Comments on: Should We Bring Back Comments?

By: David Dittell

David Dittell — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:35:22 +0000

Naomi,

I’m a reader who also occasionally links to you on my own blog.

The truth is, whether you have comments or not does not affect how likely I am to come back. It’s your content that really matters.

While I personally like to give my 2 cents, I know how difficult it can be to deal with people whose behavior gets out of line.

If you decide to allow comments, you have to accept that eventually the trolls will come. This isn’t necessarily bad, but it is inevitable.

Be willing to ignore them. Or delete their comments if you have to.

But don’t feel the need to respond. Even good comments don’t need a response from you. If you’re too busy or it feels like work or whatevever, just forget about it.

You’re the content provider, not the one-on-one comment discuss-er. Provide the content, and let your readers provide the discussion.

By: Bill Ward

Bill Ward — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:17:59 +0000

Yes, you should enable comments, and no don’t feel any obligation to reply. Think of it more like if you started a thread on some webforum, and people replied — would you feel obligated to reply to each one? I would think not, unless they were asking you a question or said something that you were particularly moved to say something about. I think comments on blog posts are more for the benefit of discussing with other readers, and for us to pimp our own ittybiz sites by giving the link back…

By: asrais

asrais — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:52:22 +0000

Not only to people not expect comments, but I think most people don’t notice if you do follow up. Blogs don’t lend themselves to discussion in the longterm. After a day or two, we’ve all moved on to the new post. It’s sad. I like long drawn out debates. :(

By: Ron

Ron — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:14:24 +0000

Sometimes, it takes me awhile to mull things over. That’s why I’m late tossing in my $.02.

Naomi, you have, shall we say, a distinct style that likely appeals to only a certain type of ultra-cool person. If someone doesn’t dig your style, they’re probably not cool and probably won’t stick around long.

So, you got all these cool wackos reading your shit. Some of them seem damned interesting. If you’re not allowing comments, how the hell are you going to enjoy the awesomeness of all these weirdos you’ve collected?

If you don’t enjoy them, delete them. And if reading comments gets to be too much of a hassle, shut ‘em down. You’re driving, honey.

As far as responding to each comment goes, don’t you have anything better to do?

By: Corinna Lyons-Revello

Corinna Lyons-Revello — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:39:40 +0000

Personally, I don’t feel the need to leave comments on your blog. Frankly, I love the rule “If you’re a dick, we’re deleting you.” I think I may begin that rule on my own blog, I like it so much! :)

Corinna

By: Charlie

Charlie — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:10:56 +0000

Two questions:
1) What motivates people to comment?
2) What do you like about them?

If I knew you personally, I would say that on some level you like a) conversations and b) being thanked for the awesomeness you put out.

So, if people are adding value to the conversation and are being generally cool and gracious, then the only reason to dislike comments are trolls, dicks, and time suck. (Note the order of things to dislike – not intentional, but I kept it.)

Invoke the rule you discussed. Understand that, if you have to choose between writing something else and/or connecting with us elsewhere and minding comments, we want you to do the former.

Host the party, Naomi – you don’t have to be the party.

By: Cody Robert

Cody Robert — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:04:11 +0000

“If you’re a dick, we’re deleting you” – Is exactly what needs to happen. And then you can have a minor second rule: “I’m not a dick, but don’t expect a response”

By: Naomi Dunford

Naomi Dunford — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:13:20 +0000

@ Sonia — I didn’t say YOU couldn’t live on a houseboat. But a houseboat in Colorado might not be the best plan. Back to the drawing board go you.

By: Iain Gray

Iain Gray — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:53:22 +0000

Comments would be cool, and you certainly don’t need to respond.

As for quality… there’s only one way to find out. If it doesn’t work out, you can always change your mind. It’s always fun to take things away now and again to see how upset people get about it.

Re: what to do if someone’s a dick – yep, delete them. Or sit back and watch your regular commentors eviscerate them. I’m guessing that your regular fan base is a pretty articulate lot (and generally over the age of 14), which means that disputes should be entertaining and constructive, rather than tiresome flame wars.

By: Sonia Simone

Sonia Simone — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:04:37 +0000

p.s. the houseboat sounds pretty nice. I have always wanted a nice houseboat. I picture myself in an adorable housedress hanging attractive laundry outside it, looking a little like a pink-haired Sophia Loren. Please allow me my illusions.