Use Threaded Comments To Communicate Effectively In Blog

Often, readers of your blog would ask question through the comments function in a post. By default, when we reply to the question using the same comments function, our answer will be listed under the question. However, for a busy blog that have bigger audiences, thus generating comments actively, sometime we will not be able to answer the question before somebody else asking another question. Or else, sometime we need extra time to think how to answer the question in good manners (especially if it is a provocative comments) So, how do we solve this problem?

Editing The Comments

When I first started blogging, I don’t really know how to reply to the comments. Especially when people are asking question. Then, I read NieysZahri’s journal, and I saw how she replied to comments. I kinda like her way, so I copied her style. Well, it works perfectly for me.

How to do this? You have to moderate each and every comments. Edit the comments, write in your reply in the same comments, and click approve. The pro are SPAM comments are hardly to get through and you ensure that you read every comments on the blog. In return, you will feel that you know the readers better and personally. However, the cons are it is only suitable for new blogs that have small numbers of comments and you have to log in to the dashboard each time you want to view if there is any new comment on your blog.

Reply Using @ or :

For those who doesn’t want to moderate and edit every comments, usually they will end up using this style. They reply using the comment function but they refer to the person who they replied to with the symbol @ or :.

The pro are you don’t have to log in to the dashboard when you want to reply to comments and you can allow comments to be approved automatically. The cons is if there is many comments, then you are easily get confused. More often, your answer won’t nested under the question. So, it will be harder for another readers (or even the same readers) to find the answer.

Brian’s Threaded Comments

Personally, I think this is the best style to use in the comments area. By using this plugin, it will add a link “Reply to this comment” under a comment. So, if you want to reply to a certain comment , you click the link, and the comment form will be brought to under the comment. Then, your reply will be nested under the question. Depending on how you set the plugin, the “Reply to this comment” function can be used for many level after the original comments.

Currently, I am using this plugin on the blog. The pro are I can set the blog to automatically approve comments and by putting the latest comments on the sidebar, I will be able to see which comment I have to reply, and reply it without log in to the dashboard. The cons is not all themes are suitable with this plugin. If it is not suitable, your comment’s font will become really smaller, like what happened to my eXploreJohor blog. Plus, the plugin requires JAVA enabled browser and if I am not mistaken, it will make a little modification to your database.

Yet Another Threaded Comment

If your blog’s theme aren’t suitable with Brian’s threaded comment, then consider to use the Yet Another Threaded Comment Plugin. Compared to Brian’s, this plugin is simpler and easier to install. It didn’t require JAVA and it didn’t modify your database. However, the fonts still appearing smaller. You can view a sample of this plugin over at my Simply Blog Directory. If anyone know how to correct the font, please tell me.. I hate it

Conclusion

No matter what method you use to reply to your readers, it is a good moves to always reply your readers. At least, appreciate your commenter by saying thanks to them. Or, you can learn the 6 tips to attract more comments on your blog from AdeLam.