October 29, 2007
The point of blog commenting was for the readers of a blog to be able to provide feedback to whatever the blogger was blogging about. Whilst blog comments do have some value if we are honest most comments are either self promotional or just plain lame spam and deservedly ends up as Akismet fodder. Don't believe me go and check your comments now and see how many value added comments there are.
For BlogTalks I am still undecided as to whether the effort to build and manage a comment system would be of any value. Remember this is a custom CMS for this blog. Don't get me wrong feedback from readers is great, it both builds a relationship (sometimes friendship) with readers and provides the blog with new content.
Whilst browsing through my RSS feeds today I see that PixelHead is bothered by spam. I also see that Jon Waraas has launched an affiliate program for his buy blog comments site. Now I'm not for a second equating the two. I think there is a clear line between blatant spam comments which serve no one and the service that Jon is providing.
I will not however be promoting Jon's service as I still see it as a form of moderated spam. I realise that the comments posted by his system are purely promotional in intent however do hold some value for the blogger. The blogger gets content they can use (unlike the kind of spam Akismet traps) and it makes a blog look more busy and welcoming.
Hi, I'm Allan your Blogmeister. Never run with hot tea and subscribe to my RSS feed.
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