The Blogging Culture of 'Comments'

I get paid to provide analysis to my customers - which is a good thing, because I like doing analysis. There is something satisfying about taking nonsensical data, and making sense of it. The problem is that I can't really turn it off. At times I'll even over-analyze. I can make very simple decisions/situations hard, because I look too deep, or too hard at a problem instead of just taking it at face value. It's a good trait to have when you're oh, say... buying a car... bad trait, when your analyzing blog comments. So here's some insight into my twisted over-analytical mind regarding blog comments...

First - From a bloggers perspective: (using my own experience, and input from blog readers, and other blog authors that I interviewed)

Apparently - Bloggers tend to grade the quality of their blogs by the quantity and/or quality of comments that are left after a posting. One blogger recently confided that "its depressing to put so much effort into your blog, and then no-one reads it - makes me not want to even bother posting anymore". When in reality, tons of people could have read it; thoroughly enjoyed it, and just not felt like leaving a comment, or might not have had anything fun, insightful, or witty to add...

Conversing with a friend, you immediately get feedback on your input to that conversation by your counterparts response. In the Blog universe, the only feedback you get is through comments. So, if you share something you find funny, interesting, or personal - you are accustomed to immediate feedback. Knowing that your blog audience is mostly made up of family or friends only heightens that expectation. When the feedback doesn't show up, it can be a pretty big let-down, or even make you question the content of your posting - "was what I wrote offensive? boring? nonsensical? over-analytical?..." "are my kids/pets/pictures not worthy of your 'two cents'"?

However, on that rare occasion that there are tons of comments, the feedback can be immensely satisfying and rewarding. "They do care" - "I am funny" - "my kids are cute enough for your two cents" These feelings tend to leave the author wanting more, and willing to go through the 'comment dry spells' - hoping for another posting that will bring a deluge of comments.

To use a golf analogy - Its kind of like that rare occasion that you hit a golf ball so pure and perfect, and it feels soo good, that you keep going back for more and more even if you only hit that kind of shot once every three or four times you play...

Now - From a Reader/Commenter's Perspective: (also drawn from my own experience as a blog reader, and input from other blog readers regarding their propensity for leaving comments on a blog)

"Do you know how many times I've written out a comment for someones posting, then just deleted it, because I thought that maybe someone would think it was silly or wouldn't make sense..." (confidential source)

Overwhelmingly, blog readers have the utmost respect and admiration for bloggers - they love that the blogger is willing to put it all out there for the world to read, imperfections and all.

Self conscious about how everyone might take their comment, sometimes its just safer for the reader to say nothing at all. This is especially true when the commenter does not know who all might read the comment. Maybe he/she wants to say something funny about a particular posting, but is worried that their mom/dad/uncle/aunt/brother/sister/cousin/friend might read it and think less of them because the comment was going to be funny and appropriate for some audiences, but maybe not for all...

Other readers may not have much time on their hands, and after reading a blog posting that they thoroughly enjoyed - are called back to the task at hand before an opportunity for comments presents itself...

And so the conflict continues... Bloggers eager for comments, and readers worried about what they say, or short on time... Can the two worlds come together in perfect harmony and create a blogging Shan-gri-la (Zion for us Mormons)? I guess that remains to be seen...

Any comment?