Suggestion to Staff About Comments

1. 76

   Valerie P Davisposted 10 years ago

   I'm moving over from Squidoo this week, and I'm quite impressed with Hubpages. But in some ways Squidoo handled comments better. You might want to think about incorporating these features (in your free time, after integrating all the new hubs!)
   
   1. When we deleted a comment, we had the option to also ban the person from commenting on any of our lenses. If a commenter was banned by multiple people, staff got an alert. It was an awesome weapon against spam and harassment.
   
   2. Threaded comments. This made it possible to converse easily with readers. I've used it, for example, to help a reader refine a recipe. If you're interacting with your readers you elicit more substantial comments which improve the page's value.
   
   3. The comment box came before the posted comments. I think people are more likely to post if they don't have to scroll forever looking for it.

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   1. 76

      DzyMsLizzyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I certainly agree with #3.  I do a fair amount of commenting, and if it's an older hub someone has shared, or that has made HOTD, there are likely to be a ton of comments through which to scroll before getting to the input box.  It should be prior to the actual comments!
      
      As for #2, I'm not exactly sure I know what that means....

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      1. 0

         calculus-geometryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         #2 means the comments are indented so you can tell who is replying to whom.

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   2. 41

      RanaKmposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      You're def right about #3!

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   3. 77

      Barbara Kayposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      These sound like great improvements to me.

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   4. 69

      Sue Adamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      1. We can report the comment which is virtually the same thing.
      
      2. I agree, the comments on hubs could be like the forums.
      
      3. Not sure about putting comment box before the posted comments. Surely we want readers to read through the comments to avoid repetition and engage them in discussion?
      
      If 2. was adopted (make hub comments like forum entries), that would solve the issue, then readers would have an option to jump to the last comment.
      
      An additional suggestion:
      4.  Comments are part of the hub. So they should, i.m.o. immediately follow the end of a hub before the related hubs and bottom page ads.

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2. 89

   Marisa Wrightposted 10 years ago

   I would agree with number 3 - I'm sure the comments box used to be at the top, right where new visitors could see it, and IMO that's a better spot.

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3. 68

   relacheposted 10 years ago

   I've been begging for #2 for years.

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4. 66

   Arachneaposted 10 years ago

   I like these suggestions.
   
   One, here in the forum, there's an option at the top to toggle between threaded and chronological posts in a topic. That would be a welcome change to the comments on hubs.
   
   Two, when I click on the post reply button, the comments box is at the top. I like the way that works for hub comments as well.
   
   Three, I think I've seen an option to report hubs. That would be perfect for hub comments as well. I use the feature which requires approval first. Being able to report a comment and thus the commenter from the unpublished message (or the published one) would be great.

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5. 66

   Arachneaposted 10 years ago

   Oh, another thing that might work if we had it for comments is the option to comment and approve in one click. The Squidoo comment pane had a button for approve, approve and reply, delete (deny), and a forth one I believe which I can't recollect.

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   1. 76

      Valerie P Davisposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The fourth option was Delete and Ban. A very, very useful option on some occasions!

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      1. 66

         Arachneaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks, I'd forgotten.

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6. 71

   Kierstin Gunsbergposted 10 years ago

   I came here to suggest threaded comments! The style we have going right now makes us look a little archaic

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   1. 79

      Sed-meposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Archaic... strong word when speaking of technology.
      Draws a picture of Eve with an Apple instead of an apple.

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      1. 60

         bBereanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         
         
         By the way, regarding the OP, +1 on all 3 suggestions.

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   2. 66

      Arachneaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Do you mean something different than the format when you click on threaded at the top of the forum thread you're viewing?

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7. 71

   Kierstin Gunsbergposted 10 years ago

   Threaded comments aren't exactly new and when you're in the business of technology something like comments that don't follow a particular thread is indeed, archaic.
   
   Especially when our forums have threaded comments.

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   1. 89

      Marisa Wrightposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      ...and I wish they didn't!   
      
      I can see the benefit of threaded comments when you're trying to have a direct conversation with an individual, but on these forums, we are often replying to one person but the answer is applicable to everyone reading the thread.   I get very tired, sometimes, when someone posts here, I answer it, then someone else posts almost the same thing because they're on another thread of the same forum.   Also, for some reason in threaded view people get easily confused about who you are addressing.  I find it's all more trouble than it's worth.

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