A New Thing In Subscribing To Comments

Posted by Mitch Mitchell on Nov 28, 2009

I happen to use the Subscribe To Comments plugin for this blog. My version basically just adds this little box at the bottom so people can check it and get notification to any post they’ve left a comment on.

It seems that’s not quite enough for most folks these days. I’m starting to notice more and more than I’ll leave a comment on a blog, and almost immediately I’ll get an email saying if I want to subscribe to comments I have to click on a link.

I have yet to click on any of these links. I know why people are doing it, or at least I think I do. In their own way, it’s to try to cut down on spam, although I’m not sure that’s quite correct. After all, it’s not like any of the blogs I’m talking about haven’t shown my comment as soon as I’ve written it, which means any spam comments would automatically go through.

Frankly, I can’t think of any other reason for people to have added this particular wrinkle to their blogs. Once again, we get into talking about making the commenting process easier for those people who leave you good comments, and telling people that if they want to see if they’re being responded to that they have to click a link in an email and then they’ll hear back from the blog owner just doesn’t seem all that friendly to me.

Of course, I could be way off base. For anyone who has this set up and feels there’s a good reason for doing it, please enlighten me. The only other thing I can think of is that someone is worried that the person leaving the comment isn’t actually that person, and I can’t think of a single time that’s happened on any of my blogs, and I mean ever.

Blogging can be interesting, can’t it?

Tags: Blogging, comments

12 Comments »

Sire:

I’ve actually got one of these not so long ago, when I reciprocated a comment. That wasn’t the first time either. I’ve actually clicked on the ones where I was interested in getting a reply to my comment, otherwise I don’t bother. Like you said, or implied, it’s just another unnecessary hassle.
.-= Sire´s last blog ..Why Marketing Your Ad Space Should Precede Marketing Your Blog =-.

Mitch Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 7:41 PM

You know Sire, I just keep wondering if maybe it’s because you and I are older and we don’t like the extra hassles, whereas it seems the people who keep setting all this stuff up are younger.

November 28th, 2009 | 7:35 PM

Dennis Edell:

I doubt its for spam, how many comment spammers will subscribe to comments anyway? LOL

Oddly enough I haven’t seen this yet, but those are blogs that would lose a commenter and subscriber in me.
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Are You Thankful For Your Blogging Community? =-.

Mitch Reply:
November 28th, 2009 at 10:50 PM

I hear you, Dennis. My problem is that I don’t write these sites down, so I end up visiting and trying it out a few times before I finally recall. That’s why I stopped going to Michael Fortin’s blog, though it took me awhile. Hated that pop-up window each time I visited.

November 28th, 2009 | 8:50 PM

Rummuser:

Mitch, I use the plug in too and a lot of my readers return because either I are one of the other readers leaves a comment that calls for a response. I seldom click on the box in other blogs that I visit but when I do, I just get other comments and nothing more happens. In your blog you have two of the boxes one with a permanent tick in the box and the other blank. You had mentioned in one of your earlier posts that you will sort it out, and I am still looking foward to it!
.-= Rummuser´s last blog ..A Journey. =-.

Mitch Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 12:45 AM

I have looked for it, but I just can’t find it, Rummuser. The thing is, on this blog, using the threaded comments plugin seems essential to give people a chance to at least receive comments. Without it, no one seems to get anything, and I can’t figure out how to turn off the one that doesn’t work.

November 28th, 2009 | 11:32 PM

Peter Davies:

I thought Askimet was the tool to stop spam – it works well for me by routing suspect comments into a spam folder
.-= Peter Davies´s last blog ..Does anyone have any knowledge regarding worldprofit.com? =-.

Mitch Reply:
November 29th, 2009 at 2:11 AM

Askimet is definitely the best tool on WordPress blogs for stopping spam, hands down Peter. That’s why I can’t figure out why some folks have the comments thing set up the other way.

November 29th, 2009 | 1:59 AM

Karl Foxley:

Hi Mitch,

This sounds like the sort of process that is a part of the double opt-in process that some autoresponders require.

Whether it is being used to confirm emails so that the blog in question can then send out further emails through an autoresponder I can’t comment on.

Karl
.-= Karl Foxley´s last blog ..13 Ways To Encourage Blog Comments =-.

Mitch Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 10:18 AM

Hi Karl,

Now that’s a thought I hadn’t considered. If someone is on a WP blog and has Askimet, they wouldn’t need that particular feature. I’ve been wondering if it’s a way for those blog owners to see who’s serious about receiving comments back or not also. I’d rather not take that chance.

December 1st, 2009 | 5:26 AM

Rian:

Hi Mitch,
I also once installed the same plugin but one thing that I’m uncomfortable with is that my inbox gets full whenever other people leaves a comment.
.-= Rian´s last blog ..Smart Bro Share It Slow Connections – Your Share It Router Might be Defective =-.

Mitch Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:19 PM

Rian, that wouldn’t be close to a problem if you had Mailwasher, as it lets you check your email while it’s still on the server and delete what you don’t want to download. And remember, you can unsubscribe to any post at any time.

Course, if it’s your own blog and you’re getting lots of comments, don’t complain! lol

December 2nd, 2009 | 10:21 PM

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