One of my favorite things about blogging is the community I’ve become a part of and the conversations that occur on Twitter and in comments sections. The problem is, I don’t always have time to go back to see if anyone has responded to my comments, or don’t remember which posts I commented on that day. The solution that I think all bloggers should employ? Comment reply notification, which lets readers know when someone has posted a response to their comment. For this, I use a WordPress plug-in.
What is it?
The Comment Reply Notification plug-in for WordPress is one of my all-time favorite plugins. Here’s how it works:
- “Savvy Sarah” leaves a comment on a Savvy Eats post
- I or another reader (“Reader Ryan”) replies to “Savvy Sarah’s” comment in the comments section
- “Savvy Sarah” receives an email that looks like this:
It is especially great because everyone who is a part of a conversation gets the notification emails. Example:
- “Savvy Sam” leaves a comment on a Savvy Eats post
- “Reader Rachel” replies to “Savvy Sam’s” comment in the comments section
- “Savvy Sam” receives the notification email
- Now I respond to “Savvy Sam’s” comment
- “Savvy Sam” AND “Reader Rachel” receive the notification email
This is NOT the same as getting an email every time someone comments on the post, which admittedly would get old quickly. Readers only get notification emails when someone replies to the conversation they have already joined. Say,
- “Savvy Sam” and “Commenter Carly” leave comments on a Savvy Eats post
- “Reader Rachel” replies only to “Savvy Sam’s” comment in the comments section
- Only “Savvy Sam” receives the notification email
- Now I respond to “Savvy Sam’s” comment
- “Savvy Sam” AND “Reader Rachel” receive the notification email (but “Commenter Carly” does not)
Why can’t I just reply to comments in the comments section without the notification emails?
Well, you can. But if your readers forget or don’t have time to keep coming back to check for your response, they won’t know that you or someone else replied. Then the conversation ends right there! 
Why shouldn’t I just email my response to a commenter?
You can do that, too. But I see two problems with this option:
1. Readers can’t reply to other readers’ comments if they don’t have their email address.2. If you only email your responses, it may appear that you never respond to comments and therefore don’t care about your readers. Even if that isn’t the case, outsiders may see a comment section with no responses from the blogger this way!
Do I have to be on WordPress?
Honestly, I don’t know much about Blogger and other blogging platforms. Maybe someone could answer this in the comments section?
Do I have to be self-hosted?
Yes. There is no way (that I know of) to install plug-ins on free WordPress blogs.
There are lots of comment reply notification plug-ins out there. Why did you pick this one?
I tried 4 or 5 other plug-ins before landing on this one. None of them worked right for Savvy Eats, most likely because my Thesis theme wouldn’t accommodate them. This one works with the version of Thesis I am using!
How do you keep the conversation going?
And, don’t forget to enter my homemade cookie giveaway!
I use Disqus! The only thing is that sometimes people forget to sign into Disqus or to click on the button that keeps them in the loop of the conversation. But yeah, it’s a little tricky depending on your theme, but the good thing is that unlike just a plug-in, they have a team that’s ready to answer your questions, and they are constantly updating.
One day I will be self-hosted and I will remember to come back and read this post again! I love your technology tips–the Google Reader Next button is one I use EVERY day!
I have one of these plug-ins installed (not sure which one). As a reader, I appreciate getting the notification, so it was the first plug-in I installed!
I mean, honestly, it’s stressful having to remember where you commented with a question and have to remember to go back to the blog, on top of the millions of other things in my brain!
I adore the comment reply plugin. It helps so much to keep conversations going and people interested in commenting again. I love the discussion blogs can offer and this is a great tool to help that.
and the comment section on your blog is always filled with such great conversation!!!
I’ve been using it for awhile and I LOVE it. Love seeing responses to my comments on other ppl’s blogs too
I have a Blogger blog and use Disqus, like Suki.
Oh my gosh, THANK YOU!!!
I have been wanting to implement this on my blog but had no idea where to start!!
Thanks for sharing this! I’ve already installed the plug-in.
As a reader, I love getting the email saying the blogger commented.. plus the comment is right there!
As a blogger, I do find this plug-in slightly annoying (please tell me if this is right or if there is another way..) because you have to reply to your own post as if you were a commenter. As in you can’t be logged into admin or reply through the back end of WP. At least this has been the only thing I’ve found to make this plug-in work — any other ways?
Thanks Julie!
If I’m logged in to my dashboard as an admin, I can comment as such, but not through the back end of WP. Basically, I log in to my dashboard, then go to the actual URL of the post and comment there and I show up as Julie @savvyeats. Does that make sense?
Yup!! Thanks for the advice!!
Did it work?
Think so
I need to look into this asap. Posts like these are so helpful to anti-computer people like myself!
I love this one too to keep the conversation going! I have it installed, but sometimes I don’t know if it works?
I have it installed, but it’s not working.
I don’t think it sends emails to people.
Want me to go over to your blog to check it?
Pretty sure I got it! I uninstalled and redid it. But you can leave a comment anytime to check. I think the email reply screws up the apostrophe in my blog name. But at least the replies work I think.
thank you for being my fairy blogmother.
do me a favor? test on the new THS?
Thanks so much for posting this! I’ve been trying to get this installed on my blog, but am not seeing a place where I (as a reader of your blog) can opt-in to get the notification. I guess I was expecting either to see that opt-in at the bottom of the comment box, with a click box. Or is that another plug-in?
I’m wondering if it’s going to pop up when I click submit or if it just automatically sends me an email if you respond.
Would you mind helping me figure this out by posting a response and letting me see if I get the email? Thanks so much!!
I think you’re thinking of a different plugin. You should get a reply in your email when I respond!
Also, just wanted to let you know that when I clicked on the Comment Luv button at the bottom here (and thank you very much for having that! It’s one of my favorite blogging tools and so much fun to share with my readers!) it had this message: The version of CommentLuv on this site is out of date and will soon stop working. Please ask the webmaster to update their CommentLuv in the dashboard of this site! This version will continue to work for a few more weeks and then stop.
Just thought I’d pass that on!! Have a great Thursday!
Thank you! Should be updated now!
Okay, so I feel silly for not having known this, but I apparently can’t install this type of plug-in because my blog is through wordpress.com rather than .org. For the longest time I thought all blogs e-mailed response notifications, so was bummed when I learned readers had to come back to read my responses.
I think it is an awesome app and am going to look into what I would have to do to have a blog capable of using it. I really hope it doesn’t mean a complete blog overhaul, but it may be what’s best in the long run.
UGH!
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