Interesting Observations

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Delete or Edit Comments?

pearl 60

Boys Having Fun

photo by Rayphua

When I first started blogging, I remember not getting even a single comment and it hurt real bad. I kept writing and slowly people started reading and commenting and then some also started linking to my posts and the blog which brought more people to read and give feedback and I felt part of this wonderful community. I LOVE getting comments and hearing different takes on what I write and I LOVE discussions taking place here on the blog.

I have gotten to know so many people by their first names and remember their blogs that now when I see them on some social media site, I can immediately tell who this person is and remember to go to their blog and leave a comment on their post of the day or just say a hi via comment form etc.

But what do I do when some inanimate object like Sofa, Dining Tables, Swimming Pools, Stock Trading Software, Printed Circuit Boards or Ghillie Suits leave a comment and I have no way of knowing who this person is? Clicking on the links they leave gets you to their niche site or some made for adsense site.

Sometimes the comment is nothing but gibrish and I don’t have to think twice about deleting it. My dilemma comes when the comment itself is good but the commenter leaves their business name instead of their own name in the ‘name’ box. I wouldn’t want to delete the comment but I also do not like to talk to furniture or circuit boards.

What do you do? Do you edit the comment or delete it altogether?

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60 comments
pearl

@Stephen – I understand people want to get the benefit, and I didn’t mind it either really – only recently it started getting to me – with commentLuv, they do have the keyword rich links as you said – so there was no need to over do it – just took the focus away from real conversation….

good to have you back Stephen – hope you visit again!

RennyBA

Its a tough question and many have left good answers here already – sorry I’m late! My general rules are: if it’s commercial, I delete it and I also sometimes (if I have the chance!) like Sublimely: check their blog and correct the URL. If I am in doubt, I let it pass – commenter’s will have to stand for what they have done.

Since we are at it: experience of blogging and commenting I mean: Why do you make a new comment when replying, instead of edit the comment with your own reply? The way I do it e.g. Just curious – I mean of course: you do it your way and that’s perfectly okay!

Btw: Talking about experiences: Why don’t you join me in The Big Blog Bang: http://www.terella.no/2008/01/27/272/

RennyBA’s last blog post..Canadian Maple Fudge invading Norway

Chris - soupornuts.com

Hi Pearl,

Conversation keeps the brain stimulated, but not if it’s just to get you or someone else to click on over their blatantly commercialized, made for adsense site.

Bring something interesting to the conversation. The sad thing is that most of the people who set up these kinds of sites could probably get all the traffic that they wanted if they would concentrate on publishing excellent content instead of mindless drivel and ads.

Give a real name – no keyword stuffing – leave real thoughts or delete em all.

Chris Melton

Chris – soupornuts.com’s last blog post..Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it also creates millionaires

pearl

@RennyBA – hmm, I never even thought of it! guess, ‘coz sometimes I do not want to log in the blog just to reply to comments! and when I’ve filled out my info in the name, email etc, it stays for the next reply and its just easier :) anything for the short cuts! Oh, Im heading over there now (im surprised how your comment got through akismet with that link though :))

pearl

@Chris – guess some of us are a bit more sick of such spam and thats understandabe – I thought of letting all of these people in on how I feel on the issue – so if they are going to provide value to the conversation, I welcome them whole heartedly – but with commentLuv, they don’t need to worry ‘coz they get value back!

David Deangelo

I usually try to leave them if the content of their comment is good. If it’s gibberish I delete it. There are a few commentor’s that leave their business name in, and I’ve come to just use that as their “name” and it works great!

David Deangelo’s last blog post..By: David Deangelo Announces New Live Program

Carolyn B.

I’ll have to look out for that commenting tactic — huh. The only spam I’ve gotten so far is a TON of pharmaceuticals guaranteed to slim, firm or enrich me. Thank goodness for Akismet.

I read a review of some dofollow plugins that mentioned Lucia’s Linky Love as one with more capabilities than the familiar DoFollow, fyi. It’s supposed to make it a less friendly environment for the spam commenters. I may switch to it if I start seeing much comment spam. Have you tried anything like that?

Carolyn B.’s last blog post..Let an Old Reporter Talk: 12 Tips to Interview Anyone

Selif

Lucia’sLinkLove is definitely the way to go. I also found that if you’re using Lucia’sLinkLove, then it’s a good idea to remove the dofollow plugin because the dofollow plugin overrides you Lucia’sLinkLove settings and makes for thigns being dofollow when they shouldn’t

Selif’s last blog post..Weird Facts

Tom Lamothe

I think that was a pretty good post. I couldn’t do it :D . Keep up the good work.

David Wh1te

hmmm… I like a blog post that makes me think.