Sorting the wheat from the chaff

There has been discussion recently about whether or not blog comments should be moderated. Some maintain an 'open for all' policy, and allow any comments to be posted on their blog. They do so for a number of reasons. Some wish to make posting comments as easy as possible, and want their blog to be as welcoming as it can be. Others do not have the time to moderate all the comments that are posted to their site. It's a very democratic approach.

Several years ago, I took the decision to moderate comments on my own blog, not because I'm undemocratic, but because there are two kinds of comment I will not allow to be published. The first kind are comments that come from people who will be politely referred to as 'trolls'. Trolls post hateful, destructive, off-topic and inflammatory comments, because they enjoy provoking emotional responses and upsetting others. You can imagine how heart breaking that kind of comment could be for children who are blogging. In the UK, under the Communications Act of 2003 it is an offence to send messages that are of grossly offensive, obscene, indecent or menacing character. Two recent court cases have resulted in internet trolls being successfully prosecuted and sentenced to prison. For whatever reasons these individuals post such comments, I don't want that kind of content on my blog, so I usually screen for them, and delete them if I receive them. I dealt with one of my own personal trolls several years ago by openly writing about them here in Dear eLearning 101.

The second reason I moderate my blog comments is due to the increase in spam comments that are coming through, sometimes several each day. This blog currently has an average of 125,000 visitors each month, so the spam messages can be frequent. You can easily recognise most spam messages because they are sychophantic and painfully complimentary, sometimes very bland, and often written in appallingly bad English. They always contain at least one hyperlink. The example (above) is a fairly clear cut case of some sad person desperately trying to get people to click on their links. Who knows what the links contain? They could take you to dodgy sites or open you up for a virus attack.

I don't want these comments on my blog for a number of reasons. I don't want my readers exposed to dangerous links that may infect their computers with a virus or subject them to hacking. Secondly, I only want relevant and useful comments to appear on my blog. Anyone who wishes to comment constructively on my blog is very welcome to do so, but I won't accept spurious or irrelevant contributions. Finally, look at the example below - probably one of the most subtle spam comments I have received recently. Note that there are two hyperlinks, almost invisible in the post. Can you spot them?

Now you know why I screen all the comments submitted to this blog. I want to promote great discussions here, but to do so, I occasionally have to sort the wheat from the chaff. Do you moderate your blog comments, and if so why?



Sorting the wheat from the chaff by Steve Wheeler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at steve-wheeler.blogspot.com.

What makes a good blogpost?

I have now been blogging for almost four years, and during that time I think I have learnt a thing or two about what makes a good blog post (and also what doesn't). Here are seven things I believe are important to include if you want to write a blog post that attracts a readership:

The first important feature of a successful blogpost is a good, snappy title. Some of my most visited blogposts have provocative or intriguing titles such as 'Another nail in the coffin' 'Two fingered salute' and 'Web 2.0 Wonderland'. They hold a promise that draws your readers in. Some are wordplays (ala tabloid newspaper style) whilst others simply state what the blogpost will be about.

The second important feature is good content. This content should be well written, easy to read, topical (of interest to your readership, and perhaps tapping into the zeitgeist - the spirit of what is currently happening) and should be informative. Try to find something to write about that informs and educates your readership, or something that makes them think.

Thirdly, controversial content always draws a crowd. Be opinionated if you like, but also try to back up your opinion with evidence if you can. Having said that, I have often been deliberately provocative (playing the devil's advocate role) just to provoke responses in the comments box. If you do get some comments, respond to them - people feel more included. Remember though that blogging is not essay writing, so often you don't have to do much more than speak your mind to attract readers.

Fourthly, adding some good, colourful (or in some cases monochrome) images to illustrate and inform your readership is a good idea. I always try to find one image that is evocative of the topic I'm writing about. It has become a formula for me, and it's expected now. Sometimes posting an odd, or off-beat, or funny image that at first glance has nothing to do with the topic can be a useful ploy too.

Fifth, useful hyperlinks that take readers deeper into the topic or discussion are an attractive feature. Make sure the links are not broken, but only add those links you feel are useful to elaborate or extend the topic for your readers.

Sixth, humour is always a useful addition to a blog post. There are times when you need to be serious in dealing with a topic, but there are also times when you can use humour, wordplay, or even satire to strengthen your blog post, and perhaps also entertain your readers at the same time. It shows you are human too. :-)

Finally, be brief.

Image source (edited)

What makes a good blogpost? by Steve Wheeler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
Based on a work at steve-wheeler.blogspot.com.