Blogs: Are you a "Post", or a "Comment" Reader

 Or Both?  As I read through my comments posted tonight, I realized that some of them were directly related to my post, yet others had nothing to do with my post because they took on a life of their own.  Then I had someone leave a comment on one of my very first posts, and I had to go back and read my own post (the whole darn thing), just to understand where the comment had come from and where the topic had been taken. (You're probably laughing because this has happened to you)

This forced me to read all the comments, including my own, and that is what made me wonder the title of this post…

On others peoples Blogs,

  1. Do you read the post, and then go right to the response section to place your comment? 
  2. Do you read the post, then read the all the comments (all 62 of them), and then comment on the direction the topic has taken?
  3. Do you not even read the post, or the comments, and just put something like, "GREAT POST! THANKS!"
    (take the 25 points and run) Sorry if that is you, no offense…but you're missing the boat!  🙂

I know there are many benefits to reading both Posts and Comments.  I have learned that there is more power in the comments in many cases.  The post is just one person's opinion, idea, thought, or question.  The comments are the "Power of the People" and often have more and better information than the post.  You can read the comments, and get the majorities opinion on many subjects and debatable topics.

I have to be honest and admit, when I see a great post, I read the whole thing, if there is 87 comments, I scan them quickly, but then go right to the comments and respond directly to the post and the writers topic.  On the other hand, I've caught myself reading others' posts that only had 4 or 5 comments.  I would read each of them, and then comment on the direction that the comments had gone.  So confusing, I know…
So here's my questions if you're still reading (for all you post readers)…

  • It there a right or wrong way?
  • Is it proper blogging etiquette to leave a comment that has nothing to do with the persons post? 
  • Should I be commenting on both? 
    (I feel like I am missing the power of the comments when there are over 50.  I also don't have the
    time to read them all. (maybe that's the problem)
  • Is this why you never see posts with more than 50 – 100 comments? 
  • Does the post die out because the direction of it dies out? 
  • Does the post and comments eventually become too much to read so people just don't?
  • If it does die, should it be removed from your blog?

These are difficult questions for me to answer from within, so maybe reaching out will get me better results.

"Are you a "Post" reader, or a "Comment" reader and why?
I wonder where this post and comments will start, and end…I guess not knowing is half the fun!  🙂

These questions should inspire you to read both (for all you comment readers) Don't you want to know?

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