Zen Leaf wrote a Sunday Salon post about what someone said to her about leaving comments and I've been watching the vibrant conversation there, after throwing my own comment into the ring (of course). The gist of the original statement made to her was that commenting is a form of self-advertising.
When I talk to people just starting out on blogging, I do suggest that one of the ways to bring your blog to the notice of others is to begin leaving comments on their blogs. So I guess in that sense it is advertising, BSP, or whatever you like to call it. For me, commenting in this way has been the beginning of good cyber-friendships. Here's a post (where the image comes from actually) that has some sensible things to say about commenting being an important part of social networking.The other thing that I suggest people do is reply to the comments that others leave. I do believe that blogging can be the beginnings of a conversation. Sadly, despite my own belief in the practice, I don't always get around to doing it.
I monitor well over 100 blogs through my RSS reader and through Blogs I'm watching, and through Crime and mystery fiction on FriendFeed and I don't always get around to leaving comments on people's blogs.
But I know how much I enjoy comments, and the conversations that can flow, not just between me and the commenter,but between fellow commenters. This blog post talks about the role of commenting in building relationships.
One of the things I hate are spam comments - you know the sort I mean - the ones that make you put commenting into moderation from time to time until the "person" gets tired of visiting. But I certainly don't object to friends who leave comments that just indicate they've read and enjoyed (or hated) the post. BTW you don't always have to agree with me.
So what is your attitude to comments and commenting? What practices do you recommend?
BSP="blatant self promotion"
