How to Identify Spam Comments & Why You Shouldn't Publish Them on Your Blog
For bloggers, comments are wonderful to receive. It's heartwarming to know people read your blog & have something to say about it. But there's something you should be aware of: spam comments! I want to talk to you about how to identify spam comments & why you shouldn't publish them on your blog.
Now I'm not talking about those generic comments from fellow bloggers that go something like this: Great post! Follow me on Bloglovin. Here's my Facebook page & don't forget to check out my blog! Those comments are pretty annoying too & the author ought to read up on the DOs & DON'Ts of Leaving Blog Comments, but they don't have the same level of harmful spam. Keep reading to learn more!
Now I'm not talking about those generic comments from fellow bloggers that go something like this: Great post! Follow me on Bloglovin. Here's my Facebook page & don't forget to check out my blog! Those comments are pretty annoying too & the author ought to read up on the DOs & DON'Ts of Leaving Blog Comments, but they don't have the same level of harmful spam. Keep reading to learn more!
What does a spam comment look like?
Spam comments may seem genuine but they are often copied & pasted, can be vague & even plain old dumb. For example the comment below sounds like it could be real. They start out by saying they rarely comment & then making a remark about readers, so it sounds like it could be a genuine comment.
But here's how you know that it's spam: the second part of their comment asks about my social media profiles because they supposedly want to follow me. Well if you actually read my post -- or any of my posts -- I always include a list of my social media profiles, so obviously this is some sort of generic spambot comment with no thought value. Followed by a random link to a strange site. No thanks!
How do I identify a spam comment?
Spam comments are often created by spambots & sometimes humans too. A spambot is an automated computer program designed to send out spam. The first & most obvious way to identify a spammy comment is if it landed in your spam comment area. That's why I make sure to approve every comment before it's published so I can monitor & control the content on my blog.
The second way to know if it's spam: most spammers use anonymous comments. They don't leave their email, their name or any way to get back to them.
Now take a look at the comment itself. It's usually generic, vague, & nonsensical. Does it have any relevance to the post or your blog at all? Do they mention things that don't pertain to you or the post? DELETE IT!
A quickie guide to identifying spam comments:
+ lands in your spam folder
+ anonymous
+ no email address or name
+ generic, vague, nonsensical comment
+ includes random link or keywords
+ includes random link or keywords
Why shouldn't I publish spam comments?
You may want to increase the number of comments on your post, but publishing a spammy comment is toxic to your blog. Spam comments are a way of spamdexing. What the heck is spamdexing? It's a way of manipulating search engine indexes. I whited out the spammy links on the comments (uh hello, I don't want to perpetuate their websites!!), but the links are often long, have random keywords, numbers & letters, & overall, don't seem right.
According to Wikipedia, when you publish their comments you indeed help them increase their ranking; the spammer's commercial site gets listed ahead of other sites for certain searches, which increases the number of visitors & possible customers. Don't help them out & don't publish their comments!
+++++++
Spread the word about spam comments. When you publish these robotic comments, you help spam sites get more views. Blogging should be exciting & engaging. Take note & don't let those spambot comments fool you! Have you had any spamdexing comments? Did you learn anything new? :]
You may be interested in reading more from my Social Media Basics series:
I installed a spam fighting plug in because I too had had spam comments
ReplyDeletebeing a blogger, I want real communication and to be able to engage with others bloggers not some robots
xx
Garland Girl
Excellent choice. Most spam comments are filtered out, but some can look like they are real. :]
DeleteGreat post! I will have to start paying attention to what is being put on my blog and who comments on the post! Really useful!
ReplyDeleteKLAUDIA CLARA
Yes, you definitely don't want to publish the spam ones! :]
DeleteGreat post! I hate spam comments and I think it's important for bloggers, particularly new ones, to know how to identify them.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Some bloggers -- old or new -- may be tempted to publish just for higher number of comments. :]
DeleteI have gotten a few spam comments, but I haven't done anything with them. I figured I'd just ignore them and that that'd be enough, but I never considered that by leaving their comments there, I'd be unintentionally leading some of my readers to their sites! Thanks for the PSA. There is work to be done! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey's
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! Good call Audrey. Delete them!! :]
DeleteThanks for the tips, Carmen! I actually think I've been pretty lucky with receiving spammy comments. I can only think of one off the top of my head, which I immediately deleted, although those generic "Nice! Follow for follow?" posts are equally as annoying haha
ReplyDeleteI might have to think about changing the settings on my blog so that I approve comments before they are published.
xx Chrystin
http://amateandarottweiler.blogspot.com.ar/
Hi Chrystin! You also may be interested in getting a plugin to ward off the spam if it comes. :]
DeleteI always delete spam comments as soon as - so annoying! x
ReplyDeleteJosie’s Journal
This was a really helpful post, especially for someone with a relatively new blog!
ReplyDeletewww.rosyoutlookblog.blogspot.com
That's awesome, Kelly! :]
DeleteI get so excited when I see I have a new comment to review but the majority of the time it's spam >:| Great and helpful article.
ReplyDeleteIt's so annoying! But if you're getting spam it means they think your site gets views; it's kind of a compliment! :]
DeleteSometimes I can't tell if I get spam comments or not - I'm still a bit confused but not as much as I was before! x
ReplyDeletehttp://increddyble.blogspot.co.uk
Usually their website is very, very random & not someone's personal blog. :]
DeleteThanks for this- so helpful!! <3
ReplyDeletewww.lipglossandpaperbacks.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you, this was really informative & helpful!!
ReplyDeleteNati xx
www.simplyartdicted.com
This is a great post! Very informative and helpful because I get stung by this a lot. I don't know if you can help me, I have the same layout, how do you put stuff in the left hand side of the posts? Cant work it out haha.
ReplyDeleteMy email is theemmalouise1@gmail.com
Emma Louise xx
theemmalouise.blogspot.co.uk
On your Blogspot account, go to your "Layout" section & you can move around the widgets to the side bar. Let me know if you read this or I can send an email. :]
DeleteThis a good information for new and old bloggers. I have a plug-in that catches them! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.robincharmagne.com/blog
Plug-ins work like a charm! :]
DeleteThanks for this! This was of great use to me, particularly as quite a new blogger.
ReplyDeleteKate x
www.theteenaspect.blogspot.co.uk
Glad to help, Kate. Don't publish them even though you may want to increase your comment count. :]
DeleteGreat tip and very helpful! :D
ReplyDeletewww.maireem.blogspot.com
Thanks for the tips!! I recently got almost 500 spam mail within 3-4 hrs. I had to use capcha plug in to prevent those robot spammer. :-(
ReplyDeleteMuch better now~~ xoxo
http://www.sweetsimpleday.com
Ugh!! That's really bad. Spambots are terrible. :\
DeleteI stopped getting this crap ever since I got G+ comment, did not miss that at all, it was so annoying!
ReplyDeleteShireen | Reflection of Sanity
Good on you, Shireen. Now it's something you don't have to worry about. :]
DeleteI never thought about it, but I've not yet had to really deal with them. Thanks for sharing :) x
ReplyDeleteOrnella || euhnella
My god, I totally agree. I haven't set my comments to be approved, but now I'm thinking I should. Im so sick of hearing "Nice post", "nice blog", "nice pics"....arghh, if you dont have anything nice to say dont say it at all.
ReplyDeletePam Scalfi♥
Great tips! This was a very useful post :) Thanks for sharing ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fineclic.blogspot.com
i AGREE! It's so annoying to see spam on a post you worked so hard on!! Loving your post and blog so i followed on blog lovin and google :) i also really loved your diy lipgloss so helpful!!! You've given some fabulous tips and im working on getting a spam bot!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day,
Rebecca x
http://rxbxcca.blogspot.co.uk/
Glad you liked the lipgloss post. It's so easy to create cool colors. :]
DeleteI moderate all of my comments and this week had a TON of spam! It's annoying but I'm always happy to see the authentic comments that are left.
ReplyDeleteDiane
www.mychaneltaste.com
Authentic comments absolutely make up for the spam ones. :]
DeleteGreat post, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteKate
Come see what I'm loving right now!
www.lamiabellavita.com
Thank you for this. I always delete spam anyway because honestly, I'm annoyed if I see spam posts on a website, so why wouldn't my readers be annoyed to see it on my site? Of course they will be annoyed! That said, I had no idea that leaving comments helps spammers! It makes sense when you think about it, but really, I don't want to help them in any way!
ReplyDeletearoseisinbloom.blogspot.com
Yep, publishing the comments helps the spammer gain more views!
DeleteThat's crazy how spammers have gotten good at making their comments look genuine :( Now I know what to look out for!
ReplyDeletehttp://Disfordreamer.com
Yeah, they often have a generic compliment but don't be fooled. :]
DeleteThese are such great tips! Thanks so much for including so much detail. I'll definitely be looking for these in the future. So helpful, girl! XO
ReplyDeleteAnna
alilyloveaffair.com
Glad to help, Anna! :]
DeleteI usually find spam comments annoying, but I didn't think much about them other than that. Thanks for sharing tips on how to identify spammers. I'll definitely be deleting spam comments from now on!
ReplyDelete-Helen
Sweet Helen Grace
Good call, Helen. They can often seem genuine. :]
DeleteThis is so useful to know! It seems like I'm receiving so much spam from these botnets lately, they irritate me so much!! I never publish them because they sound so ridiculous! Ha ha! Thanks, Carmen! xo
ReplyDelete(='.'=)
-Lauren
adorn la femme
Haha! That's a good choice, Lauren. Don't help them out. :]
DeleteSpam drives me crazy. Really. I get like 100-200 of these comments daily but luckily wordpress is pretty good in finding them by itself and put them into spam folder
ReplyDeletewww.thefashionfraction.com
Oh gosh. That's a lot & it also messes up your view count!
DeleteGlad to know about this stuff.
ReplyDeleteXO
Check my new post.
The Bandwagon Chic | Instagram | Bloglovin
Great post. I have a plugin which helps me fight with spammy comments, but there is still a lot of spam like you mentioned that somehow go through. Need to be always alert :)
ReplyDeleteI am going to delete these comments, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWorldWideValery
I'm really rubbish at keeping an eye on spam comments because I didn't realize the impact of them! I thought if I just ignored them, they've theoretically gone away- thankyou for bringing this to me attention!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely day,
goodmorningbelle.blogspot.co.uk
OMG I had no idea this was a thing. I never publish anonymous comments on my blog unless they really seem genuine but I'll be even more careful from now on !
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article, very useful =D
Feathers and Brushes | Swiss | Beauty & Lifestyle
This is such an informative post but it's made me so paranoid about my blog comments haha! Some of them have been filtered out as spam but I've posted them because they sounded genuine. Oops!
ReplyDeleteJessica Grace
I will definitely be looking out for these comments! Luckily with Disqus they're pretty good at identifying spam comments and not publishing them until you review them, so it's easy to just go in and delete them!
ReplyDeleteKat | www.kathorrocks.com
As a new blogger I didn't think twice about modifying my comments as I actually believed it would make my followers refrain from leaving a comment at all. I didn't think for one minute about spam comments. I'm so glad I read this though, because I'm going to go straight back to my blog and change my settings and review my comments to see if any of these have already been posted.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your advice, and also the comment you left for me :)
Fern | http://blackesque.blogspot.com
Whoa, no idea those were spam comments! I've gotten a couple of comments on my blog that were obviously spam because they were super vague, but if I had gotten one of those comments like the ones you listed here, I would've thought they were genuine. Spam bots are getting more and more impressive these days lol. Right after I post this reply, I'm gonna figure out how to filter comments haha. Thanks, Carmen!
ReplyDelete