28 thoughts on “Would You Still Comment If The URL Comment Field Disappeared?

  1. There was already disabled all plugins and I was thinking back to WordPress 3.0.5 to see if the fields again. But after a Google search that ended on this page. Thank you, which saves time!
    jogos online

  2. Yes I would still comments on all the same things, but I would see it as a missed oppertunity, everybody wants to promote their own site etc but its so hard to do it without paying other companies. I admit yes I have put my URL in this, and yes I am well aware it will provide a link to my site, but this isnt just to get a link, this is to get visitors that may be looking for something I offer

  3. Posting a small link my own website (sad as it is) is not my main purpose when I post a comment.

    Being part of a community, and having something to say which might develop the conversation is my main driver.

    I have chased people down via search if they have had something to say I liked, and no direct link was available.

    Warwick Foster
    Newcastle, AUSTRALIA

  4. Of course. One of the best parts of reading other blogs is being allowed to participate in the discussion. I don’t visit blogs to promote my own, I visit to learn something new and maybe add my own two cents to an existing topic.

  5. Thank you guys and gals for the awesome and though provoking responses so far. In terms of spam comments, many spam bots autofill the URL but recently, more comments look as if they have been written by a human but when you check the URL field, it points to a spammy looking site or for the most part, a site I wouldn’t feel comfortable being placed on my blog. Therefor, do any of you think that removing the URL field would kill two birds with one stone? That is, promote quality comments while at the same time, lessening comment spam at least in terms of human spammers?

    I realize that human spammers may resort to just linking to their offerings from within the content as a way around this which makes me wonder if there would really be no point in removing the URL field as a way to combat any form of spam.

  6. smashingmagazine is the great example. They are restrict even url in comment text.

    My answer: Yes, but…
    I’ll be sad if I can’t fill my url. I may post my url in comment or just put “Name – URL” in name field. I don’t need link
    I just want to show that it’s “me”

    before I have my own domain, I commented a lot too.
    but now I just can’t pretend that I don’t have my url anymore.

  7. I find no redeeming qualities in the URL field alone. However, I do when someone is running a plugin that looks at the url, then goes and pulls in the most recent headline from the site if its a blog and displays it by your name. Gives a bit more info about who you are and the merit of your comment or your perspective or bias.

    I also find the avatar plugins when they really point to a profile valuable as well. I think the question here isn’t so much one of should url’s stay or go, but is there a better replacement for the status quo.

  8. Take a look at the official WordPress.com blog posts. Everytime WordPress makes an announcement, the comments quickly fill up with bland nothings from losers hoping to gain a tiny sliver of url-linking action. You’ll see 187 comments along the lines of “Nice improvement, thank you”. The problem is, there’s no value in the comments and they degrade the actual purpose of comments (i.e. providing feedback).

    So, the answer is yes, I’d still comment without a URL field.

    On the other hand, some comments are so interesting, I’d like to see what else the author has to say.

  9. I feel the same way. Although, I am thinking about taking the URL field away just as an experiment either on my own blog or on Performancing to see what happens and report back.

  10. Yes, I would. I find more value in the actual conversation from the comments letting me ask questions or stating my opinion, than the few click I may get from having a link to my site from that comment.

    That said however, I don’t think it’s a good idea for anyone at this point in time to remove links to urls from their comment forms. I can’t tell you how many great sites, blogs and people I have come across by having the ability to click on their name/url from a comment they made on someone else’s website.

  11. Interesting question – yes, I would, because my prime motivation isn’t to scatter my url around, but to comment on content. However, I always fill that field in (see above!). Why wouldn’t you, if it’s there?

    It would be interesting to see what happened to the quantity of spam if they didn’t have the url field to play with any more.

  12. As Andrew mentions in his comment, what is the significance behind the URL field to begin with if in most cases, it has nothing to do with the content of the post. His thoughts are really beginning to make me question DoFollow links and rewarding commenter’s and all that good stuff.

  13. I would if the post was really worth commenting about. Infact, this is exactly something I do today on most blogs.

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