So, as you might have gathered, I read blogs quite a bit…I love real girl blogs the most, and of course a nautical coastal blog goes a long way with me too…
The other night I had a couple of cancellations for my kiddos sport, laundry was done, Mr BC was away on business, dinner was in the crock and that tub of mine was filling up with bubbles…
I had a semi-free early evening and a bit of time on my hands – enter white sofa and blog reading…
So I got to reading some new blogs and found some interesting things when attempting to comment on blogs and some I didn’t comment on because of various reasons…
Here are my tips for why you might be blogging your little coastal heart out but never get a single comment
1. You made me start typing strange letters that I can’t really see that well into a little box
Yep that verification code thingy….ditch it...like ditch it really really quickly…I won’t even consider doing that typing in letters stuff unless I am adamant I want a comment on this blog… so often I got to visit blogs in my linky party and I have to write a verification thingy…. I am busy and sometimes this is just too much bother for me at the end of a long day…so think about whether you really want that in there…
2. You made me try to register for an account.
Errm hello, so not only do you want me to surf on in to your blog, stay around awhile, like your content and hit that comment button, you want me to register? Nup.
3. There are so many links out of your blog I forget to comment.
A couple of links on your blog post is a good idea, it makes your site easy to explore and helps people find other relevant snippets on your wonderful site…but four or five links out in the same post, I end up clicking all of them, getting over-saturated and heading right on out that blog door, closing down everything without leaving you a comment.
4. You are Gonna Do What?
Oh yeah, so you want me to leave you a comment, but first you have to approve me and what I say?
Hmmm, maybe I just won’t bother with that.
I know a lot of people, (I sure DO know) have comment moderation because of spam and blog troll issues, but mostly, I don’t think this is one of your better ideas, especially with a new and growing blog…but if you do have comment moderation on your site, ensure you are approving those comments as quickly as you can…I take time to write you a comment and I go back a day later or even half a day later and it’s not there, I get a pouty lip and won’t ever leave a little comment for you again. Obviously my comments aren’t worth it
5. You Don’t Let me Link to My Blog
The other day someone left me a comment asking me to come visit their site. I did and I enjoyed it.
I wanted to let that blogger know that I appreciated her visit to my blog and wanted to say G’day and so I tried to comment, but I couldn’t because I could only comment if I was a member of certain blogging platforms…there wasn’t a spot for a self-hosted blog like mine where I could just add the url…I did leave the comment, but with an account that although it’s me, really it’s not the me me that I wanted them to get led back to and so it made me a bit miffed….on another occasion I probably just wouldn’t of bothered…
So have a little look at your comment section…are there things there that are putting people off….
And what makes you leave a comment on someone’s blog and what turns you off?
Thanks for the hints – I had to double check my blog to see if I could comment by leaving a name and a URL – yes, I’m good to go there, and I don’t have any verification steps.
But, I will admit that sometimes I put in more than a couple of links – I will try not to do that any more!
Please feel free to visit my blog (and leave a comment!) – Thanks also for your wonderful blogging hints, and decorating ideas – yours is one of my favorite blogs!!!
I would SOOOO love to see everyone to add their email address (instead of ‘no reply’) so that I can reply to EVERYONE who leaves a comment on my blog. It’s frustrating to have to actually have to take extra time to go to their blog to leave a Thank You. I try to visit everyone’s blog who does leave me a comment, but by the time I get there to leave a reply to their comment on my blog….I’ve forgotten what comment they left! Agh!!!!
I used to email everyone back, but that got very very time consuming and my family had to come first…now I answer on here and hope that my readers know I love them and love comments xo
The music on some blogs drives me up the wall. Then I have to hurriedly scroll up and down to find the ‘music maker’ and either pause it or mute it. But if I click on a link on their page, then come back to their blog, I have to do it all over again. BIG aggravation!
there are a very few blogs where I am a follower that have music, in fact I think it is too and yes I too am scrambling down to the bottom to turn off or quickly turning down my speakers x
Just did that. I think the music is still going. I just turned the speaker down. Sarah, I thought this was a great post. I’ve got to check my blog out now to see if you’d comment on mine!
Great tips! I follow all of them except comment moderation. I do have that because of some of the crazy spam comments. However, I read them all and have them posted the same day, often within minutes or the hour. I love comments so I can’t imagine waiting days to read them and “approve” them. With Blogger, it’s also much easier to keep up with comments and reply to them if they are moderated, meaning they come to your email inbox. I found without doing that, comments were being posted and I couldn’t keep up with them. I was missing some and it was difficult to reply which I think is an important thing to do especially when growing a new blog. Feel free to stop by mine and if you do, let me know if mine has any of that crazy stuff on it. I hope it works like I think it does
Good post, I so agree! Fairly New to Blogging, do you mean on the linking out of your post the linky parties #3 ? As far as leaving comments, I will if I really like something, because I know how I enjoy getting comments! What turns me off is the difficulty on some blogs who do not have enough ways to leave the comment. your #5. Thanks
I liked the code thingie, you are totaly right.
SO if I dont have all those rules on my blog whould you do me the honor and visit my blog ))
I’ll be waiting for your comment hehehhe
I’m not a blogger but I do follow some blogs and like to leave comments. I still don’t know what I’m doing as far as leaving comments. Although I’ve signed up to follow the blogs it won’t let me verify, sooooo I come up as Anonymous. Frustrating, and annoying!!!! The other day I was asked for my mobile number. When I didn’t provide it, I wasn’t able to leave a comment. Sorry, that was my rant…..
Have a good weekend. jojo3b
Hi Sarah,
I read this post yesterday and didn’t have time to comment so have come back again. I enjoyed reading the comments as much as the post, so I’m glad I did. On my blog I leave my comments section as open and easy as I think I can for people, it’s not a ‘big’ blog and has been going for about a year and I have only ever received one dodgy one that I deleted once I saw it.
What I do get a little frustrated about is the comments that ask me something and then when I go to reply they have a ‘norelpy’ email address and/or no blog so I’m stuck!
Thanks for this post ,
Have a good weekend.
x
I so agree with everything that you wrote in this post. Love it, and I wish that I knew how to link to it, so I could get even more people to stop using word verification. We need to spread the word….not the verification.
I have a Word Verification Free Blog badge on my blog, found it through another blogger, and I sincerely hate word verification. Ask any of the bloggers that I comment on…LOL.
I agree with all your wrote! I blog with blogger and I do not moderate or use word verify and I rarely get spam. They do a good job at filtering it so people should not be fearful of getting spam. And all my comments go to my email so I can respond easily that way. But not if they have the dreaded “noreply”. Some don’t have their profile open either!
I do have problems when I try to search for something within a blog. Sometimes they don’t date their posts or sometimes it’s no labels. I do need to work on better labels or tags myself. I know they can be helpful if used well.
the only thing you left out is MUSIC on a blog… nothing makes me click off a page quicker than some random music starting up if i’ve forgotten to shut down my speakers after listening to something i actually wanted to hear. besides that, it makes the page load slower…another reason to just leave it off, ok? no music. thank you very much.
Totally agree with everything accept the moderation point. I get masses of spam on my blog which has to be controlled and the odd poisonous comment from the nutters out there that I won’t allow to be published. However, I moderate as quickly as possible.
Great post! I totally agree!
One small (NOT) thing that I get really annoyed about is blogs with music starting playing without me knowing. It makes me jump in my seat every time. I can’t understand why the blogger don’t grasp that every reader have different taste in music? I tend to not visit that blog again. Sad because the blog itself may be very nice.
I’m a voracious blog reader. It comforts me to know that famous bloggers take time to read not-so-famous bloggers’ sites. One thing that bugs me is when bloggers bribe readers into voting for them in competitions.
Great commentary! Yes, I am a blogger (www.alamodeus.net), but I am also an avid blog reader. So, I agree that commenting on posts should be as effortless as possible to encourage interaction. I have to say, however, that I have two bigger pet peeves: one is a blog with music. For the most part, the music selection is fine, but I will visit a music site when I’m in the mood for a lovely (non repetitive) tune. (By the way, I often have my own music background playing, so I don’t need to hear yours.) Second: be mindful of your image sizes when building your posts. Too low resolution is less that professional and never flattering to your subject matter. Too high resolution or sizing makes loading your post slow … signaling to me that it’s time to move on to another blog.
Love your thinking Sarah..yay..I wondered if I was either lazy or stupid, both of which I am not,
when it came to leaving a quick encouraging comment on some blogs.
..and the “oversatuaration ‘comment is right on too….real people with real lives
sharing real stuff has a simplistic beauty that is quickly destroyed by pushy marketing
and overkill advertising…thanks for the thoughts
I just recently started following your blog. And this was too a problem with my own blog. A little feed back from some people and they were like, “huh?” what am i supposed to do. I am not sure I have it correctly having a 3 month old blog, but I changed my settings. But I like your set up here “Speak Your Mind”. It’s a one stop shop. Is there somewhere I can get your simple comment layout? Thanks!
I have a private blog, but I do have comments go through moderation. I only post about once/twice a week, and when I do I check my comments. (So! I guess I should be checking more often, I don’t want people to think I don’t appreciate their comments, I soooo do!) I get a TON of spam – mostly attempts at marketing, so I think the moderation is important for my blog. It also forces me to go through each comment individually and gives me a chance to respond right then.
I understand your frustration about the code thingy. But, unfortunately in todays world websites need real protection against robots and spammers. Without a captcha verification, an automated script can create thousands of accounts and take advantage of your site. I know this ’cause my husband is a computer programmer and obsessed with security.
By the way, I love your site. I have been reading it for years. I’m British also, transplanted to Oregon, US. and dream of life by the sea!
Hey Sarah,
I agree 1,000 percent with you on this, I am usually looking for ideas and fun things to find and read, I do not usually have time to register…so I move on… Thanks for pointing these things out Awesome out pouring. ;0)
Yes it is very annoying when people ask you to comment, enter a competition, or you just want to wish them well with their endeavours/ recent loss etc……….and it says – type in your account?? so I presume this means if you don’t have your own blog etc… your aren’t worth leaving a comment…pfft….frustrating! Anyways, keep up the good work – and a great topic luv!!
Cheers
Hmmm as a fairly new blogger, (since April) I have so many questions to ask! Sometimes I find blogger so difficult to use. I also find it tricky to comment on other peoples blogs (like I have to always sign back in to my own blog, when I actually was signed in, whilst trying to comment) I just went to check my comment settings. I think I have set them at the easiest possible way. How is that your blog is so refreshingly easy to comment on? Is it because it is not through blogger? Thanks whatever it is!
I love visiting blogs and find with the coupon blogs I visit are just as easy to comment on as yours,but with the exception of one other blogger I cannot comment on anyone else’s blog in the whole diy/craft/sewing/home blogging world as they all want your url or whatever-I don’t even know what that is or how to get one or if I even want one. Very frustrating! Thanks for making yours so user freindly which I didn’t realize it was until this post because I assumed it was just as difficult as all the other ones out there.
Dude, you’ve been like one of my favs and now I know why. So very true. Not that my posts are exceptional but I do moderate comments as soon as I get it – Emails on your phone is a good thing and so is reciprocation.
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive learn something like this before. So nice to find any individual with some original ideas on this subject. realy thanks for beginning this up. this web site is something that’s needed on the web, somebody with slightly originality. useful job for bringing something new to the web!
Spot on with this write-up, I really assume this website wants far more consideration. I?ll probably be once more to learn far more, thanks for that info.
G'day! I'm Sarah, I live in a tatty old cottage, near the sea in Australia with a battered old deck & a big old fig tree out the back...stripped wooden floors, old sash windows & a jumble of vintage furniture. [Read More …]
Beach Cottage ladies, we have some vintage linen and some wood/twig washed up on the beach today here in Beach Cottage Land….don’t say I don’t keep you entertained now will you . Come on in. So, yep I have posted about colanders on this blog, about things sourced from the side of the road, about [...]
G'day ladies, let's have a Too Easy Beach Cottage recipe yeah? The original place for Too Easy Recipes on the web ;-)
So, after my last salad went down a storm in my inbox, that's here if you missed it, I had to do this one seeing as I make it most weeks.
There is a problem with this salad and kiddos though...it looks, well, it looks, kinda yucky...but once they try it, they'll ask if and when they are next having it....at least that's what happens in this ratty old cottage...but I must interject here that my kiddos are 'good eaters'? ...they didn't get a choice in that ;-)
Now, stop, don't start running and hitting that next on your blog reading list, pulses are your best friend in the Too Easy Dump & Go kitchen for the busy mum, or busy anyone for that matter...that reminds me I must blog the garlic canneloni Go To for when you forgot to do dinner, feel like a bath but have three ravenous young Beach Cottage Kiddos on your hands...another day.
I am almost embarrassed to tell you how easy this is, we have it so much that I always have a couple, make that six, cans of lentils around and a jar of goat's cheese in the fridge...the great thing about this is that it's all too easy to get ready in just a few minutes, but it looks, tastes and seems like you did oh so very much more than that.
You can obviously too change it up a bit depending on what you have to hand in your kitchen, and I must say that is how I settled on this version...because one day when I made it I didn't have enough Parsley in the garden and so I chucked in some basil too, and liked the Summer feel it added.
I think of this as being a rather posh salad, not sure why, because it couldn't really be further from the truth...the great thing is that it works so well for an average run of the mill day, (when I did this for this blog post, it was a hot Sydney Sunday and I did it just simply to go with Rosemary & Garlic stuffed pork, you can see that pork here),
...but just as easily it works on a regular old Wednesday night when you have lost all enthusiasm for rustling up yet another meal, or indeed on Saturday night, when your friends are on their way over for dinner and you my friend, are in your new vintage inspired clawfoot bathtub (that's me in a few weeks time, k?) without any clothes on, a tipple and no idea what to cook for dinner...
I have a complicated and ever-changing relationship with goat's cheese...it never fails me in its performance and it never fails to impress me (you can find out a bit more on what I like in food here if you like) and I kinda collect it...because it's very easy to collect and has a fairly long fridge-life, I love trying out different ones and there's not many things I love more than goat's cheese on sourdough...but I think the best thing about it is not thinking about it exclusively in the toast/salad department...I've stuffed it in chicken and all sorts of things as a last minute and it's been fab.
But let's get down to the nitty gritty of this super salad that makes you look like an angel who has been on her knees all day scrubbing the front step when really you are in the digital world and spent most of ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, howdy, howdy howdy today for a Beach Cottage Too Easy recipe.
If you like cake, cream, sugar and chocolate, make this.
This is, rather than a recipe, a putting it together...as you know I am no dessert maker, but, I do make quite a few sweet things, because, somehow I have ended up with kiddos, who in their roles as offspring, believe that part of the deal, is that not only do I feed them a home-cooked meal with a few homegrown ingredients in there, yes, they also believe that dessert and not the kind that comes out of a packet is included too in this All-Inclusive Deal they call Parenthood.
So, this, for sure, is no culinary masterpiece, but if you are looking for something that is so very easy, dump-able, uses everyday ingredients and at the same time makes you look like you spent hours pulling things together plus tastes good....well, then this is for you.
Best though, you don't make this for yourself, if you have spent the most part of your week sitting on your derriere reading blogs...this my friend ain't low in the calories department...if, however, you are treating yourself to a delight in a mason jar, this is so for you.
I first had a version of this when at dinner back in Old Blighty with a girl, I once, in another life, caught the train up from our village to London with...she was a funny thing really...I am not quite sure how we got on...she was kinda prissy and a bit bothered by too much...I would run to the train flustered, having got up late, and she would have a spreadsheet on the train times, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, a few years later when we both had bambinos, I bumped into her again and we met up for playdates and dinner sometimes....this particular night, after a lovely meal she served up little bowls of creamy, cakey fruity stuff topped off with chocolate flake...it was delicious!
She didn't serve hers in little jars like this, hers were in a champagne glass and not quite so layered as these ones, plus she used tinned fruit not fresh or frozen.
Years later when said offspring kept requesting dessert, one day I wangled together somehow these from what was around in the fridge and they've been with us ever since.
Most likely, if you ever come here for dinner, and shock horror, you dont' bring the dessert with you, this, if you are lucky, will be what you will get.
Throw it all together, sprinkle a lil bit of chocolate on the top and the blog reading past-time you so rudely left in order to make this, is my friend, your oyster.
Beach Cottage Too Easy Layered Raspberry, Cream & Sponge Dessert
1 small maderia or butter cake or a pack of cupcakes (or of course make your own)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp fruit
1 x chocolate Flake or chocolate bar for grating
1. beat the cream cheese until it is soft
2. whip the cream until soft peaks form
3. combine & add the sugar through
4. cut your cake into portions
& layer into the bottom of your jar
5. add a tablespoon of fruit
6. layer on top the cream combo
7. repeat
8. grate chocolate or Flake on top
*Beach Cottage Recipe Notes : this is just a guide really, you can use any cream that you have on hand...I have made this with clotted cream (don't even go there unless you want to seriously get these babies on your thighs), with double cream and I have even, in desperate times squirted in that, ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, well I thought it was time for some blogging tips here today, alongside a few nice flowers and shells ;-)
I was recently part of a blogger discussion group over at Kidspot and a couple of hours later had a few questions from girls who couldn't make it to the live chat, one was on my Facebook page and one via email, the Facebook one I will deal with in another Real Girl Blogging Tips post...the email one asked me what essentials do I think every blog needs?
Well I have been around here for a while now doing the blogging thing, so I should know this, yeah and I mused this on my walk by the sea this morning I thought well what do you only need?
...I think it is really very easy when blogging, whether or not you are blogging up there in the lofty heights of the Super Bloggers or you are just dipping your toe in the water, to get side-tracked by 101 million different things that are 'essential' to your blog and if you are someone like me who actually gets a thrill from reading blogging tips then you are in an even worse place because you will find yourself literally buzzing with these essential things to add/do/implement on your blog.
However, walking along, gulping down that brisk sea air today (no sunshine & clouds) I thought you actually don't need any of that professional blogging stuff to be successful...but there are a few things that are pretty much crucial ...and once I started to think about it I got it down to about 5 - these are the only things that you need to concentrate on...once you have read through take a look at some of the big girl's blogs...you'll see that actually they don't have bundles of stuff on their blogs...but they do have all of these...
So here are my top things that your blog must have
1. About Page
There are all sorts of About Pages out there, and if you search on it there are many different tips and ideas for what to have on yours
Whatever blogging platform you use, adding an About Me Page is easy, quick and simple and will do everything to grow your blog.
I like a long-ish About Page, I am inherently nosy and I like to know a bit more about the person but at the least you should have on it your name and where you are located. I also think a photo is good too...over the last year or so I think this has become more important in blogging - if you are hesitant about that as I was, you can try using sunglasses or a behind shot until you get comfortable.
There is nothing worse than stumbling upon a new blog and going to find out more to only be faced with a piddly little one liner About Me Page...well there is something worse, not having one at all!
2. Contact Page
The chances are someone, somewhere will want to contact you and you will be surprised what lands in your inbox once you put yourself out there on the world wide web with a blog.
Many bloggers also use this page to include details for PR's/brands that may want to contact them and some bloggers put their stats on there too.
A short, to the point and simple Contact Page works really well...whenever I have wanted to contact another blogger I am often very busy and have limited time so I don't want to hang around sifting through information looking for an email address, so concise and clear ...
G'day lovely Beach Cottage lovelies.
So, yeah, so on a roll people, so on a roll.
I feel kinda home accessory wired right now.
I am always telling people, if anyone ever listens, that blogging is all about passion, not that sort of passion, but about passion that makes one tick.
Things like this make me tick tick boom.
I love finding things that suit my budget and let me treat my home but look amazing too.
So without further adieu I introduce you, ladies of the beach, to the blue vintage glasses that I have been stroking for about a week or two now...
These glasses are from a little boutique I sometimes happen upon, this boutique sells also pet accessories, carpet cleaner, bras and compost...it's quite unique though.
And, thanks to my friend Marnie (she blogs over here, go take a look at her praying position, interesting), who just so happens to be one day having me over for a lil' Greek dinner, has let me in on the fact that we call Kmart....The KMart...with an accent ....as in 'I love The KMart'...just like her MIL does. Oh yeah. Love that.
So I have had my eye on reproduction vintage glass blue wine glasses and being trying to find real true vintage blue glasses for like ever.
Oh yes I have spied them in Frenchy boutiques, I have lusted after them in stores that I shouldn't even enter and I have put them back pretty quickly in those shops with the hand-written price tags. C'mon, you know the ones.
And, though all of the above have tempted me, muchly, really, even with my wardrobe stashing skills I just thought that, actually, I'd rather be saving that casherooni for our next trip overseas..
Hello The KMart.
Tick Tick Boom
Vintage style blue wine glasses.
Do not come to my old place and think you might pick up one of these and smile with pleasure at their handblown quality, their weight, and be secretly jealous that my wine glasses cost more than your car...friend, that would not happen...these do not feel like that...indeed these in a funny way reminded me of my baby girl, she was a tiny little thing, with stick legs, the tinsssssssiest ankles and wrists you ever did see, she slept sideways in her cot wedged in between rolled up blankets and would only settle attached to Mr Beach Cottage or I or a (dirty) pj top of mine scrunched up under her nose...the first few times I picked her up to cuddle, being used to Honeymoon Baby who weighed in at 9lbs at birth and has never really stopped growing, I nearly threw her little bird-cum-rat down covered body over my shoulder.
These glasses are like that...be careful or you might lose your wine down the front of your shirt.
But oh baby, we are not talking picking up here, we are not talking quality, we are not talking house accessory snobbery.
Beach Cottage ladies, we are talking aesthetics.
And this is what I need in my cottage.
Blue vintage style glass, paired with coastal / nautical / beach stuff on my deck.
It's The KMart.
Tune in tomorrow, tomorrow, I have more budget foofing for your home, or maybe it will be the dress that wraps me up in supermarket-chic and makes me feel like me again.
Good Day to you my friends, wanna come hang out on my deck, talk house accessories, The KMart and drink some wine from blue glasses?
Sarah
oops! should read “under MY name”…
I agree! LIKE! You are so smart!
I especially despise the typing the code that I can’t really read. It makes me wonder what’s wrong with me!
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who is driven crazy by those codes. Half the time I don’t even get them right…!
Thanks for the hints – I had to double check my blog to see if I could comment by leaving a name and a URL – yes, I’m good to go there, and I don’t have any verification steps.
But, I will admit that sometimes I put in more than a couple of links – I will try not to do that any more!
Please feel free to visit my blog (and leave a comment!) – Thanks also for your wonderful blogging hints, and decorating ideas – yours is one of my favorite blogs!!!
thanks Susan, I appreciate being one of your faves
x
I would SOOOO love to see everyone to add their email address (instead of ‘no reply’) so that I can reply to EVERYONE who leaves a comment on my blog. It’s frustrating to have to actually have to take extra time to go to their blog to leave a Thank You. I try to visit everyone’s blog who does leave me a comment, but by the time I get there to leave a reply to their comment on my blog….I’ve forgotten what comment they left! Agh!!!!
xoxo laurie
I used to email everyone back, but that got very very time consuming and my family had to come first…now I answer on here and hope that my readers know I love them and love comments xo
The music on some blogs drives me up the wall. Then I have to hurriedly scroll up and down to find the ‘music maker’ and either pause it or mute it. But if I click on a link on their page, then come back to their blog, I have to do it all over again. BIG aggravation!
me too!
there are a very few blogs where I am a follower that have music, in fact I think it is too and yes I too am scrambling down to the bottom to turn off or quickly turning down my speakers x
Just did that. I think the music is still going. I just turned the speaker down. Sarah, I thought this was a great post. I’ve got to check my blog out now to see if you’d comment on mine!
Sorry, didn’t mean to post that comment anonymously! Was in a hurry to get my thoughts down before I forgot what I was going to say!
Great tips! I follow all of them except comment moderation. I do have that because of some of the crazy spam comments. However, I read them all and have them posted the same day, often within minutes or the hour. I love comments so I can’t imagine waiting days to read them and “approve” them. With Blogger, it’s also much easier to keep up with comments and reply to them if they are moderated, meaning they come to your email inbox. I found without doing that, comments were being posted and I couldn’t keep up with them. I was missing some and it was difficult to reply which I think is an important thing to do especially when growing a new blog. Feel free to stop by mine and if you do, let me know if mine has any of that crazy stuff on it. I hope it works like I think it does
interested to hear how you do it in blogger….
I have askimet for the spam and that works really well…thousands and thousands of spam comments in there…and some aren’t so nice lol
x
Blogger does have a spam filter on its comment setting, though it doesn’t get them all, but it helps.
Good post, I so agree! Fairly New to Blogging, do you mean on the linking out of your post the linky parties #3 ? As far as leaving comments, I will if I really like something, because I know how I enjoy getting comments! What turns me off is the difficulty on some blogs who do not have enough ways to leave the comment. your #5. Thanks
not the linky parties, I mean the links either to other sites or inbound links…if there are too many I don’t go back to the original one and comment x
I liked the code thingie, you are totaly right.
))
SO if I dont have all those rules on my blog whould you do me the honor and visit my blog
I’ll be waiting for your comment hehehhe
Rasha @ mychampagnetaste
I never thought of checking my settings on the comment section. I will defintely go check it out now. Thanks for this post!
I know Tricia it is easily overlooked
Sarah, I LOVED THIS! And agree with every single word!!!!
Hugs!
Have a pretty day!
Kristin
Wow!!!!! This was so perfectly said, if that even makes sense!!!!! Ha, ha!!!!!! You are so right is what I am saying!!!!!!!!! Loved this post!!!!!!!!!
thanks Michelle
I’m not a blogger but I do follow some blogs and like to leave comments. I still don’t know what I’m doing as far as leaving comments. Although I’ve signed up to follow the blogs it won’t let me verify, sooooo I come up as Anonymous. Frustrating, and annoying!!!! The other day I was asked for my mobile number. When I didn’t provide it, I wasn’t able to leave a comment. Sorry, that was my rant…..
Have a good weekend. jojo3b
wow I have never been asked for my mobile number….errrm like who would leave that???
x
Hi Sarah,
I read this post yesterday and didn’t have time to comment so have come back again. I enjoyed reading the comments as much as the post, so I’m glad I did. On my blog I leave my comments section as open and easy as I think I can for people, it’s not a ‘big’ blog and has been going for about a year and I have only ever received one dodgy one that I deleted once I saw it.
What I do get a little frustrated about is the comments that ask me something and then when I go to reply they have a ‘norelpy’ email address and/or no blog so I’m stuck!
Thanks for this post ,
Have a good weekend.
x
yes I get that to…
I so agree with everything that you wrote in this post. Love it, and I wish that I knew how to link to it, so I could get even more people to stop using word verification. We need to spread the word….not the verification.
I have a Word Verification Free Blog badge on my blog, found it through another blogger, and I sincerely hate word verification. Ask any of the bloggers that I comment on…LOL.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
me too Jen!
x
thanks, sarah. i am growing but have a lot to learn. i admire your confidence in what you do and your interest in helping others.
michele
I agree with all your wrote! I blog with blogger and I do not moderate or use word verify and I rarely get spam. They do a good job at filtering it so people should not be fearful of getting spam. And all my comments go to my email so I can respond easily that way. But not if they have the dreaded “noreply”. Some don’t have their profile open either!
I do have problems when I try to search for something within a blog. Sometimes they don’t date their posts or sometimes it’s no labels. I do need to work on better labels or tags myself. I know they can be helpful if used well.
the only thing you left out is MUSIC on a blog… nothing makes me click off a page quicker than some random music starting up if i’ve forgotten to shut down my speakers after listening to something i actually wanted to hear. besides that, it makes the page load slower…another reason to just leave it off, ok? no music. thank you very much.
Totally agree with everything accept the moderation point. I get masses of spam on my blog which has to be controlled and the odd poisonous comment from the nutters out there that I won’t allow to be published. However, I moderate as quickly as possible.
Great post! I totally agree!
One small (NOT) thing that I get really annoyed about is blogs with music starting playing without me knowing. It makes me jump in my seat every time. I can’t understand why the blogger don’t grasp that every reader have different taste in music? I tend to not visit that blog again. Sad because the blog itself may be very nice.
Wishing you a wonderful Friday!
☼
Anette Willemine
(Norway)
Hi,
Thank you for this pot. Very helpful!
I’m a voracious blog reader. It comforts me to know that famous bloggers take time to read not-so-famous bloggers’ sites.
One thing that bugs me is when bloggers bribe readers into voting for them in competitions.
Great commentary! Yes, I am a blogger (www.alamodeus.net), but I am also an avid blog reader. So, I agree that commenting on posts should be as effortless as possible to encourage interaction. I have to say, however, that I have two bigger pet peeves: one is a blog with music. For the most part, the music selection is fine, but I will visit a music site when I’m in the mood for a lovely (non repetitive) tune. (By the way, I often have my own music background playing, so I don’t need to hear yours.) Second: be mindful of your image sizes when building your posts. Too low resolution is less that professional and never flattering to your subject matter. Too high resolution or sizing makes loading your post slow … signaling to me that it’s time to move on to another blog.
Love your thinking Sarah..yay..I wondered if I was either lazy or stupid, both of which I am not,
when it came to leaving a quick encouraging comment on some blogs.
..and the “oversatuaration ‘comment is right on too….real people with real lives
sharing real stuff has a simplistic beauty that is quickly destroyed by pushy marketing
and overkill advertising…thanks for the thoughts
I just recently started following your blog. And this was too a problem with my own blog. A little feed back from some people and they were like, “huh?” what am i supposed to do. I am not sure I have it correctly having a 3 month old blog, but I changed my settings. But I like your set up here “Speak Your Mind”. It’s a one stop shop. Is there somewhere I can get your simple comment layout? Thanks!
I have a private blog, but I do have comments go through moderation. I only post about once/twice a week, and when I do I check my comments. (So! I guess I should be checking more often, I don’t want people to think I don’t appreciate their comments, I soooo do!) I get a TON of spam – mostly attempts at marketing, so I think the moderation is important for my blog. It also forces me to go through each comment individually and gives me a chance to respond right then.
My pet peeve is a ton of stuff in a blog sidebar. There have been times I was all set to follow someone, but couldn’t even find their GFC widget!
I understand your frustration about the code thingy. But, unfortunately in todays world websites need real protection against robots and spammers. Without a captcha verification, an automated script can create thousands of accounts and take advantage of your site. I know this ’cause my husband is a computer programmer and obsessed with security.
By the way, I love your site. I have been reading it for years. I’m British also, transplanted to Oregon, US. and dream of life by the sea!
Hey Sarah,
I agree 1,000 percent with you on this, I am usually looking for ideas and fun things to find and read, I do not usually have time to register…so I move on… Thanks for pointing these things out Awesome out pouring. ;0)
Hi Sarah,
Yes it is very annoying when people ask you to comment, enter a competition, or you just want to wish them well with their endeavours/ recent loss etc……….and it says – type in your account?? so I presume this means if you don’t have your own blog etc… your aren’t worth leaving a comment…pfft….frustrating! Anyways, keep up the good work – and a great topic luv!!
Cheers
I am so glad I found your blog and thus, this post. I am very new to blogging. I learned a lot from reading this. Thank you Sarah
MC
Hmmm as a fairly new blogger, (since April) I have so many questions to ask! Sometimes I find blogger so difficult to use. I also find it tricky to comment on other peoples blogs (like I have to always sign back in to my own blog, when I actually was signed in, whilst trying to comment) I just went to check my comment settings. I think I have set them at the easiest possible way. How is that your blog is so refreshingly easy to comment on? Is it because it is not through blogger? Thanks whatever it is!
Have a grand day and keep up the great work.
Amy
http://www.miloandmitzy.blogpsot.com
you just have to change the settings in blogger…
x
I love visiting blogs and find with the coupon blogs I visit are just as easy to comment on as yours,but with the exception of one other blogger I cannot comment on anyone else’s blog in the whole diy/craft/sewing/home blogging world as they all want your url or whatever-I don’t even know what that is or how to get one or if I even want one. Very frustrating! Thanks for making yours so user freindly which I didn’t realize it was until this post because I assumed it was just as difficult as all the other ones out there.
Dude, you’ve been like one of my favs and now I know why. So very true. Not that my posts are exceptional but I do moderate comments as soon as I get it – Emails on your phone is a good thing and so is reciprocation.
Such a good read Sarah.
Oh so true! I’ve had all those same thoughts many times!
Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive learn something like this before. So nice to find any individual with some original ideas on this subject. realy thanks for beginning this up. this web site is something that’s needed on the web, somebody with slightly originality. useful job for bringing something new to the web!
Spot on with this write-up, I really assume this website wants far more consideration. I?ll probably be once more to learn far more, thanks for that info.
I hate the letter-box-thing. I understand they don’t want any spam, but it’s not that difficult to eliminate spam manually.