If you have ever posted comments or questions on blogs or websites and then forgot to bookmark them, then you may be happy to learn that there are free blogging tools and services that will do the remembering for you. This post will introduce you to some of free comment tracking tools and services you can use so you will never miss another response.
We all have the ability to track our comments made in response to the those we receive on our own blogs from our Admin panels. Some blogs like wordpress.com blogs and self hosted wordpress.org blogs also offer the ability to subscribe to comments via RSS feeds. But, did you know that there are several free comment tracking services available for your use?
(1) Backtype
This is a real-time, conversational search engine that provides a new way of searching the web to track comments people are making about topics, issues and webpages that interest you. It’s set up to search for comments based on keywords and you can select to receive updates as they happen or in daily or weekly digests. You can use backtype to subscribe to your search results by RSS feed or by e-mail.
(2) BoardTracker
This free service helps you locate and track comments made on issues posted to forums and discussion boards. You type in your search terms and click enter. You register for a a free account and there are a number of other tools available to you that can be usedfro tracking. The search results can be delivered by RSS feed.
(3) CoComment
This is a free service for managing, powering and tracking conversations online. When using it, you can keep track of your comments across any site, share them with friends, and be notified when you get a response. If you’re blogger or site owner, you can integrate the service to power or track your conversations across the internet.
There is a Firefox extension for cocomment too, and you can get a free cocomment: your conversations widget from widgetbox for your blogspot or self hosted wordpress blog as well.
(4) Commentful
This is yet another free service that tracks comments/follow-ups on blog posts, Digg submissions, Flickr galleries, and many other types of content. When ever there is an update, a new follow-up, you will be notified instantly. To use it, either login to blogflux or register.
(5) Google Alerts
Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic. Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:
- monitoring a developing news story
- keeping current on a competitor or industry
- getting the latest on a celebrity or event
- keeping tabs on your favorite sports teams
- comment tracking
The default setting for Google Alerts is set at “comprehensive,” and will include search results gained from blogs, web sites, news outlets and Google groups. When you set up your Alerts you also specify the e-mail address and the frequency of searches.
(6) Twitter Search
If you tweet (who doesn’t these days?), then twittersearch allows you to search terms and subscribe to the RSS feed for the search results. There are also additional free services such as Twilert, that will deliver search results and updates by e-mail that help you track comments and online conversations.
Reference: The 5 Best Ways to Track Your Comments on the Web
If my readers know of other free comment tracking services, please feel free to post a comment with a link to the service you recommend.
Michelle
October 22, 2009
Great info… I often lose track of my comments on other blogs. Thanks for sharing!
timethief
October 22, 2009
@Michelle,
Thank you for visiting and for sharing your feedback too. :)
Vikas Gupta
October 22, 2009
Great info TT. I was surprised when I had found that BackType indexes comments suo moto [and you can later claim it]. I use Google Alerts profusely for various purposes.
P.S.: I can’t believe you are using the Feedjit widget! :o
timethief
October 23, 2009
Backtype provides a comprehensive service that’s very useful. I also use Google Alerts as it’s important for reputation management purposes to know what is being said about your site, who is saying it, and where they are saying it.
P.S. I’m trying out the feedjit widget on an experimental basis for a 24 hour period. ;)
Vikas Gupta
October 23, 2009
I see the experiment has ended and it is a happy ending! :)
p.s.: Your comment on my blog had gone to spam queue! I luckily spotted it! I think hosting is a poison word these days!
timethief
October 24, 2009
@Vikas
I’m planning to do a brief post on real time visitor tracking. ;)
Adi Arya Kusuma
October 23, 2009
wow, thanks,, you are my life safer dude..
nice share
timethief
October 23, 2009
Thanks for the positive feedback.
Mr. I
October 23, 2009
Backtype and Board Tracker look promising.
However, for me, best friend is the “Notify me of follow-up comments via email” option! At some times, it can be messy to have so many update notifications but otherwise, it is best method to track comments.
timethief
October 23, 2009
When it comes to the “Notify me of follow-up comments via email” option as it creates a huge email burden, I don’t consider it to be the best option for me. I only use it when I have posed a question and I’m awaiting an answer to it. Something that truly annoys me is receiving auto-generated comments by email thanking me for my comment. Yet, I know some bloggers rely on the receipt of the same as a means of tracking comments. IMO CoComment is the better way to go.
Vikas Gupta
October 23, 2009
I agree with timethief on the email burden thing! I am giving another try to Cocomment [I have used it before briefly].
P.S.: Why not make the t in timethief capital T?!
timethief
October 24, 2009
@Vikas
Please let me know what your experience of using CoComment is like. When I used it I found it to be very good.
P.S. I don’t bother to capitalize the first letter of my username as search engines don’t discriminate, and as it’s only a “handle”.
Mr. I
October 24, 2009
Well, it’s really annoying when someone uses a auto plugin to send mails. It becomes funny when bloggers make every possible attempt to make this automatic mail look like a human written one. When I got my first one, it was “I was checking your comments and found that….”, almost like a real one.
But the end is always same, “please do not this or that”!
Meam Wye
October 23, 2009
This was something new for me. I’ve found so many good tips from your blog. A Big Thank you :)
timethief
October 24, 2009
@Meam
Thanks for tha positive feedback. It’s good to hear that you are finding value in my posts.
Tom Baker
October 24, 2009
I think this would be a great tool. WordPress keeps tabs on all the ones I leave on WP blogs but I’ve been trying to increase traffic by leaving comments on other blogs as well. Thanks for the information. By the way, I hate leaving comments on Blogger. They make you jump through so many hoops. It’s almost like they don’t want you to leave a comment.
timethief
October 24, 2009
@Tom
I have found that all of these services work very well and if you try one I’d be happy to hear your feedback on the one you choose to use.
Rich
October 24, 2009
Good info. I use Topsy.com to search Twitter.
timethief
October 26, 2009
Hi Rich
I have never heard of Topsy I use twitter search. Thanks for the lead to another useful tool.
Lola
November 28, 2009
This is great, thank you I did not know google could do comment tracking
Thanks timethief!
timethief
November 28, 2009
@Lola
Setting up a Google alert for your own username and/or your blog means you will receive a report of every place in the web where that term or those terms are used. Using one of the comment tracking services will allow you to track every comment you have left regardless of where you left it.