COMMENTS
Rick,
Odd ... isn't it?!
As I've bumped 'round the Net, I've often wondered 'bout that, too. Here's my quick take on it -
* control/fear
* fear/control
Obviously I think these two are related and it doesn't make too much difference which what comes first.
If you're blogging (or have hired someone to blog for you) and you're insecure about your product(s)/services(s) - in a tiny shell - don't blog - yet. That's the "fear" part.
If, however, you're secure with your product(s)/services(s) and you blog, moderating the conversation could be the "control" part. The
only reason to moderate could be to eliminate the spammers. Other than that - let it fly!
If someone has a grip, complaint or "off topic" comment, flip that coin over with a well-reasoned, seriously considered response or, as in a face-to-face conversation, don't give credence (ie. attention) to the commenter. Their ill-chosen comments reflect more on them than it does on you. ...and, unless/until they delete their own words, that lasts for a very long time on the Net.
Thanks for your insight, Rick.
Dance on ...
Jessan
This sounds great in theory, but in practise, if you don't moderate your comments, you risk getting nothing but spam. And that will suck the life out of your blog a whole lot quicker than waiting for a comment to be moderated.
Susan
I have to agree with Susan--a lot of spam comes through on our blog (despite our spam catcher) and moderating comments is the only way I've successfully kept promises of enlargement from going live. Many of the business blogs I read moderate comments (as you pointed out) and thus I feel like the commonality of this practice makes it an accepted one. I personally don't mind when my comments are moderated because I understand the situation so well.
@susan I don't think Rick is talking about Viagra or diamond ring spam comments. I think he's referring more to comments clearly posted by humans, whether they're negative or positive. There are a variety of ways to filter the spam comments from your blog before they get posted.
Lets hear from the world.. We'll all learn.. If there's problems we'll fix them, if there's needs we'll fill them. Without the ability to hear the Truth how do we make it better for everyone.
I actually came across a blog yesterday that had No option to add a comment and No option to subscribe. I was perplexed as to why a company would devote the time and manpower to have a blog in the first place and then not enable their clients and partners to participate in the conversation, let alone receive new blog posts via email.
I have often found it frustrating when commenting on a blog to get a message saying once it is approved it will be posted, "I want to see my comment posted now!" as bratty as that sounds, is this a common theme? Would this discourage visitors who want to comment in the future?
What I feel is great about a blog is the ability to comment and for others to comment as well and respond to each other. This is like the students helping each other when the teacher is not available. Many questions can be answered and topics discussed without the "facilitator". This is one attribute that makes blogs great, and in this respect I agree, as Jessan said, "let it fly."
I totally agree and it's great to see how new media is slow helping to change stodgy business practices. Some people/companies are just that lame and they want control. They fear change. I can just imagine a corporate memo "All blog comments must be approved by a director and VP, then sent to public relations for a final review. Please allow 6-8 weeks to publish a comment"
@susan I agree with you -- bloggers need to get rid of spammy and malicious comments. I just think it's important to do so after they've been published, not before. Moderating before prevents conversation from developing. Plus, most bloggers won't have to get rid of that many comments.
@christina & @adam That's exactly what I'm talking about!
Oddly enough, I had the same sort of issue yesterday. The blogger in question posted a plug for someone else, and I clicked on the link. The site it directed me to looked like a scam site--like any other get-rich-quick scheme involving real estate or ways to lose weight while you sleep. Obviously, I was disturbed that a blog I like and respect would post trashy content like this, and I posted a polite comment mentioning that the site LOOKED this way--saying nothing about the comment. And that was deleted, no questions, no rebuttal, just deleted. All that does for me is convey just how uninterested they are in any sort of sincere dialogue--and I was going to recommend it to plenty of others at my office, too.
There are ways to control malicious spam comments by adding widgets to your blog to confirm it's a "human" commenting. I receive an email as soon as someone comments to my blog so if it's spam it takes two clicks to delete it. As far as good or bad comments there is no such thing. If people can provide some sort of constructive criticism to your blog post it only increases the level of conversation on your blog and keeps people coming back.
I think it is a good idea to moderate comments, but only for the ridiculous spam. I get quite a few poker sites and insurance spams on my blog, but if a real human wants to leave a comment that is good, bad, or ugly, I welcome it. It gives me something to respond to.
I understand Eric's point about receiving emails, but that only works if you get a limited amount of comments each day. Otherwise, you have to hire someone to just read the email updates.
What's wrong with having to wait for the post? I want my post now, too, but I understand the reasons.
Negative comments on a product, service or brand haven't driven comment approval decisions for our clients. We've found that the amount of spam a well indexing blog receives outweighs allowing comments to autopost.
I don't think any responsible blogger moderates 'true' comments, be they good, bad or indifferent. And if they do, then Rick's right- the life will be sucked right out of that blog.
I wouldn't dream of deleting (or not approving, since comments on my blog are moderated) a comment just because someone disagreed with what I'd posted. You have to respect the fact that whether the comment is good or bad, your post did it's job in getting someone to actually bother taking the time to comment on it.
And that is the biggest compliment.
Susan
I have my comments email notifications go to a separate email address from my main email address. Even if I happened to get 100 comments in a day (which would be great) I usually check this email address around lunchtime and can scan through the emails and see fairly quickly what are spam and which comments are real. This takes me just a few minutes, SPAM comments are pretty easy to pick out in a lineup. If there are points I would like to follow up on or if someone poses a question I can comment on them. If there are some SPAM comments that got posted up I can quickly and easily delete them. Users have a very short attention span on the internet and if they feel like they can't interact or feel like they aren't being heard, then they are quickly on to something else. That's why I prefer to keep comments open on my blog.
Working on the internet for years, I have learned from the success of others. For example, u-tube they do not monitor what video's are being uploaded, same with flickr, photobuckets. Now each site has policies that they want the users to honor but pretty much let the user's control what is posted. I do not moderate my sites, but I do put in code to weed out spam. I do know from time to time some gets through, but overall with some spam filters the blogs are pretty good. I must say though, If I come across a site that says it is a blog but does not let you post any thing, I do write them and tell them they should use a different title. If you can't post why call it a blog.
Anyway alot of good comments here, but I do believe the best sites are not moderated.
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I agree with the sentiment of letting the conversation happen real-time, if I post a comment, it isn't vanity that makes me want to see it immediately posted, it's that I want to see the conversations that stems from it occur now; I'm not returning days later to see if it finally got moderated and "passed inspection". Open good. Closed bad. It's that simple. It's a trust issue, you either believe the majority of comments are worthwhile so you trust the community (and later delete the spam that gets by) or you build a fortress around your blog and wonder why no one is knocking anymore.
I love the idea of a widget so that it's a human posting, not a robot. I will allow any comment on my blog, unless I have an ethical problem with the blog post, or the site they recommend (like dishonesty, inappropriate content). -Karen
We have a debt management blog and when we opened the comment gates; we had alot of enlargement ads pop up. No pun intended.
CAG
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Good lively conversation is about differences of opinion. My Blog is new and I understand it takes time. I do moderate for spam though.
Sounds so commonsensical when it comes to our day and age when information is so readily available and feedback - positive or negative can accelerate its way even to obscure parts of the world.
No one wants to be irrelevant, but some people are so hopelessly lost they think the only relevant one is themselves.
Hi, am new to this space and like what I see.
But two of my favorite blogs distinguish themselves by having pictures of the writers ... it would be so much more personable to be able to put a face to a thought.
I love learning from experts and think that blogging gets fast honest feedback. If someone could look at WebsiteBetty.com and give me some honest feedback on how easy or difficult it is to use it will help me to create a product that my customers will use more often. When I sell a product like a fully self guided web site design that the use has total control over I need to know what my customers or potential customer really think about the product so the blog gives me that true pulse. I'M LOV'EN IT
A couple of points: first you actually have to have a conversation going which depending on the business is sometimes easier said than done.
In terms of moderating a blog, I would say it depends on how that's defined. If moderation means keeping out spam or profanity [especially for a business blog], that seems reasonable. What would seem to be counterproductive is to keep out fair criticism, different opinions,
and discusions that spin off. To do that would be dumb & pointless to blogging in my opinion but then again being relatively new to the game, I'm hardly an "expert."
I don't think you can do that because it's bull. I am an associate proffesor at UK university and I say it's wrong boy\1
So true I hate when you cannot comment on an article or it is to difficult to register to comment. I hate registering actually , I mean how many sites can one actually be registered too ?
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I only moderate inappropriate language [coverting it to %$#@] or spam; thankfully I haven't had to intercede much on either. However, "moderate" a comment I didn't agree with or like? NEVER!