The A to Z Challenge wrapped up two days ago, and I now feel a little lost.
I made a load of friends despite not doing such a great job of the challenge myself, I may have commented on about 60 blogs a day, if that. That’s lower than what a lot of bloggers do on a regular basis. So it is the kindness of other bloggers that helped me sail through.
But I have a confession to make: Though I LOVED receiving each comment, I didn’t spend time responding to each. Instead, I commented on a few that I spotted via my phone while running about, and then said a general word of thanks at the bottom of all the comments. The choice, for me, with my limited online time, was between responding to comments and visiting them back, and I chose to just go leave a comment.
I figured I personally would like a comment on my post better than a response to a comment I left.
I’m still majorly GUILTY that I didn’t respond to all comments. I need to get back to blogging.
What do You do on your blog? Do you individually respond to all the comments you receive? Do you feel offended if a blogger does not respond to your comments? Do you have comment response tips for me?
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Yes, I do leave my link, and also respond to comments on my blog posts. There’s this feeling beyond just sitting and working on your site that I get when I see human interactions popping up on my posts. It shows that I’m really meeting someone’s need(s).
I do not have many readers I guess and hence less comments , so yes I respond to all of them for now:)
I try to respond to all comments even if it’s just a thank you or a like.
I feel that if they exerted effort to type several words, it’s just common courtesy to return the favor.
<3 BP
I believe it is always easier when you receive many comments. Personally, I am still new in blogging and comments are not yet so common on my blog. Therefore, I indeed respond to each of them. Still, for some it will just be a simple “thanks for stopping by” based on the quality and details of the comment. Always a pleasure to receive them though. On commenting for others, I don’t feel bad if someone does not respond to a comment I made on his blog. If he/she cans then perfect. If not, everyone has his style and I believe we should be tolerant. That’s for me.
I don’t reply to each comment. I have that feeling that some people just write a comment as a formality. I don’t respond to those but I like them. I also appreciate them. But the ones I truly feel happy about are the ones that actually read and liked it. Those I reply too.
For the challenge — never feel guilty. It’s like going to a big festival, you see people, say hello, take contact information, and move on. 😉
On regular posts, I comment on comments that ask me stuff or I liked and wanted to add to, etc. I don’t expect them to come back as I know how hard it is to remember where I’ve left comments. 🙂 I don’t get upset if I comment on someone else’s blog and they don’t reply –unless I’ve asked them a specific question.
I do like to see the blogger respond to a least a few comments though (anyone’s). I like to see the interactivity and it lets me know the blogger is communicative.
I don’t reply to every comment on my blog; This is not to say I don’t reply to any comments on my blog.
At this point I do find my self replying to all comments, that is because I don’t get that many comments on my blog, my viewers share the blog but they don’t leave comments 🙁
hi!,I like your writibg so so much! percentage we be in contact extra about your article on AOL?
I require a specialist on this house too unravel
my problem. May be that’s you! Having a look forward
to see you.
I post on average once a week and at this stage I do reply to all comments I get. I want to get to know readers and encourage them to come back to my site. But having said that, although the number of followers is steadily growing, the traffic and number of comments is low compared to what you have here. I like your approach, it’s clear that you are interested in engaging with your readers even though you might not respond to each comment.
I don’t get too many comments like you get… so I respond to all the comments I get by a top-up comment and if I don’t have anything to add then a simple Thank you note.
I do reply to each and every comment…. but then, I don’t have a gazillion comments like you do just on this one post!
I’m with Dale; I don’t have the readership to worry about sheer volume, but I do respond to all comments.
It’s the least we can do, I would think! 😉
i rarely get comments.. I am sad that I don’t. it is discouraging… I work so hard on both my blogs.. thanks. eve
It seems to me that you get far too many comments to be able to deal with them all. I only get around 5-10 comments on each post, and none at all on some, so it is easy for me to reply to each. I am only a small fish though!
Don’t feel worried about it, I am sure that they understand.
Best wishes, Pete.
I don’t get a lot of comments, so I do reply to each. I do get a lot more likes than comments. people are busy and read so much every day. Don’t feel guilty. 🙂
I reply to to all the comments I get on my blog, though mostly because I don’t get many, and most of those are from personal face-to-face friends. 😀
My blog is not very popular yet so it is a lot easier to respond to every single comment, which is probably what I do with very few exceptions.
As to whether I feel offended by blogger if they don’t reply me, the answer is no. I guess sometimes I feel that there is a lost opportunity in not exchanging opinions and providing different view points, yet again I totally understand that it could be time consuming and gets deprioritised for the sake of other activities.
Hi. You followed my blog today (argentnoirwriting.wordpress.com) but you didn’t leave a comment. Personally I’m interested in how you found me and what made you follow. I’m new to this world. But writing is important – scratch that, VITAL.
I can understand your thought.Once I decide to blog there are vivid unwritten rules of patience in managing the project. No doubt it takes 3 to 4 hours of on’es time. I often appreciate that
every comment and likes in any posts has got two sides! Obviously I cannot judge one is right and another is not right. Likes and comments ,I believe, are the two key buttons of communication among the blogging family.
If you have a lot of traffic I imagine it’d be difficult to respond to every comment and time might be better spent working on your content. I think it’s good to respond to comments with enquiries or that encourage further discussion, but some are simply statements that don’t require a follow up. I like to try and visit the blogs of people who comment as seen as they made the effort to put something nice on mine, but again this could become very time consuming. I also prefer to comment on just a few blogs at a time so that I can read their content more carefully and put time into each comment I make. If I don’t get a reply I don’t feel upset about it. People have busy lives outside of the internet and there could be alsorts or reasons for not getting a follow up.
Reblogged this on MARSocial Author Business Enhancement group's Blog.
I find this incredibly hilarious, as I completely relate!! I mean in a natural real-world scenario I am very wary of being “fair” in a conversation- I must reply people politely! Not just out of courtesy but out of showing respect- I value people’s comments just as much if they leave them in a blog as I would in real life- so long as they were being courteous and respectful of course! And yes, if i’ve been rushing around like a blue-bottle fly and I have left the comment without a reply…I have a burning need to acknowledge it! Scary to think that if I gained quite a following over time, I might be spending more time than anything replying comments alone! It would be like having your birthday on Facebook, regularly! Too funny.
So far, I reply to each comment on my blog posts, but if I got to your number of 60 comments per day, I would be overwhelmed. Already blogging takes up a lot of my time. I can understand how you have to make choices; otherwise, you would be blogging all day. 🙂
I like the way a blog has a life of its own. I like where it leads. I rarely get comments, except from people I know personally, so of course I tend to reply. but if i’ve posted and someone has liked my post, I usually look them up and sometimes am moved to comment. Takes time tho’
I’m just getting started in blogging but if I ever get to the point where I have lots of people reading my blogs (as in several hundred)….well, let’s just say I have a day job and need to sleep!
Frankly, that’s not a problem I have right now. How long can it take to respond to one comment (-:
I read this as I was responding to your following my blog, actually. It’s a good topic, because I think most bloggers are surprised (even shocked) about how much time the “behind the scenes” of blogging, like reading and responding to e-mails take. But, to answer the question–I do always respond. It is part of the community ethos, I think. Thank you for following my blog!
Thank you for the kind words on my blog. Yes I respond to each comment on my blog. Although with my numbers being low it is easily done. 🙂 I will continue to try to respond to each comment unless the numbers get too large. (That might be a while) I enjoyed your blog as well and look foward to see what else you post.
Hello, and thank you for your interest in my blog. I respond to all comments on my blog, as I receive a manageable amount of comments at the moment. However, if I had hundreds of comments per post, I would find it impossible to respond to them all individually (I would have time to do nothing else!) I believe that what’s important is that my audience feels acknowledged and appreciated in some way, whether it’s comments, giveaways or interactive content.
I don’t comment on all of my blog’s comments. Only ones that ask for something or have an opinion on something.
I always try to reply to comments and say thanks for any “follows” I get. I don’t comment on individual “likes” on posts…I don’t expect people to thank me for liking their posts either. Having said that, it’s nice to get “likes” so thank you for yours on my post! 🙂
I try to reply to all comments on my blog and if they don’t at least say thank you for reading. It easy difficult to keep up with it. I just wanted to say thank you for following my blog 🙂
If I don’t get a response from a comment I make on a blog I’m not angry but I am disappointed, particularly if I put a lot of effort into the comment. I wrote 10 replies to comments on my most recent post and even read a short story that I was referred to and commented on it. I have the time to do that though but even so, if comments doubled or tripled I would try to combine my responses..
Just starting out myself but I really love writing my blog. When readership isn’t too high it’s easier to interact with readers.
I would like to think that I could always respond to every comment (real comments, not spam) and like a lot of bloggers, it isn’t difficult at this stage in my career. I met a blogger who had tens of thousands of visitors. I doubt that even with help, he could respond to every comment.
I don’t get that many comments, but I publish to be read and if somebody is going to take the time to both read my work and discuss it, then I am sure going to enter the discussion. I crave that feedback.
As for me, I don’t have any comments on any of my blogs yet so I am not really credible. But I would like to reply to all of them given the chance. Especially because the response is very important to me as someone just starting out. But I won’t get offended if my comments on another’s blog is not responded to. After all, it was meant to be read not replied to. 🙂
Like some others who’ve commented here, I can say that, yes, I do generally respond to all comments,but then I don’t get that many at the moment. If and when I ever get to the point of regularly getting dozens of comments to every post, I somehow doubt I’ll keep it up. At that point I think I’d rather respond thoughtfully to a few than dash of a few words or a smiley face to everyone – though there’s nothing wrong with doing the latter (you could say it’s just polite). When I leave comments on other blogs I don’t necessarily expect a reply, especially when I can see I’m one of many as I know the site owner isn’t super-human – but of course it’s always nice to get one, and if I’m one of only a handful of commenters then I do expect it more.
As for visiting 60 blogs a day – I think that’s impressive. I’m struggling to visit more than a few, and some days none at all. Just so much going on.
Though it takes some time, I try. I may not get back right away, but I do try and respond asap.
I do always respond to comments, even if it’s just a short thank you and a smiley face. I want my readers to know I appreciate the time they took to stop, like and comment. 🙂
I do believe in responding to all posts although it may be a few days later. It isn’t that I have that many followers yet, but I do get side-tracked.
I don’t have the readership you do (working on that), but I reply to every comment I receive. I need to do a better job of visiting other blogs. All the best.
I understand what you’re saying about being busy and maybe not responding to a smiley face, but I don’t get very many comments on my blog anywat. However, I feel like it is an issue that is especially noticeable on FB. If I said something to a “friend” face-to-face, would that person ignore me and walk away? I am not asking for everyone to “like” everything I say, but if I say that I published a book and I’m ignored, well…A simple “like” (or smiley face) would do! Just my feeling and I appreciate you writing about this subject!
I aim to reply to all. Unless one looks like it doesn’t need a reply. For example at the end of a conversation when someone puts a smiley face. If someone is triggered to respond to my post then I’m pleased. But if I had a huge increase in comments I can see it getting harder v
Thanks for this. I guess I never gave it much thought! I agree it’s something I should and will do!
Never really thought about this but I don’t expect a response when I comment on other blogs. But I always respond to comments on my own blog. Interesting.
I personally respond to each comment, unless it is a reply to a reply. My feeling is that if someone takes the time to read my blog AND write a comment, then the least I can do is reply with a quick comment. It take me a minute and I think it makes people happy that their thoughts are acknowledged. Cheers!
You visit 60 blogs a day? Wow.
I try to, but I am also using WPMU and have a facebook app where people can connect with their Facebook to respond, but it doesn’t tell me when someone uses the app or tell the poster when I respond to their post. But I try very hard to post to every post I can.
Because I only get a few comments, I do respond to all of them… if I began getting hundreds, I doubt I would be able to and I’m sure your readers understand! 🙂 I’m not offended when people don’t comment back, I understand that people have other things to do.
You ask a difficult question! 🙂 But indeed, you have HUNDREDS of comments!
I love receiving and giving comments. I do my best to try and reply to all however I do not always meet that goal. I do however visit back every page that visits mine and I always make a point to check out / follow most bloggers that follow me. in this world of written creativity I think its all of us together that help farther our urges and insentives to write. thank you by the way for the follow1 I love some of your post and look forward to reading more.
I tried to reply to every comment on my blog, I am sure I have missed a few, I even try to check on the people who liked my blog (that’s how I got here), but time does not always allow that to happen right away. And I must say, if I do not respond as soon as I see the email notification, I will forget, too much stuff on my mind – so I recommend always respond as soon as you see the notifications! Hugs and great blog!
I like to respond to all comments, but I don’t receive 375+ on a post, I receive, like, 6. Maybe 8 on a good day. So it’s a lot more manageable to me. I also like to leave comments because I feel it is a dying art and something that should continue, I like validation and conversation generated from a post and I assume others do as well. 🙂
xox
Harriet, I agree with you. I’m just struggling to keep up, which, as you see, is not always possible 🙂
Totally impressed at your post, your ability to comment on 60 blogs per day, and still write every day in great style. I struggled through A to Z with getting posts done, replying to every comment as I do – but get on average two perpost – dealing with emails, accounts and life although that’s easy compared with yours. Started April visiting other blogs but then struggled as follow so many. Thanks for the post and inspiring so many valuable comments. (Thanks for visit today).
I don’t always get to visit 60 blogs a day, but I try whatever many I can. I guess it is a bit of toughie, lots of comments mean lots of time responding and visiting, but I do what I can.
My time management skills need improvement..
Do I reply to every comment? Yes, but it’s hard. One must be disciplined. I’ve been blogging for over a year now and I’ve received three comments. I’ve answered every one. Wait a minute. One of those was a reblog. I’ve actually received two comments… both from the same person. She was so nice! And now that I’m looking at the data, it seems I’ve responded to only one of her two comments. Dang! So no. Negatory. I do not bother to respond to every single comment I get, big or small. Who on earth has that kind of time? But I would be deeply offended if anyone should ever neglect to respond to a comment I’d written. I can’t imagine such a thing happening, though. (Smiley face…and…wink!) 🙂
Yes, every one, sometimes twice when my app is acting up. I’m not offended if the blogger doesn’t respond to me. It tells me the blogger isn’t interested in fostering a relationship. No problem.
Btw, this is a great question!
I make it a point to reply to every comment I receive. I like receiving comments, so I feel I owe others the same courtesy!
Note to self; don’t comment when you’re half asleep. I totally meant to say “I like it when bloggers reply to my comments.” >.>
So glad you wrote this 🙂
I had the same question and have been looking for the answers to it. It’s awesome when people stop by and take the time to drop a comment, I know it gives my ego a boost. LoL
But trying to manage time to answer each and every one is tough. I do my best but some slip through. Great post! 🙂
Reblogged this on Craig's Writing Articles.
Just to add to the workload… I try and reply to all comments if only to be friendly but then I’m not so prolific in terms of how often I post. I like the fact that there’s a community feel about blogging on WordPress that perhaps isn’t there with other platforms. I guess it’s good to get feedback.
I try to always reply to comments people leave on my blog. But I don’t have as many followers as you so it’s easier for me. I guess it depends how much time you have, if you’re tired from work or not and so on. I do think it’s good to reply to them all if you can though. They’ve made the effort to comment on your blog, so the least you can do is reply. 🙂
Yes, Elaine, I’m trying to do that with this post and the next. I think I need to reduce the number of posts on my blog 🙂
I try to. I try. 😉 Great post!
I know exactly how you feel. 😉
I reply to all the comments, but there is only maybe one every few days, so it’s not like anything you have to deal with. 🙂
🙂 . I need to try and shape up– just that the number of hours in a day refuse to stretch!
Well, stop being so popular. 😀
I know, right? But I don’t think I’m so popular– it is just that some of my blog posts explode, in a good way.
Whoops Damyanti, I forgot to tag the “notify” button, so if you decide to reply to my prior comment, do it here so I will get it, Organization means remembering to return to this page and check… I told you in the last comment about my lack of organization skills – 🙂
I think you have a WP blog, right? This means you’ll get notified of my replies anyway, I think. I tried to hit more than 60 a day, but not all were new ones, most were visits back to folks who commented on both my blogs.
My usual style is a bit dark, but what with deaths around me, I guess some of these 26 got really violent and grieving. Some of my earlier fiction is in the book linked on the sidebar, if you’re interested— I can send you a free copy lol. Others are on my other Blog, April 2012: http://amloki.blogspot.sg/2012_04_01_archive.html. The A to Z Challenge has given me 78 stories in all, and a few more when I edited and rewrote some of the stiff I wrote in 2011.
I sometimes wonder whether these stories are any use, other than some good practice in plot and setting :D. As someone I love keeps reminding me, the world does not want flash fiction, not really.
Interesting what you mentioned – that the world does not want flash fiction. Just what does it want then? Thoughts?
So funny, a parallel idea is totally something that is in the works for an upcoming blog post – where I hope to jump start a conversation..
Anyway, I’d love to see your stories if you can swing that. I enjoy your writing style a lot. 🙂 But I can also hunt back in the archives for other stories too, no worries! It sounds like you enough to do replying to folks on your well-read blog and dealing with boiling pots.
I hope the sadness in your life ebbs away soon.
Jeri
The link I gave you in the last comment leads you to the 26 stories I wrote in 2012.
If you send me an email– meringue dot p at gmail dot com — I’ll send you a free code for the ebook which came of the stories I wrote in 2011 , no problems.
Thank you for your kind wishes, and it is due to bloggers like you that I find the energy to do all the replying 🙂
Like many here, I am an awe of your ability to comment on 60 blogs a day! My time in April just couldn’t make that happen. I visited as many as I could and try my best to visit back and always comment back. At least I try to (not the most organized human on this planet, alas). I very much enjoyed coming upon your blog – in fact it will featured as part of an upcoming post of mine if you don’t mind. Given the life challenges you were facing during the April challenge, I ‘get’ why so many of the posts were a bit shadowy (unless that is your usual style, I haven’t yet read back before A to Z). But they were beautifully crafted, and daily fiction – my hats to you girl!
.
Wow! Over three hundred comments to this post!!! How could you, really, reply to each one?! I try to respond back, but feel as you do that I’d prefer someone come to my blog and leave a comment that actually have to answer my comment back on their blog. I do like to respond back on my blog. I fell down on that at first on the A to Z, but picked up once I hit my stride…
Lisa, I didn’t really respond to comments throughout AZ, firstly cos I really didn’t eblieve all the good things folks were saying about my stories, secondly cos there wasn’t much I could say besides Thank you to most of the comments, and thirdly cos I was strapped for time and going through unhappy times.
But with this post I’m trying to keep up by responding as and when I can, while in cabs, waiting for stuff to boil in the kitchen, or while doing laundry lol. Love my phone.
I’ve been getting email copies of tis comment section, I have learned quite a lot! Yet all I’ve really comprehended is I will write and i will read!
I have small thoughts but no real writing – I will – thanks to the writers that wrote about reading other writes. I am handicapped the next 8 weeks by a broken finger, not stopped! As I tap this out on an IPod.
Oh Larry, so sorry to hear about your injury. Rest up, and possibly do a vlog or two, hm?
Sorry if the comment section is spamming you, but I guess you did subscribe to it and seem to be benefiting from it so I guess it is all right? 🙂
All good! I did subscribe, thank you for suggesting a vlog. Be an interesting log!
Love the fact that you’re trying to reply to everyone. So far I haven’t had a hard time keeping up with comments and interactions on social media myself, but I’d imagine it’s quite a challenge with 344 comments on this post alone! How many page views do you average per day?
Hey Katelyn, half those comments are mine, as I tried replying to each comment, and some of those comments went into conversations– so I guess the total number of commenters on this post is about 120 or so :).
I don’t really keep tabs on how many daily pageviews I get, but average about 10,000 monthly views, I think. Not that page views matter to me– I love listening to folks talking on my blog.
That’s awesome! I’m just getting started and it’s great to hear from people who know what they are doing! 🙂 I look forward to reading more of your work.
comments are so important. I’ve even written a post about it. It seems you are doing a great job with engaging your audience.
Thank you– I’m trying to, starting with this post!
Well done! you’re welcome
Damyanti, I am one of those that actually responds directly back to anyone that comments on any of my posts. But I don’t have the followers you have, and I don’t have the quantity of comments you have. Even on my best of days I may have 15 or 20 comments, I have never had over 25 comments on a single post, so clearly I don’t have the volume issue you face. But I am not saying this as a guilt factor/issue, just as a fact. if I ever got to the point I was getting 30 or 40 comments to a post on a regular basis I doubt I would answer each of them, so I get it. I just appreciate you stopping by from time to time and liking one of my posts. Please take care, and be safe. Bill — PS I do visit everyone that visits my blog, and if it is a non promotional blog I will leave a thank you note for visiting. Most I hit the like button so they know I visited. Again take care, Bill
Thank you, Bill for your understanding. I try and respond to as many as I can– and I don’t usually receive more than 40 on a given post, but some days my blog seems to explode. Which is a good thing, but it poses a numbers problem. I’m thankful for your likes, and this comment.
I try to respond to all comments. Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes I can’t remember to which I have already responded and the wordpress app is not helpful in that regard.
Yep– I find it hard, too. Especially because I seem to get many, which is a good thing, but makes it hard to respond to each!
If the comments are not spam, I always respond. I especially appreciate comments that offer suggestions (whether good or bad). Criticism is good and I always appreciate any critics that bother to post. I know that I write in a very niche market, and that my writing is not to liking of many readers (not enough gore, not enough sex, not enough … etc.) so I appreciate those few astute readers that I have.
When my regular readers post I always respond so that I can show my appreciation. If a reader suggests something that is particularly creative or ignites a creative spark I thank them and make sure that I include the idea in the next chapter.
I do generally respond to comments. But then, I don’t get many! I thought that was a bad thing, but after reading your post, I’m not so sure. Responding to so many comments must be a full time job!
Hi. I always reply to comments. I think that if people have taken the time to read and then respond to your blog (especially when there’s so many other things competing for their attention), it’s ‘good blogging’ to extend the same courtesy back.
Best wishes
DG
Yes, I do comment on every comment on my blog. I realize most bloggers don’t go back to read them, but on occasion, some might like to know how you responded to what they said, so I take the time to do it.
hello! thank u for following my blog..i visited and followed u back and i found an interesting blog here 🙂
btw i agree w/ this post. every blogger surely love to see comments at their blog (that means peolpe read their post and appreciate it).
i also always like to reply comment..but sadly there’s no much comment on my blog hhaha im just new in here besides..maybe they dont understand or my post dont really interesting hhaha ==”
My brother just thanked me for a compliment I gave a new poem, so now you’ve got me thinking I should reply with an at least you’re welcome. 🙂 Food for thought. Thank you!
Lol, glad this post inspired you to reconsider your commenting strategy– it sure made me reconsider mine.
I don’t get too too many comments, but I’m going to try to reply to all of them now. It might be a way for me to meet bloggers, since I’m new to this whole “community” thing!
All the best for your new blog 🙂
I respond to each comment and try and leave a comment on their blog. But that’s probably because I don’t get that many comments. Wind back six months and I probably had a comment a year (if lucky). It’s only because I blog in a group that I get more visitors now. And I don’t get offended if people don’t respond. Actually I am just happy to blog, if someone reads and comments then it’s great if not I still keep on doing my own thing.
Tell us more about blogging in a group– that sounds interesting!
I don’t think I described that very well 🙂 These days I participate in “Friday Fictioneers” where bloggers write a hundred word story based on the photo prompt, so while all contributions are by individuals, I prefer to think of it as a group. Though I have participated in group story telling sessions on another website, now deceased, where one interactor started with a story and another picked up from where the last one left. Did make for some interesting reading though.
I always comment back, not that I get many comments anyways! But on the rare occasion someone comments on my posts, it honestly means the world to me – I can’t NOT reply!
Absolutely– comments are precious. try visiting and commenting on more bloggers, and comments on your blog would increase.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I find that people use their blogs for various personal projects and one of the projects that i am familiar with, would be promoting an author’s books. Authors seem to go for the “numbers” or volume of followers so they can reach more readers.
I am not an author and I have no further agenda in blogging than finding interesting people with blogs that I enjoy. I try to comment and visit all people who comment on my blog in my quest for finding blogges who share my interests.
I wish I had more time to devote to my blogs. I loved yours.
At the moment my following is small enough to reply to each comment. I’m sure I’ve missed a couple along the way by accident, but I didn’t mean to! If someone takes the time to read my post and make a comment I think that a response back and a look at their blog too is the least I can do. Of course things may change when I hit the big time, but for now, yes I do respond! x
Yep, responding to comments when you get many takes a lot of time! 🙂
I always try to reply to comments. Not only do I appreciate that someone took the time to visit my blog, but also that they comment on it. It cheers me on 🙂 Also I answer so that I get to interact with my fellow bloggers, it makes me feel like I have a bunch of friends out there. And it gives me insight into their ideas and thoughts!
Interaction is the cornerstone of blogging, so I’m glad you encourage it.
I always reply back, especially considering my blog has become like this poor stepchild of fairy tales – quite neglected and with not a lot of followers! So I guess I have time to individually respond to comments, because I don’t receive a lot.
I do also visit their blog whenever I can, and often wonder how they found me. It’s hard to pinpoint my audience because I’ve no idea what kind of blog I have for now – is it a professional crafting blog? A general silliness blog? A knitting blog?
I think my brain is going to explode now.
Building a blog audience and finding your niche takes time and patience. Hang in there!
I will, thanks!
I never comment back on my blog. Instead, I go to the person’s blog, read their post and comment, mostly because of time constraints and a download limit. During the A-Z, I commented on 30-40 blogs a day, plus sometimes went to the linky and hit 20-30 new blogs (since my goal was to get new followers … which didn’t work as well as I’d hoped.). Unfortunately, all my normal bloggy buddies, and some people’s whose blog themes were really interesting (like yours), got lost in the shuffle. Just not enough hours in the day…
Hey, no worries, I’m sure you’ll find your friends back :). I really appreciated all the comments you left me and like you, I didn’t have time to respond. I did my best and hope that AZ has helped not just my blog, but those of others.
Waiting to read your reflections post this Monday!
Hi, Damyanti. It was great to meet you on the A-Z. I enjoyed reading your posts. Thank you for all the +1s you left on my blog. I visited as many new blogs as I could in the Challenge but, as you found, there wasn’t enough time to do it all. I’m still though coming across new ones and will keep looking. I do try to answer all the comments I receive as it’s lovely to hear from people, but ultimately it’s about having the time to do all these things. I hope you have a lovely Sunday!
Was lovely to meet you as well, Sharon! Yes, AZ is usually a crazy ride for me cos of my cohost duties, but I love it cos I make new friends like you.
Hope to see your reflection post on 5th May!
Yes, I always reply to comments. First because I appreciate that someone took the time to not only visit my blog, but to also comment and second because I like to interact with my fellow bloggers.
That’s the ideal way, and I need to strive towards it.
I always reply to my comments with a quick thank-you, as well as visiting their blog, if it be at that exact moment or later in my day. If I like their blog, I’ll leave a comment. 🙂
That’s the example I need to follow — need more hours in a day!
If I had to choose, I’d probably choose saying thank-you because it makes me seem less rude to all the other visitors my blog gets… Depends on the blogger, I guess 🙂
I do respond to all comments and do not get upset if I don’t get a comment back. But, if that blogger consistently does not reply I will drop them.
What do you do if the blogger visits and leaves you a comment but does not respond to your comments on their blog?
If they consistently do it then I leave em. I am not a collector of people, friends, followers. I like the interaction and if they don’t want to, then I move on. May sound harsh but it is the way I feel. I am honestly a very nice person.
lol, I really only asked a question because I’m genuinely trying to understand, and I’m pretty sure you’re a very nice person 🙂
I find that I never really look back on comments I’ve left on blogs, unless they were questions on a subject. I also find that a lot of comments on my blog tend to be those that don’t require answers– stuff like this is good, thanks for sharing etc– if not in those words, then in that spirit.
And then, I usually am strapped for time– so if I have a choice between visiting back the blogger and responding to the comment they have left, I usually prefer to visit back, kind of imagining that’s what the blogger would prefer too.
I’m just trying to figure out how I should approach commenting from here onwards.
I don’t mean to sound so cut and dry. I do purge though. I have been blogging for about a year and a half and like I said I am not interested in having a bizillion followers. I love the interaction. I also just follow some because I love their photos or poems. But, with saying that, if I comment, I would like to know they care. I normally don’t follow blogs with thousands of followers. Just the way I do it, not the way a lot of others do. It really is up to you. It is all good.
I’ve been blogging for 6 years, and I follow anyone whose posts I like, irrespective of the number of followers they have :). A bazillion, or none at all.
I don’t know if the only way to show I care is to respond to each comment, but I’ll keep your pov in mind.
As you said, it’s all good.
If I like to read them or look at their photos, I don’t usually care how many followers but if I want to interact I follow those with less and check out their comment section.
Personally, I do reply to every one of my comments. I think it is every bloggers own personal decision whether or not they do. I feel that I am better interacting with my readers when i respond. I am not offended when a blogger does not reply to me though, not one bit. I appreciate when the blogger comes to my blog and in turn leaves a comment there.
Very interesting post!! Thank you so much for your kind words on my blog btw!
Have a great night!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
You’re very welcome. Thank you for your understanding, and I’ll try and respond to more comments from now on.
Ideally I would like to do both, but more often than not, I respond! 🙂
But after reading this, I realize I should do it more!
Yep, the comments on this post opened my eyes too. I might be offending folks without meaning to!
I try to, it’s easier for me though because I just got started.
Right on the same boat here! I have just started blogging again after months and years of hiatus, and I try to reply each and every comment. But of course I have never felt offended if someone doesn’t reply my comment, because we can’t force anyone to talk to us anytime we want, can we? 😀
No we can’t– the trick to making a blogger talk to us is by leaving a comment that requires a response– more often than not, I get comments where the commenter says good things about my post or thanks me. I’m not sure how useful it is to say thank you to a thank you….
Good for you– I hope your blog does very well very soon.
Wow, thanks alot 🙂
Cute kitten.
I respond to each comment but I have never received more than five in any one day (obviously not having tons of conversations on my blog…I’m bummed) but I don’t feel offended if bloggers don’t respond to me. I would actually prefer they visit my blog and leave a comment.
Sharon, you’re a blogger after my own heart! 🙂
I haven’t got any comments yet, and I doubt I’ll get many in the future. So I plan to reply to every comment and check out their writing as well. I agree with you I feel that comments are really important, I guess I’m paranoid too because I often fear that likes are not sincere, though they probably are very sincere.
I’m recently over from dA and I guess that has scarred me, since so many people favourite or watch watch a person just to get one back, not to read. So I’ve come to value comments over anything else and will do all I can to encourage them once they start appearing.
I’m sure they’ll start appearing soon. You’ll have one from me at the very least in the next week, and I’m hoping some more as well. 🙂
Thanks so much for taking a look, and for the like earlier. I need to keep reminding myself that here on wordpress likes do mean a lot.
And I’m willing to potter along posting, waiting for the comments.
It takes patience at the outset, but the more you visit and comment, the better things will get.
It’s funny because I normally take an extremely long time to respond to texts, phone calls, and emails. I can think of three from two months ago that I have yet to get to. But comment on something I’ve written and I respond ASAP. So weird lol.
lol indeed 🙂
I generally respond to each comment someone leaves me, even if it’s just thanking them for stopping by.
Ditto. I want to let people know I care about the time they took to look at my blog and comment.
I might get into hot water trying to do this with each post, but I’ll to respond to every comment on this one! 😉
Haha. Yes you get lots more comments than i do, so I understand you can’t get to every one!
Will try and follow your example now 🙂
Occasionally I am a trendsetter. 🙂
It’s a personal thing. If someone takes the time to reach out to me, I make a firm commitment to respond to them. It may be a day or two, but I will try to show some sign of interaction.
I definitely visit back, too. And leave a comment.
I don’t think you should feel guilty about group responding. As I send this I am comment #205 on this post! You’d never get through the rest of your Co-host work if you concentrated on your own blog first.
Yes, it’s nice to have a response from the blog owner – but I think we knew you were on AtoZ host duties. Your public understands 😉
I did try to comment on all of mine, and do usually anyway. I also followed everybody back during AtoZ (I dont think I missed anyone, if I did, I apologise). My reflections post on Monday will show how much pressure I felt about getting to more blogs and failing – but we can only do what we do.
You’re amazing, and deserve a medal (but I’ve already told you that!)
I agree with Jemima. You obviously do a lot of (good quality) writing and if you are managing to comment on 60 blogs a day, that’s a big commitment in itself. I tend to be on line once or twice a week at the moment and I visit and reply to anyone who comments on my blog, but I don’t have to deal with anything like the numbers you do!
Alison, thanks for your kind words. It is really a stretch to devote as much time to blogging as it requires. Sigh.
Thank you Jemima, you did an excellent AZ too, and continue to do it!
I try to respond to comments, but sometimes I do miss them, and often I am not online enough to keep up. But I appreciate each visitor and comment.
You sound like me 🙂
I try to respond to all, but sometimes I miss them and sometimes I just have more pressing things, so have to let them go. I don’t get offended if a blogger doesn’t respond. But one of the things I look at when I encounter a blog for the first time is whether or not the people writing the blog are responding to comments, and I tend to engage with those who do.
I have likes for comments enabled for my blogs so that I can acknowledge comments without having to write. It doesn’t make sense to respond to every “Great post!” but liking the comment sends a notification and tells people you read it.
I thrive on comments, and I love to chatter on threads.
I do try and respond to comments, but often can’t get to all. I’ll try and improve from now on.
Wow I can’t imagine commenting on 60 blogs every day! I do respond to comments on my blog, admittedly sometimes with a delay and I visit anyone who comments blog too. I don’t get offended if I don’t receive a response but I do want interaction so the one blogger who never responded no longer gets a visit from me.
I did that during April, but I do comment on at least 20-30 each day. Just returning visits on two blogs ends up being that much and more! I do try to visit back and comment, so I hope that counts with you 🙂
I know what you mean about returning visits ending up on a trail… I don’t always comment though so you are much better than me. It is an interesting subject which shows that we all have different expectations and ways of appreciating our comments – like everything in life, that is fine. Of course I appreciate visits and comments even more so 🙂
I haven’t been blogging that long so I don’t have a lot of comments. So far I’ve replied to all, but I could see how a blogger with lots of comments would have a difficult time with that. I really enjoyed reading all your post from the challenge. I thought you did great.
Thank you, Cassie, and I hope to visit everyone who visited me in April all through May and also comment on them!
I’m so glad you asked this question, I’m pretty new to WordPress and was wondering the same thing!
Now you have a a whole boatload of answers 🙂
I loved reading through the feedback and seeing how everyone responds to comments. Personally I have responded to every comment I have received so far, as a fairly new blogger it has not been too difficult until recently since it’s begun to pick up. But I take that as a great sign and after reading through some of the feedback, I have a better idea of some directions I can go with how I respond in the future. I appreciate that!
I’m glad this post helped you and it is good that your blog’s picking up. You must be thrilled!
I really am. It helps keep my spirits up when I have hard days, and gives me something to be motivated about.
Of course I’d like to reply my readers’ comments. Their comments are my mood buster ^^ but it’s so sad that nowadays bloggers choose to ‘like’ than ‘comment’.
I sometimes Like rather than comment, because I don’t want to disagree with the post, but want to let the blogger know I visited.
At other times, I’m reading on the phone while in a train or Taxi, and a Like is what I have time for. I might go back and comment later, but I sometimes I don’t. I guess an individual blogger can only comment on so many blogs before they have to go offline.
Yes I do. I think it lets th readers know that you are a person & not just some blogging machine. However, my blog is new and small, so there’s that. 🙂
By the way, what’s the A-Z challenge?
A to Z is a blogging challenge I help organize each April, where bloggers sign up to blog 26 days, based on the letters of the alphabet. Visit http://www.a-to-zchallenge to know more.
Yep. Everyone’s busy, and if someone takes the time to comment on my writing, I make sure to reply. I guess that’s why I’m not hung up on the number of people following my blog. If I had thousands of followers, it would be a heck of a lot more difficult to respond to each comment made.
I guess I do have thousands of followers, and yes I’m strapped for time on comment responses. I didn’t go chasing followers though, so I guess it can’t be helped :).
I responded to all comments – and commented on blogs that had commented, it seems only fair, but it did take me a LONG time, and I still haven’t worked through all the blogs that just ‘liked’… but probably you got more comments than me! I’m going to check I’ve done all that I can comment on over the next week. (There is one type of Blogger blog I can’t comment on, whatever I do!) Enjoyed yours, and followed. Liz http://www.poetlizbrownlee.com
I understand your position. I wish I had the perseverance you do 🙂
I was trying to visit your blog but couldn’t find it. Please help.
Just realised I left my blog address the wrong way round that’s why! Here it is again correct unless I did it again! Doh!
http://www.lizbrownleepoet.com
Interesting question. I made a commitment when I began each of my blogs to respond to all comments in some way, even if it was a simple “thank you for commenting.” I appreciate it when my comments are acknowledged at blogs I read, especially because I don’t comment often. Maybe I should post more comments? My newest commitment is to visit the blogs of people who comment to get to know my readers better. It’s hard with limited time. My first priority is always writing, not being on the internet. But I do love to hear from my readers, and I enjoy the social “contact” as well as the intellectual contact. So I will continue to visit blogs, and comment on posts that provoke me to comment…..
Yes, I guess part of the reason I get flooded with comments on some days is because I leave a comment on the blogs I visit. I suppose I love blog browsing, and don’t expect responses to comments myself, unless I’ve asked a question, so that defines my attitude a bit.
I do respond to comments on my blog, but I honestly prefer going to the other person’s blog and saying hello there. I almost never go back to see if someone’s responded to my comment, so that makes a little more sense to me I guess 🙂
You’re my soulmate. I’m exactly the same!!
I guess it all boils down to time. I try to dedicate a time to reading, visiting other blogs and generally interacting with others. I always enjoy what others have wrote in the comments section on someone’s blog. It gives you a feel for what others thought about a particular post and sometimes it sparks a conversation beyond that of the post.
Sometimes when i read a post and i see others before me have left a comment that i would have said, it makes it repetitive to say the same thing i suppose so i always go for the like button.
As for whether i respond to all individual comments, yes as i am still a fairly new blogger and don’t have a huge following. Also it has become a way for me to find other bloggers.
Blogging is all about interaction– I just prefer to interact on my visitor’s blog 🙂 — most new blogs prefer to have comments on their posts, and not so much a response to comments they’ve made on my post.
I respond to a few, and then in batches. I guess when I began blogging, I was told about padding comments with too many replies, so I’ve never replied individually. (I know most don’t do it for that reason though and it’s a great way to maintain a conversation.)
I know, Alex. I thought of responding to a few people at a time, but I’m terrible with names, and by the time I scroll down I forget who I’m supposed to be responding to. Most times I just visit back and don’t respond to comments. I’m wondering whether I should change that.
A writer’s job is to write. If we spend all our time commenting on each others’ blogs, we won’t have time to do what is most important. No, I don’t respond to every comment. Not all comments need a response (that’s like writing a thank you note for a thank you note).
that’s like writing a thank you note for a thank you note : that sums up exactly what I feel with some of the comments I receive. Thankyou for summarizing it so beautifully!!
Since my blog is an infant, ANY comment is a boon. Writers are greedy… at least this one is. So yes I do reply to each. My time is limited online because of the nature of my job. Thank you for following SnickerDude, and I hope you enjoy my ramblings. From what I’ve seen yours is a gem!
i’m sure I will. Will drop by in the coming week 🙂
Thanks for following! I’m having fun with this, but getting people to read is harder than I thought. Any suggestions?
For me, it’s all too easy to fall behind on responding to comments, especially on a post that gets many responses.
But even harder is responding to responses to my comments on other blogs, in part because it’s hard to even know. I can’t imagine commenting on 60 different posts and getting email notifications for each—I’d overload. WordPress.com helps on this by showing you in the toolbar when your activity gets responses, so you don’t need to resort to email notifications (and provides a modal reply window, too), and systems like Disqus manage to achieve some of that as well, but what about for all the other sites out there?
On the other hand, I don’t take offense or feel upset if a comment of mine gets no response. That’s the norm, really—especially on popular blogs. I blog not expecting comments (a perspective that’s stuck with me from starting blogging in total obscurity), and I comment not expecting a reply. We all live busy lives.
Thanks Laura. yes, commenting does get to be time consuming, and eventually eats into my work time. I write fiction so I need to be careful I’m not frittering away my writing time on commenting :). As it is, the responses to comments on this post must have become a the length of a short story now, if compiled ;).
It’s a personal decision, and i respect everyone’s right to do what they want. That being said, I’ve chosen to reply to all comments- I prefer the “all or none” approach because it seems more fair. And I will say that I’m less likely to keep reading bloggers who don’t reply to comments- my time is limited to and there are a million blogs to read and this is one way I can narrow it down 🙂
*too (hate that we can’t edit comments!)
Miriam, that sounds fair. What’s your take on bloggers who don’t respond but visit you back instead and leave a comment on your blog ? 🙂
I think that serves the same purpose of connection that I look for in blogging 🙂 Thanks for helping me think about it that way! I should also note that I don’t really read the “big bloggers”, partly because it’s impossible to connect with them.
Believe me, my opinion about responding to every comment was tested when I got freshly pressed and ended up responding to hundreds of comments. I started wondering if I was being ridiculous. But I really got something out of each comment (or almost all) and felt that if they took the time to comment, I could take the time to respond. And normally I’m lucky if I get a few comments on a post, so it’s really no big deal 😉
Miriam, I’ve never been Freshly Pressed, but as you can see from this post, some days on my blog can be blessed with comments. I welcome them all, but it is really difficult to respond as well as visit back, so I usually make a choice. 🙂
I completely understand 🙂 I’m careful about how much time I devote to blogging, since it is just a hobby, so I would reconsider my approach if I received a lot of comments regularly. And I definitely don’t spend as much time connecting with other bloggers as you do- I do it but I tend to just find a few bloggers that seem to be kindred spirits and focus on them.
It is always a question of scale. I earlier used to think it’s a case of quality vs quantity, but then I found that if I stuck with a few I was missing out on so many other great blogs.
Something’s gotta give tho, and I’m wondering what it’ll be.
I like to know that people are coming back to read my posts on somewhat of a regular basis, and however they indicate that–comments, likes, responding on twitter–is fine with me. Specific comments about something in the story are always valuable, however. I try to respond to all comments, but then I don’t get that many.
I love likes and comments and mentions on twitter, and try to return as many of them as I can. I wish folks won’t think badly of me if I don’t respond to comments but just visit and comment on their blogs instead.
Yes, that’s what I would prefer. You can only do what you can do.
I absolutely do not reply to all comments and on some of my websites/blogs I do not even have the comments turned on. I like what Leo Babauta of the amazing website ZenHabits.com says about comments and why he doesn’t have them turned on either (per his website):
“So why did I turn off comments? There was too much comment spam, resulting in huge headaches for me. Seriously, it took up a lot of my time — time I wanted to spend creating, or with my family. And the tiny minority of legitimate comments were mostly bloggers trying to get noticed — not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I just don’t want to spend my life moderating spam for this reason alone.”
“People can still give me feedback via Twitter, and if I don’t always respond I do listen. Getting rid of comments has been regrettable, but they don’t scale, and it has brought peace to my life.”
I’m the same way, I just got to the point where I wanted to cut the “noise” on my sites/blogs and just provide pure information, value and also create places where I share my personal thoughts and ideas without expecting anything in return. If someone wants to “connect” with me, I welcome contact via my contact form on my sites or via my Twitter which is usually displayed prominently on my first page. (I reserve my Facebook for family/friends only.)
Also, I read dozens of blogs per day and I can attest to the fact that most comment sections are bombarded by people who are simply looking to get their link/blog/website in front of the masses — this is highly prevalent on fashion/decor/mommy and foodie blog/sites.
Terrific topic, thank you, and I do NOT expect any kind of reply 😉
Leah, I know you don’t expect a reply, but I do have something to say in response 🙂
Firstly, WP is very good with cutting out spam, especially if you set it to catch links, even just one link.
Secondly, Yes, it is noise, and some people just want to leave a link to their blogs, but why is that so bad? I personally like it if a blogger gets visits cos he or she commented on my blog.
Thirdly, if someone wants to connect with me, I believe in making it very easy– leave a comment and snap, we can talk 🙂
Fourthly, I don’t know if I have any wisdom, or tremendously valuable info to share– my blog is a place where I talk about or write fiction, and to me, listening to folks is more important than talking 🙂
That said, it’s your blog, and I’m sure you’re doing what suits you best. I simply think that a blog should be a place of interaction– if I want static pages, I have my website.
Thank you for writing such a long and thoughtful comment, I appreciate the time and effort you took, and am glad that my post incited a response. 😀
Reblogged this on Chika2B and commented:
Thank you to all who follow, comment and blog. I appreciate your thoughts. 🙂
I try to respond, but I must say it takes practice and learning the ropes of blogging. Like anything else practice, practice and do your best. Thanks for posting 🙂
I try to reply to all the comments. It’s a way to keep your viewers engaged. I agree it gets tedious sometimes but leaving a smiley, saying thanks or hugs makes a difference. People are not looking to engage in full dialogues unless it’s a query! That’s just my opinion :).
Damyanti, you did such a fantastic job!
I agree with your opinion, but it seems we’re in the minority 🙂
Thank you, I really appreciated all your visits and comments during the A to Z!
I don’t reply to any of the comments left on my blog. It’s a sort of dichotomy: all or nothing. It is not always possible to reply to all of them, so I have chosen not to respond to any of them at all. I hope I haven’t offended anyone.
oops. You sound like me on my other blog, where I hardly, if ever, respond to comments!
I have been struggling lately myself! Thank you for your kind comments- I think we need to remember life gets in blogging’s way. It is great if you can commit the time-but life happens.
We had tornadoes in our area and then severe weather three days after. Between power outages, helping friends with falling trees-blogging wasn’t a priority~
I like your post-being real is what is key!
Happy weekend to you~
Ella, I’m so sorry to hear that. Blogging should have the last priority under the circumstances, and I’m touched you found the time to come return my comment. Sending you hugs and good wishes. Hope the weather around your place takes a turn for the better soon!
I don’t get offended if people don’t answer my comments and Im new so I didn’t know I could respond XP but I’ll be sure to start doing that.
Not sure what responding XP is, but if you have a wordpress blog, you can respond via the dashboard.
Its a face lol sorry about that. But thank you 🙂
Its a face lol sorry about that. Im new but thank you for telling me how to do that.
You’ve asked a good question here, but I do think a definition is called for. To me responding to a comment means in some way acknowledging that the person took the time to read AND comment on what you wrote.
To me, a response can take a lot of different forms. You can email the person back. You can respond directly like your doing in this stream. You can comment from time to time in the comment stream, addressing each comment with a short phrase of thanks or response. You can visit the person back and leave a comment. Of all of these, I’d rather get the return visit and a comment. The purpose of my blog is to practice writing, so all feedback is valuable. I also like to ask questions at the end, and at times get a discussion going.
I do also like the email response – I’ve made a LOT of my really good friends that way. Fewer and fewer people have their email response enabled though, and it’s not always easy to find the contact information on a person’s blog. If I email someone though, I do still visit. One rule I have for myself is that if I take the time to go read a blog post, I will leave a comment. I know not everyone has time for that, but to me, it takes an extra minute or two, and I know how much it would mean to ME.
To critique the other methods, honestly, I don’t have the time to re-visit a blog to see IF I got a response (either individual or in a group comment) so that way of responding is really lost on me. I never see those responses, except for the cases where the blogger’s commenting system emails them to me.
Thanks for YOUR really lovely comment at Life is Good yesterday. What you said about my co-hosting really made me smile, and feel grateful that we’re friends. Hugs.
Tina @ Life is Good
Well said.Responding to a comment is about acknowledging that someone took time to read and comment on your blog!
Tina, I love you, too, and I’m grateful we’re friends :). You were a terrific cohost, a really good friend, and I sometimes wonder how that is, considering we’ve never met. I think it is because you put so much energy into anything you do, including on building relationships. I admit I mostly ignore emails, I’m not sure what to do with them– most of them write in asking for ‘writing advice’ and I’m not sure how to respond to something so generic.
On Blogspot, it is hard to keep track of comments, but on WordPress, it is really very easy, cos WP sends a notification if someone responds to your comments. That’s part of the reason why I prefer WP, because it increases the feeling of community. I keep Blogger because most of my AZ friends are on it. 🙂
I too, try to comment on each blog I visit, but sometimes i can’t think of anything to say, so I’ll leave a like or a share. I never really expect much in return. I also comment without expecting a comment back, and blog without expecting comments. For the first few year on this blog, I had barely one comment a month, but I pressed on, regardless.
I’m thankful to my blogs for the many blessings they’ve brought me, and you’re one of those blessings, perhaps the most prominent of them 😉
Don’t respond to all comments. Am never offended when others don’t respond to me. My tip is do whatever is comfortable to you.
That’s a pretty straightforward tip. The problem is I’m exactly like you, but we seem to be in the minority 🙂
Wow, I had no idea you read over 60 blogs a day!!!! I usually comment back on a post. I don’t know but for me, it just feels so naked without commenting back. LOL. I don’t want others to think I’m ignoring them at all. Though I have to admit some do stump me with their comments, which leaves me to reply with a smiley face or a, “Thanks for stopping by.” Something like that.
Mostly half the time when I comment on a blog and I don’t see a response back, I usually just stop commenting because I figure they’re in celeb status and can’t be bothered with the little people like me.
~~DJ
Diana, believe me I try my best, but sometimes it just becomes impossible. I’ve been keeping track, and I’ve spent about 2 hours responding to comments on this post alone. 🙂
In your situation, I completely understand. You get a lot of comments. 🙂
Thank you for understanding and hope to see you often. I’m not complaining about the number of comments :).
🙂 I’ll be around.
I do reply to the comments .. because over time I have started to know many who have commented on my blog.
I visit blogs and do make it a point to comment as I do read the article.. unlike many who I think read the first line and the last line ..and you can make out because e the comment is nothing to do with the article.
I for one not bothered if the blogger does not reply to my comment..that’s up to them..i visit if I like what they write simple. The number if comments they get I something that does not bother me at all.
Although saying all that I love to see all the people who visit me and leave a comment.. i have now met a few of the bloggers …
I reply to comments as and when I can, as well. Usually, I’ll just visit back and leave a comment on their blog.
I am making this comment so as to trouble you with a response, hahahaha. But really, this talk about replying all comments has little to do with time, it has a lot to do with traffic. One can always make out time to respond to ten comments, but 500 comments, one could spend the whole day responding to them. Not too many bloggers can spare 24 hours for comments.
Thanks for your understanding. I do tend to get a fair number of comments, and I try to visit back all of them. That leaves little time for responses. 🙁
I try to respond to comments, sometimes though, it is only to say “Thanks”. I visit so many blogs and try to comment, improve my blog, keep up with Facebook and twitter, and keep up on my reading, some days I just don’t get to all of the comments.
I visited both of your blogs so often during the A-Z. I don’t know how you kept up. You did a wonderful job.
Thank you so much– I hope you enjoyed the challenge. Please write about your experiences, good and bad, and add the link to your post to the Reflections linky list we’ll open on the main blog on 5th May.
I respond to every comment because if a reader takes the time to leave one, then I can take the time to follow-up. However, I don’t get as many comments so it might be easier for me.
Yep. Time is the main constraint!
I do! Each comment means a lot to me.
Means a lot to me too, thanks for dropping by.
My pleasure. xx
I have nominated you and your blog for an award. Congratulations. Please stop by my blog on Sunday, May 4, 2014, for the details.
@JLenniDorner
I do reply to the comments on my blog. (Ever since I found out how! My new WP blog is even more fun to reply with- way easier.)
I visit other blogs if I can find the link. Not everyone thinks to leave one.
Thank you for the award, but I don’t accept any. I hope this does not give offense– it is just that my blog has a no-award policy, about which I’ve written here: http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/dear-bloggers-do-you-accept-blog-awards/
Your coming by to comment is the hugest award you can give me, and for that I’m really thankful. 🙂 I’ll keep visiting your blog, and comment on your always excellent posts. Thanks once again.
Ok. Thanks for letting me know.
Sorry there are some typos I mean but seldom not put 🙂
As someone who is fairly new to blogging, I am not too sure that I know when every comment is made on my blog. When I leave a comment on another blog I used to ask for notification of any follow up comments made, but then found that I was receiving hundreds of emails a day, almost an hour, so I no longer tick that box. I am extremely happy when I receive a comment on my blog, and try to respond to them all, but am sure that I miss one or two.
i do miss a lot of them, but I always visit back. I hope my blog visitors can forgive me. I’m trying to improve, though.
You’ve got a real blog, a big operation going here, one that I’d think would take a personal assistant or two to keep up with! Probably a lot of others feel like I do that you’re a gracious host considering the volume of comments you receive, networking you do, posts you write… I was blown away by your AtoZ flash fiction, so I’d gladly give up responses to my comments any day if it meant more time for you to write more of that!
Me, I try to respond to every comment—I like the camaraderie it promotes and fosters—but I’m quite over-extended and so I’m afraid I’m inconsistent in that regard.
Thank you very much for your kind words, and I’m sure i could have done more. I’m glad you liked my fiction, that’s the greatest reward for any writer, to be read and appreciated.
I’m trying to respond to each comment these days, but I’m sure I miss a few here and there. Not proud of it.
Of course! It would be rude not to! 🙂
🙂
Always!
🙂
I don’t see it as necessary to respond to every message but I try to respond as much as possible
I’m in your club, but I guess we’re in the minority!
I do reply to every blog comment(unless it’s hateful, which thankfully hasn’t happened yet) I don’t follow every blogger who follows me.
I do tend to follow back most bloggers who follow me, unless the content is something I object to.
Honestly I tend to follow people who interest me.
i do reply to each and every comment, but given the number i receive this is easily done.
back a few years when i had a more active blog that received a lot more comments it was a lot more difficult.
but then people realise this and understand why there isn’t always a reply comment for everyone. at least, i think they should.
if someone posts a comment and becomes frustrated or depressed if they don’t receive a reply then i think their motivation for posting the original comment may be a little off?
Most of my blog visitors are so understanding and supportive, I really have nothing to complain of. I try my best, but I also know that I can’t please everyone.
I always do, except for the fact that all dialogues have an end and soetimes the end consists in not replying when that end has plainly been reached.
If there was a MEGALIKE button, I’d click it for this comment. I’ve often felt this way about some comments on my blog– I felt that way with some I received on this post.
If people do not use the same blogging platform, they may not see the responses in any case. However I try to respond to all genuine comments. If I had as many as you, I would not be able to keep up with them and would have to find a different solution. Sue
Sue, that’s what I thought– that folks don’t bother about responses, but the comments on this post make it clear they do!
I tend to, unless it is spam. 😉
I have to try and follow your example!
Hello! I always take time to respond to comments left for me (as after all we all love receiving comments/feedback after hard work on a post). I must admit I do feel quite peeved when I spend precious time reading and then leaving a thoughtful comment to never receive a response. I guess that’s just life though – but it might put me off bothering to comment for that person again. I usually relent though if the person does another brilliant post! Well done on completing A-Z – quite an undertaking but great results!
Thanks, and I really hope I haven’t put you off by not responding to your comment.
I didn’t mean any offense by it– I usually don’t expect a response to my comments unless I’ve asked a question. 🙂
This ought to change, I know. I hope to get better at responding to comments, but I don’t think I’ll ever manage to respond to all of them.
Thanks for the response! Haha. Everyone is different and looks to engage in their own way on here and so of course, I just give my personal view on the question posed. I think its great you try to comment on so many other blogs each day…just don’t forget your own well earned fans along the way! In fact I think today was my first comment for you so I don’t speak from experience on this blog 😉 best wishes
Hope to visit you often, and earn more of your comments 😉
Forgive those of us who are not up to speed on blogging and maybe are unaware that a long thoughtful response has been made on 1 of our posts. I am still finding my way around, so may not see a response immediately, the pesky little things seem to hide themselves sometimes don’t they?
You are forgiven 😉 I just give my own view, sometimes I wouldn’t notice but when a post has really resonated or has got me thinking long after logging off, it’s great to engage with the author and sad when a comment heralds the end of the line. I may be a weirdo to feel like this despite not knowing or ever being likely to meet fellow bloggers, but I love the human connection and insight some blogs bring me.
I try my best to comment on every comment on my blog, that way I let my readers know that I read their opinions and care about them. Though I don’t have a set time of when I comment back…
I’m never offended if a blogger doesn’t comment back on what I had to say (they were probably to busy to).
I read all my comments, I know I should try and respond to all of them. Here’s to a new beginning with this post. Hopefully 🙂
I congratulate you that you have a tremendous response to your write-ups and I wish you to retain the wave. One who makes a comment obviously expects an acknowledgement to it but I do it depending on the material in the comment and not merely for a blank ‘thank you’. Comments, as I take them, are to be responded in an earnest sense and not just a ritual. Every thing, however, depends on the overall volume of comments and exchanges. All the best to you.
I understand that– the need for a personal response and not just a ritualized thankyou. But with some comments there’s little more one can do. Not that I’ve been diligently responding to each one 🙁 .
Hence all this outpouring of guilt from me today! 🙂
thanks for your dogged upvoting… hadn’t really looked at your blog in detail till now.. very cool…
great work and congratulations on being so good and so prolific…
your blogs and writing discipline are inspiring,
it might help my writing efforts 😛
I am a fan.
Thankyou Nir. I do try to write as often as I can.
This is always going to be a difficult choice and we may not always be able to do what we want. I always leave a comment even if i’s only thanks when someone comments on my blog. It’s time consuming but, I feel if someone had made the time to comment, the least I can do is acknowledge it. I’ve made many friends this way.
I also comment of a lot of blogs where sometimes my comments are acknowledged and sometimes they’re not. Some bloggers never comment back and some just occasionally. I think it boils down to the kind of relationship you hope to develop with blog followers. It will always be a conscious choice you have to make. A general thank you at the bottom of the comments page is nice and shows you’ve read them but if you comment individually then they’re notified individually that they have a response. With some people, this is a courtesy they expect.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx I hope you find an answer that suits you.
I know, David. Individual responses are great, and I try to leave them when I can, like today.
Thankyou for stopping by so often during the challenge and for tweeting out so many of my posts. I really appreciate it.
wow!! I’m a fan.
I really TRY to respond to everyone, though some get missed. It happens and sometimes you just don’t have the time.
Tell me about that. I really wish a day had more hours.
I’m not so lucky to have a massive following so it is easy for me to respond to comments. I would find it hard to respond to everyone if I had a large number following me. I think you have done well to Rey to as many as you did. I would be disappointed nit to get a response if I had tried to start a discussion, but if it was just to say how much I liked the article then a response wouldn’t be necessary.
Time becomes the main issue, and yes there are comments, absolutely genuine ones, which are hard to respond to, other than simply say thanks.
I agree!
I do respond to each comment.. But then I get around two comments in each post so that is easy 🙂
:). I’m sure you’ll have more soon. It just takesa bit of time.
It surely does lol.. I don’t mind it as long as I get like a couple of people reading it at least… Lol
As a new blog, my blog partner and I try and comment back to everyone who follows, likes and comments on our blog to reach our audience and show them that we appreciate their support and hope they enjoy the experience as much as we do. When you were new did you reply to everyone and as you have grown more popular had less time to do so? When you are too busy to reply to everyone’s comments, are there any other techniques apart from a thank you comment at the end that you use to show your audience your appreciation and interest?
I mean, no need to reply to me. Sorry, that was not clear.
I try to…no need to reply – you seem very popular! x
I try, and I do think it makes a difference, but it also depends on the type of comment (I don’t ask for more info unless I actually do want a response) and I fully understand that not everybody can.
I don’t get many comments so it’s easy for me to respond, but I don’t get offended when someone doesn’t respond back to me. Especially when it’s clear a blogger is getting tons of comments.
I try and respond to comments as much as I can, and I guess I need to improve something about my blogging to do better at it :). I don’t get offended either– to me I really only expect a response if I’ve asked a question 🙂
Yeah, same here.
As a new blogger, my first priority is publishing quality posts. Second, I try to respond to every reader who comments, and that’s manageable for a following my size, but not for yours. Third, if I leave comments, I try to make them meaningful. I don’t expect responses from bloggers with 200+ followers who already have an established readership. That’s easy to discern by watching the comment interaction.
Sammy, Thank you for your support through the A to Z Challenge. Your comments were so spot on, and I remember having interacted with you. My followers are in the thousands, but that’s got nothing to do with the number of comments I receive. Some posts spark comments, some don’t and I often don’t know why.
Well every time I check in on you, you have so many comments, I think you can’t possibly keep up! I think part of your “spark” is the questions you pose. You have an almost teacher-leader style to some of your posts, and the way you pose your questions elicits thoughtful answers.
Thank you for all the A to Z visits and support. I am having fun drafting my “recap” post, and thinking about all the talented new contacts I’ve made. Some have even become online friends, so it was a very successful adventure for me.
Considering I rarely ever get comments, yes I do reply to every single one. Today has been the most comments I’ve ever gotten (which is still very few haha) but I still replied to everyone. As my blog grows and I get more comments, I’ll probably only respond to those I have something to talk about with.
I hope you get a lot more readers and comments soon. I shall be visiting you within the week!
Thank you! 🙂
I do respond to all of the comments on my blog. What I find frustrating is trying to keep up with where I left comments so that I can go back and see what they had to say back to me. Is there an easier way to do that I am not aware of?
http://smidgensbitsandsnippets.blogspot.com/
WordPress lets you do that, Paula, but I’m not sure there’s a way to do that for Blogspot, unless you follow comments by email.
I don’t respond just to respond. If I have something to add or a comment I will respond, otherwise I don’t.
That’s how it should be, imho, but I also understand that commenters like to be acknowledged, so I try my best to do that.
I always reply to those who comment on my blog, and because I don’t get hundreds of comments, I do reply individually. I don’t mind when someone replies to a group, or just a few words to each of a dozen people in a single reply, because I still feel that blogger noticed I was there and made an effort.
During the A to Z challenge, I got a LOT more comments than usual, and was tickled to see the commenters interacting with each other, replying on each other’s comments and in general making it feel like a party where everyone was mingling nicely. And the comments were generally hilarious.
Though I don’t get offended when bloggers don’t reply or acknowledge my comment, I get discouraged if they never respond to any of their commenters, ever. Interaction is why I blog. If I want to shout on a street corner, I’ll use Twitter. A blogger has to be really, really interesting for me to keep going back if there is no acknowledgement of the people who take time to comment—especially if they only get one or two comments per post and then complain no one reads their blog. Perhaps lack of response is the reason.
I dislike (intensely!) generic comments and try to never leave them. Even during the A to Z, there was only one person who gave the generic, “Great post, thanks for sharing. Please visit my blog,” thing on mine. Most of the time, people had quite a bit to say, and the individuality of the comments inspired me to answer each one separately. If I don’t have anything to add, I don’t comment every single time, but I might share the post to spread the love.
I’m thrilled you had a positive AZ experience. I hope you’ll write us a Reflections post and link to it on the 5th May when the Reflections linky list goes up on the main AZ blog.
I try never to leave a generic comment, and even when I leave just a line, I try to be as specific as possible in my point, because I always read the post (unless it is miles long, in which case I do admit to skimming a bit during the AZ).
I do try to interact with my readers, and share their posts on social media as often as I can. But I know I have much room for improvement.
I tried very hard to make my A to Z posts really short so people could visit as many blogs as possible. I can’t imagine how you made it to so many each day.
I do plan on a Reflections post on Monday because I want everyone to know what a great time I had. See you Monday!
Hello there! It’s very hard sometimes to keep up with comments and respond back. However, I do try to ensure that I answer each comment. I find it easiest to do this by going to my “notifications” tab on the dashboard and respond to any comments there. This way, I don’t miss anyone. I too would prefer to receive comments on my posts -vs- comments in response to another comment.Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. I’m just glad that people say something some of the time. Hope this helps!
I’m grateful to have all my visitors– and yes, if I’m online I respond to comments via dashboard, like I’m doing with yours. I guess it all boils down to how much time and effort we’re all able or willing to put into blogging!
You are so right! I am new to the blogging scene and find that it does indeed take a lot of time and effort. But I am liking that. It implores me to write something almost everyday, which I had not been doing. You are doing a fabulous job! Just keep on doing what you’re doing!
I try and answer all the comments people leave. But I think I have like 21 followers and since I’ve just started in January I think that is pretty good. The only time I get upset is if I ask a question and they never answer it. For example, I asked someone who was selling their e-book on Amazon if they sold it in a format for Nook users because that is what I have. They still haven’t answered even though they have since updated their blog. I guess they didn’t want a sale.
Lyra, I completely agree. If a reader asks a question and you ignore that, I lose respect for you as a blogger. Even when I’m strapped for time, I’ll always respond to a comment that requires a specific answer. I think you’ll have way more followers, soon 🙂
Normally, I will respond to every comments and I enjoy the interaction 🙂 Hope this helps
>
That’s a good thing… hope to be able to respond to all comments from now on!
I hope you able to respond to all comments 🙂
I do respond to all the comments… I feel guilty leaving anyone out. I do not take offense if someone doesn’t respond to my comments on their blog unless I see they respond to others except mine… Then, I just stop leaving comments on that particular blog… I enjoy visiting blogs, liking, and commenting, but I also want the same in return… We are a community and liking and commenting is a way of building relationships… This was a great point to bring up…
Thanks.
Firstly, thank you for all your visits to my blog, and I’ve enjoyed reading yours.
I do try to respond to comments as much as I can, but I’m afraid I don’t do a very good job of it. I do try to be as supportive of the blogging community as I can, and I’ve received way more than I’ve given, I think.
The reality of the situation is that if you really get popular you could spend your whole day responding to comments. Frankly I look at how many followers a blog has and don’t expect any kind of response from one that pulls more than 100 followers. There just isn’t enough time in a day. I follow blogs because they are entertaining or enlightening. If I comment, it’s great to get a response, but at a certain point I realize that is unlikely and it’s no big deal. If you attract that many followers you are doing something right. Don’t beat yourself up. Respond as you can, respond in your blog in general and move on. I won’t hold my breath and it won’t matter a whit because I will have received the benefit of your wisdom.
I’ve run this blog for 6 years now, so it does have a goodly bunch of followers.
Thank you for being so understanding. I do try to visit all the bloggers who comment on my posts, but rarely do I have as much time as I’ve had today, when I can sit and respond to comments at leisure.
Thank you for dropping by and I look forward to reading your posts in the coming days.
you comment on about 60 blogs a day? Hats off to you! I do respond to all comments I receive on my blog. I enjoy that very much!
I did that during April, when I was running the A to Z Blogging challenge. Usually I average about 10 new ones, and visit everyone who comments on me.
Yes, I prob. avg about that too, I would love to comment on so many posts that are outstanding but time contraints….thank you for a very interesting blog!
Yes, I wish I could stretch time. Thank you for visiting and I hope to read more of your posts!
It is safe to assume that all of my six or eight readers will get a personal reply…:-)
I’m sure you have more readers, and they’re lurking ;). You just need to encourage them to ‘come out’!
I tried to reply, but was not always able to. You blogged, you tried to respond when you could, you are wonderful!
Thank you. I’m stuck in the same boat, but I do keep trying.
🙂 that’s all we can do… We are only human and with only 24 hrs in our day after all! Reward yourself, you posted A to Z!
lol, yes, the AZ did seem like a survival test at one point. Thank you for your support!
Kudos for doing such a great job responding to all the comment here. My blog is in its infancy so it is easy for me to respond. P.S. l like comments more than likes but my feelings won’t be hurt if you don’t respond back. 🙂
That’s the thing, I’m terrified I might offend people without intending to. I have to go scroll back on the comments her to figure out if I missed someone. Thanks for the words of reassurance!
I respond to every comment, and I try hard to comment on every post that interests me on my reader. But sometimes the second is harder to accomplish because of time constraints.
Time constraint is our biggest enemy. I think I’ve already spent more than an hour responding to comments on this post, and I’ve still missed some!
It is the devil in the formula for certain. You have to live to blog about life. And if you live right, you have less time to operate your blog about life. It’s the see in the see-saw, Damyanti. Have a great night. Great to speak with you.
Here’s hoping we both balance the see-saw well, and never fall off. Thanks, and good night. Hope to see you back often, and look forward to your posts.
Damyanti,
I responded to all the comments left on my blog, but I didn’t visit nearly as many blogs as you. I find responding to everyone takes up a lot of time but it’s worth it because I’ve also made a ,lot of good friends by continuing conversations. We only have a limited amount of free time and so we can’t do everything. It’s a choice. I noticed you took the time to Google+ all my blog posts. I didn’t do that. Actually I’m still feeling my way around Google+. I’ve only just got comfortable with Facebook! Anyway, I did appreciate you doing this for me. Thank you!
Sue, I tried to do whatever I could. I though I should make as many new connections during the challenge as possible, as that was part of my role as a cohost, visit and comment. I do share on twitter and G+ even if I can’t make the time to comment always. Thank you for being so understanding.
I try to respond to each and every comment. Even if it’s just a smiley face. I only feel funny about a blogger not responding to me if they responded to everyone else.
Whoops…I may have done that. Some days I go so dizzy responding and commenting, I miss a few people I’m sure. Not intentional at all! And thank you for dropping by to comment– as I said in the post, I do appreciate it, but am not very good with the responses. I’m a work in progress, I guess. 🙂
I normally do take time to respond because sometimes those comments carry such immense value in response to the posts I’ve written! ANd it creates a bond too!
I haven’t been able to do it in the challenge though…there was too much time consumed by writing the posts and commenting on others…I plan to respond to each comment by the end of this month though!
Wow, that’s an amazing amount of effort you’ve decided to put into your responses. I’m afraid I have a lot of deadlines to chase this month and will muddle ahead with my blogging the best I can. Congratulations on completing the AZ!
A lot of blogging is about making connections with others, and once I start getting comments I’m sure I’ll be replying to them!
I’m sure you will, and here’s hoping you get lots, soon!
I respond to most comments, but not all. Some of the comments I receive just don’t seem to need a response, but when in doubt I do comment. Sometimes if I receive a lot of similar comments, I will post a single response to all of them. When I comment on someone else’s blog, I really don’t need a response from the blogger unless I’m asking a question. I mostly just want to add my voice to the conversation, so if you don’t respond, I don’t mind. I think you did a great job with the challenge.
Thanks for the understanding, Sue. I find it tough to respond to comments sometimes, especially during the challenge it was mostly like ‘I love your story!’ to which what else can I say but ‘thankyou’ (which I didn’t, admittedly)!
I respond to every comment, but I don’t get nearly as much traffic as you. If I had 60 comments a day I’d probably try to respond to overall themes or something.
I don’t usually have 60 comments a day, but everything adds up because I have two blogs. 🙁
It sounds like you need a publicist 😉 !
Do you have anyone in mind? 🙂
If I knew anything about it I’d offer 😉 . What’s your other blog?
I only have a small readership. This means I can respond to each comment. But, if I received a large number of comments, I don’t think I could keep up with it. I like your ‘smiley face’ option. 🙂
I do end up receiving a fair number of comments sometimes, but I should make more of an effort to respond to each one. 🙂
You have thousands of followers. We understand if you cannot reach us all. See http://simonfalk28.wordpress.com/2014/05/03/at-the-end-of-the-day/ .
Thanks, I stopped by and left a comment.
Thanks. I know you did. 🙂
I do comment back but then I only get 4 or 5 comments per post – so it’s easy for me! Also, I have only a small handful of blogs that I follow regularly/daily – and those seem to be the same bloggers that follow me/comment on my blog. I have tried to expand my blogger circle but I have found it challenging enough to keep up with the ones that I have followed regularly. I work – as a preschool teacher which drains a lot of my energy – and have a home and husband to take care of – so I have to limit my computer time. I think it would be very overwhelming to comment back to scores or hundreds of followers, or to read tens of blogs a month. I commend you for what you have accomplished!
I will say, before deciding to follow a blog, I do look at the comments sections on their posts to see if they regularly comment back to their followers. Ones who have NO comments in return to their followers, I don’t bother with. Perhaps that is narrow of me, but I feel pretty strongly that if a blogger NEVER comments back to their followers, they are taking them for granted. I understand not being able to comment back to every single person if you have a huge following, but some I have looked at don’t comment even when they only have a handful of comments on their posts and I think that’s rather rude. Just my opinion though.
You’re perfectly right, imho, to follow blogs where the blogger cares about his or her commenters. I do try to respond as much as I can, but even if I fail, I need to fail better.
Time, as you say, is the biggest thing I lack, so much online life is bound to affect life offline.
I have always felt you do a stellar job of interacting with your readers! So, you don’t have anything to feel bad or guilty about. And sometimes “life” takes over – that’s reality.
Thanks for your kind words. I’m always amazed and thankful for the understanding of everyone who visits me. I think I do very little to deserve it.
This post gave me a lot to think about in regards to my own blog. I rarely if ever get even one comment, and I am realizing now that it’s partly because I just don’t network all that well with others. I’ve been trying to make a concerted effort now to respond on all posts I read, especially the ones I subscribe to but I am still new at this. It’s my way of saying to the blogger “I liked this enough to tell you about it.” After all it’s what I would wish to happen to me. ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ etc etc.
Thanks for the thoughtful post.