I’ve recently modified my message that displays after a guest leaves their first comment on my blog. I’ve received a few rude comments that leave me scratching my head, wondering how on earth you’d leave a snarky/rude/hurtful/hateful comment on the internet. I mean really, why wouldn’t you just click the little “X” in the top right corner of your browser window? Why do people find that being deliberately rude is such an impossible urge to ignore?
A few months ago, after receiving a slanderous comment about one of my clients on my blog, I decided to moderate all first time commentors. Since then, I’ve felt an added level of security – those people won’t even get one second of air time on my blog. Those people? They suck.
So here’s the message, revised:
Your first comment has gone into moderation.
I’ll release your comment very soon, if you’re a real person.
(and you should also be KIND, and drama free.)
(oh and funny would be GREAT. I love funny.)
Please come again!
🙂Please note: If you’ve used every smiley I own just for fun, or said something rude, unkind or thoughtless that is going to serve no other purpose than to insult or hurt someone you don’t even know, I’ll save you the embarrassment and delete your comment before it ever hits the world wide web. I know you don’t want EVERYONE on the internet to know you don’t think before you hit that “submit” button!
You can thank me later. 😉
Now in WordPress, you can customize your own message in your themes comments.php file. Just look for this line of code:
< ?php if ($comment->comment_approved == '0') : ?>
Beneath it there should be some text that says “your comment is in moderation” or something plain. Spruce it up. Personalize it with your own message.
Be sure that your text ends just above the < ?php endif; ?>.
It doesn’t take too much effort to set your blog to moderate – go into your “discussion” options and set “author must have previously approved comment.” – and that’s it. Once you approve someone, you don’t have to do it again.
And you, my friend, get to have the last word with that jerk that doesn’t know when to click the little “X”. Totally worth it.
{10 Comments}
It’s so weird that YOU would get rude comments. You’re so… gentle and sweet. I’m the snarky fool who should get them, and I don’t.
Like I said: weird.
Good tip, though. :yes:
pam’s last blog post..It’s all about service.
Aw that’s sweet of you to think, Pam. I get people who tell me I suck, say things like “you call that art?!” or tell me that my opinion about something is wrong, stuff like that. Maybe because my blog has been around so long that my position in the search engine results leads people to believe I am an expert and they are disappointed? I’m not sure.
One of them that stands out though was one who must have googled for someone she knew personally, found out she was a client and came to the completed portrait post on my blog and bashed the living daylights out of my client. It was enough for a slander suit – but I didn’t want to be in the middle of that. I just couldn’t believe someone would write something so horrible about someone else on a complete strangers website.
THAT’S wierd.
that’s so sad that folks get off on doing stupid things like that. Glad that you can keep them from getting their 15mb of fame. YAY!
I don’t do wordpress, but then I also don’t get any rude comments. I get a few from folks I don’t know, but never rude stuff…well maybe there was one rude thing. But I deleted it.
Renee’s last blog post..and so it continues *where’s the eyeroll smiley?*
brilliant!
My jaw is still dropped…I can’t believe people are so snarky in general, but especially I can’t believe they’re snarky to you! I am curious about your “if you’ve used every smiley I own just for fun” criteria. Did somebody actually use them ALL in one comment?
June’s last blog post..National Geographic’s “Human Footprint”
June, yes, kids/tweens especially who find photos of things and arrive on my post will do stuff like this:
LOL That’s GREAT! THX cute pix! :cloud9: :blushing: :monkey: :sing: 🙁 :brickwall: :cyclops: 8| :yahoo: :friends: :friends: :sarcastic: :greenthumb: :rockon: :rockon: :kiss: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
My 6 year old will do it on occasion too, but she doesn’t even use that many. LOL
Hi Leanne! Just wanted to say hi and I miss ya! Sorry you’re dealing with stupid nonsense. :no:
I may have to do that. I’ve recently encountered a troll on my site that will not leave me alone!
kailani’s last blog post..*Cough*Cough*Achoo!*
Ah, yes, I’ve had moderation for first-timers on since ages. Now and then some unwanted commenter arrives that has forced me to do this. I’m away so often and I don’t want the bad comment laying displayed there for so long.
…and yes, ALL the smilies has been used sometimes on my blog too, despite the fact that mine aren’t as fun as yours 😉
But, I haven’t had a proper message to them yet, I’ve been thinking of adding it and now you serve me how to! Simply perfect!
:thanku: x millions!
So what do you think about this:
“Your Ship Ahoy is written in the Ship Log awaiting Captain Lifecruiser’s approval. Meanwhile, take a stroll on sundeck in the lovely seabreeze 🙂
Warning: If you’re not behaving good, you’ll be forced to swab the deck or even thrown overboard without lifejacket, no lifebouy – and definitely no Champagne – in the most shark richest part of the Sea. No one will hear your cry for help”.
Quite tough hah? *giggles*
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