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| Self Portrait on timer by Bonnie Rose Photography © 2013 All Rights Reserved | www.bonnie-rose.co.uk |
When I first started blogging in 2005 this was not an issue. The only people who commented on my blog anyways were family members. However at the start of this year when I became involved in the blogging universe I was told by another blogger that I was a “no-reply blogger”. To which I responded in my head, ‘–a what? What is that? How do I fix it?’ After a quick search on google I realized that even though I would comment a ton on all my favourite blogs, my account was not connected to my email address. What that meant was the owner of the blog could not reply to my comment. I was glad to know that my comments were not being ignored. But that sort of defeated the purpose of building a conversation and starting a relationship with another blogger.
Are you a a no-reply blogger?
I honestly had no idea I was one and I have already helped others in my same situation. But tracking down every single ‘no reply blogger’ can be time consuming. I love getting comments because I love getting to know other people. Some readers will leave the sweetest comments on my posts. I get excited and look forward to replying to their comment…only to have my heart sink.
How do you know if you are a no-reply blogger?
It is really easy. Go comment on your own blog. The email you get will either have your e-mail address or this: noreply-comment@blogger.com. Obviously if it has the later you are a ‘No-reply Blogger’. This is what I look for now before I write back nice thoughtful replies to comments, before they get lost in the blogger abyss.
What if you do not change your settings?
Its fine really and as you read further along you will see that this is more pointed towards bloggers who use blogger and not another blogger platform. However I try my best to respond back to comments on the blog where it is a ‘no-reply blogger’. I just dont know what the actuality is that the blogger will return back to that post to see if I replied, since there are no options for notifications to blog comments. I spent a lot of time reading and commenting on blogs never to hear back from the bloggers before I found out about this issue. Which is disheartening because the blogging community should be a two way street of sharing, reading, commenting, and creating dialog and friendships between people. It is why I blog.
How do you connect with your readers?
Change your email settings. It seems easy enough, however when I was trying to do this myself with having Google+, I realized you kinda have to work around the system by deactivating Google+ first. You can find all the steps below:
For Google + profiles, visit Rachel’s post and for regular blogger profiles, visit Emily’s post.
Okay but what if I use WordPress, Typepad, Tumblr, etc and not on Blogger?
If you do not blog with Blogger than there are two things you can do. One is you can make sure you have a Google+ account if only for connecting with the bloggers who do use Google+. Its security settings seem much easier for me to than the ever changing ones on Facebook. Set it up and then just have it so that other bloggers can respond back. Or actively use it. The choice is there.
Otherwise make sure to leave in your comment your email address or a link to your blog (where your email address is easy to find) so that if you comment on a blog, the blog reader can reply back easily. You can read Sandi’s experience with being a ‘no-reply blogger’ and the problem being the Blogger platform.
I hope this helps clear things up. I try to respond by email to all my comments and then go back on the blog and reply to those who are ‘no-reply bloggers’.
Cheers,
xx
Bonnie Rose
