Think-Piece: What Happened to Comment Love?

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I've been blogging for nineteen months by now. Not long, but enough to be able to spot an increasing trend in our community...the slow, but steady sinking into oblivion of the comment-back unwritten rule.
 When my blog was only a few months old, I joined my very first meme - Book Blogger Confessions (hosted by Karen @ For What It's Worth and Pam @ Midnyte Reader). I don't know, maybe I was just lucky and fell in with the right crowd, or maybe it's just that we were a relatively small bunch, or that it was a fortnightly meme...but I was regularly getting a fair amount of comments - and, lo and behold, follows - even before I was able to visit the other participants' blogs myself. Also, if I commented first, the person whose blog I visited always commented back. Finally, more often than not, the comments were meaningful. For those reasons (and more), I was sad to say goodbye to BBC when it got shut down last July.

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Now, I'm not a big meme supporter. I only engage in one at a time, and stick with those that aren't overwhelmed by participants. And I only join blog-hopping activities if they really appeal to me. These things are time consuming...particularly so if one doesn't want to skim through posts, leave random comments and basically limit oneself to pimping one's blog. Also, I know it's not possible for every single person who takes part to visit all the blogs involved. I'm not capable to do that myself. On the other hand, I try and comment at least on those that provide me with more input, so to speak. And it's entirely possible that, when and if the owner of the blog in question comes to me in turn, they can't get the same input from my latest post. And they don't have the time or will to browse around in order to find something else to comment on. And even if they did, they wouldn't think I'd care for a comment on an old post. Because, alas, most bloggers treat their old posts like ancient history, and in case they get a comment, it goes unreplied - and maybe even unnoticed. Anyhow, it happens more and more often to me - I take part in a blog-hopping activity, leave a (hopefully meaningful, or at least heartfelt) comment...and get nothing in return. Or almost nothing, compared to the number of people involved.

Of course, my blog isn't popular. On the other hand, this doesn't necessarily mean I have an endless supply of time to devote to blog-hopping - because of, you know, real life issues. But when I get a comment, I both reply and visit back. Which isn't the easiest thing when using Blogger's native comment system - I have to click on the commenter' name, go to their profile, see if they have a blog or site listed...and more than often go out of my way and google them if they haven't. Also, I try not to limit myself to saying things like "great post!" or "happy reading!", which usually are the clearest sign that the commenter hasn't gone past the post title. I'm aware that well-established bloggers can't possibly reply and/or comment back on every single blog...but you know what? I've seen a few doing just that. Just like I've seen more than a few bloggers who aren't overwhelmed by comments not even bothering to acknowledge the ones they get - not to mention giving some comment love back.

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Sometimes people do comment, but it's only out of formality. Here's a little story for you - something that happened to me weeks ago. I commented on a blog I was following, and only a few minutes later, I saw I had a new comment from the blog's owner under my latest review, awaiting moderation. Wow, I thought, this is quick. What a fast reader. Now, since I'm not using real names, let's say the review in question was of a book by the fictitious author Mark Doe - and the rating there was one of my lowest. Well, the commenter said something like "I've been reading many posts about Mike Doe lately [note: another fictitious name for a real author]...maybe I need to try one of his books. Great review!". I was like, sorry? did you actually bother to read the darn review's title at least? Needless to say, I never approved that comment. And I unsubscribed from the commenter's blog right away...Because, really. You don't need to comment back every single time. I don't expect you do - I'm not that unreasonable (or greedy). But when you do comment, at least skim through the post in question, and have your names and facts (or ratings) right...

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Aside from the above incident...for a while now, I've been wondering if the number of comments you get is related to the quality of the contents you provide, or more to the number of friends you have. (Especially if you're very active on Twitter, since it looks like the place to be when you have a book related blog. And I chose not to). It seems that having friends is probably the key to getting comments. Unless you're a really popular blogger...and in that case, your followers would eagerly and steadily comment on your every post regardless of your giving comment love back. This is the way of the (blogging) world...or is it?
What do you think?

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