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ActiveRain Comment Linking - Where's Your Comment Today?

By
Education & Training with Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp Non-Licensed

ActiveRain Has Comment Linking?
(This post is a bit long but I think it's worth the read...especially if you plant comments in the rain)

Today I saw a few comments on ActiveRain that simply shocked me.  They honestly left me in awe.  Comments on an ActiveRain post written way back in 2008.  Over the years I've subscribed to quite a few blogs and individual blog posts here in the rain.  So when comments do come in, even years later on those older posts, it's nice to get that email notification from AR prompting me that someone has commented.

Have you ever read a comment that just made you cringe?  Made your heart start pounding?  Literally made you want to pick up the phone and call that person and share your thoughts?  You know the ones I'm talking about, I bet you even have a few that quickly come to mind?  See, comments are impressionable, and remember, they're also out there forever.

I received one such ActiveRain email this morning.  After reading the new comment and even some of the older comments, all I could say is WOW!!  I wanted to share it here but thought "no" that wouldn't be very cool. ( I was tempted though...lol )  Has this ever happened to you?  Were you shocked?  Even worse, maybe it was your comment?  Yikes! :-O  Did I really say that?  There it is in writing, black and white and it can't be undone.

Here's the worst or best part of it.   

THERE'S A LINK TO YOUR COMMENT in the lower right corner.  Every comment on ActiveRain has a link to it.  There are over 1,000,000+ blog posts on AR meaning there has to be over 10,000,000+ comments here. Hmmm... those are staggering numbers.  Once you comment, only the author of that post can delete your comment.  (I think you only have 24 hours or less to make edits to your own comments)

Every comment on AR is numbered and that number contains the URL and link to it.  What?  A Link?  YES, for anyone that wants to share that your comment with the world, it's right there.  (I resisted the temptation today, but others may not)  A simple right click of the mouse to "copy the URL" and it could be pasted and plastered anywhere and everywhere folks want to share it.  I wonder if the author of the comment I'm referring to knew about this?

Is your comment being tweeted about or hanging out on someones Facebook wall?  If it's a good comment, great... but if it's a bad, mean, or nasty comment, then all I can say is OUCH!  Got you thinking now?  Take this "sharing" concept a little further, how would you even know?

YEP! This could be Bad, or this could be Good, that remains up to you. 

People can easily litter the information highway with good or bad stuff.  Be careful what you say, the online world is listening. Each comment you make on ActiveRain is like a mini blog post.  Make sure you leave a trail of patience and kindness in the rain.  ActiveRain blogs and comments go as deep as the stars go high so really think twice before you "strike" in that comment box.

To test this, here's a comment I just tweeted from a post written last week.

Here's the actual comment:

 It worked just as planned, my visitor counter was proof~ 

Seriously, have you ever really thought of the consequences your comments could have out on the Blogosphere?  Sharing links to a comment is a great way to bring your Blog post and other members blog posts back to life.  It's also a great compliment when you show off commenter's on your Blog posts. (like Frank and Sharon above)  Great comments deserve to be shared, and then there's those comments that if shared, wouldn't be so great, at least not for that person.  I'm just sayin... 

Here's another example: 

OMG!!  Did you all hear what @Sara Bonert from Zillow just said on Brad Andersohn's post?  Brad said, "Who Cares about your local Real Estate Market?  WOW!!  And Sara said... See her comment here~

Imagine if I put out a tweet or an update on Facebook that read something like that, do you think folks would click on it to see what it said?  I'm pretty sure it would drive some traffic, but depending on the comment, it could have a variety of results and impact on you, your company, or your business?  I'm hoping that by sharing this with AR members, it will heighten your awareness and hopefully have an impact on some of the blog commenting demeanor I've seen through-out my travels here in the rain.  Dare to comment now?  :-O

Some Alternate Ideas for a Title on this Blog Post:
ActiveRain Comments - A Powerful and Mighty Tool
My Comment on Your Post - OMG! Did I Really Say That?
I'll Give You 20 Bucks if You Remove/Delete My Comment
Thanks for Tweeting My Comment - I Just Picked up a Buyer
I Face-Booked a Link to YOUR Comment Today & Doubled My Traffic

The Result-vs-the Reward of your comment on my Blog
THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT TO SAY, YOU READ IT WRONG!

 

Comments (134)

Jill Watts
Realty Pro, Inc. - Vancouver, WA
A Luxury Experience at Every Price Point!

My Mama always said, "never say anything out loud that you don't want to see on the front page of the newspaper."

Jan 27, 2011 03:53 PM
Dan Quinn
The Eric Steart Group of Long & Foster Real Estate - Silver Spring, MD
Dan Quinn

You are so right about being careful about what we say online.  Anyone can find what you said, as you wrote, forever!  So be careful, you wouldn't want to find yourself in a lawsuit where your online comments could compromise you.

One correction Brad - you said only the author of a post can delete comments.  I checked my old comments from a year ago and I am able to delete them.  By hovering over the number in the lower right hand corner, a link appears to allow me to delete the comment.  I believe everyone can do this as well.

Jan 28, 2011 07:31 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Dan - that is correct, comments are only there forever if you don't go back and delete it.  Keep in mind though that a screen shot of your comment shared on a social network or website CAN NOT be undone.  How many people will actually go back to their 10,000 comments on ActiveRain or even have the time to see if they should or shouldn't delete them?  Very few I'm sure. 

Thanks for pointing that out, members can delete the comment, but they can't edit the comment after the specified time allotted by AR.  And they can't change the damage done once eyeballs roll over those comments.

Jan 28, 2011 07:55 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Brad- I keep thinking of what my high school principal used to say "A word said is a word dead" meaning that once you say it... it's out there.  Or is it "a card laid is a card played"?  In any event this is (1) a great reminder to all of us to think more than twice before hitting the"enter" button and not just on ActiveRain and (2) more information about the # thing after a comment!
 

Jan 28, 2011 08:15 AM
Norma J. Elkins
Elite Realty Group - Morristown, TN
Realtor - Elkins Home Selling Team

I love all of your posts and reading everyone's comments - I think we all need to use our words wisely - Have a great day!

Jan 28, 2011 11:19 PM
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

What is put on the internet, stays on the internet.  Perhaps Active Rain needs a "google like" feature to prevent "drunk commenting"?!

Jan 29, 2011 12:08 AM
John Slocum
Premiere Property Group, LLC - Vancouver Washington - Vancouver, WA
Broker, SFR - Vancouver WA Real Estate
Hello Brad, I know the 2010 Vancouver / Portland RainCamp's main speaker said we could be edgy, and even controversial in our posts yet -- those posts and commenting can all be accomplished with decorum. You are also quite the magician pulling another rabbit out of your hat with the use of the Comment Links! Best! John
Jan 29, 2011 07:04 AM
Mary Jo Quay
H360homes.com - Minneapolis, MN
I Move You Home

As Brian Tracey says, "Everything counts!  EVERY THING."

Often the tone is of a private conversation that we assume will vaporize when we're done.

Even if you hit the delete on an old email you wrote, someone else could save it.  It is even more so with comments.

Great reminder.  A closed mouth gathers no foot.

Jan 30, 2011 05:16 AM
Mary Jo Quay
H360homes.com - Minneapolis, MN
I Move You Home

As Brian Tracey says, "Everything counts!  EVERY THING."

Often the tone is of a private conversation that we assume will vaporize when we're done.

Even if you hit the delete on an old email you wrote, someone else could save it.  It is even more so with comments.

Great reminder.  A closed mouth gathers no foot.

Jan 30, 2011 05:16 AM
Virginia Gardner
Roy Wheeler Realty Co. - Charlottesville, VA
Realtor, Charlottesville, Serving Central Virginia

I'm sory I missed this earlier tis week, I just posted something similar that "hit" me this morning.  It's so terribly important that everyone understands this, thank you.

Jan 30, 2011 01:14 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Brad - consider me complimented my friend! You have hit on a very important topic - I remember when the comments became links but hadn't connected it with sharing them socially. I have seen my comments when they show on up my StepRep report.

If everyone would try to remember how would they like to see their comment on the front page of the newspaper or whatever internet news they read - that might stop some acerbic thoughts from spewing forth. We all need this reminder every now and then!

Jan 30, 2011 01:53 PM
Fulton Gaylord
Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville, VA
1st-Time Home Buyer Realtor - Charlottesville, VA
As they also say, opinions are like noses--we all got 'em and they all smell. Meaning to have an opinion is human, but thinking it's better than anyone else's is incorrect. It's healthy to be passionate about issues. We want to be right. Let's disagree but not be disagreeable. Our posts amongst ourselves should take this tone-healthy debate, interesting discussion, helpful advice, and shared experiences.
Jan 30, 2011 02:58 PM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Frank and Sharon - very well put, you paint the perfect picture.

Fulton - love the nose analogy, I had never heard that one before, only the one about the rear end.  lol~

wish I had time this morning to comment back to each of you but I'm off to teach a webinar about Real estate going Crazy Mobile.  Your welcome to join me if you like, it's at 10am PST and it's going to be very informative: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/972597488

(I actually have a few "Zillow Insiders" joining us to share information you shouldn't be without.)

Jan 31, 2011 02:52 AM
Dan Quinn
The Eric Steart Group of Long & Foster Real Estate - Silver Spring, MD
Dan Quinn

Brad, I hadn't thought about a screenshot of your comment being published on the net.  That makes this post even more poignant.  Think before you submit!

Feb 03, 2011 01:29 AM
Simon Mills
Mills Realty - Toluca Lake, CA

Brad - I liked to see AR take this one step further and tweet every comment instantly (with an opt-in of course).  We can do this on Zillow...why not in the Rain?

Feb 03, 2011 10:28 AM
Carmen Isais
Barrett-Leber Realty - Davis, CA

Thank you, Brad for reminding us all for the need to be accountable in the virtual world, just as we are in the 'real' world. oo often I have seen agents and other professional lose sight that thier interactions online, are an extension of how they operate face-to-face. Bravo for the very thpughtful post.

Carmen, whose happy it's sunny again in California

Feb 06, 2011 06:43 AM
Paul Slaybaugh
Homesmart - Scottsdale, AZ
Scottsdale, AZ Real Estate
Tweet this.
Feb 23, 2011 06:37 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

Why?

Feb 23, 2011 06:47 AM
Paul Slaybaugh
Homesmart - Scottsdale, AZ
Scottsdale, AZ Real Estate

For the pithy factor? I've got more if you don't like that one. ;)

Feb 23, 2011 08:51 AM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876

The pithy factor?  It's all coming back to me now...   lol~  Give me a good comment, one that ONLY Paul Slaybaugh could muster up and I promise I'll tweet it...  just don't embarrass us...  on second thought, go ahead....  :-)

Feb 23, 2011 08:57 AM