Replying to Comments

  • Unknown's avatar
    thefoodillusion · Member ·

    When I hit “reply” within wordpress to someone’s comment they are not getting notified that I replied to them. I am guessing they had to subscribe to comments somewhere to receive an email with my reply (which most people don’t do). What is the standard procedure for replying…should I just email them directly with my answer or reply on the blog so everyone (hopefully including the person with the question) can see my answer and or reply both ways?

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • markel · Staff ·

    If you want your reply to be private in nature, the best way is for you to send an email to the commenter with your response.

    For most blogs, the best method (and the one that builds the best blog communities) is to respond in the open. It tells visitors that you are paying attention to comments and are invested in them, answers questions publicly, and builds a conversation.

  • Unknown's avatar
    thefoodillusion · Member ·

    So sounds like I should do both since the latter doesn’t always go to the person who actually left the comment?

  • markel · Staff ·

    If they’ve signed up to receive updates on future comments (using the checkbox that appears near the comment form), they will. Normally, if a commenter is interested in continuing the conversation, they’ll check the box so they know when to come back.

    If you want to be absolutely sure that they receive your response, you would need to do both.

  • Unknown's avatar
    timethief · Member ·

    @thefoodillusion
    this is my personal feedback on the reader’s side of commenting:
    As a blog reader I never ever subscribe to comments. If I post a question in a comment or if I find the discussion to be particulalry interesting then I bookmark and return of my own volition. Otherwise, I simply move on.

    The reason I refuse to subscribe to comments is that if I do and the blogger leaves comments on the post open then weeks, months and even years later I still receive the comments (usually spam) being posted on articles where the discussion is “cold” and is no longer of interest to me.

    I don’t expect “private” email answers to my comments. I expect the blogger to post their replies into the discussion. I have a life to live, I blog as a hobby and aren’t being used to market products or services so if I start getting email asking me to sign up for newsletters, or empty” emails that say “thanks for commenting on my blog post” then I do not return to the blog again.

  • The topic ‘Replying to Comments’ is closed to new replies.