snobbish and rarely read the blogs that don’t have comments. It seems selfish to me. It makes it seem like they don’t give a crap about what you think on what they wrote which, in my opinion, means that there would be no point in writing…….
Eric Norton
October 12th, 2008 12:55 am
Generally, yes, blogs should have comments for interactivity and community building reasons that others have pointed out.
With a lot of the blogs I read, I’ve considered the comments as if not more valuable than the content of the post itself. Especially when it comes to list posts where the author can accidentally leave out one or two important points.
The Social Reformer
October 12th, 2008 12:55 am
I think comments are beneficial. It allows the blogger to receives feedback from his readers and with that feedback he can enhance the users reading experience. Comments also help build relationships between reader and author.
NikNik
October 12th, 2008 12:56 am
If one of your goals is to encourage community around you, your brand, your product/service and your expertise…then you should ABSSOLUTELY have comments. Comments provide the necessary interaction between reader & author to foster a developing relationship.
Nobody likes when the receving only takes place on one end. :)
BTW-I use Comment Relish to let new commenters know I appreciate their effort and ecourage them to stick around and join the community at my blog.
Kimberlee
October 12th, 2008 12:58 am
I think blogging without comments would be lonely for me. However, if that’s your preference (due to personality or time constraints) then go for it! You’re the only one who can run your blog effectively. You know what works and what doesn’t.
That being said, a blog without comments reminds me of a plain old website. The conversation tone is still there, but it all seems a bit static. Not my choice, but live and let live.
George Cozma
October 12th, 2008 12:58 am
What’s the difference between an article site and a blog? The comments. You might argue that blogs are actually online journals, but that stopped being true ages ago.
No matter how much spam there will come my way, the comments will stand. To do otherwise it seems to me to be a complete folly.
Regards, George
Nathan
October 12th, 2008 1:00 am
Leaving comments open lets me know what my readers are thinking. Without comments, it just seems like I am talking to myself.
Deb@BirdOnAWire
October 12th, 2008 1:01 am
Darren,
I think having comments surely increases the interactivity of a blog. If you’re looking for conversation on your post certainly its the way to go.
On the other hand, there are certain posts that require NO comment or I just plain don’t want others to opine. Those are comment closed.
Microblogging through tumble, twitter and plurk (among others) has surely taken the “conversation” to another level. However, commenting on blogs will I feel always be a good thing.
To the point of “spammy” comments which we discussed earlier. Personally, all of the comments on my blog are moderated and of course I use a spam filter. Realizing that my blog doesn’t get near the comment #’s of some, that could become an issue for others. But it works for me, without captcha or other spam stops.
Amit Verma
October 12th, 2008 1:02 am
I have comments on my blog. It is the way to interact and to know what people think about your thoughts.
Some times it also helps to discover ideas.
George Cozma
October 12th, 2008 1:02 am
@ Adam Singer Captchas have stopped being effective long ago and they frustrate only legitimate users. Automated posting programs like Xrumer bypass those easily.
A keen moderator is all that it takes and is by far the best choice available.
Regards, George
Tamara Wilson
October 12th, 2008 1:03 am
I think comments should be turned on, it helps build relationships with your readers, from the interaction on the blog.
I do understand the reason for not having them because of spam but there are ways to minimize that.
Emon
October 12th, 2008 1:04 am
1. Yes I have comments on both my personal & guitar blogs. I get feedback & I love hearing from people.
2. Yes, Seth Godin’s is a prime example.
3. I’ll skip ahead & say that if u do have comments enabled, don’t make people register. Especially when you’re starting out.
mike
October 12th, 2008 1:04 am
I have comments turned on most of the blogs. I have the code set though so you have to type letters in before you leave a comment. Some spam still gets through though.
Ed @ AAFR
October 12th, 2008 1:05 am
Comments have become the norm on blogs. Not having them says to readers, “My opinion is important and yours isn’t. You should listen to me, but I don’t need to listen to you.”
Just about every book on internet/new media points out that the big advance of this medium over print is that it is a two way street. Eliminating feedback is a big step backward.
In short, not having comments on a blog is a sign that the blogger is either too arrogant to care about others’ views, too lazy to bother to moderate them, or too stupid to understand the importance of genuine, two-way communication. None of these “alternatives” is very attractive.
Rahul
October 12th, 2008 1:05 am
Without comments , we the bloggers aren’t aware : if we are following the right path , we get their views and reviews and they comment upon our articles , they help us to improve , so i dont see why we should block comments ;] , unless they arth spams :D
benphane
October 12th, 2008 1:05 am
No comments bad.
Comments, uncontrolled,very bad.
Comments with “via e-mail,” good.
Comments with comments RSS very good.
jennine
October 12th, 2008 1:06 am
it depends.. i think steve pavlina turns his would be commentors to discuss in a forum format… that’s nice, but without comments, it’s hard to tell what kind of community you’re building or a part of.
i really enjoy leaving comments… and i also enjoy getting them. for me it’s what makes blogging different from the traditional media.
Alanna @ A Veggie Venture
October 12th, 2008 1:06 am
If it doesn’t have comments, it’s not a blog, it’s just another website, even if it uses blog publishing software.
Samar
October 12th, 2008 1:08 am
I have always had comments on my blogs and have never thought about turning them off. While the entire point of having a blog is to put your opinion and ideas out to the world, they are worth little if you don’t get feedback on them.
Spamming is a big problem with comments, but there are enough spam blockers available to take care of the problem. While they don’t eliminate the problem, they do limit it making it easier to handle the situation.
Personally, I don’t read blogs that don’t have the option of comments. It feels like we’re being lectured without having the option to question or give our feedback to the topic in question.
Rachel
October 12th, 2008 1:10 am
It’s irritating when I read a great post and really feel like I have something to add and then realize that comments have been turned off!lol
But I do understand why some blogs don’t have comments. Sometimes the material is too personal and hard to talk about and people just need a place to get things off of thier chests.
DonBlogger
October 12th, 2008 1:11 am
Blogging is all about interacting with your readers. The moment there are comments on your blogs, you will see that blogging starts to really be fun!
I agree with Nathan, it’s a great way to easily get to know your readers and focus on their interests in further blog posts.
Louise Barnes-Johnston
October 12th, 2008 1:13 am
I agree with previous commenters that a blog without comments becomes a website. It would be a retrograde step. Although I don’t comment as often as I should, I like to feel that when I do, it’s because I can share either my feelings about the post or add something useful to the subject.
I can understand people switching off comments periodically because of spammers but that’s not the same as not inviting comments at all.
jamie
October 12th, 2008 1:18 am
Well, it looks like you have your answer. I’ve even noticed myself drifting away from more traditional online venues that publish articles vs. posts.
It’s just more fun to be part of the conversation.
Sharon Simms
October 12th, 2008 1:21 am
I still have comments enabled – it’s discouraging sometimes when there are no comments, but I find that comparing my “outside” blog with my Active Rain blog that agents comments but seldom buy; buyers and sellers seldom comment but do call when they’re ready to buy or sell. Sometimes the public comments.
While it’s tempting to limit comments to members, I have the same objection to that as on my website – too many people really don’t want to reveal their identity until they’re ready.
It’s good to be able to disable comments on some blogs – i.e., when you want to present a position but not create a dialogue. Unless there’s a huge amount of spam, it’s easy enough to delete those comments.
Farfield
October 12th, 2008 1:24 am
I wonder why people leave comments sometimes. I used to get a few comments per post, but now the last months I hardly get any comments at all. I don’t know what changed though, I guess my writing only improves over time so that’s not it.
Sometimes I think people just leave comments to get links back to their own blogs.
Lisa Clarke
October 12th, 2008 1:27 am
Without comments, this conversation wouldn’t be happening.
I think the decision to have or not have comments depends an awful lot on your motivation for blogging in the first place. I see my blog as more of a community than a monologue. I’ve even installed plugins to make the comments threaded – I want to facilitate conversation between my commentors (commenters? commentators?) as much as I want for them to talk to me.
James Spinosa
October 12th, 2008 1:28 am
Frankly I cannot image running my blog without comments. I love getting comments, and with Akismet I barely get any spam anyway. I think all blogs should allow conversation, and this is done via comments.
-James
Mike Goad
October 12th, 2008 1:28 am
If a blog doesn’t have the option for comments, I may read it once, but it will not be added to my feedreader. I may not often comment on some of the blogs I read regularly, but I certainly prefer to have the option.
Max Forlani
October 12th, 2008 1:31 am
Aren’t comments (falsely) considered to be a ’success meter’?
So most people put them on, even if it makes very little sense for some blogs because of their contents. Like my travel blog for instance, where maybe a forum would be a better idea for the future.
I think comments are nice to interact with the author, but it’s rarely used to share ideas between ‘commenters’. I have the impression only a handfull of people really read the comments of others before commenting themselves.
I know I don’t when I’m in a rush but do want to leave a comment, being number 53 or so.
So, yes comments should be on I guess if your blog has a personal touch to it or requires interaction instead of merely providing the masses with information.
But I see news sites (among others) use the blog setup for their sites more and more. For them it’s simply impossible to enable comments for all their posts. Yet, they are very successful most of the times.
Cheers,
Max
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy
October 12th, 2008 1:43 am
I’ll weigh in with a big fat IT DEPENDS. It’s your blog, and you can choose how others interact with it. Some blogs get weighed down by the comments while others are uplifted by them.
Mike Maddaloni - The Hot Iron
October 12th, 2008 1:46 am
Where a blog without comments is still a blog in my mind, I prefer comments. It benefits me to get feedback – even negative – on what I am saying, not to mention the connections you can make from it.
I don’t subscribe to any blogs that do not offer comments, as I don’t support their one-way pulpit.
mp/m
izzat
October 12th, 2008 1:49 am
- Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not?
yes, and never think to off it. simply because feedback and also to build relationship with reader and other blogger.
- Do you think a blog is a blog without comments?
speech without Q&A still a speech, so blog without comment still a blog, because what make blog a blog is the content, commenting just to enrich the blog.
- What are the advantages of having or not having them?
i can know what people think about the topic, i can build relationship with other reader and blogger, make the blog more interesting and also how this post gonna work if you turn off the comment.. :D
Monty's Mega Marketing
October 12th, 2008 1:50 am
Absolutely, a blog should have comments. Web 2.0 is all about community. If you “disable” people’s ability to participate, you’re basically talking to yourself…and that isn’t much fun at all.
Silicon Gadget
October 12th, 2008 1:51 am
I agree that comments create a kind of community.
It is particularly important for the blogger because he/she can have a feedback on the quality of the blog.
archondigital
October 12th, 2008 1:54 am
I prefer to keep my commenting open, maybe I’d take the captcha route as I really pefer engage in conversation and not much into those generic “nice posts” kind of comments.
But a blog is still a blog even without the commenting. Commenting is the sole discretion of the author.
AlexNote
October 12th, 2008 2:05 am
Of course should! Blogs – this place always the author expresses his opinion and gives it to others. If you remove this social dimension, blogging will become a site.
Thion
October 12th, 2008 2:12 am
Blog without comments? It’s not a blog in my opinion. If you’re turning your comments off, then you’re afraid of opinions other people might post. It’s simple to post something and disallow any reaction…
Daniel Richard
October 12th, 2008 2:15 am
I’m kinda doing a revamp in my blog now and I’ve received far more spam comments than real comments since the earlier days. Could say that this is a timely issue.
However, I’m into opening up the comments space w/o registration. Making it easy for readers to post in comments when they are really serious about doing so. :)
xgravity23
October 12th, 2008 2:31 am
Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not?
Yes! I love the conversation and community that comments add to my blog and my blogging experience.
Do you think a blog is a blog without comments?
Not really. Without comments, it’s just another website.
What are the advantages of having or not having them?
Interaction and social networking. Those things ARE Web 2.0, so I have a hard time understanding why a serious blogger would ignore them. There seem to be plenty of workarounds to avoid spam (my faves are requiring a captcha and requiring registration), so that argument seems weak to me .
I have a personal blog, though. Also, I have always used a captcha, and have therefore never had to deal with comment spam. I think most users don’t mind that feature, as long as it the captcha doesn’t suck (i.e. is indecipherable).
Dollface
October 12th, 2008 2:33 am
To me, there is no point to a blog without comments. I like sharing my opinion and hearing others’. However, I am a strong believer in a moderated comment section so there aren’t any personal attacks or spam.
Khris
October 12th, 2008 2:33 am
I have comments enabled on most of my blog posts BUT they’re heavily moderated to help keep out spam and the occasional troll.
While I love reading and leaving comments on other blogs, I’m rarely disappointed when comments aren’t allowed. I don’t feel any kind of entitlement to comment on other peoples’ blogs and I don’t feel bloggers are obligated in any way to post my thoughts/comments on their posts.
Whatever works best for the blog owner, is a-ok in my book.
David Jackmanson
October 12th, 2008 2:34 am
I think that in general, blogs should have comments. All my blogs do. Usually, not having comments will make me turn away from a blog, as the one of the main points of being online is being able to argue and interact.
However, one of my favourite Australian political blogs, The Piping Shrike, does not have comments, and I read it religiously. This is because it’s so good and incisive that I don’t mind not commenting.
I can understand a poltical blog not having comments. Most comments on political sites descend into stupid, cynical abuse-fests dominated by whoever can shout the loudest, with a sad minimum of people actually trying to discuss what is happening in the world.
Laura1318
October 12th, 2008 2:40 am
I think we should leave the comments on and not disable them. How many comments we get or don’t get on a certain article depends on the readers of your blog..
It depends on whether your readers can associate with your thoughts and experiences.
Comment is one of the ways to get your readers involved and may help you in some ways to see things from another perspective.
Hamdani Amin
October 12th, 2008 2:52 am
A blog still are blog even if they don’t have comment. Comment not necessarily mean that your blog is interactive unless you respond back.
Mother Pucker Hockey
October 12th, 2008 2:52 am
I think that comments play an important part of blogging and creating a community. There are some sites that probably wouldn’t want comments due to spam, ads, etc, but sports sites for example thrive with them. Without them I wouldn’t have any idea what my readers thought and what they wanted to read.
pavs
October 12th, 2008 2:56 am
By definition comment is an essential part of a blog, without comments; it’s as good as saying it is not a blog. From Wikipedia:
“Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.”
the famous nemo
October 12th, 2008 2:58 am
I love to get comments but I dont get many.
Satollo
October 12th, 2008 3:02 am
All my blogs have comments, even if completely moderated because a commenter can upload a photo or shot a photo with his webcam (checkout… the site is in italian but you can see the functionality working)
I don’t belive the a “login-to-comment” approach is good, today every site ask to subscribe… is too much.
And… without comments a blog is not a blog.
Alex the Freelance Twin
October 12th, 2008 3:07 am
I have them on, on all my websites but I use my own Content Management System so I can customize my filters (through PHP) to block the spam on a case-by-case basis.
I also have a script that runs through the comment database of every one of my blogs and shows me every comment on a single page, so I can easily find spam comments and remove them without too much hassle. I think having comments on is critical for most blogs to retain a good reader base
Michael
October 12th, 2008 3:08 am
Yes Daren, i have comments on my blog, i want some feedback on my posts from my readers. I don’t have to much traffic right now and I think i need to choose from your approaches above, like turn them off. Is that a good idea? I would like some tips for that.
I think a blog should have comments, but only for those posts opened for discussions. If it is an information post than the comments should be off.
The advantages of having them are: reader’s opinion on post, getting to know more bloggers and readers, get to know what people are looking for, also you can get an idea of your next post.
Not having them: not connecting with you readers.
Rob Kenny
October 12th, 2008 3:09 am
It depends on the purpose of the blog.
For example, 37 Signals have two blogs; There product blog (http://productblog.37signals.com/) doesn’t allow comments while Signal Vs Noise (http://www.37signals.com/svn/) does.
The first blog is used for announcements and as such does not need to engage the reader. The second is platform for discussion.
I had taken the first approach with http://www.darrenkenny.co.uk, the site was just for people to keep up with what was happening to Darren, but during the run up to the Paralympic Games decided to make a few changes and allow commenting (using Typepad Anti-Spam) so people could leave their best wishes and it has worked well.
With my lastest site http://www.composing-stick.net (a site about the movable type platform) I made the decision to enable comments from day one and the site is currently trying to reach the tipping point where the content will bring visitors and feedback.
Jodith
October 12th, 2008 3:16 am
I love blog comments. While I don’t comment on every blog post I read, I like being able to comment when I have something to say.
I have comments on for all of my blogs, although I get very few comments. But I enjoy each and every one that I get.
I control the spam through two venues. One is Akisment (which is a gift of the Goddess). I get upwards of 100 spam comments a day on my oldest blog. Akismet generall gets all of them. I have to moderate about 2 or 3 a week.
And that brings me to my second step, moderation. With WordPress, there is a moderation choice of requiring a person’s first comment to be moderated and not moderated once 1 comment has been approved. So far, I’ve found this to be very acceptable. But then, I don’t have many comments to deal with. I have had a few folks trying to leave generic comments to get past the first moderation, but you can generally tell those, because they have absolutely nothing to do with the post.
Requiring registration doesn’t really work. I went that route with my first blog, and all I got was a ton of registration spam. Was very annoying constantly deleting the spam registers.
Besides, it annoys me no end to have to register to comment, so I don’t make others do it. Most of the time, if I have to register first, I’m not going to comment on the blog. I have limited time to read blogs and comment, and if you require an extra step of registering and then logging in every time I want to comment, I’m just going to move on to the next blog. But then, I’m an impatient, irrascible, grouchy middle-aged woman.
Greg
October 12th, 2008 3:32 am
Mostly I agree with Jodith (above)
I’m pretty new to the blogging/web 2 thing, but I do like receiving comments and I enjoy making them. I think that if you’re getting good comments from people then yes, they should absolutely remain.
If all you’re getting is spam, then maybe not. I use Askimet and WP-SpamFree and all I have to deal with are the generic “nice post” comments. Obviously with your traffic a lot more will squeak through.
It seems to me that comments add a lot of stickiness to the blog. People hang around long enough to write something and some of us read the comments and even respond to them.
Registration? It might be a necessary evil for some blogs. I can see how some blogs might be crushed without it (the big political blogs, for one.)
Kim McGinnis
October 12th, 2008 3:34 am
A blog without comments is like a person locked in a room talking to himself – it’s kind of crazy…or extremely self indulgent.
Sharing is a good thing. Interacting with others is how we learn and grow, at least that’s what I told myself the other day when I was all alone.
barefootmeg
October 12th, 2008 3:51 am
A “blog” without comments is an article.
This blog post contains what I call author-centric replies. Pretty much everyone here is replying back to the original author of the post.
My preference for my own blog is to have comments on and to expect (and encourage) discussion oriented replies. In other words, what often happens on my blog is that a conversation happens and my original post was simply a catalyst to get that discussion going. Multiply.com, the blogging host that I use, also enables conversation in a way that many blogging sites don’t, thanks to their greatly customizable inbox page. Using Multiply also hugely cuts down on spam issues. I haven’t had a spam reply in 6 months to a year.
Marc Rohde
October 12th, 2008 3:51 am
Like most of the other responses I think that blogs should generally have comments unless you are using blogging technology for a non-interactive purpose, like press releases.
Aaron B. Hockley
October 12th, 2008 3:55 am
If you’re going to post blog entries without comments, you might as well just send out traditional press releases, because you’re missing the “social” element of social media.
Adam Shake
October 12th, 2008 3:55 am
I think it depends on the purpose of you’re blog. If you are direct selling pretty widgets, you probably don’t need comments.
If you’re blog is about you, you’re drama, the consistency of you’re cats puke, then yes, you want comments.
I’m a freelance writer for a green media group and an article I did recently got picked up by a neo. con. website. I got slammed with flames and was even called a commie marxist.
I also have my own site and without comments, I wouldn’t be able to gauge how I’m doing as a writer.
The one thing I hate though is when I go to leave a comment, and find out that I have to registered with the site to leave a comment. I don’t register, and I don’t come back. That just tells me that they are more interested in themselves than in me.
Adam Shake
Davina
October 12th, 2008 3:58 am
I have comments turned on. I enjoy receiving comments and to see what type of conversation is generated. There is almost always a number of ideas for other posts generated just in the comments section. I enjoy interacting with the readers through my replies.
Franklin Bishop
October 12th, 2008 4:05 am
I think all blogs should have comments. I do not think blogs are very good if you can’t even have dialogue with other readers. But I guess it just depends on whether if you want to deal with comments or not. I think it is better for blogs to have comments though. Your digital photography school is a little different considering you know every way to get traffic your blog and do not have to prove to people that your blog is worthy by showing off how many comments you’re getting.
Stephanie
October 12th, 2008 4:18 am
I prefer comments on a blog. On mine, I moderate the first comment a person makes, which allows me to catch much of the spam without it appearing on my site. I still get spam comments from those who care to keep at it, but I watch for that.
That’s as close as I like to come to requiring registration. I have yet to register for commenting on any blog; that’s just an annoyance to me. I’ve occasionally seen a blog that tempted me to register in order to say something, but the temptation has never been strong enough.
Neeshes
October 12th, 2008 4:27 am
Comments are one of the few things that allows readers to have a relationship with the blog’s author and also its readers. It’s probably not a bad idea to delete abusive comments so that abusive commenters are discouraged from ruining it for everybody else.
steven wilson
October 12th, 2008 4:33 am
Having comments gives you an avenue to communicate with your readers.I just cannot see anyone not using the comment function if they want their blog to be a success.
Theresa
October 12th, 2008 4:40 am
I’m actually surprised that this question has come up. Many news sites now enable commenting on news stories. I have to say it’s an opportunity to build voice and participation for everyone, not just the wealthy and politicians. There’s a larger picture here, and one that is at the core of ethical blogging. Why ask whether we all should be a part of it when using the venue itself puts us smack dab in the middle of it?
Jay | Wealthy Affiliate Insider
October 12th, 2008 4:58 am
I have comments and encourage them. I dont’ think a blog is a blog without comments either. It defeats the purpose of blogging.
I like the idea of turning off your comments after a period of time but I just keep them running like everybody else.
Geeks are Sexy
October 12th, 2008 4:58 am
A few good reasons to have comments on a blog
1- Comments will increase the stickiness of readers to your blog
2- Comments get indexed by search engine, just like regular content… I get 100’s of hits each day from people searching for things that appear in the comments on my site.
3- Comments can turn your blog into a community of like-minded people.. It can help forge friendship between your readers, or can help bring extra attention to one of your post when readers add some controversial elements to your content.
Anyways, there’s a lot of other reasons to enable the comments section on your blog, these are just those that passed through my mind right now.
Matej
October 12th, 2008 4:59 am
What kind of stupid question is this, of course they should – it’s a blog!
Comments are the first thing that comes in my mind when I think about difference between blogs and other type of sites.
Site with comments and which posts are displayed in reverse-chronological order. = blog, geeeeeeeeez!
Of course, Wordpress has become CMS almost like every other, it’s not just a blogging platform anymore.
Nowadays, many people run their sites as magazine type of sites – without comments – on Wordpress. is it a blog? No.
swar
October 12th, 2008 5:33 am
comments grows the post automatically….best example is this current problogger post “Should Blogs Have Comments?” ;-) thats really amazing
PlasticPilot
October 12th, 2008 5:33 am
I do have comments, and fight spam with askimet. As I try to have some interaction with readers, comments are the easiest way for me. Readers don’t want to send e-mails, and this would be complex to share.
One reader recently asked me to add a “subscribe to comments per e-mail” feature. I was quite surprised, but this works well, and I learned a lot about my readers from them.
So yes, I’m in the “pro-comments” clan.
Kyle Stich
October 12th, 2008 5:40 am
Q: Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not?
A: Yep! See next question for “Why.”
Q: Do you think a blog is a blog without comments?
A: Nope! Without allowing for commenting, you have not created a blog, merely a frequently updated website. I can understand that some might say that, in essence, a blog is an online journal and that we wouldn’t let some one write in our journal, would we? So, I guess I should rephrase my answer: A blog that is made public for all to read needs to have comments enabled. It’s just not Web 2.0.
Emon answered: “Yes. Seth Godin’s is a prime example.” I actually would point to Seth Godin’s as the prime example of why a blog should have comments enabled. Seth says some great stuff, but a lot of times he says some outlandish and self-absorbed stuff. By not allowing for comments on his “blog,” he is telling people: “I don’t care what you think.” It’s angered me on more than one occasion. I even posted about it and someone commented that “I think Seth chooses not to use comments because it forces you to blog about his posts.” Wasn’t it Seth who said, “Stop marketing AT people.” His blog seems to violate that maxim, and he needs to take up some accountability by having to answer for his statements. Seth could just as easily set his blog up so that you have to belong to the “tribe” (a term he’s seemed to think he’s created, as of late – ever hear of tribe.net, Seth?) to comment. I would really love to hear his reason for not enabling comments, and not having the time to moderate would sound like a serious cop-out (in most cases, it is).
Disagreement can lead to terrific discourse if adroitly led.
Q: What are the advantages of having or not having them?
A: The main advantage is that comments create an air of discourse. They invite others to join in and to create the ability to form relationships with other folks on the internet. The more relationships you form, the greater presence your blog has. Not to mention, you never know how the comments will expand your own knowledge.
Blogs are social. You don’t just walk into a room, spout off, then leave. You talk about it after.
Brandon Mendelson
October 12th, 2008 5:59 am
Quite honestly? No.
Unless the conversation has something to add, most comments are left by people looking to plug their stuff, include a backlink to their website, or leave nasty notes. I’ve found people who really like your stuff or the project generally take the time to email you instead.
Stephanie Booth
October 12th, 2008 6:15 am
Oh no, not the “blogs & comments” discussion again. Sorry folks, if it’s your first time through it.
Yes, I have comments — and have had since November 2000 when I installed and debugged a PHP script on my Blogger-powered blog.
I installed the script because I wanted some interactivity. I wanted to welcome others into my what felt like my online home. I wanted my blog-less friends to be able to respond to what I was writing, and leave a trace.
Yes, a blog is a blog if it doesn’t have comments. Before I installed the script, my blog did not have comments and it was a blog. I said “weblog” at the time, if I recall correctly.
I have comments because though they’re not indispensable, they’re important: they encourage a reaction. They’re there. They’re handy. You don’t need to go back to your own blog to write two lines, and then e-mail or trackback the blog author so he sees what you said.
So people (sometimes) leave comments.
Spam? Arms race. Akismet + Bad Behaviour + some moderation.
In short? Yes, comments are good, and blogs should have them, and even if they don’t have them for xyz reasons which are usually personal to the blog owner, they’re still blogs.
Have we killed the topic, please? :-)
Ana
October 12th, 2008 6:22 am
*Theresa’s* comment was just what I was going to point out–all of the big news org’s have added commenting to their online content and even flat out ask people to please, “leave comments” and “give us your feedback”, send us your pictures and so on.
It might be a good idea to do a case study on blogs without comments and ones that make your register and see if they’re doing as well as blogs with easy commenting.
As for mine I tried to make it easy for people to leave comments but do have to mod them due to tons of spam. It’s pretty easy to outsource that job.
Suziebee
October 12th, 2008 6:31 am
I find comments to be a powerful motivator. Sometimes it seems like I’m blogging in a vacuum but then someone will leave a really nice, supportive comment and it’ll make me so happy!
Shane Swing
October 12th, 2008 7:12 am
Comments allow people to share free resources, like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biQWyBcYSX4
Potato Chef
October 12th, 2008 7:21 am
A blog is just a website if it doesn’t have comments. Kind of like a potato is just another side dish without sour cream!!
Chris
October 12th, 2008 7:31 am
Comments, definitely, but most definitely moderated. I use spam controls, but is there an idiot control for comments? Just last week I received just a plain mean, vicious comment on an innocuous post. Thank goodness for moderation or this idiot’s comments would have been published. I wish that everyone commenting on a blog had something constructive and meaningful to say, but alas, it just isn’t so.
Thomas Skavhellen
October 12th, 2008 8:43 am
I have comments on my blog.. but my readers doesn’t use it. Is there anything more I should do to make more people comments on my blog?
DeBorah Beatty
October 12th, 2008 8:52 am
* Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not?
I have moderated comments on my blog. I want the dialog. Otherwise, what I write is just pontificating. It’s hard enough working in a vacuum, without instant feedback for a trainer and this gives me a way to do it. I do wish I didn’t need to moderate the comments, though, but there’s just so much spam.
* Do you think a blog is a blog without comments?
Sure. Blogs grew out of online journals. It’s just like a Captain’s ship log on a ship. It’s a place for musings, comments (by the writer) on daily events and advice to those who come after.
* What are the advantages of having or not having them?
If you have comments on your blog, you can see whether you’re actually reaching anyone or if you’re just talking to yourself.
TheScrutiniser
October 12th, 2008 8:56 am
This blog is becomming boring – who really cares!
Dimitri
October 12th, 2008 8:58 am
IMO blog without comments is still a blog, but it’s not as fun as with them. Also I see a lot of value in them, I always read comments.
Liviu
October 12th, 2008 9:48 am
This blog has comments so I am commenting here. I love to get comments but I dont get too many.
Mary (MPJ)
October 12th, 2008 9:49 am
I have comments on. I love getting to know my readers — some have even become real life friends. And I get a lot of great ideas for posts from comments.
I think a blog is still a blog without comments and I can completely understand why people turn them off; I have a few good blogger friends who have done this, particularly when the commenters start to harass and attack them personally, rather than engage in a dialog.
Mike Gray
October 12th, 2008 10:01 am
I don’t know if a blog needs comments to be considered a “real” blog, but I think they certainly add to the experience for readers.
I encourage comments, but I have a strict comment policy that I try my best to adhere to. From my perspective, I look at comments as a way to keep me on track. I can’t possibly know *everything* there is to know in my niche, though I try to be as accurate as possible. I look forward to comments that provide different points of view or point out my errors. I’d rather be constructively criticized than to perpetuate incorrect information.
Carole Cohen
October 12th, 2008 10:24 am
I absolutely believe comments should be turned on. And yet, I don’t believe a blog has to have comments in order to be effective. I was initially amazed when I got comments from clients who said they read my blog faithfully. I even had a client say they were referred to me by another reader…I did not know either one of them and neither of them had ever left a comment.
I agree with others who say sometimes I post and really want comments. Not for SEO but for opinions. Sometimes I get them and sometimes not.
I say leave comments on. Darren, you have one of the most successful, popular blogs on the Ethernet and you accept comments. So I rest my case lol
Richard X. Thripp
October 12th, 2008 10:31 am
I enjoy comments, but they can become problematic if you get too many of them; you have to remember that blogging is more about broadcasting than conversing. Most visitors read your articles. They aren’t interested in what other people have to say about them. So if you’re spending more time on comments than writing, it may be time to pull the plug. Or create a forum instead.
Of course, the audience in this comment section is going to misrepresent the majority, because we’re just the people that comment. :)
A big problem with comments is that no one reads when you reply to them. That’s why the subscribe to comments plugin is a great idea. The only problem is that you get an email for every comments; on busy Problogger posts that can amount to dozens of emails. I don’t mind because Gmail bunches them all together in an easy-to-read thread.
On my blog, I use a customized version of a plugin called Wordpress Thread Comment, which allows you to reply directly to comments (your comment appears indented below), and, whenever that happens, the new comment is emailed to the parent commenter. Very handy.
JR Griggs
October 12th, 2008 10:35 am
I would say yes because it makes readers feel like they are part of the post. But the unfortunate downside is spam and sometimes ignorance. I noticed Steve Pavlina does not use comments anymore and just links to his forums where people discuss the post. May have more control over spam that way.
AffProsCatie
October 12th, 2008 10:41 am
I think the amount of comments replied to this speak for themselves. :)
Lightening
October 12th, 2008 10:49 am
Not surprising that you already have so many responses. I find that even if I really like a blog, if it doesn’t have comments, I eventually unsubscribe. Connecting with the blogger is to me what blogging is all about. I’ll read something and then want to make a response – it then becomes a huge let-down when I realise I’m not welcome to voice my response on that blog. Eventually, I get frustrated with that and unsubscribe.
Michael Carnell
October 12th, 2008 12:30 pm
I want my blog to be a community, so I have comments. Without the comments I think it would just be a soapbox or a marketing bulletin. Granted, as with all communities, there are some wackos out there, but sometimes they say interesting things too! Some of my biggest laughs have come from the odd comments people leave.
I use various methods to eliminate the spam comments though. Those are the ones that bug me. I don’t mind eccentrics, but I hate spam.
Angel Cuala
October 12th, 2008 1:02 pm
Checking my mails and reading comments to my blog is the first thing I do when I sit to blog. And yes, there are some comments on my blog but definitely not like yours, Darren.
I love having comments on my posts, as the inspiring ones are my proof that I have made such interesting posts. I feel good when someone tells me that they learn from me somehow.
Although there are spam, self promoting, rude and useless comments; I do not see them as burden because i moderate them.
For me, it is also a great way to meet fellow bloggers and even learn from them.
Of course, a blog without comments is still a blog but I think a dull one except for those who disabled it. Blog comments, I suppose can attract more readers because readers will assume that the blog is popular and the posts are interesting.
But receiving getting tons of comments may also be time consuming for the blog owner. There might be some questions that he cannot attend immediately that may cause the commentator be annoyed.
Vanessa
October 12th, 2008 1:08 pm
I think blog publishers should have a right to turn off comments if they choose to do so. That’s why the option to turn them on or off is there at the discretion of the blog publisher.
This is a hot issue because comments are also traffic. I think some bloggers fear they will insult their audience who will then unsubscribe if they turn off comments, and some of the comments I’m reading here prove that.
On the other hand, when you have subscribers in the hundred thousands and millions, e-mails, comments and other tasks, as well as family and personal stuff, I would think it could become a horrendous burden. Your readers still want excellent content every day, and they want to have access to you 24 hours a day which for some means, to be picked out of hundreds or thousands of others to get personal responses. Not very realistic.
I may never have to deal with that issue, I love to get comments but I’m also kind of private, and at some point you have to draw the line or cease to be productive. It’s a part of life. Productivity and sanity sometimes means saying–no.
I visited a site just today and was reading the comments. One commentator shared a link to a supposedly helpful site. It was porn. Then there are the folks who want to use a site to advertise and have nothing to share in context to the content.
Finally, and this is a real issue for me, the dirty, filthy words that seem to be increasing in comments and content. If I land on a site and find the filth is constant, I don’t visit again and I don’t share a link no matter how good the content is.
It’s amazing the people who get offended about blogs making money but don’t mind reading through content and comments full of filth. My point is there are reasons you could really get weary of having comments. One person can only take so much. If I see comments turned off I’m not offended. I find I’m either empathizing or sympathizing.
This is probably one of the most important topics in the blog world. Thankful to the bloggers who have such far reaching platforms and impact for bringing the subject up.
Ben Adkins
October 12th, 2008 1:24 pm
I think that “comments” are a big part of the equation when it comes to running a successful blog. The “sense” of community just wouldn’t be the same without it. I get the feeling that this isn’t something that you’re really even thinking about Mr. Rowse. I get the feeling that this was a conversation starter….Well it didn’t work…..oh wait…..Well played sir…..You even played it up on Twitter before the post…. (I just learned an important lesson :)
If anyone ever questions your marketing savvy…..they don’t have a clue what their talking about.
Dr. Ben
http://www.drbenadkins.com
Pete Williams
October 12th, 2008 2:46 pm
I think it depends on what you are trying to build.
Take Seth Godin & his blog for example… By not allowing comments, he is forcing his community to talk (read: respond) to his posts in their own community (read: thier own blogs)
This results a viral empathic.. If you keep all the ‘conversation’ on our own blog, it does reduce the virility of the topic/blog/idea.
If you blog about things that evoke emotions (read: responses) and want to start an epidemic – don’t enable comments.
Billy
October 12th, 2008 3:52 pm
Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not?
Yes, so I can get feedback from readers and get their opinions as well. It allows for extra thoughts on what the post is about, and in the long run could lead to more contacts.
Do you think a blog is a blog without comments?
I think there may be a fine line between an actual website, and a blog without any comment features. I think a blog should not be one sided, but allow readers to state their opinion and thoughts as well.
For example if I wanted to look up something news related and not bother stating my opinion, I could check it out on a number of news sites. However, if it’s something I may want to comment an opinion on I would probably look through blogs for it.
What are the advantages of having or not having them?
Advantage is getting to know your readers, what they think on that particular thing and interactivity between the blogger and the reader.
The disadvantages (to me) would come after the blog starts getting quite a bit of readers who comment. This could take up a bunch of time just approving comments. Setting the comments to not need moderating wouldn’t be good though because then there’s not telling what kind of comments would get posted (from spam to cussing, or worse).
Everything has a good side, followed directly by a down side I guess.
Robert Barr
October 12th, 2008 4:53 pm
Without comments you loose everything the community aspect of blogging was supposed to be about. While there are negative aspects to allowing comments, I would imagine Darren that allowing comments has given ProBlogger the ability to become the blog it is today right? Certainly without commenting ProBlogger would not have achieved this level of success.
Shafar
October 12th, 2008 5:20 pm
I’m not getting more comments on my blog. But I think “Comments are the Lifeblood of Blogging”
Nick
October 12th, 2008 7:10 pm
Blogs need comments to bring them to life and start building a community around them. But you *must* enable moderation. There are many spammers out there, not to mention the idiots with a chip on their shoulder.
If I see a blog that allows comments without moderation (i.e. comments appear immediately when posted), it says to me that this is a new blog and/or it doesn’t get much traffic.
kouji
October 12th, 2008 8:48 pm
my blog has comments. since i don’t get that much traffic, i turn off the word verification and turn on the moderation. :)
it’s about conversation for me. blogging without comments seems a bit lonely to me.
Lin Burress
October 12th, 2008 11:23 pm
A blog without comments isn’t a blog IMO. Having comments builds community between the blogger and the reader, but comments also build community between just the readers as they often will communicate back and forth amongst each other in the comment section with advice and emotional support.
Some well-known bloggers, Seth Godin comes to mind, do not allow comments last time I checked (months ago). Talking AT readers on a blog with a one-way conversation is not only dull and boring, but doesn’t allow much room for building trust and community.
Anyone with a blog must deal with spam comments in varying degrees. That’s what comment moderation is for, and those who choose not to allow comments at all or turn off comments at some point are only hurting themselves in the long run.
Subscribed reader comments may stop after a few days, but search engine traffic readers can arrive at any time in the future with relevant comments or questions about the article, and turning off their ability to leave their comment/question gives search engine visitors no opportunity to build trust in you or your advice as an authority on the topic.
Steven-Sanders
October 13th, 2008 1:13 am
There are many bloggers who don’t allow comments on their blogs (i.e. Seth Godin), but personally I enjoy the community it promotes.
I blog to help others learn to make money on their blog, so I want my readers to be able to tell me what they’re interests are, and what their thoughts are about my post topics.
Graham
October 13th, 2008 1:13 am
I absolutely do have comments on. It lets me clarify points by letting people ask questions in a public fashion. I quite like the interactivity of it.
I’m only averaging 3 or so comment per post at this point with no spammy comments so perhaps my opinion will change down the road.
Thomas
October 13th, 2008 2:27 am
Yes! Allow comments because it allows for a sense of community, and is a source of valuable feedback, which can turn into a valuable discussion.
I allow comments on 100% of my blog for this reason.
Olgi Zenullari
October 13th, 2008 2:39 am
Personally I guess that comments are an important factor of blogs. I believe that it wouldn’t be able for most of us to interact with the top bloggers and ask questions or respond to their articles
Cade Krueger
October 13th, 2008 3:50 am
I agree that a blog needs comments. That is what helps to separate it from normal static sites. I worked for a spammy internet marketing coaching firm and you get a lot of people that don’t trust you as a sales rep or a customer service rep because to them you are the “big business, I don’t care about you, give me your money”. I think that a blog helps in numerous ways.
1. It helps you understand your client better because as you interact with them you will find what they are truly missing, instead of guessing and trying to put together a product that doesn’t fit their needs. I am sure you used comments to help you with your books Darren.
2. It allows people to build relationships that would have never met, but are able to do so through your blog. You can find link exchanges, joint ventures, and just solid information.
3. You can’t be defensive. I see way too many people scared of a link exchange because it might not benefit them as much. Paralysis by Analysis. Success in blogging seems all about sheer determination in numerous marketing areas.
Those are my thoughts. Has anyone ever created a product or altered a product based on comments?
Rob Malon - Automating Websites
October 13th, 2008 4:09 am
Spam used to be an issue for me. Even some of the security image captcha’s can be hacked. Though if you go that route, there is a service called recaptcha (http://recaptcha.net) that I’ve had pretty good luck with on some client’s sites.
Otherwise, a numbered captcha for comment spam is one of the best things I ever did for my blog. That combined with akismet got rid of spam completly. I made a tutorial on how I implimented it here:
http://robmalon.com/howto-eliminate-wordpress-trackback-comment-and-pingback-spam/
Caleb
October 13th, 2008 5:35 am
Comments are absolutely necesary for building a readership and if you’re not trying to build one then what’s the use?
People tend to like things they can interact with. Also,comments are a good source for the exchange of new ideas.
W.T
October 13th, 2008 6:04 am
I believe it all depends on the type of blog you’re running. For example my blog is based on peoples opinions on the latest news, so it is necessary that I have a place for people to comment.
I see blogs as social devices and to make the most out of them you must have comments to engage the readers and give them motivation to take part in the experience.
Kim McGinnis
October 13th, 2008 8:46 am
A blog with out comments is like a person in a room by himself carrying on a one-way conversation – kind of crazy, but could be a good form of therapy for the blogger.
Ari Herzog
October 13th, 2008 9:53 am
This comment is directed at everyone else who mentioned Seth Godin’s name and his comment-less blog. You know who you are: Emon, Pete, Stephen, etc.
The reason why Seth doesn’t enable comments is due to three reasons, which he explains if you click here.
Note, he made that decision two years ago.
I can’t add anything that hasn’t been said. I like comments. I like when people write comments to me and I like writing comments to other people. Such as here.
Karen (karooch from Scraps of mind)
October 13th, 2008 10:03 am
I think comments are a way of letting you know you’re not just talking to yourself. I don’t have much of a comment spam problem because all first time comments need to be approved and I get emailed for all the rest. So I can easily see if there are any ‘undesirables’.
Sarah H.
October 13th, 2008 10:44 am
My blog has comments and I feel they are necessary to achieve my goal of having a community that interacts and shares ideas. My blog is new so I haven’t had any problems yet with comment spam or difficulty moderating too many comments (I wish!), but I appreciate the heads up. I see the wisdom in turning off comments until you get enough readership, but I decided not to do that…I wanted my early posts to get some comments so I could start the ‘community’ ball rolling right away. I also wanted new visitors to notice that there is a community atmosphere (no comments might turn some people away if they are looking to interact). I did, however, wait to start letting people know about my blog until I had written several anchor posts.
Matt Zentz
October 13th, 2008 11:06 am
Blogging is a social media. Take out commenting and it’s really no different than broadcasting (i.e. not social)
FenixMarcess
October 13th, 2008 12:45 pm
I’ve seen a few great blogs that don’t have comments at all. Take a look at http://www.thehundreds.com. They have many readers and no comments whatsoever.
But personally I’d have them turned on.
Keral Patel
October 13th, 2008 1:57 pm
“Other bloggers decide not to have them. Their reasons vary from not having time to moderate them to being frustrated by comment spam.”
Exactly :D I get frusrated with the comment spam. No matter what but the spammers are too keen to post their comments on the blogs.
amirulcyber
October 13th, 2008 2:29 pm
In my opinion yes.Blog should have comment.
wisdom
October 13th, 2008 3:33 pm
Yes I feel that blogs should have comments, makes them more interactive and helps correct any errors in the original post.
Mainframeguy
October 13th, 2008 3:35 pm
A point of information – anyone setting up a truly professional blog will NOT have them there by default. I use Chyrp! myself – you have to add comments as an add on module. I think it is more likely Blogger.com and the like are the places where comments are there by default.
Richard B
October 13th, 2008 6:04 pm
I kicked off a discussion about comments over on the FuelMyBlog blog here http://blog.fuelmyblog.co.uk/blog/2008/10/10/feed-the-conversation-fuel-your-community/ expecting most people to be in agreement that comments are essential. I was surprised to find so many people that didn’t comment that there is surely an argument for not having them turned on at all…
Michael
October 13th, 2008 6:37 pm
Yeah…it really depends on the blog. I have two that are simply built for interactive communication from whoever. But I have another that the same type of interactivity would just turn into a head ache…..trust me I know…..The type of folks who visit are not the kind I want to hear from…. UGH!!….i’m already irritated just thiking about it…
Dennis Sim
October 13th, 2008 7:32 pm
I love to leave comment whenever appropriate. For the two main reasons:
1. Share my knowledge – I don’t leave a comment with ‘great’ or ‘thank you’.
2. Drive traffic to my blog :)
-Dennis.
German Romance
October 13th, 2008 11:31 pm
Comment is what makes a blog coming alive. Without any comment’s you just have an endless monologue, it is irritating to read to a blog that is just in love with their own opinion/writing..
bonoriau
October 13th, 2008 11:32 pm
I prefer blog with comment. Place to communicate with my blog friends, receive suggestion and discuss latest development. I’m growing with all good and inspiring comment from blog friends.
Angela Connor
October 13th, 2008 11:49 pm
I think that bloggers should determine the goals of their blogs and act accordingly. I certainly advocate comments and believe that a large part of blogging is to create conversations around various topics and to engage an audience. However, I am not going to see this as a one-size-fits all situation. If a blogger wants to be one who simply puts their message out there for the masses and doesn’t care for, want or need interaction that’s their prerogative. It doesn’t mean that their content didn’t fill a void or that the reader didn’t find value in it. I think we have to remember that information is not consumed in the same way from person to person. The beauty of blogging is freedom. the freedom to write your own rules.
CoolProducts
October 14th, 2008 1:37 am
Comments allow for the blog to have life.. Without them, one just sees a post and nothing else. Comments allow for one to expand upon, argue, validate, etc. I think a good blog should and would have comments enabled..
Adrilia
October 14th, 2008 2:15 am
I think comments are essential at least for new bloggers. In my case it’s inspiring and encouraging to get comments. It helps me to know what my readers are thinking, feeling, concerned about, what they’re responding to. Plus, comments begin to help you build a blogging community and that’s priceless.
Shivanand Sharma
October 14th, 2008 6:03 am
What in the world…? No they shouldn’t. Why blog then? Why not publish html?
11 High PR Do-Follow Social Sites
October 14th, 2008 8:17 am
I could not live without comment, they make blogs more personal, they add tons of content and they are essential to interacting with your readers and I think that brings them back!
dev
October 14th, 2008 9:41 am
Blog should has comment, if dont has comment then it cannot call a blog
Mitch
October 14th, 2008 12:11 pm
In my opinion, if you don’t accept comments, then you’re saying you don’t care what anyone else has to say. If that’s the case, why have a blog in the first place, and why should I read? It’s one reason I won’t read Seth Godin’s blog, though many other people read it; I figure he doesn’t care about me, so I don’t care about him.
gweipo
October 14th, 2008 2:09 pm
I like comments since if people bother to comment it means they’ve actually got meaning or a feeling from something I’ve said, or that it’s touched them, even if the comment is negative. It also steers my blogging into interesting areas and helps to shape my thought.
Not getting comments is like going to a cocktail party and saying “hi, I’m so and so and xyz” and the person staring at you blankly and leaving you.
I’d rather they said “what a stupid thing to say” or “I hate your hair style”, since I can do something with that.
Jorge Quinteros
October 14th, 2008 9:58 pm
I’ve experimented with several CMS which all have included comments enabled by default and I’ve always eliminated them. Receiving feedback on post is always refreshing but I personally rather get it via email as oppose to having all the chatter as part of my entries. That’s my preference.
Lance
October 15th, 2008 12:29 am
Commenting creates dialogue and brings additional insight and value to your blog, so I can’t imagine turning comments off, except perhaps for individual posts where you don’t feel they’re appropriate. Dooce does this pretty well. To be perfectly honest, comments are what keeps me sharp on my own blog, and I know the comments I leave are valued on the blogs in my niche.
Ted Murphy
October 15th, 2008 4:33 am
Only blog I know that doesn’t allow comments is Seth Godin’s. I read him anyway, but it’s a pain.
Writers Urgently Needed!- $250/hr
October 15th, 2008 5:47 am
comments are a really good thing for the readers and the owner of the blog. See, the blog owner adds value and substance to their blog. Plus, they can get more readers because people are always interested in what others have to say about a topic. Plus, more comment can increase page rank.
Thomas Flight
October 15th, 2008 9:32 am
One of the biggest moral boosts I get as a new blogger is when someone comments on my blog. (unless it’s spam). It lets me know that someone is really reading.
Tumblemoose
October 15th, 2008 3:10 pm
It bums me out when I read something that stirs my emotions and then there is no ability to comment. I think it’s selfish and rude to not allow them. If that’s how you want to handle things then write in a journal and keep it to yourself.
My other pet peeve is having to register to provide a comment. That’s ridiculous. Why would I take the time to do that?
Make commenting easy, make it available or don’t blog. Period.
So there.
George
Tumblemoose
October 15th, 2008 4:09 pm
@ Ari
Sorry, but I went to Seth’s site and the reasons are BS. I don’t let commentators or their anticipated comments influence my writing. That’s a cop out.
So it takes a bit to moderate. Big deal. Partner up with someone you trust and have them moderate. Have a once a week feedback session with the partner.
There are lots of ways to handle comments and I just don’t buy any of the flimsy reasons Seth gives.
George
Joel Drapper
October 15th, 2008 5:47 pm
Comments are an essential part of blogs. A good comment is much more of a reward to me then adsense.
Urban Fly Fisher
October 15th, 2008 9:43 pm
I would imagiine without comments the blogger would feel a bit lonely :-(
Nancy Nally
October 16th, 2008 3:05 am
Merlin Mann of 43 Folders has been talking about this issue a lot lately both on his site and in his talks. He’s come to the conclusion (as I understand it) that blog comments end up being a mess of junk, spam and stupidity.
Instead, he wants people to take their thoughts about what he’s written and respond on their own sites. Kind of a “this is MY space, that’s YOUR space” kind of thing.
Not sure I agree but it’s a theme I’ve heard repeatedly from him lately.
http://www.43folders.com/2008/09/10/time-attention-creative-work
S. Antich blog
October 17th, 2008 5:49 am
I think that blogs should have comments enabled.
Social Media Marketing Blog
October 17th, 2008 12:48 pm
inorder to have the positive feedback from readers, comments are important
Eric
October 18th, 2008 12:13 am
I view blog comments as a “Letters to the Editor” type forum that clearly encourages interactive communication from a relevant audience. The key is to act like a news editor and carefully review each comment for content, grammar and spelling before publishing.
[m.k]
October 28th, 2008 10:30 pm
Yes, i have comments in my blog. And to protect blog from spam i’d insalled plugin akismet and capcha.
Blog without comments is not blog ;) . IMHO.
P.S. Excuse me for my English.
Ssquo
November 19th, 2008 8:00 am
Blogs are an extension of one self and if you are maintaining a personal blog, then the posts are not probably not going to appeal to millions around the world. yet, there should be an option for people to share their opinions, I mean isnt a dialogue, learning new things, ideas, and mental stimulation good for us all?
uwak
December 3rd, 2008 5:28 pm
comment is the easy ways to create large networking……
Search
June 11th, 2009 4:25 am
Comments are a must for any blog, How else are you going to to get feedback from the people that are actually reading your blog! Right now I am actually trying to get a blog started for my site! Good topic i think anyone that has a blog should read this for sure…..
Comments will be closed off on this post 90 days after it is published. Apologies to those this impacts but it's a regrettable and temporary measure to combat a growing comment spam problem. See our most recent posts where you can comment here.