Getting More Blog Comments – WordPress Plugins

by Jack Humphrey on Jan 1

Here are the WordPress comment plugins I am using to get more comments and make my commenting area much more social:

  • CommentLuv- Automatically searches for commentators’ last blog post and links to it in their comments.
  • KeywordLuv – Allows commentators to leave a keyword in their Name field.
  • WP-Twitip-Twitter ID – Enables your commentators to leave their Twitter ID with comments.
  • WP Gravatar Plugin – This is what puts the commentators’ pics in their comments if they are using Gravatars.

For spam I use Akismet and Did You Pass Math

Some spam always gets through in two forms: robot generated and people generated (people who know you use the plugins above and just write “Thanks for this” comments to get links from you.

You always have to deal with some level of spam.  Comment approval should never be automated and SHOULD take a bit of time each day for a pro blogger.  Besides, you need to answer commentators to build your tribe and community.

Tagged as: comment plugins, wordpress comment plugins, Wordpress Plugins

  • http://www.improvingtheweb.com wesley

    The question is, are blog comments you receive still of the same quality? As I know there are people who simply try to find a list of all the dofollow blogs, etc.. and try to comment on all of them. Which obviously has some impact on quality.

    wesleys last blog post..My First WordPress Plugin: Improved Plugin Installation

    • http://www.jackhumphrey.com/ Jack Humphrey

      Wesley – I’ve seen no real downgrade in comment quality at all since installing Comment Luv months ago. I don’t care if people find FTR because I use the plugins, but they seem to know that I won’t let junk comments through because I don’t get that many.

  • http://angelamartinbio.blogspot.com Darryl@Angela

    I do appreciate it when bloggers respond to particular comments left on their sites. It creates more a sense of discussion, and when enough people are participating, a sense of community.

    • http://www.jackhumphrey.com/ Jack Humphrey

      Darryl – It’s not always easy, but it is very worth it to answer reader comments to build that Tribe effect!

  • http://intellectualcapitalreport.com Augie

    I’m having the hardest time getting CommentLuv to line up on my page. It’s too far to the left, so I deactivated it. Maybe I’m OCD. I like what it has to offer, but I can’t make it look right.

    Another thing I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t always show the latest post. Do you know why this is?

    I’m going to play with it later when I have time.

    Augies last blog post..Video: How Real Estate Investors Control Properties in This Market

    • http://www.jackhumphrey.com/ Jack Humphrey

      Augie – I noticed that too on some blogs. Has something to do with Feedburner maybe, but not sure yet. It kept wanting to post something I posted like 3 weeks ago everytime I left a comment and haven’t done another since fixing #2 on this site.

      You need someone good with WP templates to help you with the alignment issue. It’s definitely your template causing misalignment.

  • http://www.spotlightideas.co.uk Eamon

    I like the fact you ask for Twitter.
    Don’t understand comments that you have to log into (the spam filter in WP works fine).

    Eamons last blog post..Top 100 Blog Posts on Career / Job Advice

    • http://www.jackhumphrey.com/ Jack Humphrey

      Eamon – yeah if someone requires me to login to comment, I am gone in a second!

  • http://intellectualcapitalreport.com Augie

    So, it looks like if you’re really interested in getting your latest post included, you can log into your feedburner account and under the troubleshooting tab, click the ping link and then ping your site. That will sync it up.

    I also found another solution, which is to basically manually link the feed link on your site to feedburner, but not use the feedburner plugin, which directs (via 301?) all traffic from your domain.com/feed/ link to your feedburner link. Found that here: http://www.fiddyp.co.uk/support/not-pulling-latest-post-t11.html

    Sounds like a pain to me.

    Also, this is the second time I failed the math test and had to push back. Not sure if there is some sort of hiccup. Anyone else get that? Maybe I added wrong for both my posts.

    Augies last blog post..Lower Real Estate Investment Tax with the Right Accountant

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  • http://dougchampigny.com Doug Champigny

    Hi, Jack!

    Great list – like you, I filter people generated spam and ping-back spam by hand, but I use the WordPress Hashcash plugin to filter the robots – haven’t had one comment from them since I installed it…

    Cheers,

    Doug.

    Doug Champignys last blog post..Affiliate Marketing 2009 – Starting An Affiliate Marketing Business Online

  • http://mynetmarketingland.com/blog1/ Franck Silvestre

    Thank you, this is an awesome list.

    I also like the subscribe to comments plug in
    (like the one you have, with the box). It is a really powerful way to get people to comment more.

    I also like giving incentives to my subscribers, and special things that “non subscribers” readers don’t know.

    My subscribers are always advantaged because they get things that “normal” readers don’t get!

    Franck

    Franck Silvestres last blog post..What I Did Online in 2008? Read …

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  • http://articles4all.net Derek Anders

    I use CommentLuv on a couple of my blogs and it seems to be working on getting more people to comment!

    Derek Anderss last blog post..Seven Branding Suggestions for New Products and Services

  • http://emergencyglassrepair.com Auto Glass

    Great Post. I didn’t know about the WP Gravatar Plugin –

    I wouldn’t have found this site without comment luv either!

    thanks!

  • http://makeinternetmarketingmoney.com John Halderman

    Nice post Jack,

    I just found you while doing a search for how to increase comments.
    It’s nice to find out what successful people are doing, it really shortens the learning curve.
    I will certainly mention you and this post in the post I put up about this topic – as soon as I try out those plugins, the only one I use now is Commentluv.

    I’ll be baack! (you know the accent, I’m from California)

    Thanks,
    John

    John Haldermans last blog post..Is There a Success Formula

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  • http://www.simonburgessblog.wordpress.com Simon Burgess

    Hi, Great post and some great tips…I’ve been reading the blog for the last few weeks and am getting some great information and advice.

    A quick question as I’m trying to upload a couple of these plugins and haven’t heard from the forums yet. I have downloaded the file for the commentluv plugin and the instructions now say upload the folder to the plug-in directory? How do I do that? Is that in my wordpress account or should I be able to find it on my PC?

    I am currently on a different computer to where I normally work on my blog but I wouldn’t have thought that that would make a difference. Or does it?

    Any help from you guys would be awesome.

    Thanks!

    Si

    Simon Burgesss last blog post..Depressingly familiar advertising complaints follow “Matrix”-style VW Golf ad…

    • http://www.jackhumphrey.com/ Jack Humphrey

      Simon – You need to FTP them to your plugins folder. Use any ftp software you find here ftp software and follow instructions on using ftp from them, then follow instructions on plugin uploading from the plugins. They all go to the same folder.

  • http://intellectualcapitalreport.com Augie

    I know this is a kind of old post, but something happened today that made me think of it again.

    I have the nofollow tags turned off on my blog and also have a page about why I do this. I tend to get some Google traffic from that. Most likely it’s people looking for free back-links.

    I’ve started the practice of removing people’s links from their comments if they use a keyword as their name. Also, if they leave a lack-luster comment like “Nice post…” unless they post often.

    Anyway, I thought of this article as I was removing the commenter’s link.

    Augies last blog post..Increase Cash Flow on Probate Real Estate Investments

    • http://www.jackhumphrey.com/ Jack Humphrey

      Augie – I am ruthless about “Nice Post” comments. People submit even lengthier comments that are simply better disguised spam.

  • http://www.chicktalk.ca Aeryn Lynne

    It was luv at first site when I saw CommentLuv in action on another blog that I had decided to comment on for the first time. Now that I finally know what app was used, I’m going to install it to my site, so thanks! :)

  • http://www.live-without-back-pain.com Tony

    I just started WordPress blogging and to learn from the pros is always good. Thank you!

  • http://www.themepremium.com Meena

    I admire commentluv plugin and use it on my main website.. Atleast it gives a reason to users to add comment …
    Though new Google announcement of following nofollow links making me to remove it.. What do you suggest??

    I go through all the comments and see which ones deserve to be there and which ones don’t. I must say that after installing it
    my comments have increased and interaction with some commentators have also increased.

  • http://www.hooponoponohelp.com Reg@ho’oponopono

    What about traffic plug-ins for non-blogs? Do the exist? Actually not sure whether they even have plug-ins for non-blogs or whether they’re exclusive to blogs only. Anyone?

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