Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The Blog Questions

I've been blogging since 2006, but I only recently began to think about all of the bloggy 'rules' that you're supposed to follow to keep your readers happy.  Personally, I hoped that good content would overcome little things that other bloggers insist you do, but I also realize that other people aren't exactly the same as me in what they care about.  So, readers, I'm curious what you think.

As far as blog commenting.  I appreciate every comment I get, and I wish I got more.  I don't respond to a lot of them because many are just comments that don't really need a response.  Maybe I should change that.  I recently started reading a blog that I found through the Blogher Book Club program.  I enjoy her blog, and have commented a couple times even though I'm usually more of a reader than commenter.  She never responds!

Most of the other commenters get a response from her, but I never have.  I'm surprised how much that hurts my feelings and it makes me not want to read anymore.  Hopefully I've never made anyone else feel that way, but to the people who comment on blogs frequently, I ask: do you expect a response, or is it more of a case-by-case basis?  Have I ever made you feel like a nerd by not responding to you!?!?

Likewise, the RSS feeds settings.  I read all of my blogs through my google reader, and I prefer it when bloggers fed me the first paragraph or so, and then I have to click through to read the whole blog.  I like this because I prefer to read a blog on its website--it's prettier and the images come through better.  However, I recently found out that many bloggers and blog readers HATE the abbreviated feed setting, and will stop reading a blog that feeds through that way.  I admit, I hate it when blogs feeds are just the title, but did not realize that people felt such rage at the one paragraph!

I immediately changed my settings, but I'd like a little feedback from the people who read this blog: how do you feel about the feed settings and/or comment responses?  I probably should have asked these questions long ago, but didn't, so I'm making up for lost time!  Is there anything else I do that really bugs you?  Anything you wish I'd start doing?  Let me have it!  I want your input!

5 comments:

  1. I think you're doing great with your blog! I like to see the whole thing in RSS.

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  2. I don't mind the whole responding to comments thing - if I ask a direct question, I like to check back later for a response. But if I just say "OMG I loved this post! Totally agree!" then I don't expect the blogger to respond.

    As for RSS, I'm one of those picky people. I will immediately unsubscribe if the full posts aren't shown in the feed, then check periodically to see if it ever changes (or sometimes call out the blogger on Twitter and beg them to change it). I'm so glad yours are showing now!!! :D

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  3. I prefer reading the entire post in my reader and hate clicking through, but I will if I HAVE to. As for replies to my comments . . . I guess it does make me feel more invested if the author starts responding to my comments. But, I rarely comment on blogs, so rarely get responses, so I don't really mind either way.

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  4. I subscribe to Find Me Frugal(er) through e-mail, and read each of your blog posts entirely as they come through my e-mail, even if I don't have something to say about them all.

    I truly hate getting just the first paragraph or a teaser from a blog, whether in my RSS reader or in an e-mail - and don't get me started about "post title only" in my RSS!

    So many blogs to read that if I have to click through for "the rest of the story" then I'm unlikely to do so. If it gets too annoying, then I will just unsubscribe.

    And like Ms.JD above, I don't chime in with replies often - what's the point of saying "me, too!" over and over?

    As for seeing if anyone is reading my own BooksYALove blog when the comments are sparse, I check my statistics through Blogger and GoogleAnalytics. Short of walking up to someone and placing a great book physically into their hands, providing a searchable archive of book recommendations is the best I can do...

    **Katy M
    Recommending YA books beyond the bestsellers at
    http://BooksYALove.blogspot.com
    Follow me on Twitter @BooksYALove

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  5. I am unaware of RSS feeds or how they work. Just commenting to say well done on the blog a day this month. It's crazy impressive.

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