Return to Archive
Bright Ideas Blogzine / Importance of a Blog Comments Policy - August 2009
Sent Tuesday, August 4, 2009
View as html
Bright Ideas Blogzine - August 2009 Publisher: Laura Christianson http://www.bloggingbistro.com mailto:laura@bloggingbistro.com ____________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE ____________________________________________________________________ 1. FEATURE: How to develop a Comments Policy for your blog 2. QUICK TIP: 3 important elements to include in your Comments Policy 3. SUBSCRIBER SPECIAL: Blogophobia Conquered e-book 4. WORKSHOP: Biz Blogging Basics for Non-Techies 5. At the Barista's blog... 6. My Hangouts 7. Share Bright Ideas ____________________________________________________________________ 1. FEATURE How to develop a Comments Policy for your blog ____________________________________________________________________ Literary agent Rachelle Gardner tries to make "Rants and Ramblings on Life as a Literary Agent," a friendly, welcoming place. She encourages differing viewpoints. Like all bloggers, Rachelle struggles with commenters who express their opinions in a "harsh, overly critical tone intended to wound." As writer, editor, and publisher of her blog, Rachelle made an executive decision to implement a comments policy. The following notice is displayed prominently in her blog's sidebar: Please be courteous and respectful; if you're not, the comment will be deleted. Also, I don't post about politics EVER so if you turn the comments into a political discussion, they'll be deleted. Read my full Comment Policy HERE. http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-comment-policy.html She spells out the details of her ground rules: * Differing opinions are welcome and valued. * I expect all comments to be respectful of me (as your host) and of the other commenters. If you disagree with another commenter, please do it without being rude or your comment will be deleted. * I don't mind criticism of me or agents in general, but please do so respectfully and in a constructive manner, or I will delete it. * Obviously I don't say anything anonymously; if you have something important to say, perhaps you shouldn't either. (But it's your choice.) * I delete comments that use profanity. Simple and straightforward. I like it. Of course, Rachelle received 60 comments about her new policy. Her readers added some interesting tidbits: Nicola Morgan: I have one other "rule" - that any comment which seems as though the person is *only* using the comment space to promote themselves/blog/book rather than actually contributing to the conversation also gets the thumbs down from me. Timothy Fish: In the comment rules for my blog, I have two basic rules: 1. Be Nice 2. Don't be mean spirited toward my guests. I am somewhat tolerant of personal attacks on me or my work, but I will not tolerate people using my site to attack other people. It is my option to shrug off personal attacks, but to allow my site to be platform from which someone attacks others would be no better than if I said the words myself. Amber Lynae: A blog should be thought of as a person's home, or place of work. Do most people walk in and start saying rude things in these settings? Hopefully the answer is no. If there are people who are rude in the face of someone gracious enough to host them, then as far as I am concerned they can be uninvited. ____________________________________________________________________ 2. QUICK TIP 3 important elements to include in your Comments Policy ____________________________________________________________________ My e-book, Blogophobia Conquered, includes an entire chapter on blog commenting, and explains how to develop a comments policy. Three important elements to include in your policy: 1. Define what you consider an appropriate and inappropriate comment. 2. Inform readers that you will edit or delete comments that use profanity, resort to name-calling, or are obviously spam. 3. Explain whether you pre-approve comments. Want to check out more comments policies? BoingBoing's Moderation Policy (BoingBoing is a Top 100 blog) http://ow.ly/iQHr Michael Hyatt's Comments Policy (Michael is CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers) http://ow.ly/iQHJ Do you post a comments policy on your blog? If so, let us know and we'll link to it in an upcoming article on the Blogging Barista's blog. http://www.bloggingbistro.com/blog/ ____________________________________________________________________ 3. SUBSCRIBER SPECIAL: Blogophobia Conquered e-book ____________________________________________________________________ Learn about the five types of blog commenters: 1. Fervent Fans 2. Personal Promoters 3. Happy Hecklers 4. Deferential Dissenters 5. Irrational Inciters How can you tone down the Personal Promoters? Should you ban Irrational Inciters? What are the pros and cons of moderating comments? Learn everything you ever wanted to know about blog comments in Blogophobia Conquered, an 88-page e-book available exclusively from Blogging Bistro. Order your copy today. http://ow.ly/iQIG Regular Price: $19.99 Blogzine Subscriber August Special: $9.99 I accept cash, checks, and credit cards via PayPal To order, contact Laura@bloggingbistro.com ____________________________________________________________________ 4. WORKSHOP: Biz Blogging Basics for Non-Techies ____________________________________________________________________ You've thought about starting a business blog but wonder whether you really need one. *What should I write about? *How do I set up a blog? *Can I blog successfully if I'm not computer-savvy? In this hands-on, information-packed workshop, the Blogging Barista will equip you with the know-how and inspiration to launch your own blog. Ask about our 60-minute, 90-minute, 1/2-day and full-day interactive blogging workshops. To book a date, please call 425.244.4242 or e-mail Laura. ____________________________________________________________________ 5. At the Barista's blog... ____________________________________________________________________ How to Create a Blogging Editorial Calendar http://ow.ly/iZ1b How to Create a Custom Subject Line for Feedburner E-Mail Updates http://ow.ly/iZ1h Services for Services: The Power of Bartering http://ow.ly/iZ1i How to Market Yourself With Business Cards http://ow.ly/iZ1s 7 Marketing Lessons I Learned at a Rock Concert http://ow.ly/iZ1x ____________________________________________________________________ 6. My Hangouts ____________________________________________________________________ Twitter: http://twitter.com/BloggingBistro Fan me on Facebook: Blogging Bistro, LLC http://tinyurl.com/n3qfsj Friendfeed: http://friendfeed.com/bloggingbistro ____________________________________________________________________ 7. Share Bright Ideas ____________________________________________________________________ I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves made-to-order social media solutions for individuals and businesses. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information.