I’ve just been reading an article on blogstorm giving evidence that Google is showing a comment count next to site links for some blogs.
This is very interesting for two reasons. 1) It suggests Google is tracking comment numbers on blogs. 2) It is likely that if they are tracking comment numbers that it may be or become part of their ranking system for blog posts.
I love the thought of this, because I have no problems getting comments on this blog. It might also explain why some of my posts rank rather well for some good terms despite not really optimising them much for the terms. An interesting thought anyway.
Monkey from Money From Adsense
this is kinda interesting. I’ve just stared my blog so i’m not getting any visitors never mind comments but hopefully this will be relevant to me in the future
)
do you think its worth making comments in a blog “dofolow” just to increase the number of comments you get? or do think comment numbers are more to do with the amount of traffic your getting?
Adsense Monkey
Simon
For SEO it’s only worth commenting on D-follow blogs…well as far as Google see it. Yahoo counts no-follow.
Web Design Beach
Very very interesting founding. It shows also that Google knows to identify blogs, and to separate them from normal sites, and then it goes even deeper by counting number of comments.
Zeffy from Anti-aging diet
Hmm. If they are counting comments, then Google knows also to weigh the backlinks less, no?
BTW, do you know how to make Google link multiple post names? I don’t mean double linking, but something like “colorado lasik surgery”?
Simon
Zeffy I assume you are talking about site links…if you are you can play with whay Google shows as your site links using Google Webmaster tools.
MarmorFan
For SEO it’s only worth commenting on D-follow blogs…well as far as Google see it. Yahoo counts no-follow.
Chuck from music licensing
It always saddens me to see publicity of some “new metric” for Google ranking…because it simply augurs for tons of new spam. If numbers of comments now contributes to higher rankings, you can BET that there will soon be an influx of “great post!” comments being approved by bloggers who would previously have deleted them. We all suffer…
Tracy from Child Locator Device
This would make things interesting if they are using comments to consider rank. It would make sense that if lots of people are reading and talking about a subject than it should be more relevent.
Of course this may change the way many bloggers moderate their comments as well.
Jay from work at home adventure
It seems if Google is doing this are they spying? Nah, I don’t think so, hope not!
Rotwein
Very very interesting founding. It shows also that Google knows to identify blogs, and to separate them from normal sites, and then it goes even deeper by counting number of comments.
Chris from Viral Marketing
So if google is keeping track of the number of comments per blog post and giving them rank accord does that mean more blog owners are going to start letting more and more spammy comments through in order for their blog to appear popular?
GW from Houston Search Engine Optimization
This could prove to be very interesting I’ll have to keep an eye on this.
More comments help with popularity it seems. People will be curious what all the buzz is about.
Sam M from Real Online Money Making Strategies
That is really interesting. My view points are kind of similar but not exactly the same. I wonder why you think in that fashion?
Biofreund
Very very interesting founding. It shows also that Google knows to identify blogs, and to separate them from normal sites, and then it goes even deeper by counting number of comments.
David from SEM Labs
That’s a very insightful thought that Google could be using comment counts to influence ranking. However, that is something that can be easily manipulated.
Have noticed Google has been working on stuff like this for a while. They also quite often tell you how many posts there are on a thread. Again, that could alos be a useful way for them to influence ranking as forum threads do not tend to get links.
Chelle from Mom Advice
I noticed the other day though one of my sites that I frequently use when commenting showed up in their google webmaster tools for having too many comment links…(probably thousands since it was my first site & I unknowingly started out the social networking bandwagon on) – so they’re definitely watching comments from that angle…now I wonder if I am hurting or helping ppl by having keyword luv blogs!!
Erik from Shower
I agree with a number of the previous comments and the post. The idea that Google might be keeping track of the number of comments each blog post receives does seem to indicate that comment count might be relevant to determine ranking. Unfortunately, it’s a pretty easy enough item to game. All a person would need to do is come up with a number of fake comments, authored by himself. So maybe Google might not give this so much weight in the end.
Heidi from recipe videos
Very interesting. Although it seems to give the larger blogs with huge audiences a bit of an unfair advantage. Thanks for the post.
Andrew Mafeld
i think it will be good for google.google search will be more accurate from it.but for SEO people it will be big problem.
Tom from Vaillant poznan
Hmm, interesting. Any predictions as to how this will influence SEO ? Or maybe it has already ? I assume Google has been tracking comments for some time now, if only to test this new feature.
felix from Web Design California
I think they are not tracking the number of comments. When I check on the sitelinks, the numbers doesn’t correspond to the the post on the left but another post. What I think is that the comment number shows that the page is important because of the traffic it gains. It happens that they took the number of posts as the title.
Olga Betrieb from sicher Kaufen und Verkaufen
I think it’s a really good idea because it shows which posts are popular and which are not. This is good for people browsing the search engines and also good for blog owners to gauge how popular their blog is compared to other blogs.
Rafaat from Free Downloads
So does that mean, we will see more and more blogs enabling dofollow comments as bloggers try to increase user participation, that is the number of comments?
Well if thats true, I will say its a win-win. Commentators get their backlinks and bloggers score up the google ranking system.
Jonas
Nice find and I appreciate this from Google.
All the best,
Jonas
spot from best dating websites
Do you know what happens if you have posts that don’t accept comments? Does Google see that the same as a post with zero comments or is that post somehow outside the comment system?
Thanks.
Siraj from Junior Golf CLubs
It’s great that Google showing comment as sitelinks.
Talia Phillips from beauty tips
I have heard about this just recently as well and am beginning to get a little worried because the vast majority of the comments I get on my blogs is spam.
One of the biggest questions I want to know is, if the comments I do get really need to be keyword optimized. I mean, is google still going to favor me due to comments if they don’t use the same keywords as on the blog post page?
jermaine from Read Love Poems 4 Fun
This is really a good move from Google if that’s true. If they are counting the number of comments on blogs it sounds like they are monitoring the blogs and comments allowed. I wonder how this is going to turn out.
Eric from SEO Link Directories
Nice one. I didn’t know about it before. I agree with you that number of comments might have become one constraint of their algorithm and Google might be valuing otherwise they wouldn’t have taken the pains to put it into their search.
Arie from Bali Private Villas
Good news, very interesting. It shows also that Google knows to identify blogs,then it goes even deeper by counting number of comments. wonderful information.thanks.
kathlene carney
I just started blogging and didn’t realize comments were so important. Some people send me private email responses to my posts. I guess I should ask if they’d be willing to post them on the blog instead?
Nieruchomosci Gryfino
Well I’m surprised google didn’t take the number of comments into the account earlier. I mean it perfectly shows the popularity of the site.
lomo
3) Google could be able to consider that links on signatures from comments, even without nofollow, are not “natural links”, just as i.e. links in the blogroll are.
Bad news I guess…
Bob Sloan
That is new to me. But actually Google and other search engines should consider the amount of comments to be important. After all having a lot of comments on an article should tell something about its popularity.
Terry from Lab Coat
Bloggers might approve a lot of spammy comments if the big G is looking into the number of comments to boost their comment count. But as far as ranking goes, I think Google can see which comments add content to the post and what does not. If the majority of the comments are just “great, thanks” comments, i don’t think the post will rank well.
Stancja
@Monkey: I belive that it’s worth it. Even if some people will just come to your site for comments they might stay for more. Plus remember that dofollow comments mean being featured on at least couple lists of dofollow blogs (free backlinks).
willem from bouwgrond kavels kavel
This great news, even for Seo indeed, i think blog admins will now allow more spam comments, but dont think thats a good thing tho. will see how it develops
Tom from OCD Personality Disorder
Interesting! Another thing to think about. Im going to have to boost my comment count if it is going to help you rank better.
Andy from make money on the net
Wow! Very interesting indeed. Reason that you get lots of comments is because you publish great content. Keywordluv also makes it fully with the effort. Keep it up!
Andy
Morgan
I hope Google only counts real comments and doesn’t count the spammy comments, I think it is possible for the smart Google guys. If not, this will certainly hurt the bloggers for the next coming spams.
Olly from Cheap Electric Guitars
This is indeed interesting and I wonder whether this will have a good or bad result.
I would imagine your blog here gets tons of spammy comments and without tight moderation ( which you obviously o) things can get out of control.
Some blogs must have loads of comments but how many are valuable?
single
I didn’t know about it before. I agree with you that number of comments might have become one constraint of their algorithm and Google might be valuing otherwise they wouldn’t have taken the pains to put it into their search.Commentators get their back links and bloggers score up the Google ranking system.
Nick from Advanced SEO
the number of comments can determine the popularity of a site. the problem is that the number of comments is under the site owners control. you can easily make a script that automatically comments on your blog so google will think you blog is more popular than it is. google tries not to allow the site owner directly determine the popularity of thier own site. google is probably doing this for the user and not for serps
Susan from Frisco Tx Homes For Sale
How does google decide which site will have comments and which ones will not?
Chris from backlinks
This is very interesting and I’m not sure which they will treat better. Low comments counts could mean low interest or real, well run site. While high comments could be lots of spam comments or great content with high traffic.
seo expert India
Wow! Very interesting finding. A good move from Google especially for seo!
Web Game
Hey,
Nice resource!
I have found this post to be very interesting and educational as well as the comments posted by users.
I imagine this can be quite a little gizmo for all bloggers..
Thanks!
Warm wishes,
John
mark from ugg boots
Really wonderful piece of information and I appreciate it that you share something so useful with the readers of this blog.
Justin from Airsoft Rifles
As soon as you said that first part, I could already predict the second part; that the comments would be part of the ranking system. I’m fairly confident that commenting would play a role, because it means that people think your post is valuable, and Google is all about value.
Shane from Interesting Facts
So this is now going to affect rankings. What do you think should be done by those who don’t get much comments?
Do I need to make comments on my blog DOFOLLOW or what?
And don’t you think that now webmasters will think at least thrice before deleting a spammy comment?