They might say “Wow, that sucks!” but at least they’ll say “Wow!”-Duff Goldman
It would seem that social networks have evolved in almost every aspect except one: comments. Social media in its modern incarnation has been around (possibly) since 2007, four years as of this writing, and then as now, the one aspect that hasn’t succeeded in developing is the mutually respectful act of response, the reader comments. . Dr. Jakob Nielsen once said (here paraphrased) that 1% of users account for the majority (99%) of the content on the social web; He would postulate that less than 0.1% of that tiny, infinitesimal population take the time to comment on it.
Interactivity, by its very definition, is described as “allowing or relating to the continuous two-way transfer of information between a user and the central point of a communication system, such as a computer or television.” Social media is an interactive medium and, by its very design, is intended to be a form of two-way communication. Certainly, the reasons not to comment are myriad, and some are the fault of the site itself, which places obstacles like the login requirement to reply. However, this is less and less the case, and the evasions offered are becoming more and more foolish. Just look at sites like SocialMediaToday, where posts, often written by top-tier industry analysts and authorities, can often receive overwhelming numbers of hits and no response from readers. While some may find the content completely irrelevant, it is hard to conceive that Thousands can’t find a reason to at least acknowledge what has been presented, even if the feedback should be anything less than positive.
Perhaps it would be wise to remember that if one were conversing in person, perhaps in a meeting or on the phone, it would be considered unthinkable, if not downright rude, not to respond in social engagement and fellowship. However, the anonymity provided by the Internet seems to be a sufficient excuse for not fulfilling the interpersonal contract of reciprocity. This is especially amazing when the reader has benefited from the author’s work, and is equivalent to not even saying thank you when he receives something of value and value.
Such behavior is particularly unfortunate when readers are themselves bloggers, as they intimately know the effort that goes into researching and writing a quality post.
While you will not be asked to respond to this particular post, perhaps the next time the reader accesses information that is timely and useful to him or his company, he is expected to show consideration for such help by leaving at least a note of gratitude. Such behavior is related to both best practices and good manners. It is good to keep in mind that the purpose of digital dialogue is that, by virtue of the act of trying to curate knowledge, such understanding can and will be preserved for future generations. We can further this worthwhile effort by extending the building with responsible feedback.