Can you have too many comments?

1. 94

   Dolores Monetposted 14 years ago

   Will having too many comments posted on a hub be a cause for concern? Could too many comments make a hub less google worthy? I have one hub with over 200 and that seems excessive.

   replyreport
   1. 0

      L. Andrew Marrposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I wouldn't know. I'm not loved enough

      replyreport
2. 92

   habeeposted 14 years ago

   I've wondered about that, too!

   replyreport
3. 70

   wyanjenposted 14 years ago

   If you edit the comments capsule, you can set it to display a limited number.
   
   If you set the initial display to 10 comments, the rest of them will not be deleted. Just hidden. There is an option then for readers to see the rest of them if they want to.
   
   I'm not sure if this has an effect with google. Since they are not displayed, does google scan them?

   replyreport
   1. 69

      Beth100posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I didn't know that!!!  Thanks Wyanjen!  I don't have a problem with 200 yet (maybe in the future...hoping!) but it's good to know. 
      
      I appreciate all feedback that I receive, respond to each and delete the negative, non-related comments.  The power that the "delete" button holds!!! 

      replyreport
4. 94

   Dolores Monetposted 14 years ago

   I have no idea. I've been here for a year and amaze myself at how little I know.

   replyreport
5. 0

   Crazdwriterposted 14 years ago

   I don't get enough comments on my hubs to worry about it...sorry can't help

   replyreport
   1. 60

      Mamelodyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That makes the two of us

      replyreport
   2. 69

      drej2522posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think it is definitely a good problem to hsve!

      replyreport
   3. 67

      goldenpathposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Halelujah, sister!  At least I'm not the only one.... 

      replyreport
      1. 0

         Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         me three.  i don't get that many comments either.  that's why im always happy when i get them. 

         replyreport
   4. 60

      Jane@CMposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm in the same boat at Crazd, but the comments I do get are very nice.

      replyreport
6. 68

   thisisoliposted 14 years ago

   I have has a couple of hubs which seem to have created a lot of rather spam like comments.  The are kind of relevant, but I have often considered removing the majority of them to keep things tidy.

   replyreport
7. 71

   Cagsilposted 14 years ago

   From what I've come to learn. Every new comment to a Hub, give the scanners of GOOGLE to pick up on something fresher than the last time it checked the hub.
   
   This proves to GOOGLE the hub is actively getting traffic, because things about the hub keeps changing. This helps in indexing.
   
   Changing of keywords, adding or subtracting other components, can be helpful.
   
   Can you have too many comments? I think so. I appreciate the comments I get, but the ones that are extremely old, like at least 3-6 months old or older, could be a disadvantage. Not sure. Besides, if there are TOO MANY comments, it makes the hub itself extremely long and makes it very difficult to obtain newer comments.
   
   Hope that was helpful.

   replyreport
   1. 70

      wyanjenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Don't let the hub get too long...
      Just set the comments capsule to limit how many it displays.

      replyreport
8. 68

   thisisoliposted 14 years ago

   Yeah Cagsil is right, there is definately a benefit in that respect!

   replyreport
9. 61

   Ann Nonymousposted 14 years ago

   From someome who still has hubs without comments I can't imagine what you are going through! I almost envy you!

   replyreport
   1. 68

      thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Don't worry, with a bit of persistance you will all get there!

      replyreport
      1. 61

         Ann Nonymousposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Aww, thanks so much for the encouragement! With people like you on the hub everything on the hub is possible, huh? Thanks again! Now I better get to work......

         replyreport
   2. 94

      Dolores Monetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It's really only the one. And lots of the comments are like - wow, nice hub. and when i was hungry for comments, put them in, plus, I didn't want to be mean.

      replyreport
10. 63

    SandyMcCollumposted 14 years ago

    Just mho, but I've read hubs and then when I went to comment on it there was such a long line of comments that it made me feel that my comment won't be noticed and that there wasn't anything I could add to it, they'd said it all. So I'm in favor of limiting them to a number that doesn't overwhelm the reader. Like, 10.

    replyreport
    1. 85

       Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I've had the same reaction!  I don't have many Hubs with high comments, so I don't have the problem - but I never approve comments that say "good Hub" or "thanks".  And I don't reply to comments unless I have something meaningful to say, for the same reason.

       replyreport
11. 68

    thisisoliposted 14 years ago

    I might have to start doing that, for the record though, I always read the comments and fanmail that I receive!

    replyreport
12. 70

    wyanjenposted 14 years ago

    Me too - I read and respond to all comments.
    
    I get it about the long line making you feel like a tag-along. I usually don't comment if I have to scroll a couple pages.
    It's more of a patience thing with me
    No, I don't have enough of it

    replyreport
13. 72

    sunforgedposted 14 years ago

    My opinion is no, as mentioned, each new content is "new content"which gives you the positive impression of updating and fresh ..both very positive to google.
    
    People actually reading and scanning that content contributes to your page view time and the comments add to your word count...all factors which are plusses to search engines.
    
    "Spammy comments" are ok..as long as they are not partnered with spammy links...kill the links as mcuh as possible. (including ones that may be snuck into the username w/ non registered commenters) ...if your a stickler about keyword density ...lots of irrelevant comments, ie chit chat , could negatively effect that ranking factor and/or make your work look less authoriattive to a non -hub viewer
    
    
    as for the readers who compalin about scrolling past lots of comments, try using the "page down"or ënd" buttons on your keyboard!

    replyreport
14. 0

    Stevennix2001posted 14 years ago

    well, i can't speak for everyone here, but i love getting comments on hubs to be honest, as I enjoy reading and responding them.

    replyreport
15. 0

    cosetteposted 14 years ago

    you can never have too many comments on your hubs. unless they are spam or mean ones, that is.

    replyreport
    1. 0

       Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       yeah, but sometimes mean ones can be beneficial as long they're criticism on how you can improve.  like when i wrote a film review for "50 first dates", a guy left a rather very unflattering comment to me, which in turn forced me to reevaluate my own critique style, to get better.  Heck, I even started to read more of Roger Ebert and Peter Travers critical work, for more inspiration so I could review a film like they do.  Therefore, a bad comment can sometimes be beneficial if you look at it as constructive criticism to improve. 
       
       however, if the comment that's something that NOTHING to with the hub and just says something like, "your an idiot or.....blah blah blah."  then i'd just delete it.

       replyreport
       1. 0

          cosetteposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          yeah...one time this woman wrote:
          
          "f--k off b--ch" on two of my hubs. those were the kinds of comments i was referring to. ah, fun.....

          replyreport
          1. 0

             Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

             oh sorry.  i get what your saying now.  i do agree with you.  i think comments like those should not be tolerated on hubpages.  im sorry to hear that happened to you.

             replyreport
       2. 86

          rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          that is a great example of how you can take criticism constructively and be a better writer! good for you.

          replyreport
16. 94

    Dolores Monetposted 14 years ago

    cosette, I think if the people who leave such awful stuff don't see them displayed, they'll go play nasty somewhere else.
    
    thank you all for the great info - on the idea that you are refreshing the hub for google. I really appreciate getting comments, it's just nice. And I like to leave comments. We all like a bit of encouragement.

    replyreport
17. 70

    wyanjenposted 14 years ago

    You can go back and deny some of the older ones, if they just say "good hub" or something and you don't need/want them anymore.
    

    replyreport
18. 72

    CarpetDiemposted 14 years ago

    I'd love to have your problem.
    If they are good and add CONTENT, I'd say the more the merrier. Google loves content, and the more diverse it is, the more searcher will probably find you.
    But if the comments are fluffy one-liners like "nice hub" or "thanks", I'd remove them.

    replyreport
19. 67

    bigmikehposted 14 years ago

    I remember reading somewhere that an established blogger (outside HubPages) couldn't work out why he lost his first page ranking for a keyword. He thought it might be excessive comments and deleted most of them, and got his first page back. It may have been coincidence, but there is a possibility that too many comments could dilute the original text to where the Google ranking suffers.

    replyreport
    1. 72

       CarpetDiemposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       hi big mike,
       I wish you could find a link to that.
       It seems like more (quality) content would help, not dilute... but I think we agree it depends on what is in the comments.
       I just hope someday I have to worry about this.

       replyreport
    2. 86

       rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       that is interesting. it makes sense. I think too many comments can take away from the hub content itself, although there are certainly times when the comments add richness to the content.
       
       but I do agree, too many and the hub page can lose its originality. Ive seen some amazing hub content with only one or two comments. I think they get lost, there are so many great hubs on this site.

       replyreport
    3. 85

       Marisa Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       This is why there's sometimes friction between the "commercial" Hubbers and the "social" Hubbers.
       
       Social Hubbers are more likely to leave "great Hub" type comments and expect the Hub owner to respond with an equally meaningless "thanks" comment.  Commercial Hubbers are more likely to delete the comment and not respond at all, to avoid deleting their Hub content as described above.

       replyreport
20. 60

    mel22posted 14 years ago

    I think too many comments make the page look bad but heres a link to a post I made which would be be a way of mimizing the look of too many comments while still allowing 'fresh' new comments 2 be seen in the eyes of google like Cags was saying!
    
    http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/33104#post724527

    replyreport
21. 60

    molson5070posted 13 years ago

    Google will reward you for having many comments as the page looks fresh BUT make sure your keyword density is not being watered down by the extra comments. Remember a keyword density under 2% is not good as google will not view your site as relevant

    replyreport
22. 60

    johnshadeposted 13 years ago

    well comments do help because a comments are indexed as well e.g. someone types into a search engine what someone says in a comment or similar it will bring traffic to your Hub.
    I have landed on pages in the past due to comments being related to my search term

    replyreport
23. 91

    Pcunixposted 13 years ago

    I have had to cut off comments on some posts at my main site because they were just repetitions of things that had already been said several times already.   
    
    It can be really annoying when someone scans a post and immediately jumps down to post their two cents without reading a single other comment.  That's especially true when whatever they have to say has been said several times.
    
    I had to start moderating all comments there sometime back because of that.  I hope I don't have to do that here, but I suppose eventually I might have to.

    replyreport
24. 61

    freecampingaussieposted 13 years ago

    I havent had that problem, with all my hubs I am up to 3 comments ! So maybe I am doing something wrong ?

    replyreport
25. 86

    rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

    if I read a hub that has a zillion comments, I generally skip the comments or read a few, and then post my comment. I've seen hubs that have commentaries for each comment, I simply don't want to use my time reading all of those comments if I'm taking some time to read hubs.
    
    I do moderate all of my comments, most of them I accept, a few I haven't.
    
    
    you've only been here a short time. welcome! sometimes it takes a while for people to find you. it helps to post comments on other people's hubs if you find some you really enjoyed reading.
    some hubs don't get many comments, that's o.k. too!

    replyreport