Comments on: Experiment: Outsourcing My Blog Commenting To India http://smartlifeblog.com/experiment-outsourcing-my-blog-commenting-to-india/ A blog about how to get more out of life using technology, outsourcing, crowdsourcing, and other lifehacks. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:02:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Chris Cairns http://smartlifeblog.com/experiment-outsourcing-my-blog-commenting-to-india/comment-page-1/#comment-2147 Chris Cairns Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:36:19 +0000 http://smartlifeblog.com/?p=1020#comment-2147 @Rebecca: When there's a "left side" and "right side" to a debate, the answer is typically somewhere in the middle. I absolutely agree that if your primary purpose in commenting is to establish relationships, then it should come from you. But if you're looking to improve your Page Rank, then outsourcing your commenting makes sense. You can do both, too. You can comment on blogs that you think are strategic from a relationship-building standpoint, and let an assistant comment on other ones. The assistant doesn't necessarily have to be a ghost commenter. If you're running a blog where your branding strategy doesn't rely solely on your personality (like this one), the commenter can use his or her name. @Rebecca: When there’s a “left side” and “right side” to a debate, the answer is typically somewhere in the middle. I absolutely agree that if your primary purpose in commenting is to establish relationships, then it should come from you. But if you’re looking to improve your Page Rank, then outsourcing your commenting makes sense. You can do both, too. You can comment on blogs that you think are strategic from a relationship-building standpoint, and let an assistant comment on other ones. The assistant doesn’t necessarily have to be a ghost commenter. If you’re running a blog where your branding strategy doesn’t rely solely on your personality (like this one), the commenter can use his or her name.

]]> By: Rebecca Laffar-Smith http://smartlifeblog.com/experiment-outsourcing-my-blog-commenting-to-india/comment-page-1/#comment-2134 Rebecca Laffar-Smith Sun, 08 Feb 2009 06:54:00 +0000 http://smartlifeblog.com/?p=1020#comment-2134 I'm torn between thinking that outsourcing comments is fantastic, and that it isn't. As a blogger I'd like to think that every comment (besides spam) comes from a 'real' identity rather than a ghost. The whole concept of interactivity with blog comments is about developing relationships. If I, as blog author, then contacted you regarding your comment you'd have no idea who I was, no relationship was developed there. On the other hand, I LOVE reading and commenting on blogs. I could DO this and get paid? That sounds like a pretty cool concept. I already know two of my writer friends are social media ghost writers. The concept is intriguing. I guess I'm still on the fence, weighing the pros and cons. PS. Maybe they leave the blog ghost commenting to the monkeys in India? I’m torn between thinking that outsourcing comments is fantastic, and that it isn’t. As a blogger I’d like to think that every comment (besides spam) comes from a ‘real’ identity rather than a ghost. The whole concept of interactivity with blog comments is about developing relationships. If I, as blog author, then contacted you regarding your comment you’d have no idea who I was, no relationship was developed there.

On the other hand, I LOVE reading and commenting on blogs. I could DO this and get paid? That sounds like a pretty cool concept. I already know two of my writer friends are social media ghost writers. The concept is intriguing.

I guess I’m still on the fence, weighing the pros and cons.

PS. Maybe they leave the blog ghost commenting to the monkeys in India?

]]> By: Chris Cairns http://smartlifeblog.com/experiment-outsourcing-my-blog-commenting-to-india/comment-page-1/#comment-1260 Chris Cairns Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:06:55 +0000 http://smartlifeblog.com/?p=1020#comment-1260 Mina, As I mentioned in my post, don't let the results of my experiment deter you. I did learn some valuable lessons, which I enumerated above. Just pre-screen for quality until you've found someone you know can compose good comments. Best way to pre-screen is to have him or her comment on some of your blog posts. Let's assume you found a good one, but still aren't comfortable with unleashing him or her into the blogosphere, then don't let the writer submit any comments until you've reviewed and approved them. I don't recommend doing this forever (defeats the purpose of outsourcing), but until such a time when you gain confidence. Hope this helps! Let me know how your outsourcing goes. CSC Mina,

As I mentioned in my post, don’t let the results of my experiment deter you. I did learn some valuable lessons, which I enumerated above. Just pre-screen for quality until you’ve found someone you know can compose good comments. Best way to pre-screen is to have him or her comment on some of your blog posts. Let’s assume you found a good one, but still aren’t comfortable with unleashing him or her into the blogosphere, then don’t let the writer submit any comments until you’ve reviewed and approved them. I don’t recommend doing this forever (defeats the purpose of outsourcing), but until such a time when you gain confidence. Hope this helps! Let me know how your outsourcing goes.

CSC

]]> By: Mina http://smartlifeblog.com/experiment-outsourcing-my-blog-commenting-to-india/comment-page-1/#comment-1259 Mina Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:06:34 +0000 http://smartlifeblog.com/?p=1020#comment-1259 Your story sounds like a horror story! :) I had the idea to outsource social bookmarking and link building in general because it also takes a lot of time but now I have second thoughts. Your story sounds like a horror story! :) I had the idea to outsource social bookmarking and link building in general because it also takes a lot of time but now I have second thoughts.

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