This post about commenting will give you an idea about what it feels like to read your comments from a blogger’s perpective.
There’s no new recipe today.
Instead, I’m going to share something a little different, and talk about something many bloggers struggle with, in an attempt to let you understand what’s going on on the other side of the computer, so to speak.
I’m talking about comments; yes, the messages you, as readers, leave below our recipes, stories, photos, on Facebook posts, Instagram shots, and tweets–you get the picture.
These may seem inconsequential to you, but to a blogger, especially a blogger who has spent…
- 1/2 – 3 hours going to the grocery store to buy ingredients he/she didn’t have in order to make a dish, or looking for specific equipment needed for that recipe
- 1 – 3 hours making and shooting photos of each individual step
- 1 – 2 hours cleaning up (I’m a messy cook!)
- 1 – 2 hours uploading and editing those aforementioned shots
- 1 – 4 hours writing, researching and editing the actual post and recipe
with no monetary compensation, it means a lot.
Sometimes we carry our creations up mountains for photo shoots, and that’s not included in the time frame!
In fact, most of the time, comments are the only reward we receive, and that’s if they are complimentary. This means for each post, most of us are spending 4 1/2 to 14 hours working without pay, and that doesn’t include the time we spend promoting it on social media to lead readers to our sites.
WHY BLOGGERS LOVE POSITIVE COMMENTS
Those 50 words that April wrote below my Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe post (top photo) made my day. However, most readers never comment, and I do understand why, because it takes time to do so and many of us just feel so rushed all the time that we don’t do unnecessary things, like comment on blogs.
However, if you come to my side of the the blogging world for just a moment, you’ll also understand why it’s so frustrating for bloggers not to hear from readers, or to only receive negative feedback after all of our hard work. It doesn’t take much to give a little in return in appreciation for the work we do on the recipes, reviews and articles we post.
Comments such as Adrianna’s are so enthralling to receive; it’s truly a tonic!
Picture this scenario: you are doing your job without a paycheck (or 5% of what you’re currently earning), and no one really acknowledges you, or better yet, berates you for how you are doing your job. This is how it feels to me when I receive a comment dictating that my recipe is wrong, made incorrectly, didn’t turn out properly due to their mistake, or even worse, attacking me personally (it’s happened).
Of course there are some bloggers who do well monetarily with their sites, or get so popular that they cannot respond to all their comments; then the shoe’s on the other foot and the reader is the one who’d love to get a response from that celebrity blogger, for example.
Look at this lovely comment from a reader on the very last post on one of my favorite sites, Poires au Chocolat, when Emma had posted that she was retiring her blog~
I think it’s such a shame that Jeannette never expressed her feelings to Emma about her blog earlier to let her know how much she enjoyed it. Who knows if Emma ever saw this comment?
Another reason bloggers love comments below our recipes is so that readers can look at others’ opinions of the recipe. When you see lots of comments saying how great my sausage roll recipe is from lots of random commenters, doesn’t it make you feel as though it’s a more reliable recipe? I know I do. It’s like reading the reviews on Amazon before purchasing a product, or Tripadvisor comments before booking a hotel.
If no one comments on our posts, there’s no barometer for other readers to know if it’s a good recipe, other than taking the blogger’s word. I know I pride myself on putting the best quality, tried and tested recipes on my site, but it’s great when readers tell me it worked for them in their kitchens, too.
HIDDEN READERS
I can’t tell you how many times someone has said to me, “Oh, I made your _____ recipe and it was amazing!” or “I make your _____ soup all the time and my family loves it!” or “I love your blog. I really enjoy your writing and pictures”, but I had no clue they were even looking at my site.
Of course, this most often comes from a few friends, family members, and acquaintances and I am dumbfounded that they don’t write me a little note below the recipe just to say so. I mean, it’s me, they know me–so why so “hush-hush”? I don’t know, but after talking to many other bloggers, the consensus is: our family and close friends are our worst fans/readers. Most of them don’t even follow our blogs, which is why it’s so easy for me to write this–they’ll never see it!
WHY MOST BLOGGERS HATE FACEBOOK
Then there’s the nemesis of almost all bloggers: Facebook. Facebook used to be great; they used to share our posts with all, or almost all of our followers, but later decided to go a different route and charge us to have that happen.
Most of us cannot afford to spend $60 to have something like this Cream of Mushroom soup post be seen by all of our readers; and as you can see, Facebook showed this post to only 392 of my over 12,400 readers. Nice, huh?
Clicking “like”, sharing or commenting (which includes just an emoticon, like a smiley or thumbs up) helps keep us in readers’ news feeds, but if we don’t ask, and I hate to ask, it doesn’t happen, except for a handful of super great readers who always “like” and comment (thank you, Dottie and others; you know who you are)!
And of course I’m not implying that readers should write a comment on every single post you see, it’s just that a lot of loyal readers never comment or give feedback.
COMMENTS WE’D RATHER NOT SEE
Once in a while, we will receive a nasty comment, something hurtful or rude and it is hard to completely ignore it, but we try. Even just reading “yuck” on a post, after all the work we’ve done can feel like being hit below the belt, so please, think twice before writing something that actually doesn’t accomplish anything.
If you don’t like something, I’d advise looking for another recipe or photo that you do like. We’re offering a free service, and it just doesn’t seem fair to be chastised for it, don’t you agree? Megan at Country Cleaver wrote a post describing how these comments can spiral out of control. It’s simply unnecessary.
COMPANIES and BLOGGERS
To add insult to injury, many times companies will approach bloggers and ask us to create a brand new recipe and blog post (the time for creating a new recipe is not included in the list above) in exchange for a handful of coupons for their $4 product, or better yet, for exposure on their site. Where else in the business world does a company expect another company to work for free?
Of course there are wonderful companies which truly value bloggers, such as the Idaho Potato Commission which even features bloggers on their site (you’ll find me there)!
(May 22, 2015) I am editing this post to add another company which really appreciates bloggers, Tieks! If you’ve never heard of them, you will and it’s because not only is their product fabulous (Italian leather ballet flats), but just look at this surprise gift they sent to me as a thank you for supporting their company!
This beautiful Tieks hat box held a Thrive Market Gold lifetime membership and gift card, Alex and Ani bracelet, Thirdlove gift card and lingerie, Yogitoes mat, Coola sunscreen, custom Tieks notebook, Anastasia Beverly Hills make up, Philosophy moisturizer, Sprinkles cupcake mix and two tickets to a Broadway show (yes, in NYC!) It also included a lovely personalized hand written card, which to me really is the icing on the cake! I love Tieks, and now I know the feeling is mutual!
OUR FAVORITE COMMENTERS
On the other hand, sometimes a reader sends in a photo of something they made with one of our recipes and that is the absolute best! Seeing our recipes “in action” is brilliant–I mean, just look at these doughnuts!
Whether each blogger is writing and posting as a hobby or as a means to support their family, or is going in the red for their page or making $30,000/month, we all love to know that you’re seeing our work.
So please keep these things in mind the next time you use a blogger’s recipe, or you see one of our posts on social media: a “like”, double tap, smiley face, “thanks!” or a few words can make it all worthwhile for us to continue cooking and baking up a storm for you–it’s simple, we love what we do.
It’s just really nice to hear that you’re out there reading our words, appreciating our photography and using our recipes.
Thanks for the commenting love–in advance. (Cheesecake recipe from the photo below.)
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I promise not to sell or share your info, ever!
After half an hour scrolling down all these comments :-P… You are so right and it is still so true. Family and friends are the worst followers because they don’t follow and never comment, I thought that really very odd. Or if they do they send a comment in an Email! That doesn’t make sense to me. I stopped hoping people would say something. I use my blog as my own recipe collection and for travel memories. Nonetheless I know that there are more than a 1.000 readers every day. That’s OK, I love the few ‘commenters’ (like you, thank you very much!) and to look up my recipes, to see my photos (which I often like much more after a while) and to do my research for my travels. It all makes me rich: of experience, knowledge and fun.
I agree, Heidi, I think we just have to move forward as we can’t change or convince anyone to look at our sites. It’s sad, but nothing we can do.
You’re welcome, I wish I had more time to comment on all my blogger friends’ sites! It’s hard, but if we all do something to try to help, I think it makes a difference. I agree with you and I hope you continue to travel and share! Happy New Year! xx
[…] A Post About Commenting from a Blogger’s Perspective […]
Appreciated for sharing this blog. I really like this blog.
Thank you very much, Samir!
Just subscribed to this. I love your blogs and now I will become more conscious about always commenting.
Aww, thank you, Lorraine. I truly meant this to be directed to people who are writing nasty comments (that’s what triggered me to write the post). However, any (positive or constructive) comments are always appreciated! Thank you!! :)
A fellow blogger shared your post today and I wanted to say HEAR HEAR!
I’ve been blogging for over 8 years and the blogging world has changed so much in that time – it’s so much harder to attract those readers given the incredible number of blogs out there, so many of which are bloody AMAZING!
So comments from readers make such a huge difference, it’s so good to know when people have appreciated your content!
Thank you, Kavey! I know that all bloggers can relate to the sentiment I shared on this post. Agreed, so many fabulous sites out there, it’s hard for people to keep commenting everywhere, but those nasty people just need to STOP! Thanks for stopping by, Kavey!
This is very meaningful blog. i enjoyed reading it. it is such a wonderful thing to get a comment on your blog or article. Keep the best things coming…!!!
Your site is the first one I go to when I’m looking for a recipe. They are all wonderful. I will be sure to comment when I make something. As well I love reading your recommendations on travel. I’m going to Italy next week so will be checking out your recommendations. And I can’t wait to try the ones in Britain. As soon as someone mentions they are going to Britain I recommend your site. I hadn’t realized just what goes into your work but I will be more mindful in the future.
I have only today read your post – a bit late to the party. Firstly, let me say I enjoy reading both your food and travel posts. Always very informative. I am also guilty of not commenting and I can understand the reason you like to read comments, but, I really dislike reading comments from people who just like the pictures and haven’t made the recipe and probably will never make it. There is nothing like receiving praise for a job well done especially when you have spent many hours and dollars in producing it.
The comments I like to read are from the people who have taken the time to make the recipe and can tell you how they liked the results of their effort and can pass on little hints in its production. It may be ages before I will ever get round to using your recipe, but, I am an avid recipe collector and all of yours that I have liked but not made are in a special file marked ‘Christina’s Cucina’ waiting for the day when I can make it and comment on it. By then you won’t be reading comments for that particular recipe but I will have all the helpful hints from the people that did make it.
Please don’t be disheartened by all the people who love to read your writings and don’t get around to commenting – and ignore all the nasty comments from jealous people who have never done much and only like to criticise. There are a lot of us who love what you do. And I will endeavour to make some of your goodies soon so I can tell you how great they were. ?
Oh thank you so much for this, Mary! It means a lot to me, but just let me say that I get notification of every comment made on my recipes, just like this one. No matter how old the recipe is, I will be able to respond to questions if someone is making it, and usually respond within the day, unless I happen to be traveling.
I totally agree with you about the comments from others who have never made the recipe, but sometimes as bloggers, we just try to support each other and give a kind word.
Thank you for taking the time to write this and I’m THRILLED that I have my own file!!! :) Please let me know if you ever have any questions when you get around to making the recipes you want to make, or just to say, “I made it!”
Thanks so much, Mary!! Have a lovely week!
I’m so honored to have been a part of this post! I love the way you write about things that are important, things that no one says because we (in general) are so afraid of offending or alienating our readers. I love how you stand up for things you are passionate, even if on the surface they may seem like no big deal. Salt in oatmeal!! Pasta with sauce!! Recipes that don’t include a cake mix!! Keep writing, friend, you are an inspiration :)
passionate about* lol
Oh dear, I’ve somehow missed responding to you, April! I am so sorry! I hate it when that happens! Thank you for your incredibly lovely comments-I really appreciate them. Happy to share your wonderful doughnuts, too! Thanks for your support, April! :) CC
I have to comment because you are one of my favorite bloggers. Not only do I love your recipes, but I appreciate your travel photos and stories. Be encouraged!
Sorry, sorry, sorry Jeanne! Don’t know how I missed your comment here from January! Eeek! Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words and encouragement! :)
Christina, I love your blog! I’ve saved so many of your recipes, and I plan to try them all. Your photos are wonderful, and they show us what our versions should look like, even if they don’t meet up with your standards! I love reading about the fabulous places your visit and seeing your lovely photos. Keep up your good work. We value your efforts more than you know!!
Oh thank you so much, Donna, you are so sweet, but I hope I don’t come across as being too perfectionistic :( I’m like that with my own bakes, but I honestly am delighted whenever anyone who doesn’t bake much, even attempts to make something. Thanks again, Donna! :)
I agree with you that when I look at comments I am looking for reviews from people that actually cooked it. I want to see if they made any changes or have suggestions. Is it worth my time making? Unfortunately a lot of blogs only have comments from other bloggers looking to promote themselves. They say things like ” I am literally drooling on the computer.” “That looks so tasty I could eat my keyboard.” “OMG I have been craving that lately and am just dying.” How does that help me? I do make comments on blogs. I tell people if the recipe was delicious or if you should cook it longer or less, or if I made a tweak. I tend to trust those types of blogs more than the ones that just have silly comments from other bloggers.
Totally agree with you Anne, however we are a rather tight knit community and bloggers do comment on each others’ posts to support each other. The problem is when there are ONLY comments from other bloggers and you have no idea if it’s a good recipe or not, especially if you don’t know if it’s a recipe that’s actually been made in a kitchen (I know of one blogger in particular who buys photos and makes up a recipe to go with the photo and could almost guarantee she never makes the recipe). How do I know this? She brags about how easy food blogging is! Scary and sad that people are using her recipes. You can rest assured, mine are tried and tested and often are recipes I’ve been making for years and years. Thanks for your comment! :)
Hi! I have just found your blog today. So much to respond to in this post. I am guilty of not commenting on recipe blogs mostly because after locating all needed ingredients and getting the whole deal created, I, too, have a messy kitchen to manage! I am also frustrated with the way Facebook works, but suspect that frustration will soon come to a head and that platform will dwindle. Something new will replace it. I get that making it, and making it look so pretty is time consuming. No one is forcing bloggers to carry on at a deficit, though. The deal about family members is as Jesus said about a prophet being dissed in his hometown. You are in good company there! Finally, and I don’t know if this is just the fault of my Android device, but getting through the ads or sometimes allllllll the woooooords to get to the reason I am at a particular blog, is quite cumbersome. Many bloggers are too much in love with their own words. Sometimes I want to ask the blogger, in real time, “Why are we here, again?”
Dear Inez, You have an interesting take on bloggers being in love with their own words. If you have a blog and would care to share a link to that blog then we can check it out and see how you do it. You got a bit wordy there yourself…so…why are we here again?
Bloggers are passionate about their subjects. The investment in time and materials comes at the expense of everything else – learning more about their subject, their families and relationships. It expands the process of making something by 3 or 4 times with all the preparation and the photography of the process – then the actual setting up of the post.
If bloggers get a bit wordy it is the passion and wanting to explain themselves well to their followers and readers.
Sharing what we have learnt is the intention not narcissism. Sharing is what drives us.
We could have written the stuff in a book and sold it … instead we give the information away for free.
WELL SAID, Susi!!
I agree with everything Susi said.
Inez, a blog by it’s true definition is a “regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.” With that considered, bloggers are going to blog. That’s why “we’re here”. I’d hate to know how you feel about authors who write entire books!
If you just want recipes, there are tons of sites such as AllRecipes that are completely impersonal and give you an ingredients list + direction.
So, why are you “here”?
Very good points, Dana. I always feel that those who don’t like my blog can find one they DO like as we can never please everyone. But then again, there are some people who can just never be pleased.
Hi Inez, I have read through your comment twice and am confused about what you are trying to say, so I’m at a loss at how to respond.
Christina, you have no idea how many of your fabulous recipes I have saved. The ones I have tried have all been delicious. Keep up the good work! There are many of us who really appreciate your wonderful posts with interesting commentary and beautiful photos. Carry on!
Thank you SO much for letting me know, Donna! I am very happy to hear it and it does make me want to carry on! :)
Thank you Christina, for a wonderful post. I thought I was the only blogger around that felt like you do…that simple act of finding someone like oneself and their feelings relieves the isolation. I have been soap blogging for 3 years and have 54 followers and have only received 8 comments in that time. My stats show that my blog posts are being read and shared around but no comments follow from the posts. Those disparaging ones are the ones that do hit below the belt. Being copied without credit hurts even more. Thank you for all you do. I will be following you closely now that I have extra time on my hands for cooking as I won’t be blogging. Susi in Adelaide South Australia
Thanks so much for letting me know, Susi. I can assure you, you are NOT alone! Most bloggers I speak to all fee the same as us, from the smallest following to the largest, it’s epidemic. However, only 8 comments in 3 years sounds absolutely horrible. What incentive does that give you? I hope all of those 8 were at least positive ones! Is this the reason you’re dropping out of blogging? Happy to have you pop by anytime, Susi! CC
What wonderful points, well put and thought out. Most people don’t realize the amount of love that goes into a blog – especially food or DTY blogs. I’ve spend hours researching the history of a dish or a tradition behind something, and those “likes” or kind words of encouragement make my day. Thank you so much.
No, they don’t realize it, Rosemarie, but worse than no comments are the disparaging ones. Thank you for stopping by!
What a well written post! My worst is when someone I know leaves a rude comment on my blog because they think they are better :)
Lovely, aren’t they? :( CC
I just came across this posting as I was reading your email newsletter on your daughter.. which by the way.. zowie.. thank you for the heads up info AND hugs to all who have experienced by way of sideways unknown allergen.
.. back to the reason I’m posting. I started reading food blogs while recovering in hospital. It made me feel less isolated sterile and lost. Kitchens and happy mom’s at home who can do anything and photograph it like a pro..well that’s just inspiring. I rarely write because there are usually 299 previous comments , usually the usuals, and they all love whatever.. made the recipe–built that wall–crafted that thing.. superbly.. and I’m laying in a bed. Thinking.. what can I possibly add to all that? A mundane.. hey I loved it? After the 3rd or so time.. no one would even notice. It isn’t those posts you quoted here am I right.. it’s those .. I’ve done.. I’ve learned.. blah..that even I enjoy reading.
There is a certain ego I still poses so.. I just read on. Smile to myself.. mentally preparing each recipe when I can’t physically. And saving every recioe I love for… that rainy day.. my day when I can bask in the glow of.. I’ve learned.
I have written to various bloggers when there posted something very close to my heart…or when I’ve noticed they are not “there” anymore.. which lately happens more than I like. Selfishly each blog is like a room in a home that you enjoy.. and then the door closes.. and it’s a hollow space .
I’ve written to those.. and a few wrote back. I was .. surprised. . But more.. thrilled. I mattered. This little voice . A no one .. and they wrote back. I count those people as truly elegant souls.
Like you. Tho you have written to me, you do answer people in comments and by way of this post.. you share that you care. We may all be faceless.. some of us voiceless.. but you acknowledge. . We’re here and that it matters.. more than the dollar more than the numbers.. because you began a blog to speak to us as it were.. and in any given conversation you enjoy having us “speak ” with you.
I hope your audience always listens with their hearts and speaks kindly with their keyboard! For as long as you’re happy .
~Blue
Dear Blue, I can’t even tell you how much your comment means to me. It actually made me tear up, and that’s the first time that’s happened with a blog comment! The first thing I want to say to you is that NO ONE is a no one. Just because someone is famous or rich or noticeable, doesn’t make them more valuable. I’m sorry to hear that you had some health issues, and hope you are no longer recovering in the hospital.
You are correct, I do value my readers which is why I won’t “sell out” and promote brands I don’t believe in, or tell you to buy a product, whether it is an ingredient or an appliance, that I wouldn’t buy myself. I choose to do posts that might not be popular, but that I feel strongly about. I honestly think readers can tell who is honest, and who is out to make a quick buck, and if I don’t stay true to myself, then my readers will know it immediately and I will have lost everything I have gained. I do love to hear from my readers, and truly appreciate you reaching out to tell me how you feel, Blue. I’m so happy that you did.
I too hope that my audience listens with their hearts and speak kindly with their keyboards! What a lovely way to phrase it! Hope you are better, and thank you so much for this wonderful comment! <3 Christina
[…] catch on and then you’ll look like an a@!^*#%. I recently read a piece about commenting on food blogs over at Christina’s Cucina that got me really excited. I felt so connected with what she […]
Christina, I’m new to your blog, visiting for the first time today. How can it be that, of the two posts I’ve read so far, they both could have been written by me?! We are definitely on the same wavelength! Thank you for this post; I’ll be tweeting about it now.
Wonderful to hear, Jean! And thank you so much for tweeting my post! Come back soon! CC
Christina, I couldn’t have said any more than you have. So well put! Thank you for the read and the inspiration. I make absolutely nothing from my blog and don’t even have any advertising. I know, what’s the point of blogging, then? Because it’ a hobby and so yes, when someone comments it means the world to us. By the way, this post must have taken ages to prepare. I don’t know how you do it – just preparing the photos takes me forever, and that’s before the writing! Bravo. I am loving your site and wish I had discovered it sooner. Better late than never.
Thanks so very much, Jill! I am honored and humbled by your comments. Yes, my posts take me a long time as I really try to post quality over quantity. I’m so glad you found me too, or else I wouldn’t have discovered your lovely blog, either, and I’m always happy to connect with someone from home! :) CC
If you stopped blogging and posting recipes you could make pefiteroles all day. Then you could give them all to me and cousin Dave. Then we might send you thank you notes. Everyone knows thank you notes are better than comments any day. Pefiteroles aren’t for everyone so if Christina gives you some I recommend not eating them. Just send them to Cousin Dave instead. He might send you a thank you note then.
Hahaha! Of course YOU would comment on my Cream Puff post, Jon! :) I’ll let you know if I ever start a profiterole company…you never know! CC
I am late to the game after 114 comments. Wow! You’ve set your commenting on fire with your excellent reporting about being a food blogger. I attribute the low amount of comments I receive on my blog to thinking people are too shy or want to be private. Hard to believe in the world of Facebooking every detail of their lives! That being said, I yearn to know whether people made my recipes and if they worked out for them. Friends do give me updates in person or even email me about their successes. I ask them to post their review in my comments, but it never happens. C’est la vie!
Isn’t that funny, Patricia? A post about commenting and I have 115 comments now! Yes, it would be lovely to hear from those readers who have made our recipes and learn what worked for them, if they made any changes or anything they could tell us, really! As you said, c’est la vie! :( CC
What a great post. I would love to not care about comments, but sometimes I can’t help it and I become obsessed with the subject. That’s when I go through the blogs I follow and click on “unfollow.” Because there should be give and take. Sure it takes time to comment, but its important, and this blogging thing shouldn’t be one-sided. On the plus side, I’ve actually met four bloggers in person, and that has been so much fun. And that’s why the commenting is important. The people who don’t are really missing out in that food blogger community that develops from the communication.
Very good points, Mimi! I agree, there should be a give and take and no relationship works when it’s only one-sided. I also agree that it’s so much fun to meet bloggers in person after “getting to know them” on their sites! Glad you stopped by! I appreciate your thoughts! CC
Your eloquence in portraying what so many bloggers secretly feel is both stunning and inspiring. I am so grateful for all of your hard work that you put into your blog, and for your willingness to share so much of yourself with your readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Christina!
So kind and sweet of you to say that, Mandy! What a lovely comment; I’m truly so appreciative~ You are SOOOO welcome! CC
[…] [1] Blogging is fun. But it is also a lot of work! Bloggers spend many hours writing their posts and that is only just the beginning. In order to get anyone to see what you actually wrote you have to promote it. I have worked in digital marketing in corporate America for many, many years and I understand the principle of the “90-9-1 Rule for Participation Inequality in Social Media and Online Communities” developed by the great Nielsen Norman Group. That means no matter how large or small your blog is, generally speaking only about 10% are actually going to do anything with your post, the rest are lurkers who come to visit, read and then leave. Knowing that still doesn’t make it easy! Something that my friend Christina of Christina’s Cucina wrote about recently. […]
Thank you for putting into words what so many bloggers feel! As a blogger, it can be so discouraging. As a reader, I do try to comment on several posts I read each day, but I know that there are a whole lot more I should comment on. Big virtual hug to you!
Thanks, Kris! I think we’ll always seek guilty because we want to be able to comment on all of our favorite blogs all the time, but it just isn’t possible. However, commenting once in a while is doable and appreciated by all of us bloggers! I know you understand! :) Thanks so much! <3
I was directed here by a friend, never having seen your wonderful food blog before. My own blog is “dark” at the moment because I am fairly fed up with a lot of things going on in the world of blogging, and not just the lack of comments. I agree that it is very disheartening. Many bloggers have folded their tents and just gone away. I did once, even deleted my blog altogether, but I missed the connections with kindred spirits. I plan to keep my blog private, which on the Blogger format limits me to 100 guests. But that is OK. I am dragging my feet about issuing the invitations because I keep thinking, “What’s the point?” I do not blog for money, and do not allow any ads at all. I just like the creative interchange with others with whom I have something in common. I do not like some of the trolls who leave nasty comments, try to attach malware to my blog or steal my content. I hate Facebook, and have deleted my account, not once but twice. I will definitely subscribe and visit you, but I cannot guarantee I will comment each time.
Hi Scribbler, I’m so sorry to hear how disheartened you feel at the moment, and I can understand how one does get to that point. I hope you are able to find a blogging style/audience that meets your needs and fulfills you without having you feel disappointed. It is a difficult thing to put yourself out there, only to have some people berate you, I understand.
Thank you so much for subscribing to my blog, but please don’t feel as if I was saying that everyone who reads any of my posts should leave a comment every single time, as that would be asking WAY too much! I simply meant that I’d love to hear from readers every once in a while, even once a month would make my day! :) Thanks so much for your support and I do hope things work out for you! CC
Thanks so much for putting into words what so many of us bloggers feel!
Thank YOU, Heather for letting me know you appreciate my post! CC
Wow…. What a powerful read. As a fellow food blogger, I feel your pain, but I’m also guilty for not always leaving comments on fellow bloggers pages. Thank you for posting this, I feel inspired!
Thanks so much, Melanie! The truth is that none of us can always comment on every post we read, however we can from time to time and spread the love between all our favorite sites. I know that a lot of loyal readers are reading and using our recipes and not even letting us know that they enjoy our work, ever. That’s mostly why I wrote this post. Thanks for stopping by and commenting! :) CC
Hi Christina! If this would be a speech from someone that is running for “presidential blogger”, to represents us as bloggers, be sure you would absolutely be our favourite candidate !! You did nail it! I´m so glad I met you through dear Suzanne. :)
You are much too kind, Viviana! Thank you so much. And the feelings are mutual-so happy I got to meet you too, through Suzanne! :)
Oh Christina my Dear Friend…I have read your blog post twice, totally absorbed in every word you wrote. I am guilty as well of not commenting on your blog and social media posts…but not because of the reasons you stated. You and I have had this talk many times. Because we now have to spend an ungodly amount of hours just fighting to keep our blog out here, (much of which can be attributed to Facebook) we haven’t been able to spend time visiting the blogs and social social media pages we love best…simply because there are no hours left in the day. I have so many blogging friends whose work I greatly admire, but rarely am able to visit anymore and it makes me terribly sad. I hope to work on changing this in the coming year as you and so many others continually inspire and motivate me to do the best job I can to bring the kind of content I hope my readers find valuable. Thank you so much for bringing this important issue to the forefront. I know for sure you are speaking for many hard working members of our blogging community.
Thank you, Linda, but as you know, I too don’t pop over to comment on yours nearly enough! Yes, I think we need personal assistants, that’s the cure, correct! :) I appreciate THIS comment, so much and hope that it too will inspire others to write a line or two, every once in a while! Good luck! CC
Thank you for writing this Christina. You mirrored my sentiments exactly. Nothing makes my day more than a good comment from a reader on an article or recipe. It’s all about the little things. Thanks so much for sharing this.
I totally agree! There’s so much research, writing, shopping, cooking, and photography that goes into my blog – as I not only cook European recipes but also write about Europe and it’s like a full time job. I’ve been blogging for a year now and never get comments – well, my kids comment from time to time. It’s a good job I look at this as a hobby or I would have quit by now. Also, people prefer to comment on my Facebook page instead of the blog, which is ok but how I would LOVE a few comments on my blog to give me a lift! Thanks for the read – what a lot of comments you have :-)
Hi Suzy, I’m so sorry that I missed a few comments here! Goodness, I don’t know how I did, but I find them from time to time and am quite embarrassed! You have such a wonderful site at Europe’s Calling and I do know how much work you put into it. I agree, the FB comments are nice, but they’re only short lived, as opposed to comments on our sites. Thank you for continuing, despite the lack of response. It is frustrating!
You hit the nail on the head Christina! Love this post. Thanks for putting what all us bloggers feel into words. Michelle from a dish of daily life shared this on FB and so will I! Spreading the love!
Thank you so much, Nicole!
This is so spot on. I try to comment as much as possible because I know how it feels to work so hard on something and not see any comments. A nice comment makes my day! I wrote a post over a year ago about blog commenting that still to this day gets a lot of hits on my site, and I remember one comment recently that really surprised me. A blogger who wanted comments said she didn’t want to leave comments on other peoples’ blogs because she didn’t want to be annoying. ???? The other issue is most people don’t understand the way Facebook works, so they don’t get the like, comment and share thing. It is frustrating that Facebook treats bloggers the same way they do a big corporation. Who has $60 to promote every post? :( I’ll be sharing this!
And yours is the last of the few comments I completely missed responding to, Michelle! So incredibly sorry! I agree, comments can make or break a day! It’s a lot of work with little recognition for it! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Christina :)
I just found you via Rattlebridge Farm and I agree wholeheartedly with this post. Thank you for writing it.
I can’t wait to try out some of your recipes! They look and sound wonderful.
rue
Oh thank you so much, Rue! Wonderful that you came by to let me know! I’m so happy you’ll be trying out my recipes! Please come back to let me know how they turn out! CC
This is absolutely fantastic, Christina! You have put this all so well. I totally agree with absolutely everything you have said! It takes so much time and effort, outside of our normal work hours, to spend about as much time again creating and sharing our recipes and there is such little reward in it. Like you, it totally makes my day to get a sweet comment. I really hope this post enlightens our fans :) Thank you for sharing this!!
Thank you so much, Nicole! I appreciate you stopping by to comment and glad you feel the same. Thanks so much for sharing it earlier, too! :) CC
Very well written Christina.I absolutely hate having to ask for comments and likes on my social media just to be seen.It is so frustrating.I hate it even more that most all of the comments on my blog comes from other bloggers.Not that I dont appreciate them of course, It makes me feel good to have the support.It is just a shame more of my followers comment on Facebook than my blog.I know they are viewing because of the stats, and I know they like my recipes because they tell me on Facebook.It is frustrating and I commend you for such a great article.
Frustrating indeed, Jodie! And I do understand what you’re saying about bloggers commenting, because even though we are valuable to each other, non-blogger comments are just so lovely to receive! Thank you so much for your compliments and I wish you many more comments to come! (non-blogger ones!) ;)
Hi Christina, I’m visiting on the advice of my friend Mlee from Rattlebridge Farm…she said this post of yours was a must read for food bloggers and I agree~you have verbalized what we do so beautifully~ I know I am often surprised when I learn one of my friends reads my blog everyday, yet never has commented…it’s almost a little creepy, like they are spying on you! But I started my blog for selfish reasons, as a way to push myself creatively, and the things I do for the blog are things I’d be doing anyway, so if I get a nice comment or two it’s a bonus. I learned early on not to worry about blog stats etc,. and to stay true to why I started doing it in the first place. As an artist, I have also learned that it is often you bring quiet happiness to others, and even though they don’t express it, you are appreciated. One woman who buys a lot of my painted glassware told me once, “You bring so much joy to everyone who buys your pieces.” This is a comment I often remember, and I delight in the fact that I am able to do so~ I look forward to getting to know you better through your beautiful recipes and photographs~ thank you for sharing so openly~
Hi Jenna! I’m so happy you came by, because I too feel as you do. We are more concerned about the quality of what we are doing versus marketing to get more popular. I’m sure I could have a lot more followers and commenters if I sacrificed the time I put into my posts and invested it into promoting myself, but it’s more important to me that I post quality content. Yes, sometimes you have to hold on to that “one” comment, the one that keeps you going for a long time!
Thanks again for stopping by and for your kind words! I appreciate it! CC
Hi Christina,
Totally true about what you wrote… I question myself a lot too about why am I baking and blogging? Why can’t I just bake and feed my family??? Why am I wasting time writing and blogging??? hmmm… Well said that we need good recognition with encouraging words from our readers.
Zoe
It’s sad when I see comments like yours from such incredible talent! You are truly talented Zoe, and if for nothing else, we blog so that our children will have an “online cookbook” of our recipes, so that hopefully they will continue our passion and love of baking and cooking! Love your blog! CC
An astonishingly wonderful post that will touch everyone who reads it. Your photos are absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! :) CC
Whoa!!! Amen and Allejuiah! Finally. Someone has said it. I stand behind you on this 100%.
I found your blog from Rattlebridge Farms……….and man, oh man, am I glad I did. Cannot wait to read thru ALL of it. And pretty please and thank you — I would like one bite of every single dish you photographed above ^^^!!!
Oh Janey, I am so glad you commented and told me about Rattlebridge Farms! I just saw my sausage rolls over there and am over the moon! They are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for commenting, and for your lovely compliments…YOU know how much I appreciate it, I’m sure! :) CC
You took the words right out of my mouth, and every blogger out there, I’m certain. Very nicely done – bravo!
Thank you SO much, Kathleen! That means a lot to me (as you will know)! CC
Very nicely stated!
But, I really don’t hate Facebook – it’s free and it gives us exposure. I follow a lot of bloggers on there and find it really easy to see a bunch of links to posts in one place than to hop in and out of blogs looking for new content.
You know you are a mentor and inspiration to me! xoxo
And, I couldn’t agree more about family & friends. My brother always rolls his eyes when he asks for a recipe & I tell him it’s on my blog – really – what’s so hard about that?
Facebook used to be fabulous, but now I don’t see even a quarter of the pages I want to see (yours has been taken out of my feed recently!) and I don’t like them choosing because I WANT to see yours, so that’s what most of us dislike immensely. Thank you for your compliment, Susan! That’s so sweet! And yes, my brother calls me all the time and the recipe he wants is on my page! Brothers!! ;)
I’m a blogger and I’m still guilty of reading and not commenting. Sometimes, I have to choose between reading and not commenting or not reading at all. I’ve always struggled with comments. But, I totally understand what you’re saying. I try to just look at my stats and new subscribers as an indication that I’m on the right track – but comments are nice. Your photos are stunning, Christina. Those raspberries – beautiful!!
Oh Jen, we’re all guilty sometime! It’s impossible to comment on every single post we see or read; I think everyone realizes that and I don’t think we should beat ourselves up over it. I just wanted to let non-bloggers know how much work goes into a post and how much we really DO appreciate it when we do get a comment, especially a nice one. Thank you for your compliment, but the photo with the raspberries is from Poires au Chocolat- it truly is stunning, isn’t it? Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Jen!
Such an awesome post christina! I think you gave a great perspective of what we do to post ONE recipe!
Thanks, Cynthia!
SO well said! I seriously could not have said it better and I think many people don’t understand what goes on behind the scenes!
No, they don’t Andi, so I really felt the need to do this post. Thanks! CC
I didn’t know how important comments were until I started blogging. I have a lot of blogs that I try to keep up with on the comments, I have a rotation that I go through so I make sure I show regular love to my fellow bloggers. Thank you for posting this, it’s a great read.
Thank you, Janette! I know you are so good about commenting, and this is why: you are organized about it! Good idea! CC
Thanks for a great article! I completely understand, I don’t know why people won’t comment on posts, probably time factors. Your blog is great and I always enjoy the recipes. Keep up the great work…..all the photos are wonderful.
Thank you, thank you so much, Sheena! I really appreciate you letting me know this! Hope you come back often! :) CC
Oh, brava, Christina! You have spoken for us all. There are times when I feel like the proverbial tree falling in the woods. Am I even making a noise? I looked back recently to my first posts – big, fat zeroes in the comments section. It does mean so much, and one of the reasons I love my blogging friends so much is the support (via comments) they give each week. Every once in a while, I get a shocker – someone I have never heard of asks a questions or makes a comment! It makes my day. Once, im a meeting at the University where I work, I mentioned my blog by name, and two people at the table (I had never met either) said that they read it faithfully each week. Who knew? I certainly didn’t… So, many thanks for speaking out. I may be the last to comment (I always read my friends’ posts on the weekend), but I will always be here for you!
Wow, David! That’s really impressive about the two readers being in the meeting with you, but I agree- so shocking that you had no idea. I suppose it is rather like performing on a stage in front of a one way mirror, not know how many people are on the other side of the looking glass, isn’t it?
Thank you for your ever supportive comments, you know I really appreciate them. Oh, and I love that you actually wrote “brava” instead of “bravo”! Most people don’t realize the difference! Grazie!
It’s the Idaho Potato Commission that introduced me to your site (and your Potato Scones specifically). Your stories, recipes and photos are lovely and so are you. And from my perspective you are rich with comments ;)
That is so lovely to hear, especially coming from you, Sara! Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate it! CC
I appreciate all your hard work and scrumptious photos… I agree comments are the best!
You are the sweetest, Louise! Thank you so much! I appreciate your work, and much more about you, too!! xx
I will only leave you a comment if I get to hold the plate with the cake in the top photo, and stuff my face while I am reading this.
Sound fair?
Sounds fair enough. However, it also sounds like you’re Sticky Toffee Pudding deprived, which is a very bad diagnosis! You should do something about that, Dorothy! ;) CC P.S. Thanks for stopping by!
My favorite comments come from non-food bloggers, although I realize that lots of my non-blogging friends have no idea what a comment would mean to me. Nice work!
That’s true for me too, Liz! I think we realize that non-food bloggers don’t realize fully all we do, so their comments mean a lot to us. Let’s hope that lots of readers see this post and understand what it’s like to be in our shoes :) In fact, I just read this comment from a reader on my FB page a few minutes ago which was fabulous!! “Interesting to step into the blogger’s shoes! Thanks for sharing. Makes me even more appreciate the bloggers I follow.” Which was followed by a ‘thumbs up’ and 3 hearts! YAY! CC
I swear, people are more willing to leave you a negative comment than a positive one. After 7 years of blogging you would think that I’m okay with little commenting on my blog, but nothing makes me smile more than a happy note from a reader. Great post! Thank you for explaining how so many of us are feeling.
Isn’t that sad, Laura? I have to admit, I have heard of other bloggers getting lots of negative comments, but I have been pretty lucky overall and the reader who left the longest negative comment I’ve ever received (long, long list of things I was apparently doing wrong) ended up becoming one of my best fans, ever! Once I wrote back and explained why she was wrong, she apologized and has only left the loveliest comments since then! So you never know! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed my post! :)
I’m not a food blogger, though I play one on TV.
Joking.
But I do blog. Have for over ten years. Just snippits about life, a few random recipes, vacations, fiction…a gumbo rather than a roast, if you will. I’ve noticed a dramatic decline in comments over the past several years as FB and Instagram has replaced a lot of my comments. Whereas I used to get a modest 80-90 per post, I know get a cricket inducing 1-3 – directly contributing to my now infrequent posts. I didn’t get into blogging for any other reason than to share my life with friends and family too distant to visit, but at some point, the lack of interaction caused it to slip down my priority list.
Oh that’s sad to hear, Mandy! But again, I completely understand where you are coming from; sometimes it feels like we’re on a stage performing to a non-existent audience, so you think, “what’s the point?” right? Thank you for stopping by and good luck, whatever you decide to do! CC
I, too, have been a lurker and not a commentator. I found your blog within the past year, which has not been kind on me physically. Just had a 4th surgery on my hands this past week. So while I have been reading your blog – typing was not my friend and baking even less so. Hopefully things improved, but only time will tell. Keep up the good work – I do enjoy your blog.
Oh Judy, I am so sorry to hear that! I hope that the surgery is successful and that things will definitely improve for you this year! The fact that you did write to tell me this means so much and I truly appreciate it! Thanks so much for following along, and please know that in circumstance such as yours, I would in no way expect you to be commenting, so please enjoy following along with no pressure to comment at all! I’ll know you’re out there! I wish you all the best and hope you are better very soon! CC
Hear Hear! Beautifully written and eloquently put Christina, a lovely comment really can turn your day around (as can a negative one sadly)
Janie x
Very true, Janie! Thank you so much and I wish you many complimentary comments! ;) CC
Hi Christina!
So, I just recently stumbled upon your blog and I actually subscribed to it immediately (I don’t do that often). I love your content, but also your voice in your posts which is equally important, I think. Content is everywhere, but to really connect to your readers and make them laugh or sit there nodding in approval, that’s awesome. I was nodding throughout this entire post because, as a food blogger myself, I just… I agree on all of this SO MUCH. Everything you’ve said here is basically what I’ve been thinking and feeling for some time now (I’m only going on three years as a food blogger, but I’ve been working hard at it consistently). Because I do have a full time job, I find it hard to divide my food blogging time appropriately. By the time I’ve updated my own blog, I find it hard to peruse through other blogs and comment. This post really made me realize that I need to work harder at it, though. I’m moving to the US later this year on a K1 Visa so I won’t be able to work for a while. I’ve been planning on taking that time to give my all to my blog and treating it like a full-time job while the hubby is at work and one of the things on my task list is to spend at least an hour or two commenting on other blogs. Networking, right? It’s huge! Also, for all of the reasons you mentioned – especially the deserving pat on the back.
I feel like you’re going to be my food blogging mentor without you even trying to be or knowing you are – just by me reading your blog.
I’d love to share this with my readers, though I fear that just “sharing it” on Facebook might keep people from actually reading it. If I posted a blog post myself ABOUT your post, link your actual post, and use a few excerpts and sort of treat it like my excited review about you and your post, would that be okay with you? I just actually want my readers to READ this, not just hit the “Like” button.
Wow. Dana, I’m over the moon with what you just wrote to me, but feeling extremely undeserving of your lovely comments since I’ve had a peek at your incredible blog! It’s fabulous and I don’t see the need for you having a mentor, as you look like you should be mentoring others, especially since you are not blogging full-time!
Thank you for your wonderful compliments, you are too kind! It’s nice to hear when others feel the same as you do. I’d be honored for you to do a post and share my post through it! I completely understand and agree that many people would just “like” the post on Facebook and not actually read the content. Thank you for asking and I look forward to seeing it!
So happy you found my site and happy to have found yours in return! :) CC
Definitely don’t feel undeserving. I’m making homemade meatballs and sauce tomorrow and I LOVE LOVE LOVE’D your rant on Buzzfeed’s “How to make a proper sauce” fail. You are very deserving of all the accolades you receive!
I’m so glad that you are cool with me giving you a big salute post of sorts. Out of respect, I wanted to ask – but thank you so much for giving me the go-ahead. I’m so happy to be in touch! :)
Thank you so much, Dana! I’m wondering what I did to deserve such lovely comments from YOU! :) CC
I too am guilty of not commenting, sorry, I’ll try to do better! I do look at every post and really enjoy the photos. I am not a great cook, but I have learned from you and will keep trying!Thanks for all you do.
So lovely to hear this, Donna (the part about you enjoying my site and recipes)! I think it’s wonderful that you’re trying and will continue to do so–see…you just made my day! :) Thank YOU!! CC
Hi Christina,
Wow, you said it all! A fabulous post and you couldn’t be more on the mark in everything you stated. As a fellow blogger I never realized how many hours I have spent in putting this whole blog together. Loved the way you explained the breakdown of the time spent creating a fabulous blog for our readers. Love the comment you said about carrying baked goods up the mountain. Which is true and very cute. Thanks for including me in your blog post, to show an example of commenting and or “liking.” I enjoyed reading about comments that we would rather not see…I have a few on facebook that are really rude. It is frustrating. But we have to take the good with the bad at times..and hope that we have more good…This is our passion as we share a recipe and a story. I appreciate every word that is left as a comment. Also, I agree with another one of your readers that your photos are so beautiful and perfect. That is what brings a lot of people to your site. All I know is that I was very blessed to have you as a fellow blogger and friend. Very well down..have a fabulous weekend..
Dottie :)
Thank you, as usual Dottie, for your kind and thoughtful comments! I know you understand, being a blogger yourself, and you do take so much time to leave comments all the time and you are very much appreciated! I hope you have a lovely weekend too! CC
Great post, Christina ~ you hit on so many things that I’ve experienced, and it’s good to know that I’m not alone in that. People are always surprised when I tell them how much time goes into a post, from concept/research to the finished published post. It does make my day when someone tells me they’ve made and loved a recipe, or that they love reading my blog. Thank you for sharing this!
I’m glad to hear so many great comments just on this post, Sue! Happy to share what we all seem to be experiencing, collectively! CC
This post needs to be shared, which I will do as soon as I finish commenting! I remember someone once saying that comments are currency to a blogger, and that is so true. Readers need to know how much we value them and what they say.
Thank you so much for sharing, Lois! That is such a great analogy about the comments being currency! Wonderful! :) Thanks for stopping by! CC
OK, I feel totally chastised, but I will try to add comments in the future and I hope many, many others will too!
Oh no! That’s not what my intention was at all, Barb! I honestly don’t want to scold people into commenting, I just wanted to let readers know what bloggers do and how many of us feel. Mostly to let you all know how much a lovely comment means to us and how much we appreciate it! Hope you’re not feeling berated!! :( CC
i’m so glad you wrote this, christina! :) i don’t think people realize how much it means to a blogger that they write a few words acknowledging what they read. i also find it really strange that on youtube, so many people still comment, but it’s just not the way it is on blogs anymore. if i remember correctly i think on xanga people felt like they were part of one blog community, so commenting happened more frequently.. and that’s probably the same with the youtube “community”.. but now it seems for blogs that everyone is off on their own.
That really is so interesting, as I’m not on youtube too much to realize this. Hopefully people will realize what it means to comment on blog posts and we’ll see more of it happening–we can only try! :)
Bravo, blog maestro! Well stated! After five years, I am not getting enough feedback to want to continue. Thanks for posting this. And I agree about the friends and family!
Adair, this makes me sad as you know, I am one of your biggest fans. I completely understand, but your brilliance should not be snuffed out like a candle! I hope that one day you will have too many comments to be able to respond to each and every one! Best of luck! CC
Hi Christina- I’m so glad you wrote this post. All us bloggers feel exactly the same way. I especially like it when readers who have made the recipe comment that the recipe came out well or comment about what variations work. This information is helpful to me as a reader of blogs when I am deciding if I should try a new recipe.
And I love it that you climbed a mountain to get your shot- now that’s going the extra mile.
Oh, I’m going to share this on Facebook, but I can’t promise how many people will see it.
Thanks so much, Dana! You hit on something I missed and is one of the reasons I too, like to read comments on recipes-to see what others think of the results after making it! Such vital information!
To be honest, I didn’t do much climbing, but I did have to brave so many tourists to get that shot, which is almost worse! haha! Thank you for sharing (no matter how many people see it)! :)
CC
This is an incredibly important post for all to read. I will follow by your example.
Thanks so much, Judy!
Admit I’m guilty of this too. I found your blog through twitter and try to feedback there as many UK blogs require a g+ account to leave a comment easily (which I don’t have). Now that I’ve scrolled right to the bottom and see how easy it is to comment here I’ll try to do so in future. Keep up the great work!
Good point on the easiness (or not) of being able to leave a comment! Some sites require jumping hoops to post something and I just won’t do it. Thanks so much for your lovely comment and I too, am not perfect when it comes to commenting on all the blogs and bloggers I follow and know because it’s just impossible, but I do try! xx
Great post, Christina, sums up my sentiments exactly. Funny you mentioned the part about our friends and families being the last ones to comment – I’m glad to know it’s not just mine, ha! :) Thanks for writing this, it’s a great reminder for all of us – sometimes it’s easy for bloggers to forget that we’re also readers and to offer more support to each other.
Thanks, Kimberly! Yes, after discussing the family and friends issue with one or two other bloggers and realizing it wasn’t just me, I found out from so many more bloggers that this is definitely the norm! I don’t want to force anyone to read my blog if they truly have no desire, but it’d be nice if they actually would check it out once a year and see what I’m doing! :) haha! CC
Love your recipes Christina!!! Thanks :O)
:)
You really hit the nail on the head Christina. Comments mean the world to us/me. It means that someone took the time to look at my post and maybe just maybe they liked it. After the hours of work, thought and preparation a nod of approval is kind and thoughtful. Thanks for putting it all down, you know I am a fan, love your work, try to comment as much as I can. Know you are appreciated.
You are SO good on commenting, Suzanne! You honestly are so wonderful in all your comments, so thank you so much! I try very hard to comment on as many blogs that I know and follow, but it’s impossible to do as much as I’d like, especially when social media is thrown into the loop! Obviously bloggers know all that I wrote about, but I hope it enlightens those who just enjoy our sites as to what is involved in the entire blogging process. Have a great weekend! CC
Yep, guilty. Did I tell how much I loved the New Year’s drink you posted? No! Should have, but still recovering.
Haha! Hope you recover quickly Jean! ;) So happy you loved the Atholl Brose and hope you finish “recovering” soon! :) CC
Well said. I think most people are not aware of the time and effort that goes into one blog post. Thanks for bringing that to light.
Keep up the great job! You are appreciated by many.
Cathy, you are SUCH a wonderful commenter! Your feedback is fabulous and and your own blog is such a work of art! CC
A wonderful post, Christina… you’ve said it all so well. Not all of my readers comment either, but I do receive emails telling me how much they love my work… and sometimes they send photos (or share them on Twitter or FB) of the recipes they’ve cooked. Blogging is a tough ‘game’ that is for sure and unless other ‘things’ come our way in the form of paid work (ghost writing, PR etc), then it’s also very costly. That’s my two cents worth. Love you work!
Yes, Lizzy that’s true too! I didn’t even mention email. It’s so nice when people email me compliments, but they don’t realize that others would love to hear or read what was written privately. For example, if someone emails you to say they made one of your recipes and it turned out awesome, that’s great, however they don’t realize how much better we’d love the comments if they posted that email comment below the recipe! Thanks so much for sounding in! CC
Hi Christina, you raise some excellent points in your article. I too have mused over the issue of commenting in blogs.
I mostly blame social networking and people’s expectations on how information is now pushed to them. What I find odd is that a visitor will take time to read an article and occasionally jump back to their favourite social media network to add a comment. This really reduces the audience and reach of their own point of view.
The other aspect is actually how simple it is to add a comment, or not, to a blog. Most blogs require registration/login/moderation in order to post. This can be off putting too.
For my part I always try and comment directly in the blogs if I have an opinion.
Well done on raising this point in your own blog.
If anyone is interested here’s my thoughts in full from a few months ago: https://forkingmad.uk/are-social-networks-killing-blog-commenting
And you too, bring up some points I missed David, such as the ease or difficulty of commenting. My old blog made it so difficult for readers to comment, I honestly didn’t hold it against anyone if they didn’t comment, however, now I know it’s really easy to comment, so once in a while to write a few words is super easy.
I read your post and agree with you; social media does take a toll on our blog comments, unfortunately! Thank you so much for adding your points; I appreciate them! Thank you! CC
An important post Christina… Guilty as charged, I do try and comment on posts as much as I can, but always appreciate reading them!
Goodness, you’re a blogger too- so I know you understand! I too am guilty as there aren’t enough hours in the day, but I must say, I do try to make the rounds and comment as much as I can (without being glued to my MAC 24/7!) ;) Thanks for commenting!! CC
I’m guilty!!! I enjoy every post and rarely comment. Good for you for helping us understand all you do. I’ll be sure to let you know how much I appreciate all your efforts in the future. :)
You have commented in the past, and you did tell me several times that you follow along, Angela, so thank you for that! :) I don’t want to make family and friends feel guilty! However, it would be lovely to hear from you now and then! I miss you! :) CC
This is an awesome article that you wrote here, Christina. I just jumped from my phone where I read it to my computer to let you know that I really appreciate reading this. I feel exactly the same in many different aspects. We spend hours in our kitchen, our camera and behind our computer to give the very best to our readers, for free most of the time. And sometimes it is so frustrating when we hear our friends or family saying they tried this recipe or this other one but we had no clue there were actually reading our blogs. Leaving a comment just make the blogger a bit more alive and bring us the energy to do even better the next time. A comment under an article may be very little but it really means a lot to us. Thank you again, Christina, for taking the time of writing how our blogger life looks like. Sharing it straight away on FB & Twitter, this is so much worth reading!
Glad you liked it and agree, Del. I appreciate the shares, too! CC
I love Del’s comment (and this post!) about comments making a blogger feel alive. I think they make the BLOG feel alive. I get very few comments on my blog, which I’ve come to accept, but it is such a thrill when a conversation starts. I also find myself lingering on and coming back blogs that do have active comment threads, and jumping into new blogs that I find when someone leaves a particularly insightful note. (Del, great blog!0 That said, I do find the the little “ooh, looks amazing” ones a little trite. I love when someone cites a particular turn of phrase I worked hard on, or lets me know that they felt something after reading. I try to do the same when I leave notes around the web. Not only did I stop by, but I engaged with your content, and it was compelling enough for me to let you know. This post wins on all fronts!
Oh you are so sweet, Sharon. Thank you so much for your animated comment! I can almost see you jumping up and down! :) I agree with your sentiments, too. Hoping the word spreads so we will see a few more comments now and then…wouldn’t that be nice? CC
AMEN! But you know what really prompts me to comment, most of the time? A fabulous photo, like the one you ended your post with, that just makes me weak at the knees…thank you for all the work you do Christina — you’re the best! I’m going to share this post today, hopefully lots of people will get the message!
Oh thank you so much, Sue! You know I truly admire your photography, so that really means a lot to me, coming from YOU! CC