Mar 14, 2014 / Beginner

Enhance Your Comments with a Plug (Wait, What?!)

I couldn't find an image for "plug" as good as the one in the other post, so here's Oolong the rabbit balancing a waffle on his head instead. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oolong_the_Rabbit%27s_last_performance_(2003).jpg">Oolong's Last Performance</a> by tangotango, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>.)

I know, I know: didn’t I just publish a post, which spawned a massive discussion, about not leaving plugs in comments? I did!

Does that means plugs in the comments are always no-nos? As the conversation following that post showed, it’s not quite so black and white. When is it acceptable to leave a link to your site in a comment?

I couldn't find an image for "plug" as good as the one in the other post, so here's Oolong the rabbit balancing a waffle on his head instead. (Oolong's Last Performance by tangotango, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

I couldn’t find an image for “plug” as good as the one in the other post, so here’s Oolong the rabbit balancing a waffle on his head instead. (Oolong’s Last Performance by tangotango, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

In the interest of speaking aloud the unspoken rules of blogging etiquette, here are two important exceptions to the “no comment plugs” guideline:

  1. When you’ve been told to: you’re participating in a blogging event, and the organizer asks you to leave a link to your entry in the comments of the post or page announcing the event — a fairly common request. By all means, add your link!
  2. When you’re linking to a specific, relevant post or page: you’ve written something that relates to the post you’re reading and would like to offer it as additional reading. Just be sure to leave a comment explaining why you’re including the link.

The issue with drive-by linkings and contentless-comments is the suggestion that the commenter hasn’t bothered to read our post, and is only leaving a comment in the hopes of driving traffic to themselves. Even if it’s sincere, it can look like spam.

If you’re following instructions or offering a related viewpoint, you’re doing precisely the opposite — you’ve read the post, and you’re fully engaged with it. In that case, link away!

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  10. I just started a blog a few dahs ago and I thought this would help me get everything I’m feeling off my cheat. Last November I got scammed and they hacked our account and took all our money. Since this has happened my husband has made very hurtful comments. And last night he did it again in front of our friend. I immediately went up stairs, I was so hurt. I thought how many times do I have to go through this before it goes to far next time. I told him that I have never lied or stole from him. We’ve been together for 13 yrs and married 11 in September. I have never felt so heart broken in my life. What do I do?? We had a very long conversation last night but it just didn’t help. From Distressed

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  11. I agree with Steve. I am a new blogger as well and the articles that the Daily Post have been posting are giving me some great tips on etiquette!

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  13. Rude barbarians are free to visit my blog any time. It’s a polite blog, but if you’re changing literary lanes in a hurry and happen to cut across my blog, welcome.

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