Ruminations Blog Audit / Day 10: Audit Comments on Your Own Blog

May 10, 2008 at 11:35 pm | In 31 Day Comment Challenge, Blogging, Dr. Kirsti A. Dyer, Edublog, Ruminations Blog, comment08 | 4 Comments
Tags: 31 Day Comment Challenge, Blog Comments, comment08, Education Blogging, Education Blogs

Today’s task was very interesting. The challenge was to do a self audit of your blog analyzing why people might not be commenting on your blog.

Six Reasons People Aren’t Commenting on Your Blog
1. You sound like a press release.
2. You sound like an infomercial.
3. You sound like a know-it-all.
4. You haven’t showed them how.
5. You haven’t created the right atmosphere.
6. You just don’t seem that into it.

Audit Discoveries

I made three major discoveries from my blog audit.

1. That I am a multiblogger.

2. That because of my background, I would be considered to be a Blogspert (Blog Topic Expert), or perhaps more accurately, a BlogDoc.

3. I might be considered to be a poor blog host, because I haven’t set any instructions or given blog comment posters any directions.

Multiblogging

In looking through blogging terms, I discovered that I am a Multiblogger, or a person that runs multiple blogs. The main reason for multiblogging is that I have varied non- overlapping interests that don’t lend themselves to creating a single blog.

Grief, Loss & Transitions – Blogging on topics related to Grief, Loss and Transitions.
My Green Doc Blog – A Blog devotes to writing about many healthy things that are green.
NICU Parent Support Blog – Reflections, Ruminations & Resources from respected physician, educator, author and former NICU Parent.
Nutrition & Wellness Blog – An edublog established for Bio 50, the Nutrition & Wellness course taught by Dr. Kirsti A. Dyer at Columbia College.

Blogspert, Blogdoc

Michele comments that “…no one is attracted to a know-it-all.” Part of the reason for me in creating blogs has been to share information. I am not exactly sure what to do about this particular reason for people not leaving comments.

I think I also struggle with being perceived as ‘practicing medicine’ online. This isn’t as much of an issue as it was in the early online days when people were trying to define Medicine and the Ethics on the Internet.

Day 10: Do a Comment Audit on Your Own Blog

The task for Day 10 was to review this post by Michele Martin on 6 Reasons People Aren’t Commenting on Your Blog. Then audit your blog to see if you’re falling into any of these traps. Finally reflect on what you’ve learned and try to address any of the issues you identify.

Accomplishments for Day 10

1. Read the blog post by Michele Martin on 6 Reasons People Aren’t Commenting on Your Blog.

2. Completed a Blog Audit on Ruminations of an Online Instructor / MD.

3. Discovered that I am a Multiblogger.

4. Discovered that in addition to all of the other handles that I use, I am also a BlogDoc. (See Comfortdoc for more information.)

5. Ending up being only one day behind on postings. Whew!

6. Writing and Posting Day 10 comments.

Reflections on Day 10

This was an eye-opening exercise for me in taking a look at this blog, and a bit of a look at my other blogs. I will definitely be thinking about how to make the blogs that I maintain more inviting and receptive for others.

I may have to rethink a bit of my reasons for blogging. With the NICU Parent Support and Grief, Loss and Transitions blog, both of these are areas that people may *not* want to be commenting, but are grateful for having the information. Personally, I think if people are benefiting from information being presenting, needing to leave comments in a blog may not be necessary or possible, particularly if people don’t want their identities revealed.

Revelations: Perhaps the biggest revelation from this activity is realizing that I am a Multiblogger and now a Blogging Doc, a BlogDoc or a BlogMD.

Image Source: Kostya Kis. Hand with Clipboard. Royalty Free Use.

This blog post is part of The Comment Challenge, comment08.

4 Comments

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I think it also gets back to your readership. Your readers are probably less familiar with what blogs are about, may not realise they can post a comment and may not appreciate they can subscribe to your blog to be notified of new posts.

If people are benefiting from the information you provide thats just as important as any comment. I often struggle with posts on the Edublogger because it is meant to provide information. Fortunately my readers are more experienced with blogs which helps. Plus where possible I add in questions to provide them opportunities to share their thoughts.

Sue Waters — May 12, 2008 #
I think you have a good point in different voices are appropriate for different spaces. There are many people who are looking for information about the topics we write about. And when we are experts in our field, then sometimes we do come off as know-it-alls.

However, are we really know it alls if we are participating in the kind of self reflection and dialogue fostered by the comment challenge…..don’t think so. At least not at the core of who we are.

Christine Martell — May 12, 2008 #
I agree with Sue that it might be about not knowing that they can comment or how to comment. It may also be, as you point out, that they are coming primarily for one-way communication and information, which is fine. I think it becomes an issue if you WANT more comments and aren’t getting them–if you’re trying to create community through comments and it’s not happening. But some blogs aren’t about the comments, and that’s fine, too.

Michele Martin — May 12, 2008 #
I am still getting used to the idea of blogs being different than webpages in that blogs are being written for two way communication where as many web pages for a one way communication.
I think that people in the the NICU and Grief communities are both overwhelmed with their situation and are often just grateful for some insights and then leave.
I know in the early days of Journey of Hearts, I had a commenter request that I take down her comments from our guestbook after a colleague had read them and said that he was concerned about her losses at work. I’ve always been sensitive to posted comments ever since.

drdyer — May 12, 2008 #