So I’ve run a blog for years, since 2006. Sometimes I blog about personal adventures, sometimes I share coding and sys admin things, sometimes I just talk rubbish. So this thing has been on my mind for a while Comments

It’s so easy to comment on Facebook, Instagram, <insert social media site here>. Developers ( like me ) try really really hard to make it easy for people to comment on personal blogs too.

Look here for an example, it’s simple, there is no sign up, no “confirm your email address”, simple! Just fill out a form and click submit.

¹There’s no magic in the background either. As of writing this (2018) there are no cookies used on this site, no data collection, no database in the background where I send info to advertisers, nothing. and yet, it’s so difficult to get people to comment on our own websites?

The media landscape kinda forces us, as website owners, to share our pages on facebook, twitter, instagram, whatever … and they (the social media websites) really have captured the “comments” market.

For some reason people just don’t like commenting on a private website, but they have no problem commenting on social media sites?!?!?

The problem

So, the problem from a website owners point of view is - success breeds success. and showing that you’re successful is important to give your website credibility. If people see that others have commented, then they are more comfortable commenting.

But if that comment is on another social media site they don’t see it on the private website. :( sad face

Also there is a Google search problem.

Google is by far the largest search engine in the world. Most people find my websites through Google. BUT if your comment is on another social media site, Google doesn’t see it, that means Google thinks “Gee this site is inactive, I’ll stop recommending it to people”. :( bigger sad face

The solution

Well, I’m not sure. People need to trust a website, trust that it’s OK, that the website owner is not going to sell their details to some advertiser, or use their email address to spam.

Then, the whole world needs to shift their ideas of how to interact with other people online.

Facebook is dying, like actually .. fewer and fewer people use it. They’re sick of the advertising, the “share this if you agree” bollocks, the whole thing has just turned into a mess. Photo sharing like instagram has become popular (instagram is owned by facebook, so they’re probably selling your details like they always have) but it is no good for text blogging; Should we go back to the old fashioned days of visiting people. :)

Call in for a cuppa

Back in the bad old days, you used to call in to see your friends, share a cup of coffee, catch up, then do it all again in two weeks.

Do we go back to that idea? “I’ll just call into TerminalAddict.com and have a cuppa” :)
Sounds ridiculous, but maybe that’s just what’s needed ? Who knows?

I’d love to hear your thoughts .. leave a comment :D