I haven’t posted in a while – I’ve simply been too busy, but I got one comment on my blog today that annoyed me! So I’m here for a rant!
I get a lot of comments on Skillett.com, an awful lot are filtered out without me even seeing them by WP-SpamFree:
WP-SpamFree has blocked 23,910 spam comments!
Things that get past that are still often identified as spam by WordPress and deleted… Then there’s the rest….
More often than not they fall foul of my commenting policy, I created this policy a while back for a couple of reasons – the biggest being that I’m a dofollow blog and I didn’t want my blog full of spam (who would!?).
DoFollow
DoFollow means that if a link is active for more than 24 hours on this site, then we’ll make it a DoFollow for the purposes of SEO rewarding contributors for their work. It’s that simple. Actually there’s a lot more to it, but in it’s simplest form if you contribute here it’s a little thank you!
Commenting Policy
However, the biggest reason I end up removing things is:
Comment Form Guidelines: The comment name field must be filled in with a proper or legitimate sounding name and URL. You may use a nickname or your site/blog name but any comments using keywords, spam or splog-like URLs, or suspicious information in the comment form will be edited or deleted.
And just above the comment field it says:
PLEASE: Take note of the commenting policy, using keywords instead of your name will only result in your comment being deleted or the link removed.
Use your name and actually get a ‘dofollow’ link to your site!
What’s happened?
I think this is all pretty fair as it’s my site and I make the rules 🙂 If you comment with your website name, I’ll “probably” let it through so long as it’s a website I feel is in context and that your comment is legitimate (believe me there are a lot that aren’t!).
So here’s the comment I get today:
Hello, just to let you know as an SEO guy myself that a link using my real name plus dofollow is of absolutely no value. The only exception is if my name were to be bob smith for instance and my domain name were bobsmith.com – so otherwise there is no value to this linking policy.
I see the authors point a little, that using his real name is of little value to get SEO value for him (other than an inbound link), but he can use his website name. It’s clear he’s just here looking for SEO points rather than interested in the content. Now whilst I am a DoFollow blog, I’m not going to give away SEO points just like that….
Interestingly he did use his website name (but as two separate keywords), which I may have considered as being valid (or edited it to fit), he posted it on a youtube video about cameramen (not in context). If he’d posted it somewhere I was discussing commenting, his comment would be up by now and a DoFollow link in 2 days. Sorry – that’s the way it is…
A Reminder
The commenting field isn’t just there for you to get points for your blog/website!! It’s to engage in worthwhile conversation, if your comment adds to the discussion, provides a different viewpoint or is generally in context I’ll let it through with your name or your website name and a link that is DoFollow… Stuff it with keywords and it’s of no value to me and nothing comes for free in this life, it will be deleted.
Thank you
I started my new WP blog about 4 months ago, and I already have over 5,000 spam comments in my Que!! It’s annoying isn’t it? Comments aren’t for SEO, comments are to add to a conversation. I know exactly what you’re talking about. As long as spammers are alive, there will always be these types of emails.
I do agree with your policy. Its because, I feel that when u are spammin a website, you missuse the resource it provides to you. I also visit many sites and blogs to get links to my website. However, I dont just put in keywords and say, ” what a great blog’ without even reading it. I Make sure to read the blog so that while posting my link in that blog, I can also give the blog owner something in return. After all, today is the word of mutialism.
Hey Keiron – I can see both sides of this argument but honestly if someone leaves a well thought out comment who cares if they put keywords in the box? There is intelligent thinking and then there is spam.
@ Bill I do adopt intelligence when making a spam decision, but I do receive masses of spam that is just people doing “Great post” to get themselves a link, as I’ve said before I don’t mind giving out some link juice, providing they are giving something back!