How do you reply to blog comments? Particularly ones that asks a question?
I am conscious that a lot of you often ask me questions or write a sweet comment and I am eager to reply to these. Sometimes I reply in the comments section itself however I am never sure if the commenter goes back to check? I know when I have asked a question in the comments on others blogs I am not always so hot on checking back to see if there is a response?
On the other hand, if it is a question a lot of people want answering for example, 'where did you find that project life card?" it may be handy to have the answer there on that blog post...
Do you send a reply via email? I have received a few of these from some of you and love the format. Can this be set up in blogger does anyone know?
Basically I am questioning questions and would love a few answers. I'm aware that there probably isn't a perfect system. I am also aware though that blogging is so often a conversation and I am reluctant to let those questions just hang there.
So, let's talk, how do you reply to comments?
The irony that we are having this conversation in the comments has not escaped me!
19 comments:
Ha ha, I asked you a question ages ago ;) I won't hold it against you though :)
It is difficult - if I know the person asking the question I will Facebook or email them but if I don't know them I try to find their blog and reply there so I know they have the answer!
i always wonder the same thing! if someone ask me a question i'll usually answer in the comments + comment on their blog to tell them i answered (it feels stupid honestly but that's the best i came up with).
I love how Sian answers our comments by email because it feels so personal, and i have no idea how she does it!
You're just so cute, Abi.
The way I respond to questions kind of depends on the question. If it's something that makes me think, "Rats! I should have mentioned that in my post!" I will leave a comment/answer so that other readers can see my reply. My blog comment section isn't set up for me to reply and leave a chain under their comment/question. Need to look into that...
I love being able to reply to comments/questions by responding through email. I think it's a more personal way to interact, and like you, I don't always go back and look in the comment section to see if the blogger answered my question.
If I had one wish for blogland it would be that everyone set up their profiles so that their email address shows for the blogger they are leaving a comment for. So many times there is a "no reply" field and no way to respond to the commenter.
Did that answer your question? ;o)
I think that is a major drawback of the blogger platform. I do basically the same things mentioned above: if I can find the email of the person via their blog, I will email them (most likely to do that if i "know" them). If i really don't know or can't reach the person, I will add my answer in the comments. I have also added an edit to my post if there are several people asking the same thing.
All in all, i really wish there was more possibility for a dialogue as i also like to reply to other commenters, or when people do that to others... I will be following this closely as I'd like to know what others do :)
I've often wished there was something like Feedly for blog comments. The Digi Show used to have an option to subscribe to the RSS feed for all comments on all posts which could be a solution. I tend to read blogs on my iPad and do find it more difficult to leave comments and check back on them on an iPad vs the computer
Whenever someone leaves a comment, I get an email that includes their email. I almost always send a reply to a question via email, since I almost never return to a blog post to check the comments a second time.
I someone asks a question in their comment I will generally reply by email. Sometimes I will also reply in the comments, especially if I think the answer may be useful to other readers.
I find that I often do both - replying by email only works if your commentator has their email linked up in their profile though.
I actually like having a conversation in the comments section, I feel like it creates further depth in the comments of others and I feel like I have more immediacy within the conversation - the drawback there is that most times people don't return and I get that because there are always time limitations.
I have developed great friendships through email returns of comments.
Thank you for all your sweet suggestions! I'll be trying a few methods out I think. Lots to ponder over! Email looks like it could be a way forward.
I haven't considered emailing before as I thought maybe it wasn't the done thing unless I knew the person so ill have to rethink that one. I do try and reply in my comments section as well. I like replying cos like Amy I get some cool combos happening. I follow one blog Bright Bazaar and Will always replies to your comments there if I ask something on Twitter he always replies too so maybe we should engage more in lots of ways. I'm looking forward to seeing how this unfolds Abi xxxx
If somebody asks a question, I will always email them a reply, where possible. Unfortunately so many people are "no reply" bloggers and then you have no way of responding. That makes me sad because I don't them to think I have ignored them. Sometimes I'll answer by leaving a comment on their own blog, but again that is not always possible as clicking on their name does not automatically give a link to their blog if they haven't set it up that way. There was a case recently, where a lady left a question or sweet comment on three blog posts in a row. I really wanted to contact her but had no way of doing so, which was a shame. I posted last year about the whole "no reply" blogger with a link to some instructions on how to change that for anyone who wanted to. Like Deb, I wish everyone would fix that!
Thanks to Fiona above I am no longer a "no reply" blogger :) I don't get many questions on my comments (if at all thinking about it?) but would prefer to answer in the comments so it builds the conversation. Not even sure how I do that?! Julie Kirk is very good at this though on her blog Notes on Paper. A great topic to raise Abi and please do a follow up post on your findings!
I tend to either reply by email or (more often) in a comment on the person's blog. Every once in a while I will edit the original blog post or cover the question in s subsequent blog post. I have to admit that I rarely return to the comment screen.
I love it when people email me replies to my questions.
I have no idea how to set up anything in my comments. I hope I"m not a "no reply" blogger, but I don't have a clue!
Rinda
I use blogger and have it set up so replies can be made under specific comments. I reply there under the belief that my reply is sent to their email address. Can anyone confirm they do intend get those from me?
Great question, Abi, and I think there are a number of ways of doing it :). I often email - in Typepad, I can see the person's blog address and their email, so it's quite easy. I can also reply on my blog (called 'threaded comments') but am having problems with that right now. And I am never sure if the person pops back to see. Sometimes I have collected all the questions together and answered them in a post of its own!
This is so interesting because I've been wondering the same thing. If I ask a question I often forget to check back but then I never find out.
I was asked a question the other day, and I replied both on my blog post and also on the persons blog who asked. But then what if that person didn't have a blog ... Oh dear, I'm in more of a pickle now lol
I'm the same as Fiona. i reply by email where possible and if not I leave a comment on their blog. On occasion i have included the answer in my next blog post!
I answer by email. And if the question has widespread interest - or I think, why didn't I include that in the post, I will also answer in the comments. I confess I don't like to subscribe to comments to see the follow-up ones.
I always answer in email but get annoyed when they ask you a question and they are a 'non reply' blogger, so frustrating. I don't ever leave a comment in the comments field, just not something I have ever got into.
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