Thaks so much for your comment. I accept with pleasure your invitation to be interviewed! Just keep me posted.

I totally agree with you. In fact, my post was sort of a Mae culpa. I have a blog about conversation, but I have a hard time starting one. I guest patience is the key. But also hard work in order to get the traffic going on my blog. Can we say that we just started a conversation with this exchange? See, the purpose of my blog is to right an essay (for my MBA) on conversations - Do they exist? Can we ignore them? This is also what my podcast is going to be about. While I am there, would you accept an invitation to be interviewed on this topic for my podcast (and my essay) somewhere in January?

Seriously though I get your point– single comments (thoughtful ones) are often as much as many bloggers can hope for– but with some savvy they can spin them into that sphere of influence I mentioned upthread–even “agreed.” How? responding to the comments, going back to the commenter’s blog and responding there, basically applying common-sense networking methods to the new media to expand their own influence bubble.

On the down side, I have seen blogs (I’m thinking of one in particular, but I refuse to link to it) that purport to represent new media thinking, but have comments at all. Plus, in one example, almost all of the posts are negative gripes about people and companies that don’t “get it.” Ironic.

Now that is not a conversation.

Thanks for your comment. A podcast on tagging is in the offing, actually — you read my mind! I’ve just been trying to get a clarification fromTechnorati about a question, so it may not be the one I record this weekend.

A blog post with one comment COULD be a conversation, yes. And you are right that short conversations can be valuable, as well. However, a single stray comment such as “you suck” or “agreed” doesn’t really equal a conversation in my eyes.

One part about blog etiquette is that if you get it wrong in a place where enough people care, you will get pounded. Just ask Rob Safuto.

I agree with John that it is god to remember to post to other people’s blogs– as well as link to them, tag them– aarggh, so much to remember to do!

OT: Bryan, will you be doing a podcast on tagging next? I’m sure a lot of people will be interested in how to use them

Another interesting note about real conversations — they tend to go off on wild tangents. The main point of my post was really to lament the willy-nilly use of the word “conversation” by social-media envangelists rather than preach on blogger etiquette. But if the latter is the chord that resonates, then the conversation shifts accordingly. Great stuff!