This is the first post in the ‘Blog Commentating Series‘ leading up to the release of the Blog Comment Blueprint.
The Top Commentators Plug-in is one of the best plug-ins ever created in my eyes, and that’s not just because I have gained thousands of links from it!
The top commentators plugin is a widget which displays the top 10 commentators from that month, the list is sorted descendingly, with the people with the most comments at the top. The people on the list get a dofollow sitewide link to their website or blog.
Instead of just promoting hit & run comments like a dofollow enabled comment section does, the top commentators plug-in encourages visitors to stick around and become a repeat commentator. On some blogs the arena is a little more cramped than others, for example on Writer Dad’s blog you will need around 40-50 comments to secure a position, where as on other blogs you will only need one or two.
One thing you have to watch out for is that some evil people have started using the nofollow tag on the top commentators section, to me this is decietful as you are tricking your visitors into thinking they will get a link that passes juice, but in reality they are not.
Pros and Cons
Commentator
Pro – Very rewarding. Some blogs which use the top commentator plugin are of a very high pagerank, such as Shoemoney. This means you could possibly gain a sitewide link from a PR6 blog if you put the work in, for other examples of high PR blogs using the plug-in look here – High PR Blogs using the Top Commentators plug-in.
Con - Hardwork. Using Shoemoney’s blog an as example again, he currently has the plug-in set to weekly, and the top commentators still manage to average between 30-40 comments.
Blogger
Pro - Unlike the other ways of rewarding commentators the top commentators plug-in is much harder to manipulate, this is mainly due to on any decent blog you will need atleast a few comments to make it onto the list, this counts most bots out as it is very unlikely they will make more than one spam comment without getting noticed.
Pro - You control the list. If for some reason you don’t want to reward a certain user, maybe a competitor, you have the option to exclude them from the list.
Con - The reward is quite hefty. Depending on the size of your blog you find you are giving away $100’s of dollars a month in paid links by giving away these spots to your commentators.
Con – Space Issue. This plugin takes up quite a large space on your sidebar, atleast the space of two 125 x 125 ads. If the value of your ads are $25 for example that’s a potential $50 per month.
What do you think?
Did I miss anything out? Do you have any experience with this plug-in? Let us know in the comments section!
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I think you would be surprised at the amount of blogs using the top commenter plugin which still allow the link as do follow. It’s decreasing all the time. Other than that I quite like the plugin, although I find it too boring to place on my blog.
Clog Moneys last blog post..Keeping it calm and future expansion.
You know that it is a great plugin and have used it to your advantage to get a ton of links and even some clicks and yet you don’t feature it prominently on your site.
Danny you need to move that thing out to of the footer so more people can see all the hard work I am putting in over here.
Adam
Adam – Creadiv.coms last blog post..Registration Is Open!
But then what would I put in the footer section?!
I think you just about covered everything except the additional traffic you can generate by being on the top commentator’s list. Not to sure how much traffic that is, but I guess every click counts right?
I am at the point that if someone doesn’t have the top commentator plugin install I am thinking, “What the hell? Do I even want to participate in this blog?”
Ok, maybe it isn’t that serious, but man, it is not like it is a big deal for a blogger to install a simple plugin that really is a serious benefit to their readers.
Now that I know it gives you a Technorati link, thanks to you, it has become a very big part of my search. Your list of sites with the plugin install is excellent by the way.
Keep it coming, Mate!!!
Freddies last blog post..Using the SWOT Analysis for Bloggers
It’s decreasing but it still is a huge number. I thought your blog was the epitemy of boring?
You have brought up a very good point there Freddie, as you normally do, the traffic can be very substantial from some blogs, I will tell you that from experience.
I am too getting to the point where sometimes I am slightly annoyed that some bloggers choose not to reward there commentators what-so-ever.
Your welcome for everything you have learnt from my blog, Freddie.
I have mine set as DoFollow, however, I don’t see how having it NoFollow is ‘deceitful’ – it’s not hiding anything, it just means that if the commentator is targeting ones with DoFollow they should check the source code of the page
Otooos last blog post..Technorati Authority Is Manipulated Too Easily
I did encounter a blog which has top commentator and yet the links are nofollow. It’s almost the end of the month and I am already on the almost top spot of the widget that I have realized that the links are nofollow.
Husseins last blog post..Clean Green WordPress Theme v1
I guess you will always get those people who are deceitful. I use this on my blog too.
Danny I see this on your blog but having it in the footer kinda sucks if you ask me because I don’t scroll that far.. hehe
Bruno Augers last blog post..What is Search Engine Optimization?
Your right it isn’t hiding anything, but when most people see the plug-in, their first thought is ‘dofollow link’. This is backed up by the comment below.
Nothing, What do you need a footer for? I have never heard any complaints that I don’t have one.
Adam – Creadiv.coms last blog post..Registration Is Open!
I don’t /need/ one, I just use it as an extra area to put stuff
I love the Top Commentator blog, but I had a problem with it on my blog where another plugin somehow interacted with it and flipped all the links to NoFollow. I didn’t even realize it happened but luckily one of my readers emailed me a heads up and I was able to set it back to DoFollow. Good thing because I want to make sure my commentators are getting some link love for their trouble.
Mike Collinss last blog post..Starting a Pay Per Click Case Study
You’re post was great. Especially about the cons of using the plugin. I never thought about that one before. Since my blog is not a top-earner in advertising, I wouldn’t mind giving away some link love to my top commentators.
Ganeshs last blog post..Blog About What You Love and You Will Succeed
I started using the plugin a while ago to reward my readers, and so far it’s done a great job in increasing comments!
I haven’t actually tried to top the list on other blogs, so I’d be interested in some specific statistics.
Rajaie AlKoranis last blog post..Vrooom! Theme Released
It can sometimes be a surprise to people who don’t know it’s there, then get a link from me
I understand what you mean, rewarding your readers is worth much more than the 1 or 2 dollars in advertising.
Be patient my friend, the statistics shall come!
Deceitful my ass (err foot?). It’s still a site-wide link ready for massive referral traffic.
Those that target due to do-follow will have 3/4 of their comments as crap anyways….not to mention the total PR DRAIN it is on your site.
Dennis Edells last blog post..50 Social Bookmarking Sites. What Are The Top 5-10 Most Popular?
I was using another plug in for the top commenter, and it takes a lot less space, it is part of the No follow Free plug-in, although I may switch I like the rotating feature on the plug in you mention.
Thanks
JR @ Internet Marketing Blogs last blog post..Affiliate Marketing – 16 Website Content Ideas
I totally agree with that!
JR @ Internet Marketing Blogs last blog post..Affiliate Marketing – 16 Website Content Ideas
I think its a great little plugin, it gives your readers a little bit of incentive to post as they might get a ‘free’ link back to their homepage from your site, all for just making a comment on your site. What with comments being such a measure of a blogs popularity, it definatly has its positives.
Oh, and Im on a different computer atm Danny, but the comments still seem to be messed up a bit in IE…just a heads up!
Dans last blog post..Secrets Of Lists And Reports
Yeah, I’ve noticed a lot of people doing that. Oh well, just don’t comment.
Franklin Bishops last blog post..How to Find Your Blog Position on Search Engines
what happened to your logo?
Franklin Bishops last blog post..How to Find Your Blog Position on Search Engines
What plugin is that?
Franklin Bishops last blog post..How to Find Your Blog Position on Search Engines
It’s one of the first plug-ins I added on my blog and I think it has encouraged people to make repeat comments, instead of the hit & runs like you mention. As for being evil, mine is all DoFollow, I like to reward good comments as much as possible!
Dot Com Duds last blog post..September Traffic Analysis
But they deserve a comment
HAHAHA
About 60% blogs of Blogsphere have this plug-in installed. but sadly most of the visitors are spammers, they visit the site/blog. And give comments like “Good Post, Good work” etc.
Chetans last blog post..Will it be SONY’s new PSP 2 ?
Adding Comment Luv is on my list of things to do this week!! I enjoy it.
Ms Sparkys last blog post..Does KBR Make Money Off Dead Soldiers?
>But then what would I put in the footer section?!
Shoes! (sorry I couldn’t resist)
Hey Danny my man, I think you should consider banning Ned for that one.
Just kidding Ned and thanks for dropping by my blog!
Dennis Edells last blog post..Are You Able To Focus & Take Action? A 5-Step Plan That WORKS.
The same thing happen to me too but I don’t mind cause they reply each comment on my blog
Norhafidzs last blog post..So You Want to Make Money Online huh? – Part I
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