You might notice, I don’t have comments on the Crazy Third Option. This does not prevent people from commenting on my posts. Why? Because commenting has largely moved to social media.
Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are your comments sections. By not having an account on these platforms, you are telling people, “I don’t care what you think about what I have to say.”
So to properly engage with your audience, you are going to need a social media account. Not just to like when people share or comment on your writing, but to start a conversation.
Without comments, a blog isn’t really a blog. To me, blogging is not just about publishing content, but also the two-way communication and community building aspects behind it.
Pat Flynn
Using social media as your comments sections has a distinct advantage that site-based comments do not have. They get exposed to a larger audience.
One person commenting on your blog gets seen by the people visiting your blog. But one person commenting on your blog on Twitter, is sharing it with everyone who follows them.
While I can see you wanting to keep all comments related to your writing on your site. After all, a lively discussion can make for a compelling enhancement to your own thoughts. Most of the time you are contending with bad players (spammers, trolls) while you hope for a lively debate to break out.
So instead of wasting your time trying to be a community manager, focus on your blogging and offload the discussion to the social world. You will reach a wider audience, and not only enhance your blogging experience, but also keep you on top of your social media game.