June 21, 2011

This is Why I say Blog Commenting is Dead!

I would do anything - well, mostly anything when my time allows it - to grow my blog and get the proper exposure necessary. Who doesn't? And if you've been around this block for a while, experts and so-called gurus vouch that commenting is still one of the most effective tools in reaching this goal. I agree. Hence, sites like SITS {my favorite site by the way} became infamous for discovering this niche that targets this need. Yes, we all love attention! And when we don't get it, we feel useless. Worthless even. But what will you do when commenting is just, that, dead?

How dare I say this? Obviously some blogs still get tons. I get that. But there's also a huge percentage of blogs that don't get any at all in spite of great stories posted, or no matter how active they are online. Unless of course, it is something super-controversial. But even this is short-lived. After that, you can literally hear crickets! I'm not exempted from this epidemic. Worst thing a blogger would go through, is write a killer post and once posted, comments or reactions are non-existent! What is wrong in this equation?
To satisfy my nagging curiosity and hopefully unravel a bit of mystery,  I went on a commenting spree. For two separate weeks, I've set a 2 hour slot from my day just to blog hop and comment. On the outset, I love discovering new blogs but I'll tell you now, visiting tons of blogs is not fun. It gets you thinking. Some of them stumped me. Some of them I just can't relate to and I left without commenting. In the end, I was able to visit hundreds of blogs!
And guess how many came back to me and visited me back? Take a wild mental guess. I'll let you know at the end of this post.

Here are the 2 things that I found that's most likely killing blog comments big time! See if you agree:
  • Facebook - It's right in their faces. Instant access to comments right there for the taking. Even if you put your actual link and directs back to your site, people are creatures of habit, they will go back to their facebook page and leave their comments there. 
  • Twitter - Same thing. They take a peek and tweet you back with their comments.
Here's a prime example:  I posted pictures and captions related to my 8th year Anniversary on Facebook . I received countless likes and comments! I posted the whole she-bang about it on my blog and guess what? I only got 1 comment. Yes one. Posted the direct link on my Facebook group page - likes and comments started pouring - not on my blog but on that page!

I adore both these sites mind you. But how can one keep patronizing them when they're obviously killing the traffic in our blogs? No traffic = no business. This sort of puts us in a realistic perspective that in the end, our blog will get the axe if we're not vigilant or creative.

Now, are you ready for the answer?
See if you guessed right. Of all the hundreds of blogs I visited, I only got less than 10. I kid you not! Some commented back. Some replied via email.

Dead or what?!


Don't forget to check the rest of Zensible Mama's Blog Branding Topics.


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26 comments:

  1. Definitely dead. I remember when I started blogging back in 2003. I could post three sentences and get a comment within an hour. Now,I can write a heartfelt tome and get *NOTHING*.

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  2. I had to comment, just to make you smile! But yes, thumbs up and retweet buttons are easier. I still read lots and it saves me time not to write long comments. Bad blogger, I know.
    I always get a lot of hits on WW, but no comments. Which makes sense. People look at the photo, like it, maybe retweet it and move on. But they visited, and it is nice to have somebody pop by, even if they don't bring a gift. What do you think?

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  3. This is so true! I only get comments from family (who comment because they love me) and when I participate in memes which require commenting for participation. Which is worse, no comments or only obligatory ones??

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  4. I agree. Facebook & Twitter killed the blogging star. :/

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  5. You're absolutely right about Facebook. I think it's my non-blogging friends that comment there though.

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  6. I only get comments from a few people, but there are posts that go without anything. If I participate in a meme or link up, then I get tons of comments. But most of them are just "visiting you from ..." But I prefer comments that have something to do with the post. I'd rather have few to no comments about my post (with a link so I can visit their blog) than have my comments flooded with people only looking to toot their own horn.

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  7. It's easy to comment using Facebook. It's on the reader's home page, they are already logged in, and all they have to do is type and click.

    How many readers (outside fellow bloggers) have a Disqus profile? Google ID? Twitter account? My real life friends never comment on my blog, but they are all over the Facebook page. They GET Facebook. "Blog comment ID? Wha-?"

    Most of my Anonymous comments aren't from anonymous. It's Jane or Abby or "Rachael in Ohio" who chose anonymous because it's easier than filling out a name/e-mail/URL form.

    I guess Facebook is like having a pen right in your hand...and our blogs are more like digging in your purse for one.

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  8. Tiffany, I hear you loud and clear! With the changing Social Media environment, it seem like more and more tweeps in the community are attuned to them now more than ever. Not really looking all that good for the blogs any more I dare say.

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  9. Stasha, Thank you! You certainly made me smile. Comments are more like affirmations of a "job well done" when we post stories in our blogs and to have someone just come by and say a little note here and there makes a whole lot of difference. So yeah! It always is nice to have someone say something when they visit our blogs!

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  10. Keri, I would take any comments anytime of the day or from most anyone! lol. Even family counts! I love reading what they all think :-)

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  11. comments are a dying breed, and your experiment is exactly what I see. I get awesome reactions on my personal fb page and on twitter. But on my blog? and on my blog FB page? Very little.

    People read blogs on the treadmill, in the passenger seat, waiting to see the dentist. They don't comment.

    That's okay. It doesn't bother me. I still put my posts up consistently because I know it's being read. Sure. Comments feel wonderful. But who has the time?

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  12. Also, I hate commenting on blogger blogs (sorry. it's true.) I want to log in as ME and my blog, not my google account. Blogger doesn't allow enough options for commenters who blog elsewhere. And I want to do it in one step, not 3. Again, who has the time?! The harder we (bloggers and blog hosts) make it to comment, the less often we'll get comments.

    I recently heard Guy Kawasaki talk. He shared that CAPTCHA (those word-check things to make sure you're really a human) are like a poison to blogs. They will kill comments. Who wants to verify they're human to have a conversation? Do I need to verify I'm human to talk to someone IRL?

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  13. I think you're right. I know people are reading my blog but comments are hard to come by.

    I don't want to post my heart out on something like facebook that doesn't belong to me. I want something of my own and my blog is it.

    So if I get comments YAY I'm thrilled but my blog/writing is for me and if I don't get comments that's ok too. But I'd really like it if you did. :)

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  14. Enjoyed reading this post. My blog isn't all that popular but it is nice to know when someone reads your stuff - what they think about it..

    It's summer too..hoping things will pick up commenting :-)

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  15. I agree with you 100%, but at least your stats will be decent with click overs. Stats are more important than comments to advertisers anyway (though I love comments, of course!)

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  16. I would rather have an honest comment than an obligatory one. I find I get more comments on my blog than I do on FB or Twitter. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? LOL

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  17. I don't know. I get pretty good discussion on my blog sometimes. Typically, about half of commenters do the Facebook/Twitter comment, and half leave it in my comments section. It's not entirely dead, but you do have to work if you want to build a sense of community in your readers that makes them want to comment. A lot of it has to do with your topic, I think. Some things are just easier for people to talk about than others.

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  18. I admit that I don't comment in blogs as often as I should. BUT...blogs are slow to load. You have to scroll. And scroll. And scroll to get to the comments section. Sometimes it is hard to find the Post comment button. Then you wait for the funky confirmation word. And have the time you can't read it. And then... the best part. Blogger won't let you comment. So hey. I read lots of blogs, but I comment on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter. It isn't that comments are dying. It's that blogs are a pain to comment on!

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  19. As one of the SEO peeps who mention commenting on related blogs I can say, one of the benefits of commenting elsewhere is not ONLY the potential for "visits" and traffic from those blogs. It's the SEO power of the incoming links and drawing attention to Google of your new posts and things.

    In addition to all the other stuff. :-)

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  20. Your are so right. I have the same thing. Great FB & Twitter likes and RT's, if I have 5 comments (minus my comments back) I consider that an amazing blog post. I just don't get the traffic. I think that is why other forms of ratings like Klout are becoming huge. They measure your entire on-line presence. I love getting comments. I love when people say something, anything positive of course.

    Big question: Will this post have the most comments on your blog?

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  21. I think at Blogher last year someone said something similar, comments are dead. The conversation is happening on FB and twitter. And I think it is true. My traffic has remained steady, but I get way less comments. But some bloggers still manage to get a ton of comments. I wonder what their secret it.

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  22. I don't have facebook or twitter. I just don't get why so many people use them LOL.

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  23. Oh, thank you for posting this! There are times when I feel so discouraged about the lack of comments on my blog--I see the traffic coming in, but I'll get maybe 1-2 comments on a post. I do comment on other people's blogs (and not just for SEO or to get a comment in response--if I genuinely like a post, I want to leave a comment), but I guess I'm in the minority!

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  24. How bizarre! I commented on another blog just yesterday about this very issue. The author's conclusions were the same as yours - that social media is killing comments.

    It's such a shame because, although I know comments shouldn't be the be-all and end-all of a site, I really do love receiving them and they help motivate me to keep writing. I know the stats say people are visiting, but if nobody ever says anything, it can fell like you're preaching to an invisible room.

    I personally don't have a great Facebook presence (only 16 followers on my fan page), so I don't even get any discussion that way lol.

    I wonder if the blogging scene will get a makeover to help make it easier for people to comment. I agree with the other commentors here that it's a turn-off having to jump through hoops just to leave a quick message.

    Do micro-blogging sites like tumblr do any better with commenting?

    Ironically, I wrote this comment while viewing your site in my twitter app - and it wouldn't post. Had to open the site up in safari, paste in my post and enter all my details again.

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  25. I like to comment on other's blogs but I don't get many comments on mine. My readership isn't as great as I'd like either. Death to those stats they let us check! Ignorance is bliss in the world of blogging.

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  26. Glad to see that I'm not alone in being concerned about low comment numbers. Folk seem more into FB, which makes sense... for them! Anyhow, this blogging business is a work in progress, no?

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