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"What is a 'Strafing Run' Blogger?" - Blog Tips for Rain Drips

I touched on this topic once before in a previous post aptly entitled, "One Way Traffic Jams on the ActiveRain Blogway." It garnered some fairly active response (nearly 200 comments). But with over 36,000 members and growing, it's something that bears repeating.

A 'Strafing Run' was a war-time battle tactic employed by fighter and bomber pilots. It was first initiated in WWI, but was predominantly used during WWII. Pilots would descend rapidly, increasing speed, flying in low, and fire upon typically stationary targets. Once their weapons had been discharged, they would pull up into a quick ascent.

Strafing Run Bloggers. Seems like they're everywhere these days, and not just here in the Rain. You know the type. They fly in quick and low, drop their post 'payload' and fly off into the sunset, never to be heard from again.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but in order for 'conversational' blogging to actually occur, doesn't it necessitate meaningful dialogue from both sides? I mean, you have the 'writer' and the 'reader,' right? The blog 'writer' takes the time to pen a thought-provoking article to stimulate discussion or debate. Then, along comes the blog 'reader' who also takes time to adequately digest the article and retort with intelligent response.

And then.... <silence>

Where did the writer go? Days, even weeks go by. Was it something I said? Did I have bad blog breath?

You notice that you're not the only commentor who has been adandoned. The thread is a graveyard of one-sided conversations, all victims of the 'Strafing Run Blogger!'

Just a fun, friendly reminder. ENGAGE your readers! Don't leave them hanging. Reward those who have taken valued time out of their day to read something you've written by actually taking active part in the discussion.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

social-media-is-a-conversation

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com

Posted by Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Broker on 06/30/2007 07:23 AM

Comments (213)

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213 Comments on "What is a 'Strafing Run' Blogger?" - Blog Tips for Rain Drips

JUN

2007

I've noticed that a lot Rich. The 1st time was a featured post and she had tons of comments, some with questions but she never came back an answered questions or acknowledged the comments in any way. Oh well!

You made a very good point, I have done that in the past but I'm working hard to get better at it, for me the main reason is time.

You're totally right. I'm fairly new to AR, but it just seems to be the courteous thing to do - respond to your comments.

By the way, I love the picture. How do you post a picture into a blog?

I await your response...

The conversations in the comments are the best part of my posts, hands down.

No kidding Rich! I have made many a comment only to go back and....nothing. After many a time on the same blogger....and no response....I then retort with a mental note of....zap!

I appreciate having so many good comments on my posts that I try to do the same for other people. I agree though, when there are questions, they might be very sincere, and require answering.

Rich -

That's why I click the box. I want to be notified of new comments.

It goes the other way too, (like I really need to say this).

Sometimes I write something that screams out for comments - and all I get is a couple of...

"good point, bookmarked for further reading"

Yeah right.

That would make them "Strafing Commentors" right? I'll get 'Em!

I agree with you. I am fairly new to Activerain and have posted different kinds of blogs...most with no comments. It is interesting to see what people are actually intersted in. No comments = no interest. I do think if you get a comment you should reply. Part of making it a dialog rather than a rant is to ask questions. Am I right?

Rich, right on! I did a post a short while back about having the courtesy to respond to comments made to a blog post. Hellllllllllooooooooooo!!! If someone calls you, do you just hang up, or do you speak with them. Generally speaking, unless it's just for localism, the blogger is hoping for a dialogue. So, when he/she gets comments, it's only courteous to respond. I, for one, will typically not make a comment again if not.

I Love It! Bad Blog Breath!!!! So well put though. There's nothing worse than Blogging to an empty house. Thanks for sharing your point on this topic.

Rich I love the wording "pen a thought-provoking article to stimulate discussion or debate" :)

I have a couple of people that I commented on their Post a few times, and no matter how many comments they received they would never respond to them. These same people also have one other thing in common and that is they they also rarely comment on anyone else's Post as well. I got a kick out of one of them who latter wrote a blog complaining that no one was commenting on her blogs...............DAAAAH I wonder why.........LOL

By the way I thought that I had read most of your blogs but I do not remember reading one about this before.

Rich,

A wake up call for me.

Thanks,

Fran

Hi Rich-

So true..

My personal favorite is the Member that asks a question or asks for help with a problem and NEVER responds to the comments!

Gee, even a plain 'Thanks' would at least show that they were still alive.

Rich - great post - couldn't agree more - for the first time ever (out of 102 posts) I got swamped with "writing contracts" and haven't been able to be on and it was very stressful - I really believe the dialogue is where great relationships have started.

Rich, what a wonderful way to make a point. You are a master with words!

Cool post. I thought of one member right away - he posts pretty intelligent stuff, but never replies to the comments. I still leave them just to see if he'll ever reply.

Like the Wildcats painting, by the way.

Rich my Friend, We have both posted and commented about this before. A good topic though bears repeating. I have always found it very strange to read a post that overtly asks a question which then garners many comments. How sad it is when the writer does not respond. It is akin to meeting someone on the street and your question to them is met with a blank stare as they wander off.

Good call Rich, I had actually never really thought about it that way before. I will have to do better on following up my comments...

JUN

2007

It has to be your blog breath, I'm convinced!!! : ) you are the best example of someone that engages their reader Rich and nice of you to put it out for new bloggers to read and learn.

Rich? :)

OH MY GOD!

GUILTY AS CHARGED!

I didn't dialogue cause I looked at comments as the opportunity for others to chime in... I figured I didn't need to say MORE cause I said a lot already.

NOW I feel guilty (you can take the boy out of the Catholic Church, but you can't take the guilt out of the boy. But I digress.).

MORE work in the rain.

THANKS for the advice Rich.

Good post, your blog breath is fine...I think. Rich, where did you go?

This is good info for all of us to implement!

Rich - I love that you wrote this post. I know others have been written about this same subject in the past, but it's a great reminder to those who may not get the concept of replying to comments. As others have commented here, it is discouraging when someone writes a post that encourages discussion, only to go back and find they haven't replied to a single comment they'd received.

Craig - shame on you!! Your penance ..... reply to your comments!! ;-)

As Sarah wrote, many times there's some awesome dialog in those comments. Acknowledge them and have fun having those conversations!

Ann

I many times leave a comment on a blog and forget or don't ask to be notified of new comments. So this goes both ways.

This could also be case where a "professional blog writer" wrote the blog for someone (and got paid to do it). If they are not still being hired by the person to maintain the blog, then that would explain why there aren't any responses. Seriously, can you believe that some people pay "professional blogging companies" to write blogs for them so they can get exposure and credit for it? WOW!!

Good points.

The straf and runners are ruining the lives of many. I've had it happen to me. Now I feel used up, empty and dirty inside. If only the straf and runners knew of the bits and pieces of the readers they left in their wake. Maybe you could start a group with a 12 point program and call it S.A. Maybe this blog will help them see the err of their ways and repent. NOT.

Great Picture!

Rich,

So true my friend...always see this..the blogger is like a ninja..they swoop in for the kill then leave unnoticed..or they plant the seed and see if it will grow into a large tree...but they fail to want to water and feed the tree..just observe whether it will grow..am I making sense? Reciprocating is the key..but i guess there are some not looking to include themselves in their own conversation I guess.

I don't think that all comments require the poster to respond....However if you ask a question, at least come back to acknowledge the participation from your readers.

It shows by the number of comments on their point summary...more blogs than comments.

Rich -

I know that this topic has been brought up but I love the analogy you used this time to explain it and keep it interesting! I know this is a concern and problem with posts and blogs. Hopefully the participants will take all of it to heart and continue the participation after a post.

We all get busy some days and absolutely can't log in to Active Rain, so replies to comments may be delayed - but I do make the effort to catch up and respond to everyone. Comments do deserve acknowledgement.

Rich, I went back to see if this was included in "Newbies" and it's all it was posted in. I think everyone should be reminded of the valid points you made. I didn't know before a few months ago that of course it is courteous to respond to people that take the time to comment, but we ALL could use a reminder! Thanks for a wonderful post on this.

Monring Rich, I was surprised to read your post about Strafing Run Bloggers. I'm not sure if you're talking about AR specifically or blogging on the web in general. It's very rare that I don't see the poster either respond to or at least acknowledge their comments on Active Rain. In either case, it's good advcie for those who blog and run. Have a great weekend...

marti garaughty, creative branding for realtors on the web

Rich: I made this error as a newbie blogger, so please cut the newbies some slack.

I was writing at first just as an outlet, and was not even reading the other blogs. When my first few got featured, I didn't know that I was supposed to host the commentary, and got a little stage fright when I finally figured this out. I guess my commenting voice is different from my writing voice...

Plus honestly, sometimes comments have the feel that everyone knows everyone else and it is an excuse to get together to shoot the breeze. A newcomer may feel a little on the outside, trying to respond to insider jokes, and to comments directed to others that are commenting.

Rich,

You are absolutely correct, and I have been guilty. But since you have shown me the error of my ways I promise to do better! (Yes - I'm a smart a&& at times ;)

You are correct though and I'm glad you saw fit to resurrect the post since us newbies appear all the time.

Rich, I think many of us are just beginning to understand the power of comments. The comment-a-logue is truly the real potential power of the blog. I've seen well read and commented posts where the author becomes secondary to the conversation between the readers. Now that's freedom of speech!

Generally active rain seems to be well commented, but a great reminder to authors to stay engaged in the conversations they start.

Update: In only wish that posts about real estate, or financing, or in my case home building garnered the attention that a post like this one does.

Rich, sometimes I'm guilty to a small degree. Not every comment needs an answer. Being Type A, I don't. But you are dead on.

And I thought you were going a different direction there at first. I thought you would go with the commentors who leave comments like "Great Book - Thanks." when if they had read the post the post was blasting the book!

I try to respond to some of the folks who post to my blogs, and answer questions if they are asked. I may not be as thoughtful about this as I should be and will try to improve.

I agree totally Rich. Every comment I get I try to reply with at least a "thank you" for coming by and try to add something small to relate. I comment all the time, and for the most part people are good, but not always!

GREAT post. It has been said that "sharp people don't mind being reminded".

Thank you!

I have been guilty of this in the past.

First, it took ma a while to figure out what blogging really was - and commenting back on the comments just seemed weird to me...but I got over it.

Then I got my tail feathers in a know and decided I didn't need AR. So, for the most part, I quit for about 10 weeks. Big mistake. The comments kept piling up, and I would not take the time to respond. After all, who needs AR

Then, I came back around and beat myself up for walking away - feeling as if I could have been so much better off if I had stayed active and not allowed my foolish pride to get int he way.

Wow, as I am finishing this comment - I feel like a Christian who has backslid and now come back to church and fellowship. Don't get me wrong - just because some call the owners/originator of ActiveRain "gods" does not make them so.

Now Have a Blessed Day,

John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR
Mission Grove Realty
Hemet CA Real Estate

i do agree with this..sometimes people (speaking of myself) gets really busy..shame on me..of course i am new to active rain and still learning!

Rich

When first arriving at AR, I had no idea that a writer was expected to respond to the comments of readers. It's a wonderful tradition ripe with many rewards. It's kind of funny, though, because my second post on AR was a response to the comments made to the first.

Rich,

Great minds think alike! I posted this a few weeks back... Follow Through and the Sport of Blogging

There's way too much of this goin on! I like your illustration!

Ginger

Rich,

I did a blog back in October regarding Standing by your Blog. It bears repeating with each new member. We are the ones who write the blog and we are the ones who are supposed to be replying. Now where are you? :)

Karen - This is hilarious! I guess I am proving my point by example! Me and family went over to Seattle yesterday to celebrate the start of our summer. And then we had a very nice, relaxing start to our day.

Sorry everyone for my delay in responding. At least I did COME BACK!

Ginger & Roger - excellent article. You're right, GMTA!

Rich, it not only is a point game for many to reply with one liners and move on....the blogger that deposits the thought it cyberspace often is in the point game too on AR. In other blogs no points, no rankings and no comments. Usually, I have found, unless the blog is a specific more pointed forum without wide topic content blogs tend to be posts of random thoughts to elicit comments without need for response. Even though it could be so much more if it indeed was a dialog. Nice post.

Ed = in my humble opinion, there is no better way to develop an audience and increase readership to your blog than to actively engage in commenting, both to those responding to your post, and by commenting on other's posts....

Deb - Hey, we ALL get busy. Look at me! It took me almost a full day to respond to these comments! But point is that I value the fact that you took the time to read my post. So thank you! We're ALL on a learning curve here in the Rain! Don't stop being stretched!

Rich...

I just say "NO" to strafing :)

Can we have your real profile pic back now? I am not the only who misses it :)

Elderberry...Knock it off Ben :)

TLW...ROAR!

I'm afraid that I am one of those hit & runs. It isn't to be rude, it has a lot to do with the fact that I'm very new to this bloging thing, and ordinarily can't find a way back to the same place.

Sorry, I'm trying though.

Jackie

John O. - you absence was missed, my friend. I'm glad you're back, we need your voice here in the Rain. And yes, I am one of those who refer to the owners/creators of AR as the 'AR gods (little 'g'),' but I do so only out of humor and fun. I have the utmost love and reverance for God (Big "G")

Keith - well said. Everyone can benefit from occasional reminders!

Steven - everyone should do what works best for them. No one size fits all. Some comments don't really lend themselves to a response, i.e, "Good Post" or "Nice Job!"....but at a minimum, we should engage those who have meaningfully contributed to the conversation...

Chris - sounds like a great topic for another post. You're right, that's equally annoying as well. Why comment on a post if you don't read it, right?

Rich

Very well said and agreed!

And here I am always worried about responding too much LOL... I have a tendency to go on and on and on and on and on....you get the point! *Smirk*

Steve D. - you're right. Some of the best discussions I've observed didn't involve the writer, but those commenting interacted with each other. Brilliant!

Carol - as I've stated, what works for one person, may not necessarily work for another. Find a practice that works best for you. But as a mininum, always go back to your articles and respond to any substantive or meaningful comments...

Janet - consider my slack generously extended! You shouldn't feel pressured to respond to each and every comment, although I do attempt to do so. But that's just me. I guess I think it's just selfish for a writer to share something of substance, to evoke a meaninful response, and NOT acknowledge the reader in some fashion. Many really excellent writers are greatly limiting their potential audience by such actions.

Marti - as a moderator for AR, I read a gazillion posts each day, and see a large number of articles where the author never returns to their post. It is my obsevation that the ones who are really successful on this platform are the ones who comment and interact consistently.

Carole - thank you! All of us need this reminder from time to tome!

Sharon - my thoughts exactly! Life happens and we can't always respond as quickly as we would like. I am a good example of that with this post!

Rich,

What a great topic, I couldn't agree with you more. BTW, I like the crab, but it really doesn't look like you! :)

Cynthia - with so many members, we may often cover the same material over and over, but we can do it with a slightly different spin or illustration. Thanks for your thoughts!

Bob - I totally agree. Some comments are made just to gain points. Those ones are usually pretty obvious. But always take time to reply to the more well-thought out and meaningful comments.

Neal - well said. There are some really great writers here on AR that never respond to commentors. They could attract a much larger readership if they would personally engage their readers...

Suzanne - I may not look like the crab, but I do, at times, act like a crab. Just ask my wife!

My Dear TLW - is that better?

Ahhhh. Thank you Sir :)

Rich,

That definitely appears to be an issue. What's behind it? Who knows. Some obviously just don't know yet about blogging best behavior. It does take time to learn the ways in the blog world. Some probably plain don't care. Unfortunately. Not interested in a deeper conversation. Even a short comment would give AR a better image.

Sharon L. - better to say 'too' much than not to say anything at all!....

Esko - one of the primary reasons/purposes/goals behind blogging is to provide interaction with your readers. Othewise, why not just dump a bunch of content on a static website?

Jackie - whenever you comment on a post, click on the box below that says "Notify me of new comments" and a message will show up on your 'MyHome' page to notify you of any new comments. The same applies when people comment on your posts.

Gary - so true. If only more members would take the time and energy to creat good, quality, relevant articles, then quality commenting would follow.

I think some of it is just new members that do not understand blogging etiquette.

Thanks Rich! I'll make sure to do that in the future. As I said before, I'm sure that there are others like me that the bigest problem is finding our bearings rather than being inconsiderate. Thanks again!

Rich,

We learn from the people that are respected here . . . early in my AR career I was probably one of those Strafing run bloggers . . but actually from seeing YOU reply to others in your comments, I've started to do the same. It brings out a more "community" friendly bent to the whole idea. So thanks for continuing to teach us noobs . . . .

While I always take the time to respond to the comments I get.....

I sometimes do not follow up on my comments. Too time consuming. Unless it is a topic of great interest to me.

It does happen a lot. It is very easy to go in and make blanket comments, however if the comment is controversial, it is harder to defend. Very good analogy.

Rich - Weren't you a submariner in the Navy? Is there a like strategy of strafing in a submarine? Dumb question, but just curious.

What makes bloggging into a social networking tool more than anything is that people other than the blogger can expand the dialogue in unlimited directions through commenting. That said, I don't think that it is realistic for the blog poster to respond to every comment even though of course it would be nice.

Rich, I thought maybe you were waiting to see how many comments you would get before responding. Hope you had a nice family day! Once again gotta agree, it's gotten to the point if people don't respond to me coming by I don't go back.

It's probably easier to reply when you didn't have 30 - 40 comments in one day like some of the posts do get. (Not mine) LOL... easy for me... ;)

I am still new to AR but I feel like I will be here for a long time simply because I have learned alot and I feel I have alot to contribute! I hate to even think that some people don't have the fortitude to stick around for a while.

I really enjoy it when the poster bothers to reply, usually by groups or whatever. Shows that poster respects those commenting. Keep it up !

Nameless - thanks! Replying to comments is never a bother to me. Time consuming somewhat, but never a bother! I value my readers too much!

Rey - what was the state recently shared? Only 4% of us blogging will stick with it? That's a pretty telling percentage.

Sharon - yeah, no kidding! Thankfully mine don't get this many comments all the time!

Lysa - exactly my point. Don't interact, and they won't come back! Yeah, this one wouldn't have been a very good post to ignore the comments!

Scott - you're absolutely right. Sometimes it's better for the writer to be a third-party observer, and allow others to dialogue. There are no hard & fast rules. To each their own. What I do know is that at a minimum, you should at least go back to your post and respond to any of the more substantive, meaningful comments that have been left.

Tony - I was on a missile boat. Our job was to go underwater for 2 months, running around in circles at 5 knots, and remain undetected. Not a lot of strafing in that job. Too noisy!

Tom - we only have so much time. We need to do what we can, when we can. I always try to respond to each and every person who has taken the time to read and comment on my posts. That doesn't always happen, but that's my own personal goal. It works for me. It doesn't make it right or wrong. But my primary point, is that we should at least return to the scene of our writing and respond to any meaningful comments.

John - hey, man! Thanks for stoppin' by! I really enjoy your writing and I know you'll do well on this platform. We're all on a learning curve here in the Rain. We just need to soak it all up as it falls!

Jackie - I never ever consider anyone, especially our newer members, as being inconsiderate. We all have learned, and continue to learn, so much on this platform. We should all encourage each other along the way!

Randy - When I first joined, I was totally clueless. I really try to see things from the eyes of our newest member. There is so much that we've learned and we assume others know as well. Topics like these need to be rehashed from time to time, just so everyone is better informed.

100

What? I was just counting the beers on the wall :)

Bill - I wouldn't say that the Strafing Run Bloggers are ruining 'other' people's lives. Mainly, it primarily affects the extent and size of their readership. Personally, I think it's rather selfish and self-serving, but that's me. But to a degree, you're right. Imagine reading a post that really moves you, and you comment back, pouring yourself into your comments. And then.... <silence>

Dave & Kristin - yes, this is a growing practice. Not so much in real estate yet, but in other industries. To me, it destroys the whole value and intent behind blogging - to convey who and what you are to your readers; to them to gain a glimpse into your knowledge and ethic.

TLW - you crack me up! Boy, a nice cold one sounds good right now. Maybe I should leave the office and head home?

Yup. Time for you to go on home and have a cold one. But remember no drinking and blogging :)

(In theory) SVW.

Aside from that my email could use the intermission :)

No drinking and blogging? Now WHO came up with THAT one? Blog Boy?

Yup. Blog Boy nailed me with a beer. You must have missed that. He made a video out of it. It's posted on my blog somewhere. There are three of them. Funny stuff my friend :)

But...Now I am not allowed to beer blog. Unless of course I pour the beer into my coffee cup. Noooo. I would never do that :)

And then, of course, there are those who have no problem combining the tow!

Blue Ridge - yes, it goes both ways. That's why it's called "Conversational'" blogging. :)

Ann - thanks! This is one of those things that always seems to bother me, and I see it a lot. I just know how great it felt when I got my first few comments, or when someone commented on one of my early posts.

Jason - this was hilarious! I didn't intend to be away from AR for that long. It just turned into a full day. Then I came back and BLAM! Comment City! It's always my hope that people would find some value in something I've written and apply it to further their success. So thanks!

What? Oh I was just sitting here counting the rest of the beers that TLW didn't count.....

Hic-cup! ;-)

Beer?

Starfing blogger

I have seen some of those on here.. I comment on their blog with a question and get no response... great post!

Your point is well taken. I try to recognize every comment on my blogs -- I even look up people I am not familiar with and learn a little about them. It it what truly makes this a community -- On the other side of the coin -- sometimes, it seems a bit like a clique on AR -- some folks only respond to a small group -- and ignore some AR members who are not part of the AR celebs -- It doesn't bother me, but others have commented. Perhaps we can also encourage people to comment on good blogs.

You've challenged me bro. I'm just getting started on AR and am finding it a way cool place to connect. My biggest issue, I hope, will be staying in touch with everyone. As I write this I've already been on here for an hour and my wife is giving me the "look" :)

JUL

2007

Floyd - well, whenever you get 'the' look, it's best to drop whatever you're doing, and get attentive REAL quick, especially with 2 in diapers! Thanks for stopping by!

Joan - I personally dislike the cliques. It tends to be a natural by-product of any social platform. But there are so many other wonderful, outgoing people on AR that embrace new friendships and make others feel welcome!

Nattalie - yeah, they're out there. But we can really only control what we do. Reciprocation is one of the keys to successful blogging.

Bryant - oh yeah! Right now, I'm sucking down a Fat Tire, a nice amber beer from New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, CO.

Ann - what count did we leave off with?

Moni - see? That's exactly my point! What is up with that??? How rude and unappreciative. What's the purpose of blogging if you don't intend to meaninfully engage your readers?

Mott the Hoople - definitely! I really value and appreciate people taking the time out of their busy day to read something I've written and leave comments. Thanks for your input!

Fransciso - take the time to do what you can, and do it well. As I've said before, at a minimum at least go back to your post and follow-up with the most substantive and meaningful commentors.

Cameron - Welcome to the ActiveRain Community! We're glad you're here! I would recommend going to the AR Newbies Group and checking out the archives for posts dealing with loading pictures. If you can't find ti, just let me know. I would be glad to call you and walk you through it.

Sarah - people love your writing! They always stimulate great conversations!

Celeste "Sally" - that's the unfortunate part. Good writers are losing good readers as a result. If you want to develop a larger audience and consistent readership of your posts, respond, comment, engage!

Nathan - exactly! They warrant and deserve our acknowledgement and response, even if we don't have the answers...

I'm always afraid I'll miss the chance to answer questions because I do not always get an alert when someone comments...many times it will go to spam...sigh...

Mike - loved the avatar graphic. HILARIOUS! I wouldn't call them 'strafing commentors'...I would simply call them 'Point Mongers'

Dawn - you're doing just fine. It takes time to find your unique voice and attract an audience. Actively commenting on other people's posts is one way to gain readership and interactive dialog. Keep up the great efforts!

Shari George - do my eyes deceive me? I miss your face!!!

Teri - I totally agree with you. Some may not know any better, so I'll continue to comment on other posts. But if I see a repeated habit of 'post abandonment,' I usually don't return.

Lisa & Bob - two of my favorite people! Yes, kinda like talking to your husband during a football game on TV!

George - you're preachin' to the choir, Bro! My thoughts exactly. I have encountered the same thing. Maybe even the same person! It's not rocket science, just common courtesy, right?

Fran - I doubt it's a wake-up call for you. Maybe you just hit the 'snooze' button too many times?

Marc - I once wrote this very lengthy and detailed comment to someone who was ranting on about some issue they had with AR, and they threatened to leave. So I wrote back, encouraging them to stay the course, etc.. I came back a few days later. There was a gazillion similar comments, but the person never came back to follow-up.

Cyndee - it's simply good practice and developing good blog habits now. Wait til you have your own blog or Localism starts getting more traffic. Will people ignore 'consumer' comments then too?

Irina - you are entirely much too kind! Thank you for your encouraging thoughts! Have a really great 4th celebration!

Jeff - hey, man! Thanks for stoppin' by! You know your WWII aircraft!

Herb - it reminds me of those AT&T cellular commercial where someone is talking, and all of a sudden, there's dead air....It's kinda like that!

Jonathan - do what works best for you. At a minimum, at least take the time to go back through your posts, and respond to the meaningful comments left there.

Ines (and Rico) - well, it took me long enough to get back to you! I learned a lot from people like you and MF and KK.

Craig - (last by not least) - Stage a homeless shelter, and then write four posts to consumers with embedded links to www.PatronSaintofGuilt.com

WHEW!!!!....Did I leave anyone out?

145 comments on this one Rich... not too bad. I do my best to reply to every comment made, even though some around here see that as a tactic to somehow game the system. It's simply courtesy to let those folks who took their time to comment know that I appreciate them. Nothing more and nothing less. Thanks for the post!

Check you out! I knew when I came back this evening you would have answered each and every one of

these! WooHoo! P.S. I think I like your profile picture now rather than that sea creature. This one looks more like you.

Rich,

I'm totally wowed at how many responses this post received. You really engaged your readers and left me impressed.

One thing I've noticed that discourages discourse is the growing number of posts that "hint" at an interesting subject or event BUT to get to the information, you are directed to go to another blog.

That totally defeats the continuity of post/comment on Active Rain. If the other blog is more important to the writer, crimony, just post there. I understand Internet synergy, but I don't want to be led away from Active Rain to read "the rest of the story". Links are easy on all blogs and it isn't necessary to lead folks away from AR to get another post crawled. A simple link will do. If the intent is to encourage folks to leave AR and join the other blog, then that's not fair to AR who has generously offered this blog for our use and enjoyment.

Just give me a nice interesting post and I'll comment, usually over the point limit because I read a LOT of posts and make a LOT of comments. It's not necessary to respond to my comment, but it's encouraging and keeps me coming back IF the content is interesting.

I do respond to comments, even the ones that say "nice post". However, I have started to delete those comments that give the comment writer 3 links to their web site or their own blog.
Clever, clever. Did they think no one would notice???? All posts and comments get a back link to their own profile. Why do they need three??

I probably do not respond to comments made several days after the post unless I check in to my "comments" page. But, I do try. I greatly appreciate ALL comments to my posts. It's this synergy that makes the Internet go round and round.

Synergy is an interesting thing. Look what it did for Google.

FYI FOR ANY DOUBTING FOLKS

Real Estate Blog - Beware of 'Strafing Run' Bloggers

I touched on this topic once before in a previous post aptly entitled, "One Way Traffic Jams on the ActiveRain Blogway." It garnered some fairly active ...
activerain.com/blogsview/133704/Beware-of-Strafing-Run - 38k - Jun 29, 2007 - Cached - Similar pages

White Flag waving in each hand, you have x-ray glasses and see my inner guilt. This is like that song where the piano man was singing just to her, oh how did he know. Thanks for the reminder!!!

You did come back Rich! Nice to see you practice what you preach, then again, I kind of knew that...

I have been guilty of this . . . for me blogging is a process that I can't force - I may have an idea and create a draft, then take pictures and finally put it all together and then I feel like the "project" is done and I move on.

It's an organic process and I thought of people's responses the same way.

I have learned that there is a culture at Active Rain, where it is expected that the author will stick around and actually respond to each and every response, and include specific names, in bold, no less. I find that a little too scripted for my personal taste, but understand it is part of the culture and if I buck it, it is with that knowledge.

Rich,

I want you to know that for 24 hours your post worked. I have been going back in and commenting, thanking folks. Had not planned on a bombing run.

Rich - great point you got my attention. Sometimes I get so busy I forget to come back. Thanks for reminding me that it is only right to respond back

Howdy Rich

I would like to give you my congrats on a very good blog post.

I do try to thank the readers that stop by my blog.

Rich, the strafe that got my goat the most was from a guy who is an Association of Realtors Regional hauncho. He came on, dropped a blog about why the NAR and local association are raising dues, got featured (which is disgusting in itself), got a ton of comments AND DIDN'T RESPOND TO ONE OF THEM! I couldn't believe it.

Rich, sorry about that last comment, its just that your post opened a fresh wound for me! hehe. Anyway, congrats on a great post and great comment thread. Its nice to see that there are a lot of great bloggers out there who take the time to respond to the comments.

I remember that one too, John. He came on here blowing sunshine about how great it is that we're going to pay more in dues then never responded to any of the questions or concerns. Great representation!

John & Ryan - a perfect example of my point here. What does that say for the writer? What kind of credibility did he establish for himself and making our dues increase any more palatable? Thanks for bringing that example to light.

Dale - keep up the great efforts!

Dan - hey, we all get busy. Life happens, work happens. It helps to make AR a part of your daily routine, along with a cup 'o' joe in the morning works for me!

Steven - good on ya! Even if it's responding to just a few comments. That's certainly better than ignoring your readers!

Deborah - it works for me, but it doesn't have to necessarily be with YOU do. One size doesn't fit all in the blogosphere. You need to develop a practice that works for you and accomplishes your goals. All I know is that a huge part of blogging is to convey a sense of who and what you are, and to engage your readers in meaningful dialogue. When you meet with clients, do you simply lecture them, not allowing them input? Are you a good listener with your clients? Why should your blog be any different?

Jason - As much as possible, I do try!

Janie - No need for the white flags. We're not taking any prisoners. Just continue being yourself and treat others the way you would want to be treated. Readers are a valued commodity. We should acknowledge their comments and visits regularly.

Lenn - As always, I have the utmost respext for your opinions. But this will have to be one of those times when we agree to disagree. Clicking through to outside blogs has opened up a whole new world for me. Don't get me wrong, I love ActiveRain, and I continue to be one of tis most staunch supporters. But what would happen it, heaven forbid, AR went off-line tomorrow, or was sold off to RE/MAX. Where would we be? I owe it to myself to venture out into the greater blogosphere and interact with other blogsites. Now, one could argue, that teaser posts to other sites detracts from the purpose and flow of AR. There is some credeance to that claim. I think some probably do abuse such things. I try to balance what I post in entirety here with other 'teaser' posts to SoundBiteBlog. I don't want people to leave AR. I want them to expand their blog horizons. It takes 6 clicks for me to access AR. What is one more click? There are some really valuable sites that I regularly frequent now that I never would have found without the re-directed link from AR.

Diane - thank you! I value the people who visit my blog and take time to comment.

Lenn & Rich, I can see both sides of this topic and have teetered back & forth for some time now. I have, at times, posted "teasers" with a link back to my own blog on some of my statistic posts. I agree completely with what Rich said here, but I also understand why some take offense to outside links. I do make sure that when I post an outside link, that it opens in a new window, so as not to lead people away from AR, but rather to give them access to my site in addition. Ultimately, my goal is to get consumers to my site and contact me so there is usefulness in this approach, but I'm still teetering on whether I'll continue to do so, simply because I'm still trying to feel out the overall sentiment of the public on this topic.

I agree. It's almost as if they are blogging for points and don't care about the feedback.

Rich,

I agree, but I also see the alternative side where as some people are so involved in other things, community, family etc that their comments may not be just for points or an afterthought but of, let me at least be involved for the small amount of time that I may have. Food for Thought.

Tina Abraham

www.tinaabraham.com

I've noticed that some people take a really long time to think about what they will write. Could take a couple of days even. Then when people comment they are worn out and it could take them days to think of a response.

Some people worry a lot about what they put "out there". I'm obviously, not one of them. But I understand they have to be who they are.

Rich you taught me something; starfing! As the other Carole said it's a great idea to let the newbie's know. I think when I got started TLW taught me that I had to 'man my post' - which is a new meaning to an old phrase lol

Hi Rich-

Not sure I have much to add after that thread of comments, but you are definitely right. I am guilty as well. I will try to be more diligent in checking back with my posts and postees. Thanks for the reminder : )

My opinion is in the minority, but I never considered blogging to be so interactive. I thought it was all about me :)

Interaction is what it should be about but we all know that its mostly about promoting your name out there.Sadly, some will just say one or 2 words and others will add a thoughtful comment. Perhaps its a mood thing.I have seen comments as short as " ;o)" and some funny ones like "I don't know what to say".Some sounds like IMs and I am not against it. Whatever makes your boat rock.I still think its cool you make an effort to interact Rick.

Good post, Rich.

Christopher

JUL

2007

Right on Rich! I just signed up and have noticed several agents that I'm acquainted with that are not diligently monitoring their posts and contributing to their own blogs. I'm sending them emails of encouragement, gently nudging their active participation.

Thanks,
Larry

See now I just went back and checked my blogs and found a few I never replied too.... OOPS! Guilty as charged too! LOL... How did I miss those? Corrected... maybe it's not always intentional?

I guess I need to write more thought provoking blog posts, I dont have the intelligent responses yet. any suggestions?

Thanks for the lesson on Blog etiquette. I am one of the offenders, and I ask all for forgiveness. I didn't realize that a reply is usually expected, and just figured the comments were a continuation of the thread. I will try to be more aware and thoughtful in the future!

Patrick - I don't know that there is necessarily an absolute 'right' or 'wrong' here. More just common courtesy for the most part. I simply wanted to stimulate some thought about engaging your readers and stimulating greater conversations in your posts.

rambai???....what the heck is a 'rambai?'

Scott - you're doing okay. Be yourself. Convey your personality, your ethic, your experience, your passions, in what you write. Don't try to 'sell' yourself, but 'be' yourself. Write as though you were talking with a new client over coffee.

Sharon - for most, it's probably not intentional, just not something we've considered before, or realized the impact it may have on our readership.

Larry - Hey, welcome to the ActiveRain Community! You'll quickly discover the value and benefit of your time invested here. Feel free to ask any questions along the way!

Christopher - Nice comment, Christopher!

Lloyd - Why take the time to write an article for your blog if your intent isn't to engage in conversation with your reader? Why blog at all? Why not just add pages to your website?

can someone PLEASE tell me what is a 'mamoncillo?' Is it a distant relative to an 'armadillo?'

Deborah - I truly do hope you're being facetious???....

Kelli - simply checking back is a good thing. I've gone back to some of my older posts and found a few people that I kept 'hanging!'

Carole - "Man Your Post!" ...I love it!

ARDELL - some of my posts take more to 'create' than others. And then some simply roll off my fingers. Like you, I never worry about something I write.

Tina - each of us has to ask ourselves the questions, "Why am I blogging? How does it fit into my marketing plan? Am I committed to investing the time? Do I understand fully what blogging involves? I think many are just jumping on the blog bandwagon without really taking the time to understand the 'how-to's and the 'why's. Someone shared a recent stat that only 4% of those who start blogging will continue.

Pete - unfortunately, there will always be those who chase points and nothing else. Many of us have been caught up in that race, only to realize that it's really 'pointless!'

Ryan - I can see value on both sides of the debate. That's why I try to balance my posts. There are some who do 'teaser' posts every time. And I personally don't have a problem with that. They may not get as many readers as they would if the entire article was published here, but that's a risk they are willing to take. To each their own. Are they intentionally disrespecting this platform? I don't think so. In the end, I think everyone wins.

Hi Rich

Thanks for the insight. This is my first day on AR (also thanks for the abreviation it makes life easier) and now I must go back to my blog and acknowledge the comments.

I have a question though: How did they find me so fast to comment?

Bill Roberts

Bill - Welcome to the ActiveRain Community! Whenever you post an article, it pops up on the Blog Dashboard. Depending on how many people are actively posting at any given time, it could be up there for a while. People are awarded points for commenting on posts. You get 25 points per comment, up to 10 comments per day, so there is a built-in incentive for people to engage you and comment on your posts/articles. Let me know if you have any additional questions along the way!

Thanks Rich. What is the blog dashboard? I might want to try that.

Bill Roberts

Bill - Up on hte top of the page, click on "Blog"...that will take you to the Blog Dashboard. The left hand column are all the most recently posted articles. You can sort them anyway you like.

Okay, so I just had to add one more to take it over 200....

Thanks again. I'll be back!

Bill Roberts

Rich,

Thanks for the post. I beginning to see a common thread here, "Strafing Bloggers & Armchair Quarterbacks in the Blogosphere". The art of a dialogue between active participants, now there's a thought!

JUL

2007

Being guilty of this (but not often), I go back and read posts several times to see if a comment has been left . I spend more time reading than I do blogging and fogetting to rate or comment. Great post.

Rich,

How do you become a feature blog? I have been reading many posts I have put some thoughtful blogs together and have not been very successful is the key to being featured being ranked in the top 10 of your state?

JUL

2007

203 comments to date! My goodness, is that some kind of record? I'm happy to get 10, ecstatic for 20... and I feel that some of my postings have been really good. 'Guess I'm sill learning the secret recipe. Congratulations on your comments, and thanks for your thoughtful suggestion about acknowledging comments. I hope 200 more people read it and do it!

Very true. I have actually stopped reading blogs because their owners can't be bothered to post a response to any question. Maybe I am to sensitive. :)

Pamela - it's not being overly sensitive. It's just common courtesy!...

Margaret - far from the record. I think TLW holds the current record with around 700 or so.

Rebecca - I'll send you an email with some thoughts and suggestions....

JUL

2007

Kay - each of us needs to find what works best for us, and just commit to doing it consistently. Blogging successfully takes time and energy.

Rich

Great post...I'd like to add the opposite can be true as well.

The blog writer can forget about his commenter (or is "ors") but the commenter can also forget about the blog writer.

How many times has the commenter "dropped a bomb", you answer sensing a debate is brewing, only to be left hanging?

So sad...

My suggestion is if you ask a question or "drop a bomb", hit the Notify Me button, so you can run the discourse through to the finish....

The comments are the best part of most posts anyway, right?

I think what Rob said is very true. Sometimes its a comment that fans the flame but then that commenter is MIA. I like to start debates, and I try to respond back when valid points are made.

Good post!

JUL

2007

Rich, I thank you for commenting on my blog. Like you said, it is always nice for somebody to make a comment on your writing since you have taken the time to write. Like me, I am new to this but appreciates a lot of comments on my blog because it is so much fun when they respond. I try to respond as much as I can but if there are a lot of comments, of course you will not be able keep up with all of them.

APR

2008

Hi Rich

Great Post. I've bookmarked it so that I can come back later and read all the comments.

Thanks

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Rich Jacobson Your Kitsap County WA Real Estate Broker

Silverdale, WA

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Keller Williams West Sound Realty

Address: Silverdale, WA, 98383

Office Phone: (360) 499-6367

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Providing Knowledgeable Empowerment and Relentless Representation of Real Estate Clients throughtout the Western Puget Sound, including all of Kitsap County WA, and portions of Mason, Pierce, and Jefferson Counties.

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