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What are the Pros and Cons of Allowing Blog Comments?
Some pros or advantages of allowing blog comments are being able to have feedback on the posted articles and knowing that people are actually reading the material. Cons or disadvantages of comment-enabled blogs include having to deal with spam posts. Also, in order to monitor blog comments effectively, a considerable amount of time may be required.
Replying to those who comment on a blog can be advantageous in several ways. First, it lets readers know there is a live person behind the blog and that he or she is interested in the comments. Second, once there are several blog comments, this often encourages even more visitors to post. This type of continued growth can lead to new subscribers, which will increase the success of the blog. A disadvantage of allowing comments on a blog is the risk that no one will end up commenting or there may only be one commenter.
A blog without comments or with only the odd one can appear to be irrelevant or poorly written even when this is not the case. Many times, readers find blogs randomly during a general topic search and may spend only seconds scanning a blog's content. If they find an interesting conversation occurring in the blog comments section, visitors to the site may become more involved with the content and may even bookmark the page to plan on returning.
Using the blog's address at the end of posts in article directories that are on a similar subject can link visitors to the site. If the blog owner includes the address on websites with similar topics, such interested visitors are more likely than people not passionate about the subject to read and leave comments. Yet, the more places the site's address appears on the Internet, the higher chance for spam blog comments.
A pro of using comment-enabled blogs despite the risk of comment spam is that many site visitors will just ignore the spamming, such as the kind promoting another website. There are also comment systems available in which comments aren't posted until the owner approves each post. In this way, the blog owner doesn't have to have any spam comments on his or her site and doesn't have to monitor it round the clock. Having to deal with negative, hurtful comments is a con. It's not always easy for blog owners or writers to respond politely and professionally to people who make rude comments.
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![Encouraging visitors to post on a blog may lead to new subscribers and a continued growth of visitors on a page.]()
By: Scott GriesselEncouraging visitors to post on a blog may lead to new subscribers and a continued growth of visitors on a page. -
![Cons of comment-enabled blogs may include spam posts.]()
By: lichtmeisterCons of comment-enabled blogs may include spam posts. -
![Blog comments may provide valuable feedback about what subscribers are interested in reading.]()
By: George DolgikhBlog comments may provide valuable feedback about what subscribers are interested in reading. -
![A blog without comments or with only the odd one can appear to be irrelevant or poorly written even when this is not the case.]()
By: RawpixelA blog without comments or with only the odd one can appear to be irrelevant or poorly written even when this is not the case. -
![Writers may use blog comments to refine their skills.]()
By: elnarizWriters may use blog comments to refine their skills.
Discussion Comments
One thing that ticks me off about allowing blog comments (I currently do) is that some people ask questions that require a lot of time to respond and some of them think that the comment channel (if you respond to their first comment) can be used for them to get free consulting (I'm a business coach). I've even had people asking me to contact them in private so they could ask me more questions. When I politely tell them (in private) that they would have to hire me as a consultant to "keep talking to me" they usually get upset and never come back.
What upsets me is that people tend to think that I have all the time in the world to answer hundreds of comments (or talk to them in private via email) and have no respect for the fact that I'm a professional and obviously I work for money. Answering comments is getting to the point that it takes hours of my day and most of these people will never become my clients.
I'm seriously thinking about closing the comments despite all the pros like the SEO benefits. Sorry I'm posting as anonymous, but I really don't want people (maybe my own readers and clients) to see me ranting about this kind of stuff!
If you allow comments on your blog, you are also opening it up for spam and for negative comments. Fortunately these are usually the exception and not the rule, but they can occur.
It can be quite encouraging to receive positive comments on your blog posts, and is nice to know that some people appreciate what you are writing about. Many people who have blogs really love getting blogging comments and a good blogger will respond to as many of those as possible.
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