Why are you looking at me Swan? The Comment Conspiracy

I was talking with my good buddy Hiten and I brought up my wondering of:

Why do people leave comments?

Why do people want to be a part of the conversation? What do people gain from saying nice post, I disagree or provide something else as part of the conversation? Don’t get me wrong, seriously one of the best part of my days is when my phone buzzes saying I got a comment. ORGASM!!!

I think some of the reasons include:

  1. People want to show that they are smart and provide something insightful to what the author is saying.
  2. People want to get links back to their site.
  3. Its the same reason we hold our hand in class when others are talking. We want our voices heard.
  4. People have lots of free time and it gives them something to do.

Hell, I am not complaining I would love to have 50 per post eventually it’s just an interesting thought for me. What do you think? (Yes, I realize you are going to leave comments and make my day even better!!!)

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16 Responses to “Why are you looking at me Swan? The Comment Conspiracy”

  • Hiten Shah
    June 22nd, 2006
    10:42 am

    Buzzz - Did you feel it (5. Comment just to prove how stupid your are)

  • Kira
    June 22nd, 2006
    10:48 am

    Because I am bored and I will talk to anyone who stands still long enough to listen.

    Also commenting on other blogs is a great way of alerting those blogs to your existence. Everybody should know your name (and your blog’s name.)

  • Jason
    June 22nd, 2006
    11:05 am

    You read my mind. I posted a topic about comments on my blog earlier today. I think the comment section is sometimes the best part of the blog experience. It creates an open forum…

  • Paul McEnany
    June 22nd, 2006
    11:57 am

    I leave comments because I want to prove that I know how to read.

  • Mike
    June 22nd, 2006
    12:04 pm

    I do it to add my insight, or my smart ass comments to a conversation. I love when I leave a comment and it sparks 3 or more comments about it! It is also the best way to advertise your blog, as long as you say something insightful or provokative.

  • Damon Z
    June 22nd, 2006
    12:15 pm

    I leave comments because the interaction on blog is what makes them great. Otherwise, it’s pretty much like television or the radio, a one-sided conversation.

  • Kyle Treece
    June 22nd, 2006
    6:30 pm

    Well I don’t leave comments too often but now that I know is sent to your phone my main objective to compelete when leaving one is to hopefully give your boys a giggle if your phone is ever riding shotgun next to them!

  • Ben Yoskovitz
    June 23rd, 2006
    7:24 am

    It’s the same reason people blog…

  • Mike B.
    June 23rd, 2006
    9:46 am

    Two reasons:
    (1) To make sure you know that people out there are reading your blog, and actually care enough to give feedback. I can look at the log files all day, but without a comment or two I won’t know if I have engendered more readers or pissed off old ones.
    (2) To get a link back to my site. Why? Because I want comments too.

    BZZZzzz… ahhh

  • .: On Tokyo Time :. » Who Reads Blog Comments?
    June 25th, 2006
    11:49 am

    [...] Noah from Okdork.com asks: Why do people leave comments? [...]

  • Onto Kyotime
    June 25th, 2006
    11:53 am

    Made me wonder who reads the comments…

    http://ontokyotime.com/2006/06/25/who-reads-blog-comments/

    “Is it only the blog owner and fellow commenters or does a wider audience read the comments?”

  • Luke
    June 26th, 2006
    10:19 am

    I rarely do it (obviously), but when I do:
    1. it is to respond to a question/request for reader opinion from the blogger (you asked for a reason right?)
    2. to further educate and/or entertain the blogger regarding the content of their previous post (that’s why I read blogs, [and why others do too, I assume] so I’m just returning the favor they extended to me by posting in the first place.
    3. to encourage someone that has offered something educational/inspirational/entertaining/insightful, etc. - even if I don’t know them, and even though “great post, dude” adds no “real” value for other readers of the blog, I firmly believe that honest encouraging words are always worth offering.

    With that said, “thanks for encouraging to consider the answer to a really important question….PIMP!”

  • 4 Ways to Write Better Comments at Okdork.com
    August 14th, 2006
    7:49 am

    [...] I have asked the question before and gotten responses on why people comment. Here are some ways to comment effectively: [...]

  • officeworms
    October 8th, 2006
    4:54 am

    I spend almost all my time in the Internet, and at my work and at home, when I feel weariness search for something on this theme. Having found your site, I have understood that I should not waste time on search more.
    ————————————————————————-

  • db
    April 25th, 2007
    6:25 pm

    I’m very close to a comment virgin - seems like every time I leave a comment I say something stupid and it ends up … floating around…. with my name on it… but NO ONE EVER comments on my blog… (probably because it sucks). I think the best reasons have already been listed:

    1. Feedback
    2. Starting other conversations
    3. Reading other people’s comments can often be more interesting than the article itself, or at least lead you somewhere else.

  • web hosting freak
    August 29th, 2007
    6:50 am

    it nice to leave comments especially when u have nothing to do. :)

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