Guide: Best 3rd Party Commenting Systems for your Blog

Online feedback and commentary have advanced significantly over time. From guestbooks to forums and feedback forms, to modern third-party comment systems that are compatible with any programming language or script, the evolution of online comments has been remarkable.

Third-party comment systems offer a range of features beyond simply allowing readers to leave comments, such as backend management, spam protection, social media integration and theme customization.

Today, I’m highlighting three popular third-party commenting and discussion systems used by bloggers and website owners: Disqus, IntenseDebate, and LiveFyre. I’ll discuss their key features – both the pros and cons – as well as provide useful links for further reference.

1. Disqus

Disqus is the most popular comment management system among bloggers and website owners, with 75% of websites using a third-party commenting system relying on it. Launched in 2007, the platform now serves over 750,000 websites.

Signing up with Disqus is the first step to easily integrating it with your website. Once you’ve done that, head to the Import / Export section for instructions on how to transfer existing comments from platforms such as WordPress, Blogger, Movable Type and other comment systems into Disqus.

Disqus is designed to be mobile-friendly, with an interface that automatically adjusts to different media so comments remain unaffected when readers switch to a mobile browser. Additionally, Disqus offers a mobile app for site owners to manage comments and their communities on the go, available for both iPhone and Android devices.

Commenting on a Disqus-powered system is fast and easy. Site owners can opt to receive email notifications when comments are posted, allowing them to respond quickly. Commenters can also add media such as photos, links and videos to their posts.

Disqus offers three subscription-based plans with premium tools, allowing users to get more out of their commenting system. The core platform is free.

Disqus, a popular online commenting platform, has added new features that can be beneficial to users.

This plugin enables website owners to manage comments more effectively, with features such as search engine compatibility, integration with Akismet, guest posting and OpenID/social network login options, comment marking via admin panels, blacklist/whitelist and word filtering capabilities, and the ability to view Tweets and other comments.

Disqus, the official website for the popular comment platform, offers a range of features including a blog, Premium subscription service and demos for both users and developers.

2. IntenseDebate

Mentioning Automattic, the company behind WordPress, PollDaddy and Akismet, is the best way to sell IntenseDebate.

Using the same team that created WordPress, IntenseDebate is a great option for those looking to add a third-party commenting system to their blog.

IntenseDebate’s reputation points system encourages thoughtful and constructive comments by allowing users to reward them with points, which then appear at the top of the comment thread. This feature is a great way to promote quality discussion.

IntenseDebate’s email notifications to commenters when someone responds to their comment encourages further discussion and helps keep readers engaged.

IntenseDebate offers users the ability to flag inappropriate comments, just like Disqus, and also provides an option to specify the reason for the report.

IntenseDebate allows users to post comments and tweet simultaneously, providing an opportunity to draw more attention and traffic to the main page.

Commenting on WordPress sites just got easier with the introduction of a new plugin that allows users to log in via OpenID, Twitter, Facebook or WordPress.com ID and access features such as comment statistics, most recent comments, most popular comments and top comments. Developers can also take advantage of the plugin’s API to add PollDaddy polls and embed YouTube videos for an even more engaging discussion.

IntenseDebate appears to be slower than Disqus and LiveFyre when it comes to loading speed, though it could be due to my setup or internet connection.

IntenseDebate offers a range of features, including an official website, blog, WordPress plugin and help page. Users can also contact the company for assistance.

3. Livefyre

Livefyre has entered the third-party commenting and discussion systems market, and is already making a strong impression. Despite being relatively new, it’s quickly becoming a favorite among users – including myself.

Disqus and IntenseDebate have nothing on this new platform: it’s easy to use, highly engaging, and packed with features.

Livefyre enables users to tag other commenters in their comments, similar to how it’s done on Facebook, with the ‘@’ symbol. It also supports tagging of users from LiveFyre, Facebook and Twitter.

Users can now post comments on Twitter and Facebook simultaneously, as well as share other people’s comments.

People who “follow” a conversation on Livefyre are automatically notified when there is an update, allowing them to keep track of how many commenters are online and engaged.

Livefyre, a social media platform, offers several features that make it stand out from the competition. These include real-time content curation, moderation tools and analytics to help users better understand their audience.

This platform offers a mobile-friendly interface with a centralized admin panel for comment moderation, as well as support for voiceover and user ratings. It also provides login to social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and features blacklist/whitelist and spam control.

LiveFyre, the leading provider of real-time engagement solutions, offers a website with a demo, features, blog and help page. Get the most out of your online conversations with LiveFyre’s comprehensive suite of tools.

Let me know if you have experience with any of the comment systems mentioned, or if you prefer to stay with WordPress’ own comment system and others.

Best 3rd Party Commenting Systems for your Blog: benefits

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Final note

We hope you found our guide to the best 3rd party commenting systems for your blog helpful. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. And don’t forget to share the love and spread the word!

Have questions about the best third-party commenting systems for your blog? Need to correct misinformation or add an alternate method? Contact us via our contact page, social media accounts, or Telegram channel. We’re here to help and answer your questions within 24-48 hours (weekends excluded).