Do you feel the need to respond to everyone who comments on one of your hub?

1. 60

   Wesley Meachamposted 12 years ago

   Do you feel the need to respond to everyone who comments on one of your hub?
   
   Do you feel the need to respond to every person who has commented on one of your hub? I feel that responding to people is polite but I'm curious if it is always expected or if there are times when it is either impractical or just unnecessary.

   replyreport
2. 73

   DS Dubyposted 12 years ago

   I think it's always necessary, they took the time to read my hub and comment on it so I will always take the time to comment back after all they didn't have to read my hub they could have spent that time doing anything else but chose to check out my work instead. I consider that an honor.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You make a very valid point.

      replyreport
3. 65

   DabbleYouposted 12 years ago

   I always feel the need to respond. It's just me, I guess, I feel rude when I don't respond.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I do think that people appreciate a response.

      replyreport
4. 0

   Website Examinerposted 12 years ago

   Either I respond to all comments or not at all. If you want people to comment on your hubs, it is prudent to respond to all comments as much as possible.

   replyreport
   1. 80

      Patrietteposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am happy to respond to all, and even if we are not in agreement.  It's only right to respond back, although more often than not, we are in agreement.

      replyreport
   2. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree. I make an effort to respond to everyone. However sometimes I'm doing two or three things at once and occasionally someone slips through the cracks. I've noticed too that hubbers with lots of comments sometimes don't respond to everyone.

      replyreport
5. 64

   Alexandria Joyposted 12 years ago

   I feel the need to respond to everyone who comments only because it seems to be the norm around here.  Most people expect it and some even consider it rude not to.  If I get a lot of comments that are basically the same then I respond to them all with one comment but I've read some hubbers who even think that's rude. 
   
   Getting involved with your readers is a tried and true method for keeping interest in your hubs yet unless someone is asking you a question directly I don't feel like a response should be necessary, rather a courtesy.  Especially if the comments are a seemingly obligatory,"hey, nice hub."
   
   Most comments are from individuals with Hub pages accounts. Everyone is getting something out of reading and commenting on each others hubs without the personal attention of responses.  Yet from what I've gathered there is an intense focus on commenting on a hub if you read it and responding if you get a comment, generating this culture of false courtesy.
   
   I'm not saying that always commenting and responding is a bad policy just that some people feel a little too strongly about it.

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Website Examinerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Well said! Some of these social norms have gone too far, and I do not support that. But if I do not get a response to a comment, I cannot know whether the author found it helpful, which may discourage me in the future.

      replyreport
   2. 73

      DS Dubyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There is no such thing as false courtesy, manners are just manners either you have them or you don't and it says a lot about your upbringing when you don't use please thank you and all the other propery mannerisms.

      replyreport
   3. 0

      Website Examinerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed. However, HubPages is primarily an article directory, not a social networking site. Therefore, I believe each author should feel free to decide whether or not to reply to comments.

      replyreport
   4. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Alexandria I completely agree with your statements here.  While I agree with DS Duby's thought about mannors and upbringing, I can't help but think that doing something for no reason other than that you're supposed to can be hollow and artificial.

      replyreport
   5. 64

      Alexandria Joyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This has been a great discussion.  I agree that hubbers should be polite to each other. I almost always reply to comments but I don't mind if my comments aren't responded to, especially if they're just words of encouragement.

      replyreport
6. 72

   joanveronicaposted 12 years ago

   I will always do my best to respond to a comment (of any kind). After more than 50 years in jobs that involve a lot of social communication and verbal interaction, I have acquired a certain norm of behavior, in the sense that a non-answer reduces the other participant to being invisible. I wouldn't want to produce that effect in others, because I would not like to feel something like that myself. In addition, I enjoy reading comments and answering comments, I think it's fun.
   I sometimes reflect on the "side benfits" of commenting, related to additional links, and etc. to impress Google, but I'm really not pressed to comment and answer because of that factor. Google doesn't like me very much, so who cares if I'm making my presence known to Google in this way? My personal interaction with fellow Hubbers is much more significant, and therefore more important to me.

   replyreport
   1. 73

      DS Dubyposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent answer I totally agree

      replyreport
   2. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not sure if Google notices things like this. But I basically agree with what you say.

      replyreport
7. 77

   spartucusjonesposted 12 years ago

   I try to acknowledge all comments out of appreciation that people took the time to read and comment on my hub. I do feel it is the courteous thing to do.
   
   That being said I don't feel that someone should feel obligated to acknowledge every comment, and when I comment on someones hub I don't necessary expect that I will receive an acknowledgement.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I don't expect a response when I leave a comment either.

      replyreport
8. 0

   Domenick Dicceposted 12 years ago

   I do not feel the need to respond to all the comments let of my hubs. However, I find the well thought out comments will lead to a response.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      Wesley Meachamposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That sounds fair.

      replyreport
9. 85

   Vellurposted 12 years ago

   I feel I just have to respond to any comment. Anyone who has read my hub and has taken the time to  comment definitely deserves an answer - whatever the comment maybe.

   replyreport