Last week there was a survey on this blog's sidebar asking readers several questions about what they do when making comments at someone else's blog. Thank you to the 41 people who completed the survey and to the 20 people who left comments. I appreciate your time and thoughts.
The survey was by no means statistically accurate. I know it would have garnered a chuckle (or maybe a snicker) from a statistician, but it was helpful to me to see the responses and to read the comments.
The Results:
51% (21 people) always read comments with a post
43% (18 people) sometimes read comments with a post
2% (1 person) never read comments with a post
2% (1 person) always have follow-up comments emailed to him/her
24% (10 people) sometimes have follow-up comments emailed.
26% (11 people) never have follow-up comments emailed.
43% (18 people) have follow-up comments emailed if they've made a comment or asked a question
31% (13 people) have follow-up comments emailed if they're interested in the topic
7% (3 people) always return to a post later to read comments
58% (24 people) sometimes return to a post later
4% (2 people) never return to a post later to read comments
The original post asking readers to participate in this survey was Please Answer a Survey about Comments in My Sidebar. You can read the comments there and add whatever thoughts you'd like to share.
I thought a survey would be an easy way to find out what blog readers (and writers) do. I really wanted to know, first, if people read comments when they read a post at someone else's blog; and, second, whether they read comments posted after their comments. I thought knowing these things would help me decide whether it's worth my time to respond to every comment on every blog post. If people aren't reading my responses to their questions and comments then it's a waste of my time.
From now on I'll answer all questions posed in comments on my own blog and respond to other comments when I have additional information to add. I will also ask to have comments sent to my email when I visit other blogs and have made a comment or am interested in the topic.
Again, thank you to all of you who participated. I appreciate it.
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers...." Malachi 4:6
Your survey made me think that in the future I should have comments emailed to me. It's more efficient. I think I've avoided doing it because it seems impersonal in some way...but then I don't always know to go back and check comments. Other times I've checked and there weren't any, so email would have been better. Thanks for doing this survey and reporting the results. I think it's enlightening for all of us..
ReplyDeleteInteresting results!
ReplyDeleteYour survey results are pretty much what I would have expected from a bunch of bloggers...
ReplyDeleteI've started being sure to check the "email follow-up" when I leave a comment. Interesting statistics.
ReplyDelete