Blog comment notification to participants

I am re-inventing the blog wheels, and am about to implement new comment notification features.

I already know that I’d want the admin (me) to receive emails when new comments was made or waiting to be approved.

But, I’d also like the commenters to receive email notifications when they’ve chosen to subscribe to a topic.

Or maybe I shouldn’t bother?

What would you do?

I planned to let the notify checkbox be checked by default: the users are receiving an email when a new comment has been made on a per post basis.

Is that a good idea?

I’ve considered using cookies, or let it be off by default, but then people need to remember to turn it on…

They would receive an email that the post has received a new comment, with a small note at the botttom saying that she (or someone pretending to be she) has requested to be notified.

And then a link to cancel the subscription…

The next time the person visits the blog and posts a new comment, unchecking the notify box, she would be removed from the list of subscribers.

Should I bother with this?

Or should I just put a link to the rss feed?

It it too intrusive, or a good feature? :)

Most places don’t do this, so maybe I shouldn’t?

But I actually liked to be notified when I visited a blog which had this feature.

The last thing I want to do is spam people.

So I’d probably put a cookie on the users machine so that the form remember the state of the notify field.

Maybe.

Have you experience with this, or ideas, comments - I’d like to know. ;)

I think it depends on the average number of comments for a post. If it’s a heavilyy frequented blog, i wouldn’t provide such a feature. Most commenting will happen during only a few days and a commenter will maybe have an eye on that post anyway.

If it’s a more specific blog with lets say only some comments per month, i’d highly apreciate this feature as a comment poster. Actually i’ve visited blogs from the latter category and was pleased to have this notification feature.

So my answer is: It depends…

Thanks for feed back! :)

The site is my blog, so it falls under the dark corner of the web category. :lol:

I see that some people have recommended that it be left off by default.

I have to consider that option…

Should I let it be a one off subscription, or leave it on?

Currently, the user stays subscribed until she/he makes a new comment with subscription off.

I could also let my routine delete the subscriber when the email has been sent, so that she/he will not receive any further notifications until she/he visits the blog and posts a comment…

Will implement a unsubscribe-me link soon.

The last thing I want to do is be spammy. :)

I am probably complicating it? :)

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The thing is that I don’t want people to register at my site so everything is based on their email address.

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