What are Comment Systems?
Comment systems are free 3rd party commenting software that allows website visitors to participate in discussions by leaving comments on your content.
These comment systems are different to the default comment feature that is built-in to CMS or blog software. They are centralised 3rd party comment platforms that can be integrated on any website. They are designed to drive more participation and offer a great way to boost reader engagement.
Millions of businesses and publishers are taking advantage of these systems to build online communities on their websites.
One of the most popular commenting systems is Disqus. Other systems include Livefyre and IntenseDebate.
Benefits of Comment Platforms
The benefits of integrating a 3rd party commenting system on your website are manifold. They offer several benefits for websites as well as website visitors. It is an easy way to add a feature-rich comment system on your website or blog.
They offer many additional features compared to traditional commenting systems which often result in an increase in comments on your website.
They offer much more than just letting visitors comment on your website. They provide users with a single user account to comment on all participating websites. Additionally, they offer several other advantages.
Following are some of the benefits of using a 3rd party comment system.
- Advanced administration and moderation options
- Centralised management
- Multiple login options for users
- Social media integration
- Extended user profiles
- Improved customisation options to design its look and feel
- Built-in networking & community features
- Interactive features such as comment voting
- Email alerts for comments
- Improved visibility & SEO
- Improved results: Studies have shown increase in comments
How to Install a Comment System?
Commenting systems are very easy to install. They work on any type of website or blogging platform. You can install it on your new website or use it to replace your existing comment system.
A typical installation requires the following 3 simple steps:
- Choose the comment platform you want to use on your website
- Create a free account. You will have to enter your URL.
- Copy and past the code snippet provided or use one of the plugins available for the commenting platform
Full instructions are available on respective comment platform websites.
Who Should Use It?
Comment systems are for anyone with a web audience. It is useful for business websites, blogs, global publishers as well as personal websites. They offer a range of features that turn your content into a catalyst for user engagement and meaningful live conversations.
Allowing users to comment on your website is the simplest way to engage with website visitors and build an active community around your website.
If you already allow comments on your website or blog, you can still benefit by replacing your existing commenting feature with one of the leading comment platforms discussed in this article.
Concussion:
Blog commenting is a proven technique for increasing engagement and expanding your online community. Although most CMS and blog platforms include built-in commenting, you can benefit by using a popular 3rd party commenting system instead. As we have seen above, these commenting systems offer many advanced features that traditional commenting tools fail to deliver.
Do You Use a 3rd Party Commenting Platform on Your Website? Or do you plan to use one in the future? We would like to hear from you. Please share your response by leaving a comment below.
If you like this article, please share it!