CommentLuv vs Disqus – Why I Don’t Use CommentLuv!

September 7, 2012 By Matt Smith 94 Comments

Some people have been telling me that I should switch to using the ‘CommentLuv’ comment system. However after taking some time to look at it and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of using it, I came to the conclusion that I was better off not installing CommentLuv!

I recently redesigned the OnlineIncomeTeacher site and when I did so I looked at different ways that I could improve the site. When I told people that I was working on redesigning the site, some people suggested that I install and run the CommentLuv plugin for blog comments. So with their recommendation I started by looking into and researching what benefits CommentLuv would give over the current Disqus system that I was using.

Here is what I thought about each.

CommentLuv vs. Disqus

CommentLuv

For anybody that doesn’t know what CommentLuv is, it is a comment plugin that enables people to leave a link to their latest post underneath their comment. If you are an avid commenter, I’m sure that you will have seen this on many sites.

The big draw is this ability to leave a link to your latest post under the comment that you leave. This encourages people to leave a comment as they can promote their latest content.

On face value, this single feature is a great way to encourage more people to comment on a site. As I say, I was currently redesigning the site, so I was seriously considering installing and using this as a way to get more comments on my posts. But no matter how good it seemed, I always had this nagging doubt that wouldn’t go away!

I started to research which other sites were using CommentLuv and I can tell you that there are a lot! The sites that do use it do seem to get more comments on their posts. Again, this all sounds positive. However, when I really thought about it, many of these sites were very similar.

The majority of the sites using it were of the ‘blogging/internet marketing’ niche, which were of small to medium size. This makes sense, as these types of sites are attracting visitors that are website owners themselves and due to their size, want to build up their traffic by encouraging comments.

Interestingly, when I started to look at much larger ‘blogging/internet marketing’ blogs, many were NOT using the CommentLuv plugin. Sites like Problogger, CopyBlogger, Entrepreneur, etc. all did not use CommentLuv. This seemed strange as surely they would be after more traffic and commenters themselves. Why were they not taking advantage of the benefits that CommentLuv were offering?

Well, when you think about it, it all comes back to why websites want comments in the first place! Comments are an important part of any blog. These not only let readers express their opinions about a post and ask questions, but it opens up a communication channel between the readers and blog writer(s).

Many of the large sites realize that they are after genuine comments from people, rather than simply encouraging people to leave a comment in exchange for a link. Most of the time, this will lead to attracting spam comments from people who are only interested in leaving a link. I don’t just mean spam links to dodgy sites, as plugins like Akismet can filter out many of these. Spam links can be viewed as people only leaving a comment to get a link, which tend to be very short of vague about the post itself. Having hundreds of comments on a post may sound good, but if they are all simply “thanks!” or just “great post!” then is it worth it?

You also have to consider that these massive sites spend vast amounts of money researching and developing their websites. If they thought that CommentLuv, or something similar, would genuinely benefit them, they would implement it straight away!

Advantages of CommentLuv

Link to latest post under comment.
Encourages site owners to leave comments.

Disadvantages of CommentLuv

Only really beneficial to other site owners.
Attracts spam comments.

Disqus

Disqus is another popular comment system that can be used on your blog. I’ve been using it for a while and I have to say that I’m pretty happy with it.

The big draw of Disqus is that it is a proper professional comment system, with lots of different features. This is all despite the fact that it is free!

Disqus launched a newer version of their system, the aptly named “Disqus 2012” that improved on many of its previous features. One of the major changes was that Disqus now works as a real-time basis. This means that you don’t have to refresh a page to check for new comments. In fact, you can effectively have a conversation within the Disqus comment section, just as you would on Facebook or MSN.

It also has an inbuilt ‘community’ box that displays all your top commentators, as well as other posts with latest comments. This makes it easy for people to see, not only who is commenting on a post, but who is commenting across your site.

People can share a comment (yours or someone else’s) or even an entire comment thread on Twitter and Facebook, and see what reaction a post has got on Twitter. This makes a site feel much more like a community that people can get involved with, rather than just a way to leave a comment.

One criticism some people give about Disqus is that you have to jump through a few hoops before you can leave a comment. They are referring to the fact that you needed a Disqus account in order to leave a proper comment. This is NOT the case ANYMORE! Yes, in past versions, you did need an account to leave a comment, but the new Disqus 2012 makes it easy for people by letting them sign in with one click with their Twitter, Facebook or Google+ account. The benefit of signing in is that Disqus will keep track of all the Disqus sites that you leave a comment on and notify you of any replies that you get directly in your ‘My Disqus’ tab. You can also follow other Disqus commenters and keep up to date with all their latest comments. This tab is available on any Disqus site that you are logged into, so you will always know if you had someone answer that question that you asked, or got a response on another site, etc. Of course, you could just leave a comment without signing in!

You can’t display a link to your latest post, but you can also set it up so that when people click on your Disqus name, it links to your website or blog, or whatever link you want.

The biggest benefit though is that many big sites use the Disqus comment system and when I say big sites I mean; CNN, The Telegraph, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg, IGN, Entertainment Weekly, etc. and many, many more!

Advantages of Disqus

Real time comments.
Sign in with Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Disqus.
Share comments & comment threads on social media.
Community features.

Disadvantages of Disqus

No link to latest post.

Summary

I don’t have anything against CommentLuv, in fact I comment on plenty of sites that use it. I just feel that CommentLuv offers one advantage to its users, whereas Disqus offers a whole lot more.

Yes, the fact that CommentLuv allows you to leave a link to your latest post is a good feature that will attract more comments from people with their own site, but what about the people that don’t have their own site? I’m much more interested in attracting genuine comments from people.

I think that people will leave a comment on my posts if they genuinely want to, whether they get a link to their latest post or not. In fact, the thought that someone wouldn’t ask me a question, or seek advice/help just because of the lack of a link is counter intuitive.

Blog commenting is an important part of running your own site, but if you put too much emphasis on the link rather that the comment, I think you are missing the point! After all, you are commenting on the post, not commenting for a link.

But that’s my opinion, what do you think? Which comment system do you use? Do you only look to comment on blogs that use a certain comment system? Let us know your views and opinions by leaving a comment below!

Filed Under: Blogging Tips, Reviews Tagged With: blog marketing, blogging, comments, community, disqus

About Matt Smith

Matt Smith is the founder and editor of OnlineIncomeTeacher. He is a Professional Blogger, SEO Consultant & Web Developer, running a number of sites from the UK. Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

Andi the Minion

You have convinced me, next week when I get time I think I will look at swapping to Disqus. Comment luv has worried me as you know, with all these people leaving comments with links would Google look at your site as a link farm or directory and penalise you for it.

Is it fairly straight forward to install like most plugins or do you need to do a bit of jiggery pokery in the background?

Cheers
Andi
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Well that’s one converted!
  
  Like I say in the post, I don’t have a problem with CommentLuv or sites that use it. In fact if that system works for a site then good luck to them. I just found more reasons to stay with Disqus rather than switch.
  
  As for switching, yeah it’s pretty straight forward. Go here http://disqus.com/for-websites/ and click on ‘Sign Up Free’. Then just follow the instructions. There are plenty of tutorials as well on switching between one another.
http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith

Hi Andy,

I appreciate you taking the time to comment on this post. You make a lot of good points that, quite rightly, should be considered when assessing which system/plugin to use.

I like the fact that you say CommentLuv isn’t just about getting a link back. I wish more people thought this way and didn’t promote it as that being it’s only draw. I have to admit that when I came to consider whether or not to switch from Disqus to CommentLuv, I got put off by a lot of people online claiming that that was it’s main benefit.

I personally think that the CommentLuv plugin is a very good one, but perhaps it’s message has been distorted by some of the people using it.

You make a good point that just because some people use it for spam, that doesn’t mean that everyone uses it for that purpose. The spam filters can filter out a lot of these, though there will always be the odd few that slip through. The same happens with Disqus and all other comment systems.

I have to admit that were you allowed to make a plugin for Disqus, I would definitely use it on this site. Add your unique feature to the Disqus features that they offer and I think that would be an unbeatable team!

Again, I appreciate you taking the time to comment on this post. Your points help readers to make up their own mind, which at the end of the day is the most important thing.

All the best
Matt
http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith

Both Disqus and CommentLuv can help attract comments for a site. A lot depends on what you are looking for. As long as that system/plugin works for you, then that should be the one you use. That’s the main reason why I chose to stay with Disqus, but I’d never rule out switching in the future if I felt that it would benefit my site.

Thanks for commenting
- canonlensesreview
  
  Yes, Matt. It all depends on what someone wants to achieve. This will determine which strategy (Disqus or CommentLuv) will be more effective for someone. Each has its own pros and cons. This also depends on how much traffic one is getting already..
  Cheers, Paul
  - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
    
    Yes, no system is perfect! Each will have it’s positives & negative for an individual sites, so it’s important to make that decision yourself. For me, I felt Disqus was the best option for this site.
    
    I’d be interested to hear why you think traffic is important for choosing though?
- http://www.lifestylebusinessdesign.com/ Matt John Canty
  
  Hi Matt. May I ask what particular sites or themes in wordpress perhaps that allow such plugin, and which plugin is this please? Also, have you ever encountered any problem in using Disqus and commentluv at the same time? And , how long have you been using these. Sorry for these many questions. I appreciate your help
  - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
    
    Hi Matt! You can’t use both CommentLuv & Disqus at the same time, they aren’t compatible with one another. It’s a shame because they would work great together.
    
    I’ve been using Disqus for almost 2 years now and I’ve never had a problem with them. I find it very easy to use and looks great on the site.
    - http://www.lifestylebusinessdesign.com/ Matt John Canty
      
      Great to know you have that positive testimony about Disqus. Must be using it with my sites too. I have another question though. How do you avoid the spam comments. And how do you respond to them? Do you report it right away?
      
      Thanks so much!
      - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
        
        You can set up Disqus to filter out a lot of the spam that you may get. It has an inbuilt filter and it is compatible with Akismet.
        
        I set it up so that I have to approve any comment that leaves a link. That way 99% of the spam I get stays off the site. The few who post links to genuinely helpful sites, I approve myself.
        
        I have found this to be great however on rare occasions I have found a couple of genuine comments have been marked as spam when they weren’t. I just had to keep an eye on what is being marked as spam and approve the ones that slip through accidentally.
http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith

Hi Robert,

CommentLuv is still growing, I’m sure as their popularity increases (which it is), they will add more features in the future. I’d be interested to see how they grow over the next 12-24 months
- http://www.facebook.com/RCONNORIII Robert Connor
  
  Do like the latest post and premium feature of social like to leave other posts. Have a great day Matt!
http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith

Hi Ehsan! I didn’t expect everyone to agree with the post, in fact I expected more to disagree to be honest. That said, like I say in the post, I don’t have anything against CommentLuv. In fact I often recommend to clients that they check it out to see if it will work for them.

I just felt that Disqus offered me and my site more benefits than CommentLuv. In fact Andy made a good point above, that CommentLuv is a plugin, whereas Disqus is a fully fledged comment system. The two shouldn’t really be compared, however many people do as they are 2 of the most popular systems/plugins that people use on their blogs. For me, the added features that Disqus offered was the reason why I chose to stick with them.

But if CommentLuv works for you and your site, then great! I know many people that do use it and rave about it. I just wanted to give my own personal opinion.
Michael Shepherd

Thanks again. I read this article immediately after your one about keeping track of reading and commenting. Disquis 2012 sounds ideal for me.
Cheers,
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  I’d definitely recommend that you try it out. I’ve found it to be very good for this site.
vinodh

While I accept with what you say(disqus vs comment luv) we have to see from the perspective of commenters as well. they want something in return. that need not be seen from negative perspective . many blogs use comment luv and earn good reputation as well. Most the bloggers that use commentluv want to share their success with their community.
regards
vinodh
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Vinodh, Yes certainly! Commenter’s should take priority when picking which comment system to use. I know many sites that have had plenty of success with CommentLuv, but I also know many sites that have had success with Disqus as well.
  
  Both make it easy for people to leave a comment on a site, but personally I felt that Disqus gave me and my readers more options.
http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith

To answer your questions, yes Disqus stores your comments on their servers, which makes it faster to load them all on each of your pages. You can also export easily export comments to another site if you need to.

Glad you liked the post and I’m glad it helped to answer your questions.
Walter

Matt, awesome post here. Unfortunately, it is true that most people use CommentLuv to get backlinks, period. I also totally agree with Andy that there are many great benefits of CommentLuv. There are also top blogs such as Kikolani (one of the very best blogs out there) that uses CommentLuv with DoFollow links regardless of the fact that it is a PR5 blog. Read through it and you’ll get very useful comments and great related articles to get different perspectives on. I consider these 2 equals. Thanks for the post. I love this blog.

Question: How do you insert your titles into photos? Kindly respond on this if you can.

Thanks,
Walter
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Walter! I suppose sites like Kikolani demonstrate that you can use CommentLuv effectively for comments, but I still believe that Disqus offers other beneficial features that you can use. It all comes down to personal taste I guess.
  
  To answer your question, I design my own images to use that feature the post title. I find that this is effective on some posts that are harder to find a picture with a meaningful metaphor. These are really easy to make, all you need is some photo editing software like Photoshop, Paint.net or GIMP. Just add your title as text and play about with it to make it look visually interesting. (Hmm, this could be a good topic for a future post…)
  
  Glad you like the site Walter and thanks for the comment.
  - Walter
    
    Hi Matt,
    
    Yeah, it all does come down to personal taste. I use neither in my sites but I’m greatly considering doing so.
    
    Great to know that you design the photos. I’ll be considering that for future posts. I also noticed you redesigned the site. It looks great. I checked out your site worth in siteworthchecker and it shows you are doing great.
    
    All the best.
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      Yeah, not doing to badly at the moment.
      
      Glad you like the re-design, I spent quite a bit of time working on it. I’m happy with it, but it’s good to hear that others like it as well.
      
      Why not take both Disqus & CommentLuv out for a test drive. Try both for a short time and see what you think. As well as a new comment system, you could be able to write a post about your experience with both.
      
      All the best Walter
http://DanielJLewis.net/about Daniel J. Lewis

Great post, Matt! I came here after a random search. I totally agree with your conclusion that I want people to comment on my sites because they want to comment, not just because they want linkbacks or because it promotes their content.

I would also say Disqus is a friendlier system. By logging in, I don’t have to enter my information into every site I visit.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  I totally agree! Disqus IS more friendly, but there are still people that suggest otherwise.
  
  Being a blogger, I have to comment on lots of different sites to build connections with people. That said, I don’t look for sites that only use one type of comment system. I’ll comment on sites with good content.
  
  That unfortunately is not the case with some, who are only after a link. It’s a shame really because I don;t think they truly understand the benefits of blog commenting. It’s about building relationships!
  
  Thanks for the “real” comment Dan Glad to hear there are other people online who share the same principles. All the best
breadcooper

It is the best alternative for learning commentluv and disqus and then going for new one.
AndreaNaomi

Excellent post Matt…Just like Daniel I arrived here after a random google moment and I really enjoyed your honest discussion about the differences between these 2 comment plugins. I agree discuss is more user friendly and the benefits are a lot more diverse! Thanks for your post!
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Andrea! I’m glad you liked the post. I wanted to give an honest opinion of the two and state why I chose to stick with Disqus, as a lot of people had been asking me to switch.
  
  I’m happy with Disqus, but hope that the post shows that both have their advantages. It’s just a case of picking which one works the best for each individual site.
  
  Thanks for your comment
http://www.deviouscreations.co.uk/ Daniel Green

Is there any way currently to use the two together?
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Unfortunately not, though I wish that you could. I think the owner of CommentLuv wants to create a plugin for Disqus, but they don’t want it at the moment. Perhaps they are working on their own version, we will have to wait and see.
http://www.ashtricks.com/ Ashish

Cool Only but u cant add links in Disqus thats a downer
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Ashish! You can add links in Disqus, it’s just that most sites (including this one) change their settings to mark comments that include links as pending. This helps stop people spamming links in the comments section. But if you leave genuine links to related information, your comment will get approved.
  - http://www.ashtricks.com/ Ashish
    
    NO like i mean As u click on the name u get their website
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      You can set it up to do that! Click on my name and you will see the URL for this site.
http://www.neotrikz.in/ Arup Ghosh

Previously I was using comment love to drive more comments on my blog but with passing time I realize that people comment on my just to build backlinks more over Commentluv does not offer any features without commenting , So I started using DISQUS
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  That is the main reason why I choose to stick with Disqus. CommentLuv is a great idea, but I think it attracts the wrong sort of people to leave comments. They are only after, like you say, a backlink to their own site, which kind of defeats the point of what comments are designed for.
http://twitter.com/JohnBanksBlog John Banks

Would it be ironic of me to talk about my CommentLuv sites list on my blog? Only joking – I have only really tried this comment system and have not really tried any of the others. I have seen some great ones around though, so who knows I may make the switch one day. I like it though – and it suits my blog at the moment.

As for spam comments – yes I get tons. But – I don’t know anyone who doesn’t.

Regards,
John
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi John! CommentLuv can be great, my only issue is that it “can” encourage people to leave a comment for the sake of it. Some are only interested in getting a link.
  
  Disqus, in my view, is much better as it is more of a whole system than just a plugin. They have also recently added a new feature allowing websites to earn money! Most of though, it gives me a lot more control over how I manage my comments.
http://www.petitestyleonline.com/ Carol Li

Interesting article. I’m currently using disqus but was thinking of changing to comment luv. After reading this article I think I’ll stick to disqus for now. The majority of people in my niche (petite style blogs) are using disqus.

Most of my commentors also add their website details below their comments which I think is less in your face than “check out my latest blog post” etc statement that comment luv allows you to add.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Carol! Depending on how you use Disqus, you can let people include links if they want to anyway, so it’s not much of a problem. I find that the fact that many other popular professional sites that use Disqus is a HUGE advantage, as it makes it so much easier for people to leave comments.
  - http://www.petitestyleonline.com/ Carol Li
    
    Thanks for your message Matt. I’ve just discovered how to add links to my comments recently and have noticed that a lot of other people do this as well.
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      Yes, it’s pretty easy to set up and then you can comment away on any site that uses Disqus without worrying about it.
http://www.healthinformationtips.net/ health insurance

I think the Disqus platform includes various features, such as social integration, social networking, user profiles, spam and moderation tools, analytics, email notifications, and mobile commenting.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Disqus does all that and more! One of the more recent developments is that Disqus allows you to earn money by displaying ‘Recommended Links’ to others sites. Though still in it’s early stages, this could turn out to be a great feature.
Gray Wolf

I’ve been up in the air about upgrading to the $97 commentluv thing because everyone says it’s the greatest thing but I had the same reservations about the quality comments and return traffic I want for my site. Your article convinced me to just install disqus instead so thanks for that.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  I would imaging that the majority of people who have been saying it’s the “greatest thing” are affiliate marketers who want you to upgrade using their link. That said, CommentLuv does have it’s benefits, but as I say in the post, Disqus has MANY more features that you can use. You can even earn money by using Disqus now!
  - http://www.winsonyeung.com/ Winson Yeung
    
    how to earn money via disqus? do you have any succuss with it?
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      Disqus has a relatively new feature called ‘Discovery’ where it displays links from other sites in your comments (see end of post). Not only does this send traffic from other sites to your blog, but when people click on links to other sites you get paid!
      
      As I say, it’s still a relatively new feature, but I have made a bit of money from it. Nothing to get excited about yet, but as the feature grows and more people start using it, then it should earn me more.
- makemyblogmoney
  
  GrayWolf- I’ve been using CommentLuv Premium for about 9 months now and the new features of CommentLuv are pretty spectacular. They have added about 5 plugins into one with this including ReplyMe, ThankMeLater, Comment Redirect, and I believe comment notification as well, oh yeah, and GASP, something like Askimet.
  
  These ARE worth the money you spend on them, but even getting my blog nominated to the Top Ten Social Media Blogs of 2013 didn’t prove much positive results for interaction. It’s just a soap box for people to shout their posts from.
  
  I wouldn’t get it.
  - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
    
    As good as the CommentLuv premium plugin is, I still feel that Disqus is much better. Disqus is a whole comment system that has tons of features that will help boost interaction on your site. Plus, Disqus is completely free!
http://www.dadblunders.com/ dadblunders

Matt,

I have considered CommentLuv several times. I love the idea of the link and I love the engagement that it “could” cause. Like you, I currently comment on a variety of sites including ones that use CommentLuv. Thus far, I have choose to stay with Disqus.

One of the main reasons is because of the engagement and amount comments I currently have through Disqus. I like they are currently displayed and I still receive comments on my older posts. What happens to the 1000′s of comments I currently have on my blog….I haven’t been able to get a definite answer but I don’t think you can transfer them to CommentLuv.

Aaron
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Aaron!
  
  I think you can transfer them, though I’m not entirely sure how?? Something to do with where your comments are stored on your website.
  
  I think the “idea” behind CommentLuv is a good one, I just prefer the overall system of Disqus. It’s a shame they can’t be used together really.
http://www.winsonyeung.com/ Winson Yeung

I’m using disqus and still loving it!
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  That’s great Winson! Disqus is great for blogs to use
  - http://www.winsonyeung.com/ Winson Yeung
    
    But disqus is harder to get people to comment as there is lesser incentive
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      I disagree. If people need an incentive to leave a comment, they aren’t using comments properly. This is exactly the reason why I don’t use CommentLuv, as people that are only interested in leaving a link won’t leave a genuine comment of worth.
      
      Comments should be used to get involved with a community and interact with the blog owner. They are great for increasing your exposure, as people will see and read the “valuable” comment that they left.
      - http://www.winsonyeung.com/ Winson Yeung
        
        yeah, you have a point there
makemyblogmoney

I have a predicament, and I hope you can answer it. I am one of those bloggers that has been using the CommentLuv Premium plugin for about 9 months now. I recently started seeing popular sites (as you pointed out) like Social Media Examiner use this feature. It really provides more interaction on the commenting I think.

Here’s my question: Can I switch from CommentLuv to DISQUS in mid-stream? In other words, will I lose all of my comments from over 200 posts just because I want to jump ship and try DISQUS? Can you point me in the right direction with this? I have contacted DISQUS but they haven’t replied yet.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  As far as I know, yes you can switch. CommentLuv is only a plugin for WordPress that lets people link to their latest post. Their actual comment is stored in your WordPress comments folder as it would be were you not using Disqus.
  
  When you install Disqus, you can import all your existing comments into Disqus so you won’t lose any. Here is a what they say on their website: http://help.disqus.com/customer/portal/articles/916069-how-do-i-import-my-old-comments-
  
  Let me know how you get on. I think you will really like the Disqus system.
  - makemyblogmoney
    
    Thanks for the reply, I will check the link out and get back with you.
kinngabhay

Today I have also install disquss>>
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  That’s great! Let me know how you get on with it. I’m pretty sure you will like it.
http://noahsdad.com/ Rick Smith

Do you have to put the related comments above the comment box? (Also do you have to show links to other people’s sites? What if you don’t like the content on the other sites?
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Rick!
  
  Having a quick look at my own Disqus settings, I can’t figure out how to put the related posts above the comment box. Mine is after all the comments below, though I’m sure there is a way of switching between the two.
  
  As for showing links to other people’s sites, you don’t have to if you don’t want. You can chose your own ‘Discovery Level’ to suit yourself. There are 4 options; Maximum increased traffic and revenue (shows both your internal links and links to other sites), increased traffic and revenue (the same as before but not as many), increased traffic (shows just your own links) and just comments (no discovery box at all).
  
  You can also blacklist certain sites from showing links in your discovery box if you don’t want. You’d have to do this manually for each site, but it does give you that option.
http://www.buddinggeek.com/ Abhishek

Hi Matt,
I believe that more than 90% of the people who leave comments on CommentLuv powered websites are only interested in building back-links They do not have any genuine interest in the post and they spend more time crafting comments containing the same recapitulated ideas. All these efforts..just to build back-links. Huh!!

I love DISQUS. At-least it attracts few genuine comments rather than 100s of obsequious comments from link-builders. Great post!
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  I completely agree Abhishek!
  
  Disqus is a much better platform for getting genuine comments. CommentLuv, though a good plugin, does tend to attract people for the wrong reason.
  
  I wouldn’t be surprised if Google issued an update that marked sites down who used CommentLuv. After all, they are trying to crack down on Spam. It only takes one update.
http://chillopedia.com/ Nadeem Khan

In my opinion, Google should target CommentLuv blogs because they are offering links in exchange of comments!!!
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Although CommentLuv sites do, in one way or another, encourage “links”, these tend to be nofollow. For that reason, these links aren’t seen as spammy, as no link juice is being passed.
  
  If on the other hand all CommentLuv sites were offering dofollow links, then Google (I would expect) would shut them down pretty sharpish.
  
  There is nothing stopping Google (or other search engines) making updates that do address these sites that offer links in return for a comment though. That’s one of the reasons I chose Disqus!
  - http://chillopedia.com/ Nadeem Khan
    
    I just installed CommentLuv Premium and I must say it is way better than Disquss simply because of the shear number of features that it has other than giving backlinks to commentors!
    
    I would strongly recommend CommentLuv Premium now after evaluating it personally (and yes I was a Disquss fan before testing CommentLuv) !!!
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      CommentLuv Premium does have a lot of great features that can benefit a site. I think a lot comes down to what features a site is looking for.Disqus has a great set of features itself, so I think that they are pretty similar.
      
      For me though, it still comes down to the issue of offering links to encourage comments. Think CommentLuv sites still tend to attract comment’s for the wrong reason.
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http://abrainlessnod.blogspot.com/ Dan Bonser

Another thing you should put on the disadvantages of Disqus is how buggy it is. I’m having severe issues with it. Like when someone views my blog on a mobile phone, all the comments show up as made by me….
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  That is VERY strange Dan?!? Can’t say that I have ever had a problem with Disqus myself, certainly not what you are describing anyway. You should get in touch with Disqus directly, sounds like a problem with your site.
http://becomemade.net/ DavidCrowell

I own 68 sites and maintain about 30 customers sites. When I see comment luv on a blog I am reading I think yay free link and hurry just to say something to get my link. Then for some reason I just move on forgetting about the blog in general. However when I see Disqus I know normally I am entering a conversation and what I say will be read at the very least by the article writer. So I go over the blog again and ask any questions I may have or add my experience with what the article talked about. A lot of the time I get a reply. So what commenting system is on all of my blogs and customers blogs Disqus because I want to know what people think and my customers are surely there to know what people think..
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi David,
  
  Wow, that is a lot of sites!!! I find running a couple tons of work, so you must be like a super hero!
  
  I use Disqus for similar reasons. I find that generally (not in all cases) the comments left on Disqus sites are of a higher quality. I think many people see CommentLuv as a quick and easy way to get links, so they will just leave lots of small comments that don’t really add anything to the conversation. This is why published lists of CommentLuv blogs are so popular, as people use them to spam links.
  
  Now, I do stress that I have nothing against CommentLuv. I just feel that it attracts people for the wrong reasons. I comment on blogs that use CommentLuv all the time, but not for the link. I comment if I have something to say about the post that I have just read. That is the best way to approach blog commenting.
http://www.giftsspace.com/blog Online Strategies

I love Disqus simply for its reliability and the neat interface. It’s provides a unique community environment around your discussions. Another advantage is that you get instant notifications when someone replies on your comments. Having disqus in a blog makes it more professional and attracts only genuine comments.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Yes, one of the big advantages of Disqus is its interface. Works perfectly across different devices and it’s pretty reliable. Also love that I get notifications when someone replies to one of my comments (either by email or in the Disqus section of ANY website that uses it).
http://insidesickcure.blogspot.com/ Eve Adams

I totally agree with mr. Andy. If you think that the comment was not appropriate with your topic, you can delete it on the admin dashboard.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Eve,
  
  If people use CommentLuv right and, like you and Andy say, delete inappropriate/non-relevant comments, then that is fine. Many sites do do this and it can work pretty well.
  
  Having said that, I still see many sites that use CommentLuv leaving comments up for the sake of it. You will often see “great post” or “I enjoyed this” with nothing else offered up to the conversation. These people tend to solely be after a link, which negates the point of having comments in the first place. Blog owners don’t want to remove these types of comments as they will reduce the ‘number of comments’ count that their article gets.
  
  This just seems pointless to me.
http://soundatventure.blogspot.com/ Mr Durian

Hi Matt,

First off nice article
I’ve read though most of the comments and I am awed by the intensive genuine quality comments.
I just started using disqus today I must admit that the main reason to why I use Disqus is because of it’s free service. Hopfully my blog’s comments will one day be much more interactive like this.
Of course Writing good article Getting genuine reader and keeping it interactive is better than unnecessary backlinks building.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Welcome to Disqus!
  
  It can be tough to get any comments on a site when you first start, no matter what comment system you use.
  
  The best advice I can give is to try to follow up on all the comments you get. As your site grows, people will see that you are a helpful, engaging person, making it more likely that people will comment. It certainly seems to be working for me, and I’ve had no spammy links left by commenter’s to worry about
  - http://soundatventure.blogspot.com/ Mr Durian
    
    Thx for the advice Matt. Yeah is tough Still working hard on it haha. Well lets see how it goes..nw I am concern with whether disqus promoted discovery feature will affect page ranking.
http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith

Yes, I love that feature as well. A few of my favourite blogs also use Disqus, so it’s great to be able to see updates on my site whilst browsing their’s.

I personally feel that Disqus does make a site look more professional. The simple design and amazing functionality makes it one of the best plugins that I use on this site.
http://kylemjones.com/ Kyle Jones

Thanks for the information. I was considering changing my own site from Disqus to CommentLuv…until I read the above. You presented a great argument and backed it up with information to substantiate it.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Kyle, glad you found the post helpful.
  
  I always think that it is easy to present an argument, but trying to backup what you are saying is where the work needs to be put in.
  - http://kylemjones.com/ Kyle Jones
    
    Thanks, again. I’m curious – however – and am going to try Commentluv for a few days. Not to backtrack what I said earlier – but only for my own social media curiosity. lol!
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      Let us know how you find the difference. I know Disqus are looking to make some changes to their system soon as well
http://learnit2earnitwithlynn.com Lynn Brown

Hey Matt as usual you always share good and informative information that is helpful for any marketer, blogger or business professional. For me personally, I see a ‘link’ to your recent post as a good way to share additional information when other people are commenting on your posts. However, with that said, when you get large amounts of comments as you have on this post, a link to a recent post can get lost in the shuffle.

I use CommentLuv on my one blog and use LiveFyre which does have ‘editing’ features including html so you can link to your blog post, articles or videos. I think the more we can share the more social we become and people will notice that. That’s my two cents for what it is worth.

I’m looking forward to sharing this article Matt, thanks!
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Lynn,
  
  That is certainly a big selling point of CommentLuv and what I actually like about it. That said, it “can” attract spam comments from people who are purely interested in the link.
  
  I’d like to see sites only allow someone to leave a CommentLuv link after they have made X amount of approved comments. That way, it would discourage the spammers from leaving short, generic comments for the sake of it.
  
  Actually, you are an interesting one to ask on this subject Lynn. Didn’t you used to use Disqus on your site (if I remember rightly)? What made you switch?
  
  And the end of the day, I suppose it comes down to personal preference. I know a lot of sites these days use neither and just stick to the basic WordPress comment structure.
  - http://learnit2earnitwithlynn.com Lynn Brown
    
    Yes Matt I think many sites want to keep it simple, easier experience for the reader so they will leave comments. I use a plugin that blocks all ‘spam’ and short verbiage comments. I get hundreds per day, but it is easy to do one click to delete them!
    - http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
      
      Is that ‘akismet’ that you use? (think I have spelt that right). I use that and think it is fantastic. Helps cut down a lot of spam for this site.
http://twitter.com/author_srcloud srcloud.

Agree, agree, agree. I’m going to give CL the boot. Thanks for clarifying things for me.
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Not a problem! Glad the post helped you
http://www.facebook.com/braden.cobb Braden Cobb

Matt,

This post is great! I am in the process of launching my site and this is a debate that I was having with myself also. In my humble opinion, it seems like I may be better off while in the growth stage with CopmmentLuv because I need more comments in the beginning. Then switch once I have more of a following. Thought?

Also, I would love to know who you got each page on here to look like a blog roll. How did you do this? I thought blog posts could only be sent to one page? Could you shed some light on this for me? I sent you an email also.

Thanks Matt! Love your site!
- http://onlineincometeacher.com/ Matt Smith
  
  Hi Brandon,
  
  I think many people have this very debate when launching a site. Comments are a vital part of any site, so getting the right comment platform is important.
  
  I started using Disqus from day 1 of launching this site and it hasn’t affected how many comments I got. If you choose to go with CommentLuv, that’s fine, but don’t think that one will net you more comments than the other. That’s a misconception that many people have. Quality posts will always get comments, no matter what comment system you use.
  
  As for how to set up multiple blog rolls, simply create as many different categories as you want (WordPress Dashboard>Posts>Categories). Then add them to your menu bar (WordPress Dashboard>Appearance>Menus). Every post that is assigned to that category will appear in the separate blog roll pages.
  
  Just checked my email and I haven’t received an email from you. You want to send one again via our contact page.

CommentLuv vs Disqus – Why I Don’t Use CommentLuv!

CommentLuv vs. Disqus