On blogs and relationships
There’s been some great comments on my last post about blogging success, but a snippet from a comment from Artichoke has got me thinking.
Relationships are what new learning is founded on, and comments are the online drivers for relationships. So perhaps comments are an indicator of blog success, not the number of comments but how much powerful new thinking is engendered by a comment.
While I do still think that comments are not a solid indicator of blogging success (a point Raj makes rather well), Artichokes point about comments driving relationships is a powerful one. This blog, more than any other thing I have ever done personally or professionally, has opened up relationships with people around the world. It has provided me an avenue to meet, converse with, argue with and learn with people I would probably never have had the opportunity to meet with face to face.
Would I have made those relationships if the comments had been off? Maybe. It’s possible that people would have emailed in. I only know of a few people that have the comments turned off entirely on their blog. And I have to admit, I don’t take the time to email them when I have something to say unless it’s pretty significant.
Do you visit any blogs that have the comments turned off? If so, how often (if ever) have you taken the time to email them?
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Steve this is a really interesting point and one I have been contemplating recently. I heard someone (forgot who now) making a distinction between virtual relationships and real relationships. I thought Mmmmmmm! I email and skype my brother in Sydney. Is this a virtual relationship? I comment on your blog. Is this a real relationship? Does the fact that I have left a comment make this interaction/relationship any more real for the fact that I have responded rather than just read your posting? This is all a bit philosophical for me but I was prompted to write here because I think there is another aspect to it and seeing your comment by Artichoke triggered this for me. I read her blog a few weeks ago and was going to respond but didn’t because I had no idea who Artichoke was. By the time I had trolled the net and actually discovered Artichoke’s real identity I had lost the desire to respond. For me her hidden identity was a barrier to me being willing to interact online. In rationalising this I know it seems silly because I have never met you either but here I am responding to your blog???
I shall have to mull this over some more.
Probably I would not have bothered to email this response to you.
Paul Wilkinson
10/11/2006