Commenting communities: welcome to the playground

In a digital world where blogs are proliferating with a speed matched only by the growth of social networks, it should come as no surprise that the two entities are breeding a hybrid beast of interpersonal communication. 

When developing influencer relations programs, brands need to be mindful of the increasingly interconnected social networks developing within the blog universe’s commenting portals.  Our C&W team is interested in studying not just a blogger’s tone and point-of-view, but also the dynamics and tendencies of the blog’s followers.  

For a case in point, consider The Big Dog Blogs: Gawker, NYMag, The Huffington Post, Yelp, etc etc. You know the sites that can claim membership in this pack: Easily recognizable by name. Traffic figures that number in the millions. A slew of registered, frequent commenters.

Let’s repeat that last factor: A slew of registered, frequent commenters.   

When reacting to a posting (however positive or negative in slant), it’s all too easy to focus on the hallowed Page Views.  In the scramble to determine reach and influence, PR professionals frequently default to whatever viewership numbers they can dig up on quantcast. The direct feedback expressed in a post’s Comments section is considered a valuable gauge of popular opinion. However, we should also respect another aspect of the blog universe – the relationships that develop as commenters respond to each other.  

(photo via Tim in Sydney on Flickr)

Witness the growth of commenter communities on sites such as those mentioned above: an arena where the act of commenting on a post has transformed into a touchstone for intellectual one-upmanship, bully-by-snark, and the occasional faceless flirtation.

Commenter corrals are the new playground.  Picture second grade…during recess…trying to prove your athletic prowess on the monkey bars as the class cutie watches. Now – factor in total avatar anonymity.   

The result is a rapid-fire exchange of inter-commenter banter that can range from playful, carefully crafted witticisms to heated, impulsive virtual fisticuffs.  The more provocative the post, the greater the likelihood that commenters will be eager to engage, anxious to prove themselves, and determined to establish their digital identity in a way that will successfully overcome (or perhaps take full advantage of) the internet’s inherent, faceless disconnect. 

Some sites have taken steps to manage these volatile, evolving microcosms of social connection, often just as stratified as our old schoolyard hierarchies.  (Regina George in cyberspace? Absolutely.)  Take a look at Jezebel’s Commenting Guide, and the moderator who upholds these rules. What about when one of a site’s more colorful characters becomes a bit too big for his or her britches? (Or simply irrelevant?) In the past, the Gawker editors have employed a swift solution. 

The PR takeaway? When considering how best to respond to an inflammatory post, brands need to deeply evaluate commenter repartee; these reactions and interactions can substantiate or stifle a post’s original point.   

Welcome to the playground.  Is your company ready (or able) to play ball?