Thanks again!
Peteris Kelle

I do use the CommentLuv plugin on my blog, which automatically finds the commentator’s latest blog post and makes a link. I think of it as a thank you for commenting, but in the light of this post, I’m reconsidering. What do you think of CommentLuv?

it’s simple. on any wordpress blogs there are 4 points of entry: name, email, website, comments. i highly advise to use each accordingly to anyone commenting. i’m not going to put my email in the name, and my name in the website, and my website in the email. THOSE are your signature on a blog’s comment system. it is unnecessary to add it again at the bottom.

If someone wants to comment on my blog and leave a link, sure, go for it. No loss to me and some gain for you. Happy to be of service.

But my belief is that this all comes down to personal branding. I would advice against someone who is going to be “that guy” who makes a plug at any given chance. The days of door-to-door salesman is a dying cause.

Professional bloggers seem to agree that blogging is about a conversation. And in conversations (or at a lecture) you don’t end a question or statement with your web URL.

Rarely do I find myself wandering through dialog. I believe long discourses don’t bring in readers so can be placed out of the way for reference. I strongly believe in the elevator pitch method of delivery. You’ve got maybe a minute or two, because people SURF the web and rarely read it.

I first stated that of course saying “great blog” and then leaving a link is rude and spam.

But, my thought was if I was adding to the conversation with relevant content – adding a “signature” link under my name would , in my opinion, be acceptable. Especially if your blog or web site was related to the conversation. Links are what hold the web together.

I did a little test. I placed just my name in the top link only and on other posts I added the signature link under my name. The link under my name was always clicked 20 to 1, if not better. And based on analytics the link followers where interested and loyal. Why because, again, the link was relevant.

My thought, people are reading from the top down and are a little lazy. If they find what you are saying of interest they are more apt to click on the link under your name rather than go back to the top of the page.

With all that said, I know I’m often in the minority on this topic (but happily surprised by some of the comments). I do encourage this practice on my blogs.

Shannon offers some excellent points as to why not to place your link on a blog. And I think we need to distinguish between a 25,000+ subscriber news, technical or industry blog verses a more personal blog.

I have no remorse placing a link on a maga-blog. But, if I want to build relationships with fellow bloggers “advertising” might better be left to google adwords.

All the best,

Rosh

We’re all looking for “rules of thumb” online. Since everyone comes from a different perspective – thank goodness, this is really difficult.

So, perhaps the best answer really is, it depends. The tie breaker can simply be based on intention. Rather than evaluate if links in comments are good or bad, or other ‘sort of’ self-promotional techniques are good or bad, maybe we should just use intention as the guide.

I don’t think Shannon is trying to say if you leave a link in comments it’s bad. But, some simplify it that much and become judgmental and “call out” which reduces the discource.

How about if we say, it seems like dropping that link in was too promotional, I’ll discount it and move on. Or, that link was really helpful to me…

Then, if more people use the, what is my intention?, test and get that self-promotional instead of value doesn’t work, the rules will likely work themselves out.

I have no other junk to click on this subject. ;)

@Allan and others – I regret that so many people have interpreted this post as my trying to lay down commenting “rules”. That was never my intention.

My intention was, and still is, to help people become more effective at building relationships in the social web. That’s all. I’m sharing what works for me and what I observe to be ineffective.

@Allan – the one thing you mentioned that I never considered was the evolution of the “signature” from forums. I see your point, but now that comments on blogs include an embedded link — unlike forums or email for that matter, wouldn’t it make sense to drop the signature for this setting — especially if you knew that it was being misinterpreted?

By the way, I have never edited someone else’s comment. I really do welcome all kinds of participation. I even leave the advertisements-disguised-as-comments comments. Everyone is welcome to be themselves here — and that includes me.

We are all on the same level and I appreciate everyone’s input far more than I could ever sum up in a comment.

Why would my comment signature be considered as lean, sleak and well within reason within a forum but draw such glares in the blogosphere?

I’ve been at this before blogs were born (and I get-it as a person who has built large online communities).

Afterall, a blog is just a prettier forum.

My hypothesis: Forums are typically “managed” and are more a product of the community itself,
However. the blog is more a reflection of the blog owner – often bearing that individuals name. They feel some type of “ownership entitlement” and to them, their blog is not a production of a community. Thus, those annoyed by a signature such as mine lean more toward a self-serving, vain, arrogant, greedy, isolationist perspective.

Those of you who run your own blogs – remember your readers are not below you – they are your community and are often smarter than you, enlist them encourage them and reward them for their participation, (and allowing graceful signatures) its the “right” thing to do.

Allan
@mediamanx on twitter

Why do we have email sig files when we already know who the person is? To get additional info about that person. I believe the same is not only permissible in blog comments, but helps give the comment the appropriate context.

Link dropping your own blog posts or whatever is pretty sketchy unless uber-relevant to the orig post, but Allan’s sig above doesn’t offend me in the slightest, and I’d encourage it on my own blog.

Killer debate. Amazing how passionate folks are about this particular nuance of online community.

As an aside, I’m also really enjoying Comment Luv plug-in on my blog, which automatically links up the person’s OWN most recent blog post. Good stuff.