YouTube has become the go-to place for creators to share their content and earn money while doing so. Viewers and creators all over the world come together on this platform to focus on a wide variety of topics. Although the content created for YouTube is posted in video form by content creators, the comment section represents participation from the viewers. In this way it is not an entirely one way street. So how does a YouTuber manage their comment section?

Engagement According To YouTube Algorithm

YouTube considered views, likes, dislikes, comments, and even comment likes as proof that the content is engaging. In fact, you can buy YouTube comment likes as a way to boost your channel and manipulate the algorithm to your advantage. YouTube’s stance on the top is that, if people are interacting with a video by commenting on it, liking it, or discussing in details on the comment section, then the video is keeping people on YouTube for a longer time. Of course, that makes it a better video for placing ads on, which is the main source of revenue for YouTube. 

Trolls In the Comment Section

Unless you’re completely new to the internet, you should already know what an internet troll is. They are people who start up internet fights or make hurtful comments intentionally. As a content creator on YouTube, you’re gonna need to grow thick skin. No matter how enjoyable and well-produced  a video is, there are bound to be some internet critics with harsh comments about the most mundane details. The psychological strain that content creators face due to the negativity in the comment section cannot be measured. 

Some YouTubers (or other social media content creators) prefer to ignore the comments entirely. They do not read the good, the bad, or anything else in between. One of the most famous advocates for this method of dealing with trolls is comedian, MMA commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan. He repeatedly claims on his podcast that he never reads the comments on any of his social media, to avoid the trolls and keep his sanity. Given that he has millions of followers on YouTube and Instagram, it sounds like good policy to keep. 

Benefits of Reading (and Commenting) on The Comments Section

Despite the ever-present internet trolls, the comment section is still a useful feature to keep on. Before you go ahead and disable the comments on your videos, here’s a few things to consider. 

• People usually discuss interesting topics in the comment section of videos they enjoy. It is not uncommon to find threads containing great informational discussions. Of course, this all counts as engagement in the eyes of YouTube and thus beneficial to your channel. In other words, users commenting on your videos (whether positively or negatively) make your channel more likely to grow because your videos will be recommended to people more often. 

• If you reply to some of the comments from your fans, they will greatly appreciate it. This serves to humanize you as a content creator, and build a better relationship between you and your fans. In some ways, your YouTube channel can be considered a business, and by replying to the comments you are interacting with your consumer (the viewers) and building up your brand or persona. Naturally, if you play your cards right, this can further grow your channel and bring you more followers. 

• More often than you’d think, content creators on YouTube use the comments section as a source of inspiration. We’ve all heard YouTubers say their well-known phrase “don’t forget to leave a comment below..” This is a tactic used to gain insight on what fans want to see next, what they liked about the current videos, and what they would have preferred differently. Taking into account that many may be trolls, the comment section can still serve as a survey of the preferences of the viewers on a YouTube channel. 

As you can see, the comments section is not all that bad. If you know how to manage and use it correctly, it can greatly benefit your channel and help propel its growth. Just make sure you don’t take anything written too literally or consider it a personal criticism.