Quick Answer: If it’s a choice between allowing comments or not allowing comments on your blog, I would say go for it. On balance, there are more pros than cons and you can always use an anti-spam plugin to keep unhelpful comments out.
For many bloggers, one of the most difficult decisions to make is whether or not to allow comments on their blog…
On the one hand, comments can foster a sense of community and open dialogue.
On the other hand, they can also attract trolls and negative energy.
So, what’s a blogger to do?
Here, we’ll take a look at some of the pros and cons of allowing comments on your blog.
By understanding the potential benefits or drawbacks of comments, you can make an informed decision about whether or not they’re right for your blog.
8 Pros Of Allowing Comments On Your Blog
Should you allow comments on your blog? In short, yes! There are many benefits to allowing comments on your blog, including increased engagement, improved SEO, and more.
Read on to learn more about the advantages of allowing comments on your blog.
1. Increased Engagement
One of the most obvious benefits of allowing comments on your blog is that it increases reader engagement. When readers can leave comments on your blog posts, they feel like they have a stake in the conversation and are more likely to keep coming back for more.
This increased engagement can lead to higher levels of loyalty and brand awareness for your business. Allowing comments also shows that you are open to feedback and willing to engage with your readers. This can help build trust and credibility, both of which are essential for any business.
In addition, allowing comments gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers. You may be able to get ideas for new content or get insights into how your readers perceive your brand.
So, if you’re looking for ways to increase reader engagement, allow comments on your blog posts. It could be just what you need to take your business to the next level.
2. Improved SEO
The SEO of your blog can be greatly improved by adding comments. By encouraging readers to leave comments, you are increasing the number of “backlinks” to your blog.
Backlinks are created when one website links to another, and they are one of the key factors that search engines use to index and rank websites.
In addition, comments give readers the opportunity to interact with you and give you feedback on your posts. This engagement helps to build loyalty and keep readers coming back for more.
As a result, incorporating comments into your blog can be an effective way to improve your SEO, get more traffic, build a loyal audience and make more affiliate commissions.
3. More Shares & Likes
One of the great things about blogging is the ability to connect with readers from all over the world. In addition to being a platform for sharing your thoughts and ideas, blogging can also be a way to build relationships and connect with like-minded people.
One of the best ways to encourage this sense of community is to allow comments on your blog posts. When people are able to leave comments, they’re also more likely to share and like those posts on social media.
This increased sharing can help grow your audience and bring in new readers from all over the web. So if you’re looking for a way to increase the reach of your blog posts, allowing comments is a great way to do it!
4. New Ideas
Assuming you moderate your comments and don’t allow spam, the vast majority of comments you receive will be constructive and helpful. Of course, you can’t please everyone all the time, but even negative feedback can be useful.
It can give you a better understanding of what your readers do and don’t like, which can be helpful in tailoring your content to better suit their needs. In addition, comments can also help to generate new ideas for your blog.
As readers leave their thoughts and suggestions, you may be inspired to write a product review or a post on a topic you hadn’t considered before.
Whether they’re positive or negative, comments can help you get a better sense of what your readers want, and that can be invaluable in expanding the reach and effectiveness of your blog.
5. The Ability To Connect With Your Readers
In the world of blogging, one of the most hotly debated topics is whether or not to allow comments. There are pros and cons to both sides of the argument, but one of the big advantages of allowing comments is that it can help you connect with your readers on a deeper level.
When you allow readers to leave comments, you’re opening up a two-way channel of communication. This communication can help you build relationships with your readers and better understand their needs. In a world where so many people feel disconnected, establishing these kinds of personal connections can be invaluable.
So, if you’re wondering whether or not to allow comments on your blog, consider the potential benefits of building deeper relationships with your readers.
6. Shows That You’re Open To Feedback
One of the biggest benefits of allowing comments on your blog is that it shows your readers that you’re open to feedback. It can be easy to get into the habit of thinking that our opinions are always right, but the truth is that we can always learn from others.
By allowing comments on your blog, you’re indicating that you’re willing to listen to what others have to say and that you’re open to changing your mind if necessary. This can make you seem more approachable and likeable, which can encourage people to keep reading your blog.
7. Valuable Insights
Maintaining a blog can be a lot of work, but it can also be a great way to connect with readers and build a following. One way to make the most of your blog is to allow comments from readers.
This not only fosters a sense of community, but it also gives you valuable insights into what people are thinking and feeling. If you’re not sure how people are responding to a particular topic, all you have to do is look at the comments section!
This can be an invaluable way to gauge reader reaction and make sure that you’re writing about topics that people actually care about. Allowing comments on your blog is a great way to build relationships with your readers and create a space for open dialogue.
8. They Help You Improve Your Content
Your blog is like a snapshot of your thoughts and ideas at a specific point in time. But when you allow comments, it turns your blog into a living, breathing document that evolves and changes over time. This can be a great way to engage with your readers and get their feedback on your content.
If you’re open to constructive criticism, then allowing comments on your blog can be a great way to improve the quality of your content. Over time, you’ll be able to see what topics are resonating with your readers and which ones aren’t by the number of comments each post receives.
4 Cons Of Allowing Comments On Your Blog
1. Spam
While there are certainly some advantages to allowing comments on a blog, there are also a few potential downsides.
One of the biggest dangers is the risk of inviting spam comments.
Spammers are always on the lookout for new places to leave their advertising, and blogs can be an easy target.
If you allow comments without moderation, it’s only a matter of time before your blog is overrun with links to dubious products and services. Another risk is that you may inadvertently open yourself up to criticism.
While constructive feedback can be helpful, negative comments can be hurtful and discouraging. As a result, you need to weigh the pros and cons carefully before deciding whether or not to allow comments on your blog.
2. Moderating Takes Time
One potential drawback of allowing comments on your blog is that it can take time to moderate them properly. If you allow anyone to post comments without approval, you run the risk of having inappropriate or offensive material posted.
This can reflect poorly on your blog and drive away readers. Even if you require all comments to be approved before they are posted, this can still be time-consuming, particularly if you receive a lot of comments.
Moderation can also be difficult if you have a large number of commentators posting regularly. In such cases, it may be best to hire someone to moderate comments for you or to disable comments altogether.
3. Comments Can Attract Trolls
One of the biggest drawbacks of allowing comments on your blog is that it can attract trolls.
A troll is someone who deliberately posts inflammatory, offensive, or provocative comments in an attempt to disrupt discussion or incite arguments.
While it’s possible to moderate trolls by deleting their comments or banning them from commenting altogether, it’s still a hassle that you may not want to deal with.
4. Comments Can Be Negative
Another downside of allowing comments on your blog is that they can be negative. Even if you don’t attract trolls, there will inevitably be some readers who disagree with what you have to say or take issue with something in your post.
While it’s important to encourage constructive criticism, negative comments can still be discouraging and disheartening.
There are pros and cons to allowing comments on your blog. Ultimately, whether or not you allow comments is up to you and what you feel comfortable with. If you do decide to allow comments, be sure to moderate them carefully so that they add value to your blog instead of detracting from it.
Deciding What To Do With Your Comment Section
Deciding whether or not to approve every comment on your blog can be a tough call. On one hand, you want to create an open and welcoming environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts.
On the other hand, you don’t want to waste your time moderating comments that don’t add anything of value to the conversation. So, how do you strike the right balance?
The answer will vary depending on your specific goals for your blog and comment section.
If you’re just looking to encourage casual banter and build a sense of community, then approving every comment might be the way to go.
However, if you’re hoping to create a more high-level discussion, you might want to be more selective in which comments you approve.
Another factor to consider is how much time you’re willing to spend moderating comments. If you don’t have the bandwidth to keep up with a constant stream of comments, it might make more sense to only approve those that meet certain criteria.
For example, you could require that all comments are respectful and relevant to the post before approving them.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what level of interaction you want in your comment section and how much time you’re willing to spend moderating it.
There is no right or wrong answer – it all depends on your specific goals and preferences.
How To Encourage Comments On Your Blog Posts
Comments are a valuable way to gauge reader engagement and interest. They also give you insight into what aspects of your writing are resonating with your audience and which ones are falling flat. If you’re looking for ways to encourage more comments on your blog posts, here are a few tips to try.
- Write catchy headlines
Your headline is the first—and sometimes only—thing readers will see, so make it count. Write headlines that are clear and interesting and make use of powerful words like “you,” “why,” and “how.”
- Ask questions
Asking questions is a great way to encourage readers to leave a comment. Pose a question at the beginning or end of your post, or intersperse them throughout. Just be sure that you’re not asking too complex or irrelevant questions so that you can encourage thoughtful responses from your readers.
- Use engaging images
Images can help break up text and add visual interest to your posts. But they can also be used to encourage comments by asking readers to share their thoughts on the image itself.
For example, you could include a photo of a new product you’re launching and ask readers to weigh in with their opinion on the design.
- Host a contest or giveaway
Everybody loves free stuff, so hosting a contest or giveaway is a great way to get people talking. Make sure to promote the contest across your social media channels and include an entry requirement that encourages people to leave a comment on your blog post.
For example, you could ask people to share their favourite tips from the post for a chance to win a prize.
Use Akismet To Prevent Spam Comments On Your Blog
No one likes spam.
Least of all, bloggers who have to wade through hundreds of spam comments every day just to find a few genuine ones.
But what can you do about it?
Well, there is a plugin called Akismet that can help.
Akismet is a plugin that uses artificial intelligence to filter out spam comments from real ones.
How Akismet Works
Akismet works by using artificial intelligence to learn what spam looks like. It does this by analyzing the content of comments and looking for patterns that are common in spam comments.
Once it has learned what spam looks like, it can then filter out those comments automatically. Just follow these simple steps to use Akismet:
- To use Akismet, you first need to sign up for an account. You can do this by going to the Akismet website and clicking on the “Sign Up” button.
- Once you have signed up for an account, you will be given an API key. This key is used to authenticate your account with the Akismet service.
- Once you have signed up for an account and obtained an API key, you need to install the Akismet plugin on your WordPress site. To do this, log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to the “Plugins” section. From there, search for “Akismet” in the plugin repository and install it on your site.
- Once the plugin is installed, you need to activate it. To do this, go to the “Settings” section of your WordPress dashboard and click on the “Akismet” link. On the next page, you will be asked to enter your API key. Enter your key and click on the “Activate” button.
Once the plugin is activated, it will start filtering comments automatically. If a comment is caught by the filter, it will be marked as spam and will not be displayed on your blog unless you approve it manually.
Allowing vs. Disallowing Comments: The Bottom Line
If it’s a choice between allowing comments or not allowing comments on your blog, I would say go for it.
On balance, there are more pros than cons and you can always use an anti-spam plugin to keep unhelpful comments out.
Blog posts that allow comments tend to have more engagement and a higher potential for going viral. Comments also give you the opportunity to learn more about your audience, their needs, and what they want from you.
However, you do need to moderate comments so that they remain on-topic and respectful. You also don’t want spam or unrelated content cluttering up your blog.
Ultimately, allowing comments on your blog is a great way to increase engagement, learn more about your audience, and build relationships with them.
