Comments on: Allow comments on your art blog

By: jovanni

jovanni — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 04:35:32 +0000

comments from blog readers should be enabled.

By: Jack Payne

Jack Payne — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:55:35 +0000

Intriguing thread. I launched a blog recently, and have paid little attention to it. In return, it has paid little attention to me. No comments. A big mystery is involved here, though. In the search engines my new blog is doing surprisingly well. High up in some Google broom closet categories, and on Page 1 for my #1 and #2 keywords in 2 major, high-traffic categories on MSN. Can’t begin to figure this incongruity out. Any enlightenment would be appreciated. Cheers!

By: Cynthia Morris

Cynthia Morris — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:35:19 +0000

This is very timely for me. I began my blog in 2005 on my trips to France. I wanted a way to share the journey for those who weren’t with me in France. I got great feedback and am on my third year blogging from France. But I started to get discouraged by the dearth of comments. I’d check eagerly to see if anyone had commented only to find 0 zero – loser – on my blog. I had to reframe it (as any good coach would do). I do the blogs for others but also for me. I enjoy the excellent creative exercise that blogging gives me. It’s a way to distill and express my experience here that I would not have without blogging. Sure, I would journal, but blogging is fun. Now, this year, I’m also podcasting and loving that medium too. Thanks for your blog, Alsyson, which I consider a great example of an excellent blog.

By: claudine hellmuth

claudine hellmuth — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:22:50 +0000

I agree! The firs 3 weeks I blogged, i didn’t have comments and as soon as I started getting more regular visitors as soon as I started allowing comments! If you do not allow comments you miss out on the community of blogging.

By: Cheryl McClure

Cheryl McClure — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:06:37 +0000

I would have never thought of having a blog that didn’t invite comments. It is so much fun to hear from other people who read about what you do. At first I didn’t realize it would be a “driver” to my website so I didn’t even put a link to my website. I still don’t have a lot of people “dropping by” but that wasn’t my original point anyway. I love blogs and the insight I can get into other processes. Gotta go though as I’m spending too much time on the blog and need more in the studio.

By: John T Unger

John T Unger — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:43:08 +0000

Sari, One of the best pieces of blogging advice I’ve ever heard addresses your fear of comments nicely: Remember that any time someone leaves a comment that feels negative or critical, it is an opportunity for you to present (or re-present) your view and engae the commenter in conversation. I’ve had very few negative comments after five years of blogging, but when I do get something that feels off the mark I just see it as a chance to put the matter right. If you really think a comment is too harsh or off topic, you can always delete it. It’s usually a good idea to mention that you’ve done so, and why, in the comments of the same post. As for whether to start a blog without comments… I think the idea made sense years ago but no longer does. As Alyson says, you have to start somewhere. The best place to start is to invite a bunch of your friends to visit and leave comments when you launch the blog. Getting the ball rolling that way insures both some positive feedback and a chance to set a good tone that can carry over to the future.

By: Carla Sanders

Carla Sanders — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:00:55 +0000

Thanks for bringing up this topic. I read that article a year ago, and locked comments brieflly so I wouldn’t look unpopular. Then I repented and opened comments, and I love it when they come in. Now I am educating readers to comment online. We’ll see how that goes. It is all a conversation.

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:42:15 +0000

I am still trying to understand blogs in general. I started mine in April, but have only really got it going more this month. I have been reluctant to get involved, because I am a fairly introvert character, but I also realised that blogs are traffic-drivers. I don’t have any problems thinking up things to write about, in fact that’s the easy bit; but as regards blog visitors and comments, then (a) I have my blog on Blogger, and set to moderated, which seems to stop people from making comments unless they sign in (or do I risk picking up spam?); and (b) I have no idea how I would determine the stats for visitors. My own website, yes, no problem, but a blog? Maybe I’m missing something. flowerartbychris.blogspot.com

By: Alyson B. Stanfield

Alyson B. Stanfield — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:14:32 +0000

Sari: I’m with you. I, too, tend to say too much of what’s on my mind. The blog is good practice for keeping it under control. I don’t want to offend anyone, although I do like to incite debate. I haven’t looked at your blog in a while, but remember that criticism is better than ignoring you. Lisa: All I have to go by is my Sitemeter. I have no idea about how reliable it is or isn’t. But It’s giving me nowhere near those numbers. And I’m not sure if they’re “uniques”. Patricia: When people email you, tell them they’d be doing you a favor by leaving the same comment on your blog. You’d like to continue the conversation there. I had to educate many of my readers in the beginning. And, still, every so often, I do the same when I get an email instead of a comment.

By: Helen Harris

Helen Harris — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:48:14 +0000

Alyson, I have been blogging for only a month. I put out my welcome mat …and you knocked. Your comment was my second ( an old friend was the first) and I appreciated the interest. No comments since, but I’ve sold two small pieces of art from my blog and a galleria is now carrying more of these miniatures plus 5 paintings! Your advice was to blog frequently and I’m now leaving comments on other blogs. Networking is a two-way street, give and take. Comments support and give recognition to the efforts of the artist who risks putting their work as well as their thoughts to page. Helen