disqus for dummies: how to comment using disqus

you guys. I have a confession to make. I tried out disqus a few months ago and didn't really get it. so I switched back to blogger comments. but lately, more and more of the blogs I follow [and even NPR] have been using disqus and I've been commenting using it and... I GET IT.

I want to make it clear that I LOVE getting comments [who doesn't?] but realize I am not the best at responding. I read somewhere that if you have you blogger profile set up with your email public then people can respond directly to your comments by email, but of course just responding to a comment on a blogger site won't notify anyone but the blog author of the response. so for a while I tried to be good about responding but then realized no one even knew I was responding [unless they checked back and let's be honest - most people don't] and so I haven't been making as much of an effort.

but with disqus, when people reply to your comment you get an email notification. so that you can have - get this - actual conversations in your comments. not only that, but it keeps track of all your comments you've made across sites. remember that pot roast recipe you commented on because you wanted to try but darn it you can't remember which blog it was from? check your disqus profile for your comment history and you'll find it in a snap. you can also change your notifications to only pop up on disqus if you don't want them in your email. sounds pretty cool, right?

so, I've made the switch back. to make things even easier... I'm going to explain how to use disqus, so those of you who don't know what it is or use it currently can still keep in on the conversation.

first: sign up for an account. it's super easy and takes about five seconds, and you can do it right in the comments section below. click on your choice of twitter, facebook, google accounts or simply enter your email.

if you don't want to make an account, you have the option to comment as a "guest". just check the box. you won't get email responses to your comments, obviously, but you will be able to comment without logging in.

then: once you are logged in your profile picture will pop up [if you signed in with a social media account] or you can add your own picture. leave your comment. when someone responds, you will get an email with their comment which you can read and even respond to directly through the email if you like.

now: test it out! create an account and leave a comment below and I will respond so you can see how easy it is to use. [I promise, I'm not exaggerating.]

I hope this post was informative [but not too infomercial] and you will enjoy using disqus on my site and elsewhere. if you already use it... tell me what your thoughts are and why you like/dislike it. [and if you're wondering if you might want to install it on your site: it's super easy and completely free!]