London, UK
As of this post publish date I closed comments on new blog posts after 2 weeks.
As a rough estimate, 95% to 99% of comments on posts older than 2-4 weeks are spam comments.
Spammers who comment:
- eat up valuable server resources
- slow down my blog
- add no value but take away from the user experience for everyone
You see guys, I need to think about the whole. I need to think of the collective and how my blogging strategy affects your user experience in terms of site speed, content delivery and overall reader satisfaction.
I love how some loyal readers want to comment on old posts. I appreciate the engagement.
But if one reader’s desire to drop a blog comment slows down the blog for everyone does that make sense for me and for everyone?
Or does it make sense for that one reader?
Is Blogging From Paradise for 1, 2 or 5 readers who wish to comment on old posts?
Or is Blogging From Paradise for everyone?
Think Collectively
I love all of you guys. You know that.
Never take this post as an intention to single anyone out because I deeply appreciate all blog comments.
I think collectively to create the best user experience for everyone.
Between the time I wrote this post and the day it went live I noticed a 90% or greater drop in spam comments. The precipitous drop depends somewhat on deciding to remote the popular posts widget from my sidebar; a spam magnet. But the cavernous decline owes itself mostly to 100’s of old posts being closed to blog comments.
Blogging From Paradise loads quickly. All followers can read, process and benefit from blog posts fast.
Customers can quickly and easily check out my blogging courses and blogging eBooks.
Collectively-speaking, everyone wins on the whole.
Perhaps a few stray readers who want to drop comments on old posts have grievances to air. Overall, the whole seems happy with my commenting strategy.
Beware Honoring Feedback from a Few Readers Without Gauging the Full UX for All
I experienced one such stretch for a few readers who wished to comment on old Blogging From Paradise blog posts.
BFP hardly attracts millions of readers but a few followers comprises a tiny fraction of our blogging community.
I gave in to these few folks for a bit but each barely dropped comments on my old blog posts.
Do you know who did drop comments on old blog posts? Thousands upon thousands of spammers, that’s who.
1000’s upon 1000’s of spam comments:
- bogged down my server by consuming resources
- slowed down the blog load speed
- added unnecessary blogging work to my busy day; wading through the tidal wave of spam to fish out legit comments takes ample time and work
- served as a mind agitator, amid a few humorous comments
The blogging upside: a few people dropped a few comments on old posts.
The blogging downside: 1000’s of spam comments voraciously feasted on server resources, slowed down my blog, irritated me at times and diminished the user experience.
Does that sound like a wise trade off?
Beware giving in to the needs of few without gauging the whole.
Think About Your Intent
Is it more important to publish a quick-loading blog for all or a slower-loading blog for 3 readers who comment rarely on old posts?
Asking that question reveals a simple answer.
Bloggers need fast-loading blogs for:
- a low bounce rate
- blog traffic
- blogging business
- the optimal user experience
The question above is not really a question if you gauge your intent before making a decision.
Close Old Comments to See How it Goes
Does closing comments 2 weeks after the post publish date sound too scary?
If you feel unprepared to make this quantum leap just close comments 1 month after the post publish date. Baby step through the process to see how things go.
Perhaps you run the rare blog with no spam but high genuine user engagement. Closing old comments could lessen blog comments.
But most bloggers see a massive drop in spam after closing old comments because oldies are rarely goodies in genuine comment terms.
Why?
Genuine readers who comment:
- want the latest and greatest blog posts to stimulate the conversation
- desire top billing in terms of comment exposure, whether from a blog traffic or simple attention-fostering perspective
Point blank; readers who comment wish to be seen and heard. Old blog posts are rarely seen and heard. New blog posts seem to be where all of the blogging action is.
Spammers Slither through the Cyber Shadows
Spammers seek old blog posts for littering comments because posts published years ago form big shadows for spammers to find shelter in.
Spammers believe that they can hide in comment fields on old posts without being detected. Trying to sneak a few – or a few hundred – in seems do-able.
Closing comments instantly disappears these blogging fools.
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, once comments remain open only for the newest, freshest blog posts nabbing the lion’s share of reader eyeballs.
Shutting down comments on old posts shuts down spam comments too.
What Should You Do?
Assess your blog on a case by case basis.
Should you close comments on old posts?
Close blog comments if you get slammed with old post spam and see miniscule genuine engagement on oldies but goodies.
Keep comments open if light spam and genuine engagement seems consistent with old posts.
Consider Your Blogging Goals
Do your readers need to be able to comment on old blog posts?
Or do your readers want a fast-loading blog offering valuable blog posts, courses and eBooks as trusted resources?
At the end of the day, your reader’s goals are your blogging goals.
Being flooded by old post spam makes this choice a no-brainer.
But try it out for a trial period and see how it works for you and your readers.
Conclusion
Since the world is change I may open comments on old posts in the future.
But I don’t see this scenario brewing anytime soon.
Consider the collective user experience before making any blogging decision.
Think about the whole to make the best choice for all.
