The DisQus system (pronounced “Dis Cus”is one of my favourite plugins, and adding it to WordPress is a breeze.
Just follow the usual steps to upload and activate it. Then, check the options to integrate it into your site. I love Disqus (I use it, but there are other systems that offer similar features like the Intense Debate WordPress Comments System) for a few reasons.
Why Disqus?
Firstly, DisQus has a few styles to choose from in regards how it appears and the functionality it presents under the Customize tab. The three themes are Narcissus, Classic A and Classic B. And although they are not amazingly different in appearance, they offer subtle changes in layout such as moving avatars from the left side to the right, more options control and similar other tweaks.
The Appearance tab allows you to select which options suit you best very quickly. It even allows you to upload a custom avatar for unregistered users, display relative time stamps on comments and other bits and bobs. The system even supports customised CSS in the final tab with some neat support to let you edit the appearance of the system, if you wish.
Of course, moderating options are also available on the system, allowing you to decide who can comment and in what manner. This depends on whether or not they’re registered. If they include a link in the comment, it may also be flagged until you ok it to be displayed, helping to cut out spam. Also included on the moderation section is a blacklist and white list of users, if the highest form of moderation is activated.
The general options on the system allow you to set up the site description, details, and most importantly, you can select the options you want regarding the use of social networks as well. This functionality allows you to integrate FaceBook and Twitter, to name but a few, so that comments are tweeted out by the commenter to their network, offering a nice promotional opportunity for your post and for them.
Neat, tidy and all in a simple and easy to read and understand layout.
But, there’s more.
Once you have the DisQus account setup, you’ll create a public profile page with all your details and information listed from your own blog as well as from any other blog you comment, which uses the DisQus system. This means that you effectively create a new “micro-comment site” on DisQus, all centred around you and your comments.
This lets you go to one single place to see all the comments you’ve made on other sites and return to them to review or monitor further responses (They have to use DisQus as well, of course). The profile itself also allows you to “advertise”, effectively, your main site or blog and your other social profiles as well, adding a nice backlink and of course allowing viewers to find out more about you easily.
Here is my DisQus Profile so you can get an idea of how it works:
Justin Parks on DisQus Comment System
The final part I want to cover is also great if you run more than one blog. Adding Disqus to each blog allows you to apply yourself as a top level moderator or admin to each site. This effectively means you can login to DisQus directly and mange multiple comment systems from one place, a real time saver and super efficient.