Seth Godin extends an invitation to participate on his blog. It’s leading by example–good for bloggers everywhere….
…Seth Godin’s last post includes the option to post comments! I’m heartned by this gesture. In Seth’s most recent post, he cites that bloggers should “Include comments so your blog becomes a virtual water cooler that feeds” as way to drive traffic, and community.”
But the irony is that Seth’s own blog does not support comments. Until recently that is. I don’t know if Seth will continue this moving forward–but I encourage and applaud the gesture. As a young and impressionable blogger myself–when I see something like this, it’s, encouraging–there is a certain authenticity to the move.
Seth’s been getting some flack recently on not supporting comments or “joining the discussion”. Our own Mack Collier recently had this to say on the Viral Garden:
“Seth Godin is really hard for me to get a fix on. He will sound like a genius for a handful of posts, then leave a stinker like his infamous ‘we’re talking too much’ post about how bloggers need to post less (interesting viewpoint for a guy that leaves multiple posts a day). And don’t even get me started on him not allowing comments…”
And I recently had a brief e-mail discussion with Ann Handley asking if Seth’s Blog was actually a blog since it didn’t allow for comments. The whole thing made me question what a blog is supposed to be. As a result, I opened up a suggestion box on Logic + Emotion and removed my approval function on comments.
So, Seth is “walking the walk”–at least with this latest post. I hope that the blogging community is supportive of this. It’s one of the things that makes blogging so fantastic–we can call people out–but we can also give “Atta boys”. Atta boy Seth–we are all watching you.
This is really good news.
I’m with you and Mack – it had me wondering too.
I have valued Seth’s insight for a long time. Permission Marketing was my first read of his and it was often referred to back when I served Internet clients.
Thanks for keeping it interesting and enlarging the conversation!
“So, Seth is “walking the walk”–at least with this latest post. I hope that the blogging community is supportive of this. It’s one of the things that makes blogging so fantastic–we can call people out–but we can also give “Atta boys”. Atta boy Seth–we are all watching you.”
And he’s already turned around and said it was a one-shot deal and comments will no longer be allowed.
Anyone else shaking their heads?
I’ve never been a fan of any blogger that doesn’t allow comments. It’s never a popular move, and it means you are purposely shutting yourself off from reading invaluable feedback from your community. My take has always been, if a community is going to be kind enough to read my blog, the very LEAST I can do is let them tell me what they think.
But if you ARE going to shut out the ‘noisy commons’, why in the world would you open up comments long enough to have the commenters applaud you for the move, and ask for it to be a permanent feature, and then immediately close them again?
If you don’t want to JOIN the community, for the love of Tuesday, don’t ALIENATE the community!
No, they’re off again and Seth gives his explanation here:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/06/why_i_dont_have.html
K
Comments will not be a permanent fixture on Seth’s Web site. Seth says–
“I think comments are terrific, and they are the key attraction for some blogs and some bloggers. Not for me, though. First, I feel compelled to clarify or to answer every objection or to point out every flaw in reasoning. Second, it takes way too much of my time to even think about them, never mind curate them. And finally, and most important for you, it permanently changes the way I write. Instead of writing for everyone, I find myself writing in anticipation of the commenters. I’m already itching to rewrite my traffic post below. So, given a choice between a blog with comments or no blog at all, I think I’d have to choose the latter.
So, bloggers who like comments, blog on. Commenters, feel free. But not here. Sorry.”
Godin seems uncomfortable having to write with his audience in mind. Makes me wonder who his intended audience is…if not the potential commenters. Maybe he’s writing for himself and the rest of us are just lucky to be let in on it? I still don’t get his reasoning–seems especially discordant for someone who preaches the Godin gospel.
I should tell that this information is very interesting to me
The blog probably very good tool when is necessary for telling it about itself or about the business.