CommentLuv Icon

Comment what? CommentLuv! It’s a WordPress plugin that you may have noticed in use here on my Photography Education Blog. You can see the CommentLuv checkbox right next to the comment box. It’s the blog’s way of begging you to add your comment to the conversation.

How CommentLuv benefits you
As a fellow blogger, the CommentLuv plugin is going to give your blog some love. Probably one of the hardest parts about blogging is promoting new posts. CommentLuv shows the last blog post of the commentator linking to the most recent post with the post title as the link text. Aside from showing the post, CommentLuv also accomplishes a typically difficult SEO task by helping build deep links to each post. Plus each post is do-follow and has the title as the anchor text so people are more likely to find your post in a Google search.

Why I installed CommentLuv
CommentLuv encourages users to participate in the conversation. I’m a big fan of reader participation. For every post that I write, you guys as my blog readers will have great insight that I didn’t know or didn’t remember to include in the post. I’d much rather have a great network of active readers than to try to make myself look like some kind of genius on a pedastal. I couldn’t fake genius anyway, but I’ll have to admit I probably would if I could =) Theoretically the more my blog benefits my readers, the more you guys will return. So in the end, if I do my blogging the right way, you guys should be coming back for more.

Other photographer blogs with CommentLuv
Here are some of the other sites you should visit. I’ve run across others, but these are photographer blogs that I regularly visit. These photographer bloggers pass along some great information and also have the CommentLuv plugin installed on their blogs.

http://ishootshows.com

http://erickimphotography.com/blog

http://techpatio.com

http://www.canonblogger.com

So now that I’ve shared some great blogs, you need to install CommentLuv on your blog and mention your site in a comment below. If you have any questions about how the CommentLuv plugin works, I’m not an expert, but I would definitely be happy to help out if I can. I’ll definitely visit your blog if you drop a comment below, so what are you waiting for?

Commentators additions:
http://www.picsof.asia/blog

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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 1st, 2011 at 10:16 pm and is filed under Marketing For Photographers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

97 Responses to “CommentLuv Photography Blog”

  1. Sire says:
    January 2, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    Commentluv is certainly the best plugin for getting comments. You may have to delete some though because it can attract some spammy ones.

    I have a suggestion for another great plugin, one designed by Andy Bailey the author of commentluv and one that you should use to replace that irritating CAPTCHA thing. It’s called GASP and your readers will love you for it.
    Sire recently posted..How To Take A Better Night Shot Of A Cityscape

  2. Lemerou says:
    January 6, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Hello TJ,
    CommentLuv is a great plug in and i definitely recommand it.
    As you know, i have also posted a list of dofollow photoblog wich some of you might find useful :
    http://www.picsof.asia/blog/dofollow-photography.html
    I’ve added your site and i’d be happy to be and your list too ;)
    Lemerou recently posted..Kids Playing on the beach of Kuta

  3. stella says:
    January 7, 2011 at 5:15 am

    Maybe you could make changes to the page subject title Do Follow, KeywordLuv and CommentLuv to more generic for your blog post you write. I liked the post nevertheless.Nice photography blog list with commentluv.

  4. Scott Webb says:
    January 7, 2011 at 6:44 am

    I used to have CommentLuv, KeyworkLuv and Do-Follow. I took off the keyword and do-follow because of the amount of time I had to spend with spam and useless commenting.

    I went to Discus and the no spam has made it hard to change. I would like it if I could integrate commentluv into Disqus. That would be a set up to love.

    Not out of my sight – CommentLuv may come back to my blog too
    Scott Webb recently posted..Mystery in Analog Photography

    • TJ says:
      January 7, 2011 at 11:44 am

      So if I’m understanding you right, Disqus has pretty much eliminated the spam comments on your site? That’s pretty cool. I get a spam comment or 2 per day usually. Not too bad, but definitely not ideal. If you do end up putting CommentLuv back on your site, let me know and I’d be happy to add you to the list!
      TJ recently posted..Installing StudioCloud Studio Management Software

  5. rashed says:
    January 17, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    good article about CommentLuv Photography Blog

  6. Andy says:
    January 27, 2011 at 5:03 am

    I use commentluv on my blog but i have to say i get around 20 spam comments a day. It has made me very strict on the comments i allow as i get so many “great post you saved me much time” comments.

    I am hoping long term it will build more of a community but we will wait and see.
    Andy recently posted..Wedding Photography Buckinghamshire- St Albans- Sopwell House – Emma &amp Darren

    • TJ says:
      January 27, 2011 at 7:07 am

      I get quite a bit of comment spam on my blog too. I’m pretty sure most are not bots, but even with a real person entering the comment, “nice post” doesn’t cut it in my book.

      Andy, how do you filter out spam? I usually look for something in the comment that references content in the article. If a comment is generic, I don’t approve it.
      TJ recently posted..Setting Your Focus Point On A Canon 5D Mark II

  7. april bishop says:
    February 12, 2011 at 3:04 am

    I hate spammers but I don’t think they should ruin it for everyone else. You make some really good points. I hate the ” Thanks for the post” but I think that is just part of having a blog that allows commenting.

    Thanks
    april bishop recently posted..DOES A DESTINATION WEDDING SOUND LIKE A ROMANTIC OPTION FOR YOU &amp YOUR SPOUSE

    • TJ says:
      February 12, 2011 at 7:06 am

      April,
      Yea, I consider each commenting scenario before approving or trashing. For example, your comment was fine, but for some reason the blog post on your commentluv doesn’t have any text. What’s the deal with that?

      Thanks for your contribution.
      TJ recently posted..ProShow Web – Producer Review

  8. wedding photography says:
    March 10, 2011 at 9:00 am

    I’m a recent installer of commentluv and I’m just getting to grips with it. I think it does promote commenting, and hopefully meaningful comments too, now going to check out the rest of your website!
    wedding photography recently posted..Gaynor and Steve’s Wedding Photography

  9. Anthony says:
    March 12, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    CommentLuv seems like a good technique/plugin for improving SEO. Right now, my blog is on Blogger. Do you know if there is a similar plugin or code that will work or is WordPress the only place to do this?

  10. Sharon Sedano says:
    March 28, 2011 at 1:56 pm

    I do think that CommentLuv for bloggers. Is great for others to share their work and at the same time see sites you may have never been exposed to otherwise. It’s been great for exposure for me!!
    Sharon Sedano recently posted..Carlee Bridal Portrait Middleton Plantation

  11. Custom Logo Design says:
    April 4, 2011 at 5:02 am

    CommentLuv is the best for blog commenting.I have been using for seven months, and i got some awesome results.

  12. Harry says:
    April 16, 2011 at 1:08 pm

    I am still not sure if there would be a penalty from Google for having too many outgoing links?

    If not, then it would be great to add. I will delete spam links anyway, whether or not I would have commentluv enabled, but maybe it would attract many extra spammers?

    Thanks, Harry
    ps: what is this confirm you are not a spammer plugin? Beats a capthca :) Does it work?
    Harry recently posted..Interview with Harry Kikstra with tips for starting photographers

    • TJ says:
      April 16, 2011 at 4:47 pm

      Harry,
      I can’t say whether there is or isn’t a penalty for too many links, but what I can tell you is that my article tend to rank very well in Google – even with CommentLuv installed.
      The “confirm you are not a spammer” plugin is called GASP. So far it seems to be working pretty well for me. I still get people coming by and leaving spam comments, but I’m pretty sure it stops the majority of the bot spam.
      TJ recently posted..How To Promote A Photography Blog

  13. Lara says:
    April 21, 2011 at 9:17 am

    I like Commentluv too but had a problem initially in that it would not give a dropdown list of my posts. On a friend’s advice, I had to get my feed pinged at feedburner and that seemed to do the trick. I’m not tech savvy at all, and only followed the instructions of my friend.
    Lara recently posted..Helping Your Child With Trigonometry & Geometry

  14. Private ambulances says:
    April 22, 2011 at 4:50 am

    Does the use of commentLuv though not encourage people to search for sites that use commentluv simply to leave a comment on your blog. Perhaps – but on the other hand – you’re getting traffic you normally wouldn’t have had. If you’re using adwords or selling a product, you’re still bringing a possible customer to your site if something catches your eye.

    • TJ says:
      April 26, 2011 at 2:59 pm

      Private ambulances,
      Are you one of those people that searches Google for sites like mine? =) Anyway, yes, I think it does bring extra traffic. I don’t mind the extra visits, but my primary focus is to add photographers as readers.
      TJ recently posted..Canon Rebel T2i Video Mode Review

  15. JS says:
    April 24, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    Great blog have found some really helpful information, my wife and i are keen photographers and also have a blog your readers may be interested in. Thanks
    Digital Cameras

  16. HDR photographer says:
    April 27, 2011 at 12:33 am

    Thank you for the info on comment luv. I am new to this and after reading your post I can see the value in participating in the concept.

    Great photography blog!

  17. robert @london magician says:
    April 27, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    i have started using comment luv and well so new to it i don’t know how good it is but i love looking at all the picture where is this backdrop of? being dyslexic the writing is more difficult but i and giving it a go

  18. robert @ london magician says:
    May 5, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    I am trying to, a back drop like this is so good I am unsure why others don’t do it also, obviously not St Louis.

    I am hoping people will find my blogs but not sure why, other than link building, they would ;-) but with it taking about an hour a blog i will keep at it.
    robert @ london magician recently posted..Southern Mini Day It will be Magical

  19. robert @ london magician says:
    May 11, 2011 at 7:55 am

    wow! so how many blogs do you write a day and how many do you comment on?
    robert @ london magician recently posted..Wedding magician to perform at a castle

  20. robert @ london magician says:
    May 11, 2011 at 8:08 am

    thank you, I will carry on with what i am doing then and hope to reap the benefits in time ;-)
    robert @ london magician recently posted..Wedding magician to perform at a castle

  21. HDR Photographer says:
    May 17, 2011 at 1:26 am

    Here is something I don’t understand. My previous comment is located in this blog post, but there is no link or recent post from my blog. What am I doing wrong?

  22. Brooklyn Prints says:
    June 1, 2011 at 10:10 am

    Larissa, we love your website and your blog: very clean design and great visual compositions.

    The photography community needs more photographers like you who are willing to give back! Keep up the great work!
    Brooklyn Prints recently posted..Snow on the Brooklyn Bridge Black and White Image

  23. digital photography says:
    June 14, 2011 at 4:09 am

    Commentluv simply adds up to our popularity in the web. It enables us to have good backlinks as well as visitors. If you don’t mind if I share my blog post to you about doing simple SEO on your artworks.

    http://www.fashionnarts.com/seo-and-photography-how-to-do-simple-seo-on-your-artworks/
    digital photography recently posted..Gear Review- AF-S Nikkor 50mm f-18G

  24. teys says:
    June 20, 2011 at 9:26 pm

    Just stumbled upon your blog and read this post. I recently added commentluv again… I think it got disabled when my wp version was updated.

    Have a great day!

    • TJ McDowell says:
      June 22, 2011 at 11:18 am

      Teys,
      I’ve seen some weird things happen with WordPress updates, so it wouldn’t surprise me at all. Did it wipe all your previous data or did it still show all the commentluv links previous added after you got it back up and going?
      TJ McDowell recently posted..My Wedding Workbook Interview

  25. Gregory Urbano says:
    June 23, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    Thanks for the info!
    Gregory Urbano recently posted..First Time Visiting

  26. Michael says:
    July 12, 2011 at 10:57 am

    I have been using XSitePro to build my site, and I’m not very good at it.
    But I must say that after reading about commentluv a wordpress blog could be the way to go. The potential of such a plugin goes far beyond my static sites. I have got to try it out!

  27. Rebekah@halloween costume says:
    July 14, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    Getting traffic you normally wouldn’t have seems to be working! It is important to ask for meaningful comments. Thanks for using commentluv!

  28. Fotoviva Photography says:
    July 26, 2011 at 6:41 am

    We use CommentLuv on our photo blog too, but any cheap spam shots will get sent to spam hell :)

    Lots of interesting ideas on your site TJ, will be bookmarking it.
    Fotoviva Photography recently posted..Photography Forums

  29. Nur Iskandar says:
    August 5, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    Hi T J,.
    CommentLuv is a great plug in and i definitely recommand it.
    I Like Commentluv. It’s simply adds up to our popularity in the web. It enables us to have good backlinks as well as visitors.

  30. Larry says:
    August 11, 2011 at 9:12 pm

    Thanks for the tip. I just installed it and now my blog is ready to dish out some serious comment love!!

    By the way, just noticed this- when I leave a comment, it tells me that this site has an outdated version of CommentLuv. Thought that was kinda funny!
    Larry recently posted..Finding Inspiration for Photography

  31. SEO Services says:
    August 16, 2011 at 11:24 am

    We just installed CommentLuv on on system today. I want to see if it makes any difference when we post on other blogs now. We have not enabled ASKIMET. I’m getting ready to install the GASP plug-in and try that next.

  32. mariagrace says:
    September 1, 2011 at 1:11 am

    I just installed this plugin and the benefits are just great. Win win.
    mariagrace recently posted..Aileen + Joe / Part 1

  33. John Levin says:
    September 9, 2011 at 3:09 pm

    Yes, the traffic on my blog has significantly increased since I’ve been using the CommentLuv. But I also have the problem with the spammers. How do you solve this?
    John Levin recently posted..Barcode Generator

  34. Heidi @Ways to Save Money on Weddings says:
    September 23, 2011 at 1:36 am

    Akismet works for a lot of people, but I use Growmap Anti Spambot plugin. It works really well!
    Heidi @Ways to Save Money on Weddings recently posted..Using #Rebate Sites to save #Wedding #Money!

  35. Angela McClain says:
    October 4, 2011 at 1:37 am

    I don’t have a blog, but I have been thinking of starting one. After reading this CommentLuv Photography Blog, I am eager to finally get one up and running! (with the CommentLuv plugin, of course!) Thank you for having such a helpful and informative resource available. I am learning so much here!
    Angela McClain recently posted..Weddings

  36. Angela McClain says:
    October 6, 2011 at 1:20 am

    Well, I have decided to go with WordPress.com, and I’m looking forward to getting my blog started! I would like to use the CommentLuv plugin if it works with WordPress.com blogs.

  37. tobah@wedding directory says:
    October 10, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    Thanks for sharing the love with commentluv. I think it really encourages people to comment on your posts.

  38. Rochester Videographer says:
    January 1, 2012 at 5:34 pm

    Thanks. We are looking forward to using comment luv on our site and seeing how it works. Did you submit your site to any directories or anything like that?
    Rochester Videographer recently posted..Why Two Videographers?

    • TJ McDowell says:
      January 5, 2012 at 11:15 pm

      Rochester Videographer,
      I think you’ll like CommentLuv. I’ve done directories in the past, but haven’t been too impressed with the results. I’d recommend trying DMOZ, then submitting to niche directories (ie videographer directores).
      TJ McDowell recently posted..Brand Over Benefits

  39. Christian says:
    January 24, 2012 at 9:27 pm

    Thanks for the information on Commentluv. I’m thinking about installing it on my site, but I’m a little hesitant since the more dofollow links you give a way, it seems like you would lose some google juice from your own site. Any thoughts?
    Christian recently posted..Miami Beach: Bringin’ the Heat!

    • TJ McDowell says:
      January 25, 2012 at 7:24 am

      Christian,
      You’re right about the Google Juice, but it’s worth the tradeoff for me. I’ve found that it gives me a natural reason to bring up my blog in conversation – “hey, head over to my blog and get some link juice”
      TJ McDowell recently posted..BrideRush Interview

  40. New Cameras Store says:
    February 8, 2012 at 11:54 pm

    i like it, thanks for the commentluv blog list.. :D
    New Cameras Store recently posted..Nikon D5100 16.2MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

  41. maxx@penang says:
    February 12, 2012 at 12:18 am

    i wouldn,t worry about losing link juice – i’ve found that it helps bring in a lot more visitors – so the payback is worth it!
    maxx@penang recently posted..Penang Pictures – Photos of Penang

  42. canvas prints says:
    February 22, 2012 at 5:59 am

    im new to commmentluv and i think its a great idea

  43. Matt@Photography Biz says:
    March 6, 2012 at 7:42 am

    I’ve only just started using it on my own site, which is photography related, so I’ll let you all know what effect it has on comments, spam, and also traffic :)
    Matt@Photography Biz recently posted..Starting a Photography Business Part 2

  44. canvas prints says:
    June 3, 2012 at 5:05 am

    i love the idea ot it, just brilliant

  45. Corporate Photography says:
    June 18, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Good to see you have commentluv and I found you via google for photography blogs with commentluv and you were 4th
    Corporate Photography recently posted..Case Study Corporate Photography

  46. Phil says:
    June 29, 2012 at 5:32 am

    I have recently enabled Commentluv on my photography site and whilst it is still early days the results look quite promising.
    Phil recently posted..Isle of Mull Photography Blog