Any blogger who’s been around a while knows that the comment section of their blog is an indispensable tool for networking with their readers and getting their feedback. A good commenting platform enables readers to interact with you and with one another leading to conversations and stimulating discussions. Although most blogging platforms offer a default comment feature, there are many more specialized commenting platforms available that accommodate numerous features in addition to commenting. Read on to find out how to make your blog more fun and interactive.
Disqus:
An extremely popular platform, Disqus is often the top choice of many blogs and websites due to the many add-ons and flexible options it offers. It runs on a community model wherein it provides excellent integration with social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Yahoo and OpenID and also with media platforms like YouTube and Flickr. Every time a reader leaves a comment you get an email notification so that you can reply instantly. This free plugin also enables readers to keep track of their comments thus making it easier for them to share what they like.
Livefyre:
Livefyre, with its SEO-friendly comments is another real-time conversation platform that can drive all kinds of users to your blog. It has a uniquely attractive interface that also provides moderation tools. Users have the option to sign in through multiple networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and Google among others thus ensuring effortless commenting from a wider audience. These features along with social media integration are free of charge but you can also opt for a more customized solution for additional features like on-page branding and guaranteed SLA Uptime.
Facebook Commenting Plugin:
Facebook itself has its own commenting plugin that allows users to post comments on Facebook by checking the ‘Post to Facebook’ tick box. The Facebook Comment Box auto-sorts comments based on the number of ‘likes’ it has received and even hides spam from view. You can leave the rest up to the largest social networking platform in the world.
IntenseDebate:
A relatively new platform, IntenseDebate boasts of similar services like Facebook and OpenID integration, email notifications and comment moderation. ECHO, another great option, is a complete real-time web platform better suited for larger blogs and websites. In addition to sharing and commenting it also offers premium features like polls and forums. Unlike the other plugins that are available for free, to get ECHO you have to first fill the Contact Form on their website following which they will get in touch with you.
All these commenting platforms further connect you with readers, both current and potential ones. With easy integration with common blogging platforms like Blogger, WordPress and Tumblr, you can go on to create your very own community, both on your blog and on popular social media websites. By allowing users to login from many different networks and create their own profiles within the commenting plugin, you can be assured of an increase in the number of responses thereby making your blog much more engaging.