I have gone back and forth on whether or not to write this post. And I will continue to flip flop on whether or not I will publish it until I publish it, or don't publish it.
Here is the question that is bouncing around my brain:
What inspires blog comments ?
Now, I know that this will come across as a plea for comments, and that truly is not what it is. I know that I have about 6 people that read this blog regularly, and I appreciate that they do, and I appreciate that they often do not feel like commenting, and I am fine with that. This is not an attempt to inspire more comments on my blog. I have an honest curiosity about the subject of comments. I swear I do.
I know the prevailing wisdom in the blogosphere or Blogovia, or whatever the fuck you want to call the World O' Blogs, is that you "give comments to get comments", which, on the one hand, I kinda understand, but on the other hand, I think "Why and what the fuck is that ?" I'm not sure I fully understand this semi-forced reciprocation. It seems to lead to commenting for commenting's sake.
There's a handful of blogs that I read fairly regularly, and I will comment on them if I have something to say, but I don't comment just to leave a comment. And I am not saying that everyone who leaves comments are just commenting to comment, but I definitely see instances of it. And I wonder, if I were to suddenly start surfing blogs and leaving comments, would I suddenly start getting comments ? Does it really work that way ? And I guess I wonder, what's the fun in that ? Shouldn't I want to INSPIRE comments from people ?
And what's the deal with "First" ? People commenting that they are the first to comment ? That is just plain odd to me. Do I miss the point of all thsi because I have a little, insignificant blog ? If I was more important, with a vast readership would I understand all of these things better ?
I remember a little while ago(or it could be a year or two), there was someone who started commenting out of context on blogs one day a week, and tried to start a trend with it, and I thought that was kind of clever. I don't remember who it was, or if it ever caught on, but I thought it was kinda neat.
Well, I think that's all I have to say about that. So now will you puhleeeeeeeeze leave me comments ? Puhleeeeeeeeeeze ?
Kidding!! Kidding !!
Have a good weekend.
Go Mets.
6 comments:
I do think that if you started going to blogs that might not know who you were and started commenting, you would receive comments from other people. Not necessarily out of some need for half-assed reciprocity, but probably because the blogger would be interested to go see who this person was who commented, and then might leave a comment in return - almost like a second half of a blog greeting.
I comment when I have something to say and/or when I have time. If I don't have time, I just read and move on. Whenever anyone new comments on my site, though, I make the effort to go see who they were and see if they have a post worth commenting on, and add them to my feedreader under a category for people that might be worthwhile.
Avitable- When I get the rare comment from a new reader, I usually do visit their site, and I will normally leave a comment, thanking them for the visit, at least,and saying something else if I have an opinion on their post.
Many people comment solely to gain traffic and hopefully, readership. It works. It does. So if a person is after a very wide audience (read: popularity whore,) they'll probably get it.
I have my regular commenters who apparently have no life and nothing else to do with their time.
I comment frequently on some blogs and hardly ever on others. It's all about (I totally should not say this) who I like more.
There are people who read my blog and comment whose blogs I have never read. Shhh. don't tell. I have 24 blog feeds (14 of which I've been reading 3 or more years) and 118 news and entertainment feeds. I only read who I like and since I am not a link follower and loyal to those I do read, it's hard for me to break out and add more blog feeds.
I do the blog reading/writing thing before 3 PM, maybe play the Sims instead...depends. I check email throughout the day and generally go back to reply to my commenters in the evening. Some days I'm on blogs all day. Yesterday, I read a couple and that's it.
I love that you do the movies and music trivia because that stuff is stuff that I REALLY enjoy and it seems you're the only one doing it.
What inspires a comment from me is complicated. Sometimes rather than comment, I blog what I would have commented. Get it?
As to "First!" some people are just whacked and some people do it to make fun of those that do it seriously. 'Cause seriouslsy, who the fuck cares?
And I read your blog because I enjoy it, not because you might comment on my blog. I read blogs I never comment on. why shouldn't you?
I feel I should comment, but have nothing to say that you haven't said. So I guess this is a superfluous comment.
Have you checked out my site?
But seriously, commenting sometimes leads to more traffic, and sometimes not. The best traffic increases come when someone (relatively) famous links to your site.
I am trying to be better about REPLYING to comments, as you (yes, you!) Paticus are so conscientious about doing.
Miss. Ann-I read blogs that i don't comment on either, and mostly it's just because I don't feel I have something to add. I think that's why the commenting for traffic is an odd concept to me. I just don't think I have that many comments in me. I do surf around, and if I have something to add, I'll add it.
Feral Mom-Of course, on the post that you mention my responding to comments, it takes me two days to respond to yours and Miss. Ann's- D'OH !!!
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