Commenting Etiquette
I don’t think I should have to post about this, but I do. It’s a pretty prevalent thing.
A lot of people don’t use proper manners when commenting on others’ blogs. I’m not just talking about being rude or “flaming”. I mean simple common courtesy1.
For those of you who aren’t sure whether your web manners are up to date, here are a few pointers:
- If the post isn’t about someone’s layout, don’t comment on only their layout. At least one sentence about their actual post, please.
- Don’t sign up for comment rotations if your post consist entirely of detailed research papers about your life.2
- Don’t comment on sites only because you read that they return comments. That’s just selfish.
- Return all worthwhile (non-spam, non-off topic) comments received on your own site. Not only does it build web-connections, but it’s just polite.
- Don’t respond to comments on your site on the author’s site without at least mentioning something about their post. It’s just rude and self-centered.
- Don’t comment if your comment is exactly the same as someone else’s save for your name and website. Say something original and use your own words.
- Don’t flame. It makes YOU look stupid, especially if the site owner takes it gracefully and leaves it up.
- READ PEOPLE’S COMMENTING POLICIES. Even if you’re a regular, or they comment on your site, don’t be afraid or too lazy to check them out once in a while. Sometimes people will update them.
Not that you’re an evil horrible person3 if you do any of these things, but try not to do them. It’s always good to improve your manners, right?
Anyone have any other tips to add?
- Oxymoro~n… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAaa. Ahem. Sorry. It’s just, y’know. [↩]
- What I mean is the kind of site where every post is a 5 page detailed documentary about every single moment about their life. Unless you’re an astronaut on the space station - which you’re probably not if you have enough free time to read this - the world doesn’t need to know about your entire life’s Kleenex usage statistics. Sure, it’s your site, but it’s just rude and stupid to expect people to connect with you when you don’t post about anything except you. Post about the things you like and read and want to remember. Don’t be afraid to post surveys and quizzes and stuff sometimes. It’ll give people more of an interactive feel. [↩]
- Lulz, as if being rude on the Internet made you a horrible person. [↩]
Online, Opinion, Tips 
30 June 2008, 16:25
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I’m guilty of those sometimes but only because I’m tired or I don’t give a shit. LOL
I have to say I’m horribly guilty of doing some of these things. Like making a completely off topic comment. But I can understand the annoyance of it. It’s kind of rude when someone just comes along and comments on your site when all they want is to get hits because the webmaster/misstress comments back. It’s not cool.
Ps. Loveee the new layout <3 haha
I agree wholeheartedly on this issue. Really people, it’s not that hard!
1. If I ever have something to say about the layout, I’ll stick it in at the end of any comment that I have for the post.
2. Oh my God, do I really hate this one. No offense to the younger people or anything, but I get really sick of hearing about someone’s day and it’s not stylistically appealing to read. One of the reasons why I dread some of my Despair assignments is because of those blogs. I never have anything meaningful to say.
3. I don’t know if that’s happened to me, but hopefully not. However, knowing that a person returns comments and you want to continue a relationship is okay.
4. As for this one, I know that you try to do it as much as you can, but for me, again, I don’t always read something that merits a worthy comment from me. I’ll visit and I’ll read, but if I have nothing to say, I have nothing to say.
5. I’ve had that happen to me and I’ve told the person straight up - don’t do it because it’s tacky. That’s what the contact forms are for and for those who have Wordpress, you have the damn email address! At least reply there!
6. That really does suck to read things again. Even if you agree with what someone else said, at least expand on that!
7. Flamers can go to hell… after I ridicule them.
8. Yes, policies are always good to read. It’s a shame that most don’t read them.
It’s always good to be polite on your blog though I think some of the points there would be impossible for all bloggers to adhere to. Popular bloggers like ProBlogger or DoshDosh cannot possibly return all their comments because of the sheer amount they receive.
As for blogs that are listed in comment rotations, as members, we really don’t have a choice when it comes down to post length. Some bloggers do treat their blogs as personal journal where they will jot down every little detail, no matter how insignificant they seem to us. It would be very unfair for us to judge them just because the don’t have the skill or desire to be succinct. It would be opening the pretexts for other to judge our own blogs for being ________ and hence unworthy for comment rotations.
@Jenny
Then improve! （｀ー´）ヘヘーン But lulz, I know what you mean. When I used to do assigned commenting, I would do the same thing occasionally.
@Ivy
I was writing this assuming that most bloggers that read this blog get under 40 comments per post. I should add something like that, for those bloggers that read here that get lots of comments. (I think fruityoaty might, but most everyone else has their comments/post ratio stop at about 23:1 or so.)
Mmm, that’s true. But I was trying to address the problem by spurring those types of bloggers to connect with people rather than change their style. I mean, sure, if you want to detail every calorie you burn, you can do that, it’s your site. But if you do that, maybe add something interactive like quiz results or a picture post, to find ways to get people to like your blog and comment. Rather than classify people’s blogs as “movie blogs” or “exercise blogs” we should all have a little more balance, and be able to interact freely with other bloggers and their blogs and not be terribly out of place.
In response to your balanced blog comment:
Unfortunately, most successful blogs are niche blogs, which specialize in something, be it parenting (dooce), political satire (huffingtonpost), cute animals (cuteoverload, ICHC) or web/blog development advice (jemjabella, problogger, doshdosh). From a reader’s perspective, these sites are more appealing, as they are sure to be on top of the latest news from the niche that the reader is interested in.
With blogs like ours, our blog content are always gonna be a mixed bag, which isn’t necessarily bad thing. But of course, fame does not come easy to mixed bag blogs, since nobody can expect what you’re gonna say next, as ‘balanced’ as they are. Personally, I sometimes find it quite difficult to please all my readers because I have subscribers and visitors from ages 13 to 50, male and female, all walks of life. I have to constantly update with all sorts of content, while keeping these audiences in mind. Sometimes, these content are at odds, and there will be a dramatic decrease in subscriber count. Sometimes, I accidentally appeal to a new audience and my blog gets ridiculous amounts of hits from Digg, StumbleUpon or Mixx. So, readership loyalty and even blog networking (outside of mixed bag blogs) can be challenges, at times.
As for those who write their entire life stories out:
I don’t particularly like them as a reader, either. I really can’t care about what people do every moment of their day, and likely will not read or comment on their sites - maybe occasionally. If they truly want to own a popular or at least, a likable blog with a decent amount of readership, I am sure they will strive to find better ways to appeal to a wider audience. If they just want to chronicle their lives with verbose ‘essays’ and are happy with a small readership, then I’m sure they’re happy with the way they blog. But of course, as members of a comment exchange circle, we can’t do much but leave a comment on something that will perhaps catch our eye during our a 1- minute scan of their latest entry.
At the end of the day, everyone blogs for different reasons. It wouldn’t be fair to judge everyone’s blog based on our own reasons.
I totally agree with you. It’s really annoying to get the most random comments about something that isn’t even related to the post. 0_o Repeat: annoying.
Sometimes I don’t return comments, though, so I’m kind of guilty for that. I agree it’s polite to return comments, well, unless it’s an annoying comment that doesn’t relate to the post or something.