DISQUS

bbluesman · 1 year ago

I always relate to comments more as time-shifted conversation unless commenter get s too abstract and clearly needs no reply, but rather a map back to earth...

Meryn Stol · 1 year ago

I think that blog comments are not intrinsically anything more than their technical definition.
A blog comment can be seen both as a reply, literally a "comment" on someone else's post, to take note of by the blogger, or they could be seen as a continuation of the conversation.

Come to think of it, the same holds true for blog posts. Some people write their posts as part of a large conversation, some are more or less teaching or writing field reports. This post by you is clearly conversational: You ask a question.

I think there are two important influences on how blog posts or comments are seen:
- What the reader expects. If he sees himself as a passive reader, or as a participant in the conversation
- How the post or comment is written. Does the author seem open to new ideas, or is everything set in stone. Does he pose a question to the group or to a specific person, etc etc.

Much of this depends on community norms and expectations, and they differ from place to place.
I guess the bloggers who are also very active on friendfeed generally write as part of a conversation, and also hope their comments will be seen as such. Most people who read this blogs and comments in turn feel an invitation to respond with a comment or a blog post of their own, to extend the conversation.

Louis Gray · 1 year ago

As you said, some blog posts themselves lend well to conversation. Others are just news reports which can be taken at face value, and aren't part of an overall communication strategy.

felix · 1 year ago

I think it can be either - the best comments are part of a conversation, although plenty are simply one off replies. But the conversation also does not require the original author's input I've seen plenty of conversations start in comments purely among the commenters. To some degree, that's kind of the best. :)

OwenC · 1 year ago

I think comments can be either type. As a blogger, I try to stimulate conversation, but comments can be both open (encouraging further responses) or closed. Both are valid, but I think the former is much more valuable, both to the blogger and to the reader

Zane Safrit · 1 year ago

A couple of thoughts:

A. There is no conversation without a reply.
B. Not leaving a comment is a reply. Silence is acceptance, endorsement.
C. Walking away from a conversation is similar...but has a much different impression.
C. You can only decide your responses. You can't dictate either the reply, its format, frequency or its content.

Bloggers, collectively, tilt the scale towards noisy egoists. Do meek, unopinionated, bloggers exist? And still, no one's forced to read, write or comment on blogs. That's what makes the conversations worth joining.

Jitendra · 1 year ago

Louis,

Interesting point...I tend to believe that blog comments and conversation on other social sites like forums, wikis etc. are all part of conversation...but for I do believe that the context for the blog comments comes from the post and taking them out can really be confusing...

my 2 cents :-)

-jitendra

Beth Kanter · 1 year ago

I think you need a conversation strategy ... that considers who want to have the conversation with and where they are listening or hanging out.

Here's a diagram
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/2...

Here's a post
http://beth.typepad.com/beths_blog/2008/06/what...

allen stern · 1 year ago

if you aren't replying to your commenters where appropriate, then you are just standing on your soapbox - in fact, i'd argue not replying makes you look like more of an egotist as you call it.

Michael Brito · 1 year ago

short answer - yes.

long answer - depends on the quality of comments from commenter and author. The conversational burden is on the author though; because he/she should attempt to respond to comments worthy of a response (not talking about the "great post" responses either).

Great post, btw.

Michael Brito · 1 year ago

also, if you fail to respond to any of these comments, then NO, it's not a conversation.

Louis Gray · 1 year ago

The key word you used here was fail, as if it was an obligation to respond. In some circles, I'd say the blog post is itself the blogger's position, and comments would be the realm of the visitors.

James · 1 year ago

I guess the bloggers who are also very active on friendfeed generally write as part of a conversation, and also hope their comments will be seen as such.
http://www.flashgenesis.com/