GRS Housekeeping: Comments, Follow-Ups, and Tweetchats
Published on - January 19th, 2011 (by J.D. Roth) It’s a busy week for me. I’ve been writing and editing like mad, trying to prepare for my upcoming trip to South Africa. Things are going well, but there’s still lots more work to do.
In the meantime, I realized there are a handful of housekeeping points I need to mention:
- I’ve changed how I’m responding to comments. I’ve begun to reply “in-line” (for lack of a better term), when I have time. That is, if somebody asks a question or makes a point I want to address, I add a “J.D.’s note” to that specific comment instead of leaving a separate comment. I’ve always liked how this works at other blogs, and want to try it here. Please let me know if you have feedback (pro or con) on this method.
- I’m actively recruiting follow-ups to past questions and stories. People are constantly e-mailing me to find out what happened to so-and-so, who asked a question in 2007. Or what about the fellow who told his story last June? Well, I want to know, too. So, if you’ve shared a question or story in the past and want to let us know how things turned out, please drop me a line. I’ll start sharing these (short) follow-ups on Friday and Sunday afternoons.
- We’re experimenting with tweetchats. As most of you know, I’m lame with social media. I know how to blog, but when it comes to Facebook and Twitter, I’m as bad as your parents. That’s why Get Rich Slowly has a team of social-media elves. I pop in on these accounts from time-to-time, but it’s the elves who keep the Twitter and Facebook content fresh, and one thing they want to do is hold a tweetchat every couple of weeks.
The first Get Rich Slowly tweetchat will take place today (Wednesday) at 4pm Pacific (7pm Eastern). What the heck is a tweetchat? Great question, and one I had myself. Here’s what the Andrew, the head social-media elf, had to say:
A TweetChat is a multi-user conversation on Twitter where tweets are tied together through the use of a predefined hashtag. Here’s a really good, thorough article about them. By using a hashtag (such as #moolah, as we’ve chosen for the GRS tweetchat), participants can use their preferred method to track and participate in the conversation (such as using the search feature on twitter.com, a search column in TweetDeck, HootSuite or similar Twitter application) so there’s no need to follow everyone participating (since tracking and following everyone participating on an individual basis would be a nearly impossible feat!).
The other way — which is how we like to do it — is through the TweetChat website. It’s similar to any of the above outlined methods, except, as TweetChat explains, “[We] help put your blinders on to the Twitter-sphere while you monitor and chat about one topic,” and a little easier to read that twitter.com search results due to its wider layout; you can see more posts per page.
We’ll lead the conversation via the @GRSblog account through topical questions or soliciting general money-saving tips. We’ll be hosting TweetChats every two weeks around specific topics or general money-saving tips and we’ll announce the Tweetchat topic a day or two in advance. Topics will come from what is popular in the personal finance blogosphere, as well as GRS posts with significant reader feedback in order to extend the conversation among readers.
Today’s TweetChat topic for #moolah will be what specific actions or tools you’ve started or plan to use to take control of your personal finances in 2011.
I hope to join the tweetchats from time-to-time using my @jdroth Twitter account. I’m not sure if I’ll make it this afternoon, but I’ll try. Even if I don’t make it, Andrew will keep the discussion lively from 4pm – 5pm Pacific (7pm – 8pm Eastern)
As always, if you have feedback about anything related to Get Rich Slowly, please let me know. My team and I are always doing what we can to improve the site, to make it more useful for folks who want to learn about money.
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I really like the in line comments, and the highlighted comments that you really like. Often when there are lots of comments I get lost, so I tend to just read the “good” ones.
I don’t use twitter much, but I do have an account, although I’ll be busy tonight. Is the chat going to be archived (or searchable) in some manner? I don’t know much about tweetchat.
J.D.’s note: I just wish I had time to participate in every conversation! I do skim every comment, and I read most of them thoroughly, but I don’t get to reply to as many as I’d like…
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Yes, I, too, like your new commentary style, plus have always liked the highlighting. Lets me know that even though you share the writing load, it’s still guided by your down to earth style.
I was surprised that you only recently came to twitter and FB. I thought I was one of the last!
Don’t let it distract you. Both can be heavy duty, useless but fun time sucks. (I’ve learned.)
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You’re going to South Africa?! New reader here, if that’s something I should have already known. I just got back from spending Christmas in South Africa. I hope you have an amazing time!
And I too love the highlighted comments and your notes. I scroll through and read just those once a post takes off and everyone has added their two cents.
J.D.’s note: Last summer, I made a choice to grab money from my car fund and transfer it to my travel fund so that I could afford this trip to South Africa. Most people supported the choice; others think I’m being foolish. Time will tell. (My car is running fine now, so I think all is well.)
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I’ve been reading GRS for ~2 years- and rarely come to the site (from my RSS reader) and only do to skim the comments. The new inline is a GREAT feature. Please don’t go back.
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On some blogs I see there’s an option to reply right underneath a comment. That way, readers don’t have to go back and forth between comments and replies. Reading the 128th comment and then scrolling back to “John at #17″ can be tedious. What do you think?
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I like the inline reply, very good. I would like to see how the Greg’s house buying adventure in Houston turns out. I still think they should go for it.
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I love the in-line comment responses! I noticed you started that and LOVE IT!
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I actually really dislike inline comments in the manner you mean. Once I read over a commented area, I tend to keep track of where I was, and just check the new ones. I really hate having to scroll over the whole list again to find replies – especially since your posts were a different color, and easier (for me) to find. I much prefer the style where, further down, the original comment is “quoted” and then answered. But I’m in the minority on that one, it appears
In the same vein (please keep in mind I love your blog and have been reading for years, and I mean this constructively) I also really hate all the inline comments you make in the other authors’ articles. I understand you have a lot of opinions, and a lot of information to share… but often, I’d just like to hear from the author. It’s the journalist in me- edit my piece to add the information (or better yet, suggest I add it), or leave it alone. Because sometimes it feels like your comments are so extensive that you would have just been happier writing the article yourself.
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I don’t agree w/Amber, #9…I really enjoy your comments in other authors’ posts since it helps the readers to know how much we are in line w/your opinions or with the author’s. It’s as if you are in the conversation, and the more active a role you play, the better. Just one reader’s opinion.
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I like the inline response to comments, and unlike Amber @ 9 I really like your notes on other author’s posts.
Re: tweetchat, I’m assuming that Andrew is on the east coast and maybe doesn’t want to be working late, but a later time would be great for those of us on the west coast and at our desks till 5pm!
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I like the in line responses.
I do agree that there should be a place to reply immediately under another’s response. I prefer that.
I agree with Holly. As a long time reader, I prefer to hear what you think on something- or how it has jogged your writing. You aren’t stealing an idea- you are enhancing it.
Last- I don’t tweet or twitter —-not interested in something else that will take me from my real life. Heck, I Skype my grand baby several times a week- that is enough for me:>)
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I didn’t see the tweetchat until it was just about over
I hope to join in on the next one.
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Thumbs up on the in-line responses.
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I think it is really cool your still experimenting and trying to make the experience even better for your devoted readers. Not even sure what a tweatchat is…..but I will have to check it out.
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I guess I’m in the minority with Amber #9. Once I’ve read a comment, I usually don’t go back to reread it and I’ll miss your comments if they’re not separate and highlighted. I do hope if you have something really important to say (not that you don’t always!), you’ll continue to post separate comments.
I also understand Amber’s second point. I don’t mind your comments in other author’s posts however, I’d rather read them at the end of the article whenever possible. I tend to read an article with a certain “voice” in my head and sometimes when I come across your comment I get a little distracted, kinda like a commercial break in the middle of tv show. These are minor quibbles though. They won’t stop me from reading the site, I’ll just get used to it.
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Yes! I love the new inline comment replies. It’s always been difficult reading a comment with a question I’d really love to see you address, and then remembering the comment # while reading all the rest of them to see if you comment later and refer back to it.
Though looking at the inline comments you’ve left here, perhaps they need to stand out a little bit more from the original comment?
You’ve bolded “J.D.’s note:” and italicized the rest, but it still blends in to the original comment. Perhaps a dashed box around your section of the comment (similar to other highlighted comments) or something to better highlight your addition?
Alternately, you could implement normal threaded commenting, where a reply to one person puts a new comment right below that one (indented slightly) so everyone can see who’s replying to whom. It’s much easier to read.
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I agree with #9 Amber and #16 Vanessa. I read all the comments through and then only come back when the number of comments has gone up, so if I read the comments early I’m pretty much guaranteed to miss your replies. The only better solution I can think of is if people (including JD) quote the whole question they’re responding to, that way people will still know what’s going on.
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I keep reading that as tweet CATS, not chats, and I support the idea of JD’s cats posting in 160 characters or less.
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Excellent to see that you’re still coming through to South Africa (I am South African
) I’m impressed to see such methodical goal setting as I remember reading about it last year February or so! So which areas are you visiting? Will you be blogging about your experieces? I’d really like to hear what you think and how you budget, travelling through SA 
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#9 Amber approves of the new highlighting method
It’s easier to see, so that even if do have to scroll back through, I can find them more quickly.
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