Comments are essential - here are tips for commenting well
A Comment is NOT FEEDBACK
Comments are just that; they are part of the conversation. Talking about post layout or image selection is NOT joining in the conversation. There is a place for such input, and that place is Site Feedback, or a Private Message, Email or Contact Us message. It is not a comment on a blog post or page.
Saying something nice about the post or the topic is OK, and it is fine to request clarification if a point is hard to follow. That is part of joining the conversation. But if your comment is mostly about how to improve the post or how great it is, that isn't a comment; it is feedback, delivered in the wrong format and place.
Anatomy of a Real Comment
A legitimate, useful comment follows a few basic rules:
- The person commenting read the post, and it shows - they've gotten through enough of the conversation to join the discussion.
- They have enough interest in the topic and the discussion to actually get into the give and take of the conversation with a question or point that relates to material being discussed
- They add a point, a story or a perspective that expands the discussion
- They either ask a question, or provide opinion or input that calls for a response from the author or other readers
This isn't always easy if the topic is of little interest to you. I'm not the best at commenting on contract bridge or dungeons and dragons, so it takes more work for me to participate in those discussions. If the post is too involved I may have to give up on it and not offer a comment because it would take too much time, research or imagination to add anything. If that happens I move on, because I don't believe in leaving non-comments.
Good comments needn't be long or overly complex, but they need to add something to the discussion, or raise questions that are relevant and expand the conversation. This does take longer to do, but the beauty of it is that if you do it correctly, you learn something new almost every time!
I hope you write and get great comments.
Steve
Recent Comments
19
Comments versus feedback seems to be something that all newbies at WA struggle with in the beginning. This is a great explanation of why it's so important to understand the difference.
In my opinion, comments can also be used to encourage the writer to keep writing. I believe that if you have enjoyed the post and found it to be informative, or thought-provoking, as your post here is, then you should let the writer know that they have accomplished this. Wouldn't you agree?
I absolutely would agree - that's a powerful reason to comment and to join the conversation. But, this message carries much more power when it is part of a contribution to the discussion that includes new information on the topic or a specific question or request that expands the discussion or delves more deeply into part of it.
Praise and encouragement are valuable, but they are diluted here at WA by the fact that trading comments is easier if accompanied by generic encouragement rather than actual discussion. I can provide generic praise and encouragement to any article without reading more than a line or two. Since many people know that, and do it, those who actually read the content and appreciate it are lost in the pile of those who use this approach to cheat the system and get more comments without actually providing quality comments in return. I don't know if google or bing count those generic encouragement comments as actual engagement, but I do not.
Good suggestions Stephen. Like you, if the post is too long or complicated and I don't have a good grasp of the topic, or it takes to much reseach or time to respond, I usually move on.
If I leave a "Thanks for sharing" comment (rare), I at least add something specific to that to let the author know that I have actually read the post and to reinforce what I appreciated about it.
It's always interesting to read the variety of opinions provided in the comments. From the funny or sarcastic to the detailed, scientific, over my head comments. Either way, I usually learn as much or sometimes more from the comments made as I do actual posts.
Clearly, Cynthia, you are working harder on learning from comments and crafting them than most. Thanks for that effort. I hope more folks will head down that path.
Yes, I think I do. Both write and get....
Thanks to everyone who commented on my posts. Never wanted to change anything...:)
Great article, I struggled to understand between Comments and Feedback but I am getting better everyday.
Great post Steve! I definitely agree with you about not leaving a "non-comment" on a post that is overly complicated or complex for my current knowledge-base. When leaving comments in SiteComments, it's always interesting to see what kind of topics will pop up. Like you said, when done right, leaving comments the right way, in and of itself, can be educational and can lead to further engagement from other visitors.
I'll admit, when I first started here at WA, I didn't have a firm grasp on what it took to leave a good comment. All the more reason to have posts like these that lay it out line by line.
Best regards,
Kent
Thanks, Kent,
Glad this explanation resonated with you. I think Kyle does a good job in the training explaining comments and feedback, but it takes most of us time to really 'get it' and fully appreciate how to craft these things.
I appreciate you commenting on this one.
Cheers,
Steve
Excellent information Steve. It's good to get this reminder from time to time.
I have found that good comments can actually add much value to the post. They can bring more clarity to a point depending on the knowledge and experience of the commenter.
It can also inspire other ideas for a follow-up post or a new topic altogether.
I have had comments that were so beneficial, they made my article seem so much better.
All the best.
David
Thanks David.
I've had the same experience with comments adding to the power of the post. Ideally, the comments will add more useful content than the post itself. That's the real test of engagement; if we engage the reader effectively enough, we just open the discussion and they add most of the powerful content.
I'm not there yet, but I'm trying!
Cheers,
Steve
Very true. I like that last part you said there.
Also, Google will pay out some rewards as well.
David
See more comments
Thank you for this helpful clarification.