Subscribe To Comments

by on Dec 19, 2008

I just finished installing the Subscribe To Comments plugin. Finally. This will enable visitors who comment to be notified of responses to the comments for that particular post. It’s a great plugin and will keep visitors coming back and being active. I don’t know how many times I’ve forgotten which blogs I’ve commented on and couldn’t find them again to view followup comments… Had the blogs had the Subscribe To Comments plugin installed, I could have opted in to receive emailed updates.

Before I go on, I should mention that the plugin site states that it’s only compatible up to WordPress 2.3.1; however, I’m using it just fine on two blogs running 2.7. I also believe that there’s going to be a newer version coming out soon…

I installed it on drivelocity first and ran into a problem with it displaying correctly. I installed it on another blog and it worked like a charm right out of the box. So, obviously, there’s an issue with the theme on this site. It took me quite some time to get it to look right due to the CSS around the form labels.

What finally got it looking right was editing subscribe-to-comments.php and replacing the php call for the label with the text, “Notify me of followup comments via e-mail,” which you should see below, unless you’re subscribed. In which case, you will see a different message with a link to the Subscription Manager.

So, now it’s working and is where I want it in the comment form. I look forward to your comments and hope you use the plugin to continue the conversations!

  • http://wassupblog.com/ Sire

    Congratulations on having the fortitude to install this plugin. I’m glad that you persevered with it even though there were some issues with this theme. I am sure that it will be worth it in the end.

    I reckon I will be the first to test it out.

    Sire´s last blog post..Share Your Biggest Challenge With Derek Gehl

  • http://vetpetinsurance.blogspot.com Lori2

    It’s actually one of the plugins I install first. Many readers will drop a quick comment, and end up forgetting about the conversation; happens to me all the time dear. It’s always nice to get the gentle reminder, especially if some one has responded to the comment you left.

    Lori´s last blog post..Choosing the Right Pet Insurance Company

  • http://drivelocity.com drivelocity

    Thanks for the comment Lori!

    This blog has certainly gotten me more into blogging and blog promotion – this plugin will surely be in the starting lineup for other blogs!

  • http://ustandout.com Diana Freedman

    I’m glad you decided to install this plugin… it’s such an easy way for commentators to keep up with a comment thread they’re interested in without having to remember to come back.

    Diana Freedman´s last blog post..WordPress Plugins that Encourage Blog Comments

  • http://drivelocity.com drivelocity

    I’ve noticed it can be a little overwhelming if you subscribe to a blog that gets a ton of comments. It would be nice if it could send you one notification for the ones you haven’t seen and then update the cookie when you go and visit, so you don’t get an email for each comment…

  • http://www.fiddyp.co.uk Andy Bailey

    subscribe to comments has been a great addition to my blog, my stats show visits coming via gmail all the time. Definitely worth installing!

    Andy Bailey´s last blog post..WordPress for business bloggers book review

  • http://www.velvetblues.com Shirley

    Yes, this is actually one of the most important plugins to install. On some blogs that don’t have it, I get frustrated when I have to regularly revisit to check for replies. Good job figuring it out. :-)

    Shirley´s last blog post..ALT vs. TITLE Attributes For Images in HTML

  • http://drivelocity.com drivelocity

    Andy, That’s great! I, too, have seen some from GMail, Hotmail & the like…

    Shirley, It’s one of those things that really should be built into WordPress, but maybe it’s better for us that it’s not. hehehe ;)