Using CommentLuv to Encourage Blog Comments
I am quite fortunate in that I enjoy a lot of reader participation on this blog in the form of blog comments but I’m always looking to improve. I recently discovered a plugin called CommentLuv that extracts the latest blog post of the commenter and links it in with his comment automatically. I’ve been experimenting with it for most of the week…
What the CommentLuv Plugin Does
When leaving comments on a blog, the commenter has the option of putting in a URL which is then linked with his name when the comment is submitted. What the CommentLuv plugin does is look for a blog feed in that URL and if it finds one it extracts the latest post from that feed and links to it as a footer to the original comment. Here’s a screenshot of the plugin in action on this blog:
How to Use CommentLuv as a Commenter
When first testing the plugin I mentioned it on Twitter and invited people to come and test it out by leaving a comment on the blog and it looks like several people had some issues with it. For the plugin to work there are several things you need to do:
- Enter a valid URL for the plugin to scan
- Make sure the URL is to your blog home and not an internal page
- Check the “enable CommentLuv plugin” checkbox
Incentives for Commenting
I already use the Top Commentator plugin as an incentive but that plugin is a way of encouraging repeat comments because only the top 10 commenters are shown. When I first installed the plugin I probably only got 10 commenters in one month but now that I have more readers it’s that much more difficult to get on the list. As I write this the person on the bottom of the list has already made 5 comments. Also, the widget is now tucked away at the bottom of the blog so the links are not so prominent.
The CommentLuv plugin encourages all comments, including from first-time readers as it gives the commenter a link with every post and its a very visible link which other readers will see. However, because the link is embedded into the comment and I use the default WordPress settings, those links are no-follow which means that they are for traffic rather than link-juice.
As a blog owner, I love the plugin because it really helps me get to know my readers better. Whenever I see a new name I check out their blog if they have one and have a poke around but I don’t keep checking so it’s actually quite rare that I subscribe to one of my readers blogs. But with this plugin I instantly found myself being drawn to some of the posts and wanting to read them.
Remember in my blog commenting strategy that I said that one of my goals was to get the attention of the blogger? Well if the roles are reversed and I am the blogger that you want to get the attention of then I’m giving you a tip right here – write a post with a compelling title and then leave a good comment on my blog and I’ll be far more likely to notice (and read!) your post!
As an added incentive, I’ve decided that every week in my links roundup I will select at least one post that has been linked from my readers using this plugin.
Php Errors?
The only black mark against the plugin so far has been some pho errors reported by a couple of readers including Kelly Erickson who runs the Maximum Customer Experience blog. Kelly has been very helpful trying to get to the bottom of the problems and has even been in touch with the author.
I’ll keep an eye on it but if you do get problems please do let me know using the contact form. As much as I like the plugin, I’ll remove it if it causes problems for a lot of people and I don’t get a resolution to those problems.
Does CommentLuv Work With Blogger?
The original version of CommentLuv was a WordPress only plugin but there is now a way of getting Comment Luv onto your Blogger (blogspot) blogs. It’s a little more complicated than installing a WordPress plugin so I’ll simply refer you to the Blogger CommentLuv page on the author’s website.
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I love Commentluv. I started using it on my site last month and it works ok!
elgamusino´s last blog ..Utilidad de los registros SPF para evitar SPAM
Caroline,
Thank you for this primer. You’ve done a much better job of explaining how CommentLuv works than does its website. Since reading this post, I enabled the CommentLuv plugin for IntenseDebate, but was wary of doing so before I found your explanation.
Thanks again,
Erick
Erick´s last blog ..Flavors.me vs. AIM Lifestream & Streamy
I just recently started looking into using CommentLuv on my site and I’m impressed with it’s usefulness. Thank you for guiding me to it :)
Peter Griffin´s last blog ..Facing the Devil – First Visit to McDonald’s
Wow I’m glad I found your page. I’ve really enjoyed your post and look forward to your updates. :) It’s always fun when you find someone with similar ideas as your own. <3 Keep up the good work!
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http://www.cheapestedhardy.com <3
I would recommend any Wordpress user to install and use the Commentluv plugin. In itself it’s not a substitute for writing quality content that readers can engage with but it’s a nice little incentive to encourage them to leave a comment and enter into the discussion.
Andy Walpole´s last blog ..The internet 10 years ago this month – January 2000
Great blog post on the CommentLuv plug-in and why it can be a great addition for blogs. Link building is definitely a huge part of building up your blog online, and I’m personally of the opinion that Google tends to show a little bit more favor to blogs that have comments and conversations going on. Thanks for this list.
CommentLuv is one of my favorite wordpress plugins, and I had to sacrifice using other comment systems that will help my blog rank and prefer to use CommentLuv!
Hesham @ FamousBloggers´s last blog ..Is CommentLuv Selling your Blog Comment Links for Advertisers? Andy Bailey Clearing Things Up
Thanks for your very informative post. I am new to using Commentluv and your input really makes sense. Thanks much
I only wish this could be integrated with Disqus!
I am going to have to checkout CommentLuv, seems pretty cool.
Thanks for the great info.
Shane´s last blog ..Raising Your E-Commerce Sites Search Engine Rank
I havent noticed any php errors yet, hope I dont I kinda like this plugin.
Shane´s last blog ..Raising Your E-Commerce Sites Search Engine Rank
Thanks Caroline, I’ve installed Commentluv on my Wordpress blogs, but didn’t realise I could do the same with blogger. That information is much appreciated.
Rob :)
It looks like commentluv has proved that it can help make your blog more active. I can see a heap of valuable comments here – all of which add a fresh and unique feel to your site which Google will love. Its also a win win situation because in return for leaving a valuable comment, people like me get a valuable back link :-)
Sam @ Auto Content Cash Review´s last blog ..Auto Content Cash Bonus
Nice write up. CommentLuv is both good and bad at the same time, but is manageable I think.
matt´s last blog ..Does your external hard drive take forever to spin up or start?
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