What to do when you receive a comment on your website
Hello everybody,
I have been thinking about this issue now for quite some months. I know here in Wealthy Affiliate we are many people, I mean masses of people. All countries in the world, boys and girls and from all age groups. There are beginners, advanced and very advanced people here so it is easy to see very different behavior patterns along the road. I have been here since half of January 2017 and I have seen it happen with myself. While you learn you might adopt doing new things and do not do certain things which you might have been doing in the past. This makes me come to what this post is about.
Hurray, I have received a comment on my website! Especially in the beginning that is really exciting because somebody has read what you have written. In the beginning times of your website, building it up and writing posts is not always so easy. The process of making this post can take quite a long time as apart from the writing bit you have to think about pretty photos and perhaps a video, links etc to make this post look good. Then it happens, Wordpress tells you: a comment is awaiting approval. That is really great!
What do you do when Word Press tells you that you have received a comment? Funnily enough, I have seen a wide variety in behavior by people. From not taking notice and leaving you hanging for many months awaiting approval to answering after quite some days up to receiving a reply within 24 hours.
As the Wealthy Affiliate members are spread over the total globe it is of course very possible that you are wide awake while the other person is having sweet dreams. By rule of thumb, I think, out of courtesy to your visitor one should send a reply within 24 hours. To make your visitor feel special one should take care to send a longish reply to this comment. Besides of showing consideration to this visitor one should not forget that comments add to the post, meaning, it makes the post longer. One should always answer a comment, only in case it is spam or perhaps rude one does not approve it and puts it in the bin. I had this happen to myself a couple of times. If people do not put their name, I find that annoying to say the least. The first time I will answer but tell them I like to address my visitors by their name. I ask them if they would be so kind to present themselves the next time. If they come back and still not use their name I will not authorize their comment.
Something which I think is very important as it shows you care for your visitor is to have the Plugin Comment Approved Notifier Extended installed on your website. When you reply to this comment Wordpress will notify your visitor about that. This will show the visitor that you care, are nice and polite and might make this visitor come back again.
Everything I said above here applies also the other way around. When you leave a comment on somebody’s website, address this person by his/her name and end your comment with your own name. This Internet world is taking it often easy with etiquette as people think they are far away and out of reach. Therefore it is pleasant to see when somebody does care and behaves nicely.
All the best to you.
Regards, Taetske
Recent Comments
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Hi Taetske, I need to leave my name at the end of comments. I don't know why I don't this!
I always address them by their name if they leave one. I have quite a few that have a character name or some title.
I find I have to edit their comments with spelling errors. The comments are great but not the grammar at times.
So far my comments are from WA members but one of these days Taetske, we will have comments from the outside world!
I'm grateful to have each other as a community helping with comments so when it's time for traffic, we have a nice amount which will help with showing trust with our websites!
I do have a blog post written from a couple weeks ago about comments but it's a totally different conversation.
Thanks for this post it brought up many great points!
Good afternoon Patsy,
Thank you for stopping by. As you could see it provoked quite some different opinions to be voiced here but in general people agree it is nice when everybody is nice. It makes good vibrations instead of the other way around.
I just got a comment from outside of about the length of my post, now I will really have to study that and prepare a decent reply.
I remember your post and thought, dear me, I am going to write about that. Luckily it was different so no conflict or copying was feared. I spend some weeks brooding on what I am going to say in my monthly post, like a chicken on an egg.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Hi Taetske, I hadn't posted it yet because other things kept coming up but it's no big deal. Everyone has a different network of members they follow and most don't see our posts since we only follow a specific amount of members and not the same as everyone else. Did I make sense there? haha, I'm so tired from this day!
Thanks again for this post it's very informative :)
Thank you, Patsy, yes, it did make sense and you should really get some rest before your head starts spinning.
Take care, Taetske
This is so true Taetske and it is only common courtesy I think to reply to people who have taken the time to comment on your website unless it is a rude message or you think it is spam. It is nice as well to reply to people who have taken the time to read a blog or your training if you have done one and even when they have commented on your profile. I do try and do it right away if I can because I have such a bad memory and have forgot to reply and I feel bad, unless of course I am asleep lol.
You will probably notice that I tend to sign off with my xxx as opposed to putting my name and that is because I have my name at the top on my blogs. However, I do always put my name on the bottom of my posts on my website.
This is a very good blog and a lot of people should take notice of what you are saying here.
Thank you Taetske. xxxx
Good Morning Cheryl,
You sign with the cutest little things so we all know it is you.
It is when an unknown person leaves a comment without a Hi etc. and then abruptly break off without a name or whatever. I then feel I am talking to a machine and that might even be true, you never know. With our website, we are open for the whole world to see but that does not mean we should be walked on.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Good Morning Taetske
Thank you, yes I sign off with a kiss or two (xxx) and I know that people know it's me lol, I remember not long after I started here putting up a blog asking people if they minded as I do it automatically on things like facebook or even just on a text message and didn't want to tread on anyone's toes so I asked first and couldn't believe the response I got, especially the males.
I know exactly what you mean though and there is nothing worse than replying to someone and you don't know their name, it feels so unpersonal. xxx
You are right Taetske, there will never be enough and that is why I like to share them with everyone here at WA. xxx
Hi there I think with our type of web site it is essential that we answer with in a given time space especially because it has to do with health. If someone leaves a comment it means they are very interested in what you have to say, and politeness is essential because you are working with people that are in need of help for a better transition.
That is why I adapted the the wordpress notification that you answered there comment. That is very helpful interacting with your visitor not only do you show them you do care but it helps them to recommend your site to others.
There is nothing worse then going to an appointment and you get shunned of as not. I will just not go back there again. I have had that happen with doctors. I want answers and if they can't give me answers I will go find some one that will.
I don't have all the answers but I have enough investigation behind me that I can make a recommendation with people that do have the answers.
nice to be back Taetske always a better way I have missed it Linda
Good afternoon Linda,
Thank you for reading my post. You are right, especially having a health website people want answers, not in a week or a month but as soon as possible.This plugin is a good one and might convert a visitor into a customer.
I am happy to see you back again and that you have your things sorted out. I contacted Janet some time ago but have not heard back from her
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske.
Great points Taetske. I got a comment the other day that I have not responded to yet since I just don't know what to do with it! I hate waiting but I am struggling with this one. The person starts the comment by saying they don't like cats. Well that is a bad start for my cat site! They go on to say they are afraid of cats and read my post hoping it had tips for how to get over fear of cats and was disappointed it was about cat's anxiety rather than people's fear of them. They ended by saying something like "Good luck to all you cat people out there" and saying something like my post could help them.
So, they are honest and telling me something truthful and trying to be a bit helpful so I don't want to call it spam...but writing a post about not liking cats on a cat site is not very helpful! What would you do? This came from the website comment exchange thread here so they are expecting a comment back from me on their site.
Jessica
Good Morning Jessica,
Well you know you are talking to a cat lover. There is hardly anything sweeter than a 4 week old rescued little furball who thinks you are their mother. To then see this little kitten grow up to a naughty and life loving big cat is a joy.
People who have a fear of cats should all be given a soft little baby in their hands, probably 50% could be converted.
I would send this person a PM and ask them if they would be willing to modify their comment a little. If not then disapprove it and you will get a new comment from an other person instead.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Nice and polite, I wish!
On here yes, you will and do receive relevant comments because giving is receiving.
But in the real world, occasionally you do receive a decent comment terrible as that sounds, but it's the truth.
For the most part people will leave a sort of good comment to get a backlink as that is their sole intention.
Otherwise most comments are totally garbage and people don't care at all.
Don't waste your time replying to them because they won't be back and the email address is more than likely a fake.
Just delete and move on.
Good Morning Neil,
Indeed, it is a bad bad world out there and the internet has certainly not improved it. I try not to be influenced by that as I want a clear conscious, I want to sleep well at night. Some comments I have received pointed out that being friendly to a visitor can never harm as this visitor could convert into a client.
Thank you for reading my post.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
This is a very common sense post, Taetske!
It is very important to show respect to anyone commenting on our website by answering promptly. There are some website owners who may post your comment but don't even answer it! To me, that is just plain rude.
I do have to admit that, there are occasions in which a WA member voluntarily gives me feedback on my website that goes un-noticed for a couple of weeks or even a month. When I finally see it, I make sure to respond to their feedback and offer my apologies for overlooking it.
I also think it is important to thank everyone who offers comments or feedback. I want them to know I appreciate their input! And, if I can, I will return the favor.
Jim
Good Morning Jim,
Nice to see you again, Thank you for the visit. One definitely should be nice to people, it normally pays off and one has a good feeling oneself. When one is nasty or rude it will ruin one's own day.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Yep, I couldn't agree more, Taetske. And if sometimes I may answer after 48hrs (oops!) and if I don't feel necessary to sign when I reply to comments left on my website (as I find it obvious that the visitor leaving the comment will know I, the author, am going to be the one answering), I do however try to answer extensively. The visitor who left a comment is potentially my customer, someone who may have also placed an order using one of my affiliate links, and certainly someone who showed an interest in my post. The least I feel I can do in exchange is deliver good customer service to this person, by showing an interest in their comment in return.
Giulia
Good Morning Giulia,
When I was small my Mother taught me to be nice and polite, like that life would be easier. When I had been to visit my grandmother or had received a present I had to write a thank you letter. In this
"modern world," these type of things seem to get lost. You are right, a visitor might become a customer so we should treat him/her in a nice way.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Hello Taetske,
Thanks for sharing this information about comments in our sites.
We all should know how to comment on a site by now, but as you say, it's hard to comment on sites when there's so many people doing this today.
I find less and less people take their time to comment on sites and most of it comments on Social Media.
I read Jeff comment below and that issue worries me, so I will go and read PatsyC's article.
I know you do, but as you say we all should write our names when we comment here at WA, it's always nice to know people's names and reply to a comment like Hi Taetske, or Hi Alejandra. It's always nicer to do that than just say Hi...
Greetings from Quebec.
Alejandra.
Good afternoon Alejandra,
Thank you for stopping by. I think it is a good and nice thing to use one's name, it makes it more personal don't you think? We are a big family and especially if it is comments from people we have been in contact with over the months one should take the time to write their name and one's own name. It definitely looks better.
I still have to check what Patsy says but this precise moment am busy with answering comments on my post. Hope you are keeping well, hasta pronto!
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Hi Taetske,
I think all comments are GREAT because goole LOVES comments!
Now I do get some good comments and also some bad comments and some really stupid comments BUT I treat
them all the same I respond by saying thank you so much
for Your comment and I respect your opinion - easy
Paul
Good afternoon Paul,
Yes, I know, one should try to have as many comments as possible. Still, if they get naughty and or nasty I think their place should be in the bin. Thank you for reading my post.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
See more comments
Hi Taetske. This is an excellent post about commenting on websites. Thank you for sending the link.
I always address the person who left the comment by their name. However, I have been guilty of not signing off a comment using my name. The reason for that is the majority of those who leave comments appear casual about the process, and I have not wanted to be seen as 'otherwise' for need of a better expression.
Reading your post highlights the correct meaning to managing comments on posts. We, as the author, webmaster or whatever our title, are the host. Therefore, it is our place to set the example.
Thank you for your advice about the plugin. I was not aware of this plugin, and it makes sense to use it. I always respond to legitimate comments and often wonder if my responses are seen and read, as they are never acknowledged.
Leaving comments on websites is a fairly large subject. I am about to publish a post on my affiliate website on the subject of comments. I entered the title into Michael's challenge, yesterday.
However, it is not similar to your post as it is more about the value in respect to ranking etc.
Thank you again Taetske, for this interesting and informative document.
Greetings from New Zealand.
Valerie
Good Morning Valerie,
Thank you for your comment on my post. This Plugin, at least that is my opinion, is a real must have. It could very well bring this visitor back to your website and a visitor might be converted to a client, who knows?
As I only write one post a month on which I sit brooding like a chicken on an egg, I sometimes think: Oh, no, somebody else is writing about it. Luckily that has not been the case yet otherwise I might be accused of copying.
This post caused quite some discussion even if the subject is one of those basic ones.
Be nice to each other and everything is going smoother.
Have a great weekend, Taetske