Marking Feedback as Helpful
When someone takes the time to give you valuable feedback on your solution, you can recognize their effort by marking their comment as helpful. This simple action rewards quality feedback and encourages more of it in the community.
Table of contents
What "Marking as Helpful" Means
Marking a comment as helpful is a way to:
- Acknowledge valuable feedback: Show appreciation for insights that improved your understanding
- Reward the commenter: They receive mentor points for their contribution
- Signal quality: Help identify community members who provide excellent feedback
- Encourage more feedback: Motivate others to take time giving thoughtful reviews
Think of it as a "thank you" that also benefits the broader community by highlighting who provides quality mentorship.
How to Mark a Comment as Helpful
Only the author of a solution can mark comments on that solution as helpful. Here's how to do it:
Step 1: Navigate to Your Solution
Go to your profile and find the solution that received feedback, or access it directly from a notification.
Step 2: Find the Comment
Scroll down to the comments section below your solution. Locate the comment you want to mark as helpful.
Step 3: Click the "Mark as Helpful" Button
Look for the "Mark as helpful" option associated with the comment. This is typically displayed as a button or link near the comment.
The comment will now be marked as helpful. The commenter will be notified and awarded mentor points.
Additional Notes
- You can mark multiple comments as helpful on the same solution
- Once marked, you can undo this action if clicked by mistake
- Only genuine, substantive feedback should be marked as helpful
Why It Matters: Mentor Points
When you mark a comment as helpful, the commenter receives +20 mentor points. This point system serves several important purposes:
For the Commenter
- Recognition: Their expertise and effort are acknowledged
- Reputation building: Accumulated points demonstrate their value to the community
- Motivation: Encourages them to continue helping others
- Profile visibility: Higher mentor points can increase their standing in the community
For the Community
- Quality indicator: Helps identify skilled reviewers
- Feedback incentive: Motivates members to provide thoughtful reviews
- Mentorship culture: Reinforces the value of helping others learn
Encouraging Quality Feedback in the Community
By marking feedback as helpful, you play a role in shaping the community culture:
What to Mark as Helpful
- Comments that teach you something new
- Specific, actionable suggestions that improved your code
- Feedback that explains the "why" behind recommendations
- Reviews that point out issues you hadn't noticed
- Comments that include helpful resources or examples
What Not to Mark as Helpful
- Generic comments like "looks good" without substance
- Feedback that was incorrect or misleading
- Comments that were rude or unhelpful in tone
- Spam or off-topic remarks
The Ripple Effect
When you consistently mark quality feedback as helpful:
- Commenters learn what kind of feedback is valued
- They're motivated to maintain or improve their review quality
- Other community members see what good feedback looks like
- The overall standard of feedback in the community rises
Building Relationships with Helpful Mentors
Marking feedback as helpful can be the start of valuable professional connections:
Recognize Regular Helpers
If someone frequently provides great feedback on your solutions:
- Make sure to mark their comments as helpful each time
- Consider following them to see their solutions
- Leave quality feedback on their work in return
Express Additional Thanks
Beyond marking as helpful, you might:
- Reply to their comment thanking them for specific insights
- Mention what you learned or changed based on their feedback
- Update your solution and let them know their advice helped
Build Your Network
Developers who give great feedback often:
- Have valuable experience to share
- Are active community members worth following
- May become ongoing mentors or connections
- Appreciate when their efforts are recognized
Best Practices
Be Generous but Genuine
- Mark feedback as helpful when it truly helps you
- Don't mark unhelpful comments just to be nice
- Multiple comments can be marked on the same solution
Be Timely
- Try to mark helpful feedback soon after receiving it
- The commenter gets notified and will appreciate the recognition
- It encourages them to continue helping others
Pay It Forward
- When you receive helpful feedback, consider giving feedback to others
- Use what you learned to help someone else
- Build the positive feedback cycle in the community
Marking feedback as helpful takes just a moment but has a lasting impact. It rewards those who take time to mentor others, encourages quality reviews, and helps build the supportive learning community that makes Frontend Mentor valuable for everyone.