Disapproved SiteComments? - You Could Be Making This Mistake.
SiteIt's happened three times in the last few days...
I go to approve a comment at SiteComments, only to find that the comment does not relate to the post I've requested a comment for.
There are three reasons I can think of for why this is happening:
- You didn't want to comment on the post I requested a comment for so you chose one you'd rather read and comment about.
- You mistakenly think that you can choose any post on the website for comment.
- You've already left a comment on the post previously but it's been presented to you again for a comment.
This is not the way that SiteComments is meant to work however.
When someone requests comments they want the comment for the post they have specified.
If you click on the View This Page button on the left, the post that you are meant to read and comment on will open in a new tab. That is the post you should be reading.
Also in the comment block you will also see the link of the post you are meant to be reading and commenting on. (See below)
If you leave a comment for a different post than the one required, once approved it will be published under the post that was requested. Obviously it won't make sense to anybody else reading the comments.
If your comments are being disapproved it may be because you're making the above mistake, knowingly or not.
Personally I have not disapproved any of the comments I have had like this because the comments themselves have been fine.
I do leave a note saying...
It looks as if this comment is in response to another post of mine - (Other Post Link) Perhaps you left it here by accident? Here's my reply anyway.
This way anybody else reading the comment who is interested can go to the other post easily.
So that's about how I turn an error into something useful, however I don't want to be doing this as a habit so if it continues I will have consider disapproving comments that don't relate to the post.
Have you been making this mistake? It's an easy to do so don't feel bad, but now you know. :)
If you've requested comments have you had this happen too? How did you deal with it?
Recent Comments
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I have had someone leave the post on the wrong article. What I did was wrote to that person and asked what post they meant to leave it on. We have the ability to change the comment to the correct post. It's an easy fix all the way around. Then re-request the comment on the post you needed. The person happily did it for me.
I don't think I've commented in SiteComments at all this month, but I really appreciate sitecomments and every single person who has ever taken the time to comment on my own post.
I appreciate you because sometimes leaving comments on a post is a real pain, so I figure it's about the same for you, but you do it any way. So thanks!
I generally figure people who screw up the comments are doing the same thing most of the rest of the people are doing — learning to do something they haven't had much practice at?
Other than not being particurally good at leaving great comments like most of the ones I get — my biggest mistake is sometimes getting carried away and commenting on the blog instead of on SiteComments?
I hope a lot of new commers read this great post, because it's easy for me to read a post, get interested, and start reading other post before I leave a comment. I've left a lot of comments on SiteComments and so far haven't been banned, but if it can be done wrong, I can assure you I've done it.
To answer your question about what I do with comments that do not suit me — I consider myself to be the sole owner of anything on my websites. If I own it I can edit it, thankyou for it, and wish you the best.
Hi Mike
I agree with you. I am grateful for comments people leave. I have not yet disapproved any comments because I haven't yet come across something that I haven't been able work with in some way.
I get that we are all busy and I appreciate that someone has taken the time and put in the effort to write a comment regardless. I am also sure most people who make mistakes are not doing so intentionally.
What I like about your response here is your honesty Mike and also the reminder that sometimes errors are made very innocently and as a result of enthusiasm and eagerness more than anything.
I wrote this post with the intention of bringing this to people's attention who may be making this error. I often read posts from people complaining that they are having comments disapproved which must be very disheartening when you don't understand the reason why.
Thanks for the great response.
~Mark :)
I've noticed an increase of late in this issue too - had to disapprove so many comments in recent weeks. I politely thank the person for their feedback because it is often really valuable feedback but advise them that as I requested a comment on the post I cannot accept it. Hate doing it but it must be done.
Regards,
Megan
Thanks Megan. It seem to be quite a common problem. I'm not really sure how it can be improved except through educating people when they get it wrong.
~Mark :)
Hi Mark, I don't actually use the SiteComments facility as I've heard of this happening quite frequently. My alternative is to go to the discussion thread and share the posts there. It seems to be so much easier to moderate. Need website comments? the give and take comment thread Brian
I agree with you Brian. I have used the comment thread you speak of. Think I will use it a bit more. :)
~Mark :)
My biggest problem with site comments has been people treating it more like feedback. They will comment on weaknesses in my web design or make suggestions to improve my site, which has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of my post. I don't really want readers to focus on flaws in the site...that's why I also use the site feedback feature for that type of input. I think some people may not see the difference in the two systems.
Sometimes it's difficult because a great comment is mixed in with feedback on the site. I haven't declined any comments yet, but I am thinking about deleting a couple comments because it bothers me that readers outside WA may see those comments and look at my site differently.
I wouldn't delete the comments as it is published and indexed content on your site, however, in both SiteComments and Wordpress you have the ability to edit the comment and this is what I usually do.
I frequently need to edit things such as spelling, sentence structure, to create more white space etc. and recently I received one of those mixed comments and I was able to turn it into a great comment without much editing, and then I was able to write a lengthy reply as well.
Yeah I have had some of those too Theresa. I also edit comments if I can as per Forrest's response although I do not approve site feedback since it would just look out of place on the post.
~Mark :)
Yeah I also do that if I can Forrest. Sometimes it works well but other times if I have to change the comment completely I don't feel I can do that so then I disapprove the comment, but I try my best not to.
~Mark :)
Just just click the edit button and you can re-write the whole comment if you choose but I don't feel that's right, so I just change and improve the comment as much as I think is acceptable.
Wow, okay. I never imagined editing someone else's comment would be allowed. Nice to know. I would never edit or make it different than what they posted, but I would like to remove those feedback lines so they don't distract my non-WA readers.
Yes, you can edit the comment.
There is a video somewhere in the certification training where Kyle shows doing things such as making the keywords bold and even adding links to comments as well.
Sometimes I add keywords to the comment myself, for example, if someone comments something like " I really enjoyed reading this article" I change it to " I really enjoyed reading this article on how to do keyword research" or whatever.
There was another discussion here recently where some of the members send a PM kindly telling someone they left feedback instead of a comment and ask if they would like to edit it so they won't have to disapprove it.
In SiteComments when someone leaves a comment, you get a notification and if you hover over their gravatar, you can see who it is and go to their profile to PM from there otherwise, you will only see their gravatar name in SiteComments.
I believe that people get too hasty to leave a comment and forget what the comments are for. It's not a numbers game, but giving good feed back related to the post so that it shows you have engaged the reader.
More or not, I think these mistakes are purposely done, but just didn't take the time to do it right.
Yeah Donald I don't think it's intentional but the time pressure on puts people under a lot of stress. I have always been a more thorough but slower type person. I think generally there is far too much emphasis on quantity over quality.
~Mark :)
Great post Mark and very informative on this hot topic. Also, what about when you go to leave a comment, but it brings you to their home page. What should someone do in this situation. I think your solution is great with linking back to the requested post for the comment mix up.
Thanks,
Marcus
Hi Marcus
Yes I have also had the home page come up and on occasions, no page.
I usually try it once more and if it's still not working I click "I'm not interested" and move on to the next website.
I just don't have time to mess around with it and I'm also not taking the risk of leaving a comment that gets rejected.
Thanks
~Mark :)
I've disapproved comments if their not relevant to the comment request. It takes too much time to redirect and so on (in my opinion), and I think that still may look awkward if they posted on the wrong post. Plus, before requesting comments, you either have to take the time to comment for others or pay, so when it's my turn to have the favor reciprocated, I want it done well.
Hi Tiffany,
I can fully understand your stance on this and appreciate why you do what you do.
To be honest this is the first time I have had this problem arise so as I say if it continues I too will be doing what you are otherwise it just compromises the the overall website experience for others.
~Mark :)
Hey Mark. I’ve been making a lot of comments this month as part of the SWAG challenge, and I’ve noticed with increasing frequency when I click on “make another comment “ a post will come up that I’ve already read and commented on. There’s probably not a filter to keep that from happening, so I was wondering if it’s a no-no to make a second comment or if I should just go ahead and comment again. I don’t want to waste my time if it’s going to get disapproved.
Hey Grant
Yes I have experienced the same thing. Usually I recognize I have commented before so I just click the "I'm not interested" button and move on to the next post.
I don't see the point of reading another post on the site and leaving a comment in SiteComments since then the blog owner will end up with the same issue I wrote about in this post, and may very well disapprove the comment which would be a waste of your time.
It would be ideal if somehow we were not presented with posts we have already commented on, or a way to leave an alternative comment that links to the right post.
Maybe it's a development for the future? Thanks Grant.
~Mark :)
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Hi Mark,
I've experienced discrepancies also. Members' comments arrive through my email. These open with the member's name & blog title as a link. when I click the link, a different member's blog opens?? What? Has anyone else had this experience? Or better, what can be done to correct this situation?
Thank you, Mark for opening this discussion,
Lovetta**
Wow I haven't experienced that one. Be interesting to hear if others have. Thanks for adding here. :)
~Mark :)