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If I can note a great giveback to your subscribers/commenters is this great plugin which I started using called CommentLuv - http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/commentluv/
Once a comment is approved it automatically posts a DOFOLLOW link to the commenters last blog post.
I was going to post about it on my site but I can do a posting on yours instead if you are still looking for guest bloggers.
,Michael Martin
EDIT:
Hey Michael,
the plugin actually adds a NOFOLLOW link in the comments. Thanks for the suggestion, I have installed it.
Garry
So I think I am WRONG!!! CommentLUV is actually NOFollow... Unless Jim has modified his. I will for sure check this out and if the links remain Nofollow, I'll install it right away. Thanks for the tip.
Hi Michael,
I do appreciate your suggestion and see that many people use this plugin. In the last year or two I have learned a lot about PageRank and this true purpose designed for allowing an organic ranking search engine. People that comment on my blog shouldn't be rewarded with a link that passes PageRank, that isn't the true intention for PageRank and it's a way to manipulate the system which I believe that Google will indeed make adjustments accordingly.
<h2>John Chow dot Com</h2>
<img style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://www.garryconn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/johnchow-nofollow.png" alt="johnchow-nofollow" vspace="5" width="500" height="364" />
<h2>John COW dot Com</h2>
<img style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://www.garryconn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/johncow-nofollow.png" alt="johncow-nofollow" vspace="5" width="500" height="381" />
<h2>ShoeMoney dot Com</h2>
<img style="border: 1px solid black; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" src="http://www.garryconn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/shoemoney-nofollow.png" alt="shoemoney-nofollow" vspace="5" width="500" height="334" />
<h2>Joel Comm dot Com</h2>
<img style="border: 1px solid black; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" src="http://www.garryconn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/joelcomm-nofollow.png" alt="joelcomm-nofollow" vspace="5" width="500" height="384" />
These blogs as well as a countless many more do not modify their WordPress blogs to make the comment links pass PageRank, nor am I one to do so either anytime soon.
I totally 110% support the ranking systems of Google and don't believe that it would be fair for the users who use and depend on Google to have related results in the SERPS to be altered by me allowing links in the comments to pass PageRank. I can understand that perhaps people that comment on my blog should be rewarded, but allowing hundreds of links to pass thru my blog will not only cause a violation in Google TOS but it will also drain my domain dry from the PageRank power it has.
When I said that I wanted to start whoring my blog out again, I meant that I would be starting up a new advertisement campaign again. The links in my advertisement campaigns also never passed PageRank. ;)
I do appreciate your comment though and the time you took to write it. We'll just have to think of something else.
So yeah do get the ads going again, not only is it good for you but it is good for us ( in my opinion anyways).
On the commenting and replying to your posts, Dude you produce like a freaking factory I'll honestly say its even a bit tough to keep up with you on just reading your voracious content production. Good thing imn the list so I get re-caps to avoid missing much. recommend anyone who reads to do the same.
I usually tune in first thing in the morning to get the juices flowing for the day.(5:45 ish)
Whoring is a strong word to use, and I would really not consider it whoring it. The advertiser gets exposure and you get compensated for providing the exposure c'est la vie huh.
I wouldnt say you get nothing in return. I cant imagine how many back links and page rank has been funneled your way from your readers never mind the traffic which equates to moolah, your readers have ponied up. Or am I wrong on this front.
Do you really feel that way (you get nothing in return) What exacty is it you want in return for your personal mission and passion to help other people make money online . Maybe you ought to say what you want, its amazing what happens when you ask or tell others what you want. Or are you just mr cranky pants !!!
Cheers and Bers
shane
I think I'll feel better once I have some advertisers signed up again. LOL!!!!
Yes, I was very much cranky pants this morning. My daughter was bitching about her cell phone, my wife was bitching about the lawn, my son kept getting angry with his video game, my youngest daughter broke one of my laptops and our new dog shit on the floor... oh, and I hadn't slept either. ;)
I will feel super much better once I get advertisers back on the blog. :)
Sorry man -- I have been in CA all week and pretty much off the grid. I'd bring the ads back, but I think that you should expect comments, and you are right to be disappointed.
I'll do better.
Mark
But bringing back or taking off the ads neither is, nor would it ever be the solution to the actual problem (user participation). I feel that root of the problem lies in the appeal of the blog. Don’t take me wrong, the content has always been par excellence but I don’t personally like the overall appearance of the blog. Everything seems to be stuffed in. I think the blog needs an entirely new look and a better header. A top commentators widget would certainly help as well.
You have got impressive reader data; however only 25% revisits is something you shouldn’t be proud of. You can run as many advertisements you like but still I would prefer you not to make it something John Chow has made out of his blog.
Lastly, I would love to hear from you that how many comments do you leave on the blogs you visit?
bring back the ads and do whatever else you can to bring in the cash. After all comments don't feed the kids.
The bigger question here is how can we (your regular readers) help you? Is it links? or blog posts or something else?
I try to read and comment as often as possible. Your content is great.
Since you mentioned the comment luv and it passing page rank, does the same thing apply to the dofollow plugin for wordpress? Does that also drain a blog as well?
Thanks again,
Steve
Save me an advertising spot. :)
I just found your site for the first time today. People do not post to my blog http://www.costaricamountain.blogspot.com , I have not tried to make money for me, but I do have an important story that I tell. I help the Cabecar Indigenous population who traverse through my farm. They are the poorest of the poor, fighting starvation. I tell their story as honestly as it comes to me. Yet few people respond and no comments. I don't know why. Just a few weeks ago a child was hung because it was ill. Not one comment. I am blown away by the failure of a comment while I stilll walk around and silently scream, you can not kill the child just because it is sick. Let us seek help for the child if you can no longer feed it. I know they are hungry and starving, but you can't kill the kids.
I do know how you feel when you have spend hours writing an article. I am there.
My blog is not just about one topic, it is about our life, the Cabecar, and the reality of living on a frontier. I really try to provide content, so what is the real problem?
Thank you,
Ginnee
I say keep the ads, if they are making revenue. I think you should also advertise in your RSS feeds as this is how I now read your blog.
As for wishing your daughter a happy birthday, I regret not dropping a quick comment.
Thanks for the birthday wishes and the suggestion to advertise in the RSS feed. Man, I have to say that obviously I know about this option, but it's funny to hear you mention it because I have mixed emotions about it.
I have a subscription to John Chow dot Com. I do like reading his posts and also it really doesn't matter if I like his blog or not. A guy like me needs to stay in the loop with things going on around me. So, regardless if I liked his blog or not, I would subscribe anyways just to be able to monitor what he says publicly.
With that being said, John Chow's RSS feed totally sucks and is over saturated with advertisements. First is the whopping BIG 300x250 banner ad that floats to the right. It's identical to the one you can view live on his site. In addition to the "Big Whopper" are a few footer style text links.
So all in all, the ads in RSS really bother me. I have felt like people subscribe to RSS partly to escape from the advertisements and sales pitches and things like that (unless it is written in the content of course).
To me, an RSS feed is a like a safe haven for getting nothing but the "Pure 100% Beef" of the content. The content in RSS isn't styled using CSS unless the publisher did so within the post itself. The content is visible in its own "bare bones" format. All in all, RSS feeds allow the reader to view the content the way he wants it when he wants it. So to me, part of me feels that when a publisher advertises in his RSS feed, he is breaching an unwritten oath or something. ;)
On the other side of things... I know that I am sure I could sell quite a bit of ads in my RSS feed. I would be a little nervous about doing it though, because if I feel how I feel about John Chow's RSS feed, then I am sure others would feel the same about mine.
I was not aware of your blog when your daughters birthday came to pass. My own daughters 3rd birthday is coming up in a few days . . . so, happy Birthday to your daughter. And happy being-a-daddy-on-a-daughter's-birthday to you!
Not just your post, look at the freakin content in your comments!!! Ahahaha...
Man, people want a piece of the Conn man...I say don't give it up for free...WHORE IT OUT!!! LOL
Nice use of words....though, it's nothing less than what others do, and I think you do it with more tact.
<abbr>Check out JK Swopes's last blog post..IMwithJoe weekly report and goals for the week 7-21-08</abbr>
I don't plan on intentionally ever coming back here.
Looks like you got them comments now :)
OK first things first..... I read the birthday post, like I read most posts and I can't remember if I commented or not. But does it really matter.... I don't think so, not because I didn't enjoy it or feel that it was great that your daughter turned 16 but because I don't feel there is any need to expect people to comment.
This is a blog, it's your choice to write about whatever you feel but your 1200+ subscribers have mostly signed up to the main focus of this blog "how to make money" and you provide that content. If you want huge amounts of comments on personal posts then I really do think you need a personal blog (thejunkdrawer.com is an amazing example, she engages the readers and pulls in a huge amount of comments).
Garry I love your blog but if you are going to let things like no comments upset you then, really you need to get your private life off the page and go back to strict business.
Sorry if that sounded harsh or rude but after reading all the comments and reading the comment from Ginnee, it made me realize that, so what if? What does it matter? You cannot take things that happen online personal. You just need a thicker skin as it is going to happen again and again.
And I REALLY appreciate your help Garry.... but also feel that I do plenty in return to anyone that helps me.... I have trouble paying my bills but still shed out hours every week helping people, some who have helped me, some who have not!.... but do people come and comment on my blog, hardly.... I don't feel that I need to be upset about that though, obviously I have to take the blame for not producing the content that pulls in the comments....
So the ads, they are cool by me. Sometimes I have even clicked on an ad if it looks interesting as I know you pretty much vet anyone who wants to advertise.
Good luck with monetizing, i'll be around reading here and there. I am busy as hell so may not always comments but I will know what is going on..... and I will come by and comment on the next personal post.
I haven't set-up commentLuv on my blog and my first is site is directed at CDs, but I do have the nofollow remover plugin. I think if someone is going to take the time to come over and comment, I'll pass some link juice along (although at the moment it is quite small)
We all have bad days, but don't go beat up the people who have been coming back. I for one liked the ads and I see that you have put them back. We are also busy and can't comment on every post. Sometimes I'm not able to read my email for two or three days.
I have a big family, too. I use my computer time to set the "stuff" aside not bring it with me.
Anyway, keep up the good work. I'll be back.
I try and comment whenever I can, especially if the post has helped me out, that or I give a link back in one of my posts if relevant.
I can understand where you're coming from tho, I'd love to get more comments and interaction going on Zath, have considered removing the nofollows on the comments, but like you mention, I really think Google may turn on this practice.
I appreciate everything you've helped us with over the past year man. Cheers!
<abbr>Check out Zath's last blog post..BBC iPlayer (UK)</abbr>
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