Thursday, February 24, 2011

Blogging and commenting


Two people have engaged with me in the last couple of days about blogging and commenting (do I comment everywhere I read, how many comment back, etc.) and as a business colleague always says, "if two people are asking, then more are wondering" :)

So I thought I'd share the information here too.

The stats

I read TONS of blogs. When I went to check, I counted 106. That was not the entire picture because there are a couple of private ones I read too, and some business blogs that come to my email. So probably 110 (after decluttering 6) in total.

I was horrified when I checked my settings because my comfort number is around the 40 mark.

I regularly go through my blogs to take out the ones that no longer interest or inspire me. If I find I keep "marking all as read" then at some point when I have some time, I remove them from my GR.

But let's go back to those 106 in my Google Reader, as they were before decluttering.

Of those 106, only 33 have commented on this or the organising blog at one or other time, sometimes only once, but I have a good memory (mostly!) so I remember.

Of those 33, I'd say 20 - 25% comment very regularly, that is about 5 - 7 times a week. And that's where I spend most of my time commenting back.

More on commenting

There are also some business blogs I comment on regularly as my goal for this year was to consciously comment on blogs in my niche using my organising blog to track back on. Some of you may be interested to know that I only budget 15 minutes per WEEK for this type of commenting.

I also comment quite regularly on some other blogs even if they don't comment here or follow me. Actually there's a lot who don't follow me but I enjoy them just the same, for whatever reason.

There are some people who comment here and do blog, but I don't read their blogs regularly (in other words, they're not yet in my Google Reader) but I do check in every week or so to see how things are going, and of course, then I comment.

There are also people who comment here who don't have blogs.

The blogs I read are made up of infertility blogs, mommy blogs (I'll admit that I enjoy reading more about the mommy than the baby), home decor, tons of photography blogs, organising blogs, business & productivity, etc.

Here is a pic.


I guess the bottom line is this -

My reading interests are varied but my connections are probably more with people in similar circumstances and that's where I comment most.

Do you comment on every blog you read? Or what %?

What are some of the categories in your Google Reader? Even if you don't have actual categories, what else do you read besides mommy blogs? :)

P.S. If you're interested in some of the categories, please feel free to ask in the comments. I'll happily share some of my favourites.

17 comments:

  1. I read a lot of blogs as well. About 120 or so. Some blogs I read daily, most of them I save for weekend reading at my leisure. I comment mostly on those who I feel a connection with and if I feel like I have something useful to comment. I may also comment if someone comments on my blog. I need to go through my reader again to remove the ones that I'm not interested in anymore. I read some Mommy blogs (and actually I'm also more interested in the Mommy than the baby), I love photography blogs (I read these at work - am not going to exceed my band worth with all those photo downloads), some current affairs blogs - I quite enjoy some of those ones on Mail & Guardian, and lifestyle type blogs. I've recently started with simpler living/decluttering type blogs as well. I wish that I could comment on every blog that I read but I simply don't have the time. Can you share with me some of the blogs in your "those who get me" category? And the simpler living ones?
    xx

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  2. I could write an entire book on blog comments!

    400-500 readers a day on my blog and generally less than 20 comments. Most of those comments are from my closest blogfriends.

    I comment when I have something to add or something to say but definitely on less than 10% of the posts I read. But the big commenters on my blog? I post on almost all of their posts.

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  3. Ohmygoodness!
    I need to start using reader. That's it. I've been using blogger and it drives me crazy. I desperately need to clean my lists too!
    I would say I comment on my top 10 favorite blogs 84.762% of the time. :) I only comment on my "people" blogs. The crafty and food blogs I never comment on. I use them more as a resource.

    I also have the bad habit of webbing out from blogs. Not that it's a bad thing but someone will link to or mention or leave a comment on a blog I'm reading so I head over there, and from there to another, and another, and another! If only I didn't do it at 11 o'clock at night!

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  4. I have a lot of blogs on my reader but i don't actually read them all, at least not every time. Some I always read - those are typically mom blogs of people I know.

    As for commenting, I don't always comment - just when I have something I want to share or ask. And the people who comment on my blog are also those who have blogs where I often leave comments.

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  5. Wow....that is a lot if blogs to keep up with, but I can totally see how it happens! I am afraid to count how many I have in my reader! As for commenting I comment on my favorite daily reads! The ones I feel like I have a connection with! Take care, Andrea

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  6. Well, in true ICLW style, I am also of the opinion that leaving a comment is like giving someone a hug, so I do try to comment on all the blogs I follow. However, I am a fickle follower - if I find myself being irritated by the blog or not reading regularly then I delete the blog out of my reader. I've managed to keep my reader fairly clean this way and only have about 40 blogs I follow regularly.

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  7. I love that you want a percentage. I'd say I comment on about 40% of blogs that are in my reader. I need to declutter too.

    I also read some photography blogs, cooking blogs, and decorating blogs (Gawd...do I sound like a housewife, or what???). I love to read and this is the perfect place to get all of my interests together. I didn't even know what my interests were until I started tooling around the internet!

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  8. Anonymous3:44 pm

    Do you know of any new twin/triplet mommy blogs? Wouldnt mind reading them.

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  9. Man I need to do some organizing of my google reader! Maybe I will get on that when my work slows down.

    I am terrible at comment, but I am ALWAYS reading :) I have started signing up for ICLW each month so I at least spend that week working on my comment skills. I think it is helping me to be a better blogger!

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  10. I try to leave a comment on the blogs I read...even if it is just to say hi:-)

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  11. I definitely do NOT comment on all the blogs I read. I probably only comment on 10-20% of them. A lot of time, I read but don't feel as if I have anything significant to add.

    I also use Google Reader. I rarely remember to check a blog if it's not in there. Mine are so not organized though!

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  12. Interesting post! The vast majority of the blogs I read fall into the mommy category. It's interesting to hear you say you prefer to read more about the mommy than the baby. I guess I like a mix. I love to see what other folks are doing with their kiddos, as it inspires me with things to do (or not to do) with my girls.

    I try to comment on the blogs I read, but only if I can come up with something I deem worthwhile. :)

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  13. I have 85 blogs I read. This is after I decluttered just like you :)
    I do comment on every blog I read cause I like it when people comment on mine. I also believe that if I don't comment, they will think I don't read thus they won't visit my blog.

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  14. oh yeah... i get SO behind on reading and commenting... which is why I'm only just commenting on this now! I only get to sit down at my 'big computer' (ie, not teeeeny netbook or phone) about twice a week, so I can't really comment more often than that. By that point, I want to comment on dozens of blogs but don't have enough naptime. I find it frustrating, because I love GETTING comments - I want to comment back! I definitely prioritse commenting on people who I comment back and forth with, and also people who are having a hard time. After that, whoever's at the top of my reader! Interesting topic!

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  15. I read lots - but I get times when I hardly read or blog, like the last two weeks. When life just interferes and gets too busy. Then I catch up - I comment regularly where I read, but sometimes not on every post. And I almost never read or blog over a weekend. That is family time.

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  16. Oh and I mostly use my blogrolls, not a reader. Google reader makes me anxious if I do not get time to read. Like a not done to do list.

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  17. I all almost all of the blogs I read to Google Reader ... so if a blog isn't GR friendly, I don't keep it (sorry Se7en) except when I happen by occasionally - even if I really LOVE that blog. I will click through if I want to leave a comment - but usually it gets left on the reader and commenting gets "put off".

    I went through my blogs yesterday - deleted about 40 that no longer post. Another 30 that the content that I enjoy is sporadic (mostly I delete them without reading). Another 20 that I just will no longer have time to keep up with (activities for homeschooling, research, lots of reading and chewing posts). I'm down to around 80.

    Criteria for getting to stay? 1. Easy to read in GR. 2. No music if I click through (do you know how that sounds when you have 2 or more of those open?) 3. relevant content. 4. must be able to copy the page (my best friend has no internet and I copy things for her to read at home, makes her feel more connected to the world) 5. somebody that I actually know or have gotten to know.

    I comment on maybe 20 - 30% of what I read.

    Also, I've signed up for quite a few of my favorite blogs (Happy Housewife for one) in Facebook - I do 90% of my commenting there, and I've noticed that 90% of my comments for my blog are on my FB feed. Interesting.

    FB is time consuming - but I wouldn't cope without my family's prayers during the day. My sister talks on the phone. I Facebook. (Is that bad?)

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