Reading time: 4 – 7 minutes
When I started using Keywordluv on this dofollow blog, relevant improvements happened—increased number of comments, traffic, and page views. However, I have also noticed that my leniency has got into my limits and is now hunting me down.
Perhaps, I was just a little too unprepared on what exactly I am getting into when I decided to go this way but starting today, I’m making significant and a little tighter changes when approving comments so basically I’m putting up a Comment Policy.
Why do I have to come up with a comment policy when I don’t even plan of doing it ever when I started to blog?
Well, I’m forced to do so and I’m making it clear. Let me tell you what compelled me.
The benefit of getting backlinks through commenting on dofollow blogs is something that commentators should be thankful for especially to the blogger but if it has gone overboard via Keywordluv abuse that’s when you have to draw the line.
It came up to me that there were people abusing Keywordluv by dropping all their keywords as much as they can by using Name@YourKeywords on the name field for the same URL. It was very disrespectful and abusive to the fact that these guys are dragging my site as a link farm!
Another case was this guy using the URL field on the comments form to point to a specific article which was all about dating and that I’m sure his using this blog to get visits for that post. Not to mention people dragging different URLs using the same name and different keywords. Do your business somewhere else!
There was one guy that I’ve spared. He’s doing the same as above although he tried to keep his comments relevant, I just can’t stand the keyword dropping anymore so I just simply edited the name field and removed all the keywords after his name which I’ll do the same for the rest of these guys from the screenshot below:
Keywordluv abuse on blog comments
From now on, I’m not going to tolerate this abuse. I’ve completely removed Keywordluv from this blog and I’ll be implementing a comment policy.
In line with these changes, I’ve also adopted the use of No Follow Free plugin for WordPress. This allows dofollow blogs to control dofollow within the comments only after a commentator has left significant number of comments on your blog.
I’ve had enough of this abuse and these guys need to get a grip of discipline. I’m not taking back dofollow but I’ll be implementing some guidelines that’s for sure will keep this blog free from abusive link dropping and from those people that had been paid to do these link dropping scheme on dofollow blogs who normally left lame and coined comments without getting the gist out of the post.
From now on, I’m placing a Comment Policy which will contain the following guidelines:
- No use of keywords on the name field. Strictly nicknames or humanly recognizable names only is allowed. Keywordluv is no longer used so keyword dropping is a no no. Break this or you’ll be mark as spam!
- I’m getting the service of an email verifier so I’ll be checking on the email addresses on the name fields for validity. If I find invalid email addresses, I’ll mark it as spam including the IP where it belongs. No Yahoo emails (all extensions) or AOL email addresses allowed in the comment email address field. Rest assured that all emails still remain 100 percent secured.
- Offenders caught in the act will have their comment marked spam and submitted to Spam Assassin including their IP address and will totally be banned from this blog including the website IP they represent will be castigated as I’ll report it to your web host for spamming.
- Do follow within the comments will only be lifted after 5 (five) approved comments. Five comment attempts within the same day are not allowed and is considered spamming so don’t game the rules!
- Spell check and/or grammar check your comments before submitting because I don’t have time to edit those otherwise I’ll delete it and you’ll be wasting your effort.
- Using several emails attached to different URLs or Names attached to different emails or any combination thereof will subject your IP to being banned for life.
- Stay relevant to the topic and offer your insights to add to the conversation otherwise you’ll end up in the spam together with those guys that are paid to leave comments on dofollow blogs. So clean up those acts!
Giving back to my readers some link love through dofollow and traffic to their sites via Commentluv is an act of appreciation but abusing a good deed has its limitations.
Bloggers who had been on this scenario knows that this has been going on and for once I’ll be holding on some boundaries which I’m sure is clearly understandable.
You can tell me your reactions, suggestions or related experiences on this issue in the comment’s section. Thank you.
Suggested for further reading:
- Keywordluv WordPress Plugin and Commenting On Do Follow Blogs Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes The first thing I would like mention on this post is to give thanks to all of you, readers of Software Critics. As you all know, I’ve just switched this blog to dofollow a few weeks back and the results are amazing. Comment numbers really...
- Effectively Combat Comment Spam on Blogs with WP-SpamFree Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes My blogging streak kicked-off as you all know from blogspot.com and when I finally migrated into WordPress, I primarily used Akismet to combat comment spam. Akismet was useful although there are times when it seems like I’m doing much of the work filtering spam...
- Using Blog Comments for Reader Support Issues Reading time: 2 – 4 minutes The comments section of a blog is probably the most dynamic part where most interaction happens. It’s a conversation medium to say the least. However, in terms of dofollow blogs (meaning comments are given weight with pagerank juice equal to a vote on Google...
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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, that was annoying, whether Askismet couldn’t recognize it as spams?
Taufiq Hasan´s last blog ..Awesome Feature on Google AJAX Translation
Hi Taufiq,
I don’t use Akismet because if I was, I could have quit having this blog dofollow in just a week. However, I don’t think Akismet could detect it as spam either because most of the time, these comments contain valid emails and URLs left by those people being paid to do this horrible job for someone else.
Hmm, maybe you need a custom comment blocker, then you can easily block the spams..
.
Taufiq Hasan´s last blog ..Awesome Feature on Google AJAX Translation
Thanks for the suggestion thou but I got it all under control. Once I caught an offender, he’ll surely get what he deserves.
I agree and have never allowed anyone to comment without using their real name. I see many people trying to create a comment and the name they use is SEO Experts. I simply delete the comment even if it is real and true. I don’t have time for this crap and to be honest nor do my readers.
Great decision I’m also following you with this.
Hi Brian,
It’s so nice to have you here! I’ve been so lenient about this for sometime so it was abused but now I’m not tolerating anyone who would break my rules.
Welcome to my blog and thank you for your comment.
I very quickly learned that having dofollow would attract the kind of people that comment only to get something for themselves without making any contribution to the discussion so I removed it too.
keywordluv is plugin that I never even considered adding, the type of folk that keyword stuff their names are out for their own benefit and not the kind that add to anyones discussion unless they can take something for their own site, many times it’s not even a blog they’re trying to benefit!
having a comment policy is a good idea, good for you. The problem with them is that the people that are comitting the offense are the ones that don’t read it!
good luck with your site, don’t let the idiots get you down!
Andy Bailey´s last blog ..5 Ways to get more (comment)Luv
Wow, it’s nice to have Andy Bailey comment on my blog! Thank you for the comment and the advice. I really appreciate it. Having used Keywordluv and making this blog do follow both gave me priceless lessons about blogging and setting up boundaries. We learn from our mistakes and it make us realize that we’re actually doing something that we thought is helping others but the truth is, it’s hurting ourselves.
Commentluv on the other hand is on a different level and it’s something that I’d be keeping for as long as I blog.
Comment policy comes in handy after all. Now that I have set some guidelines, I believe that it’ll help me get into the right direction.
It’s a shame it had to come to this but I fully understand you adopting a comment policy. I’ve had one for a very long time, I’ve even have a couple of lines on the comment form, and I still get the abuse. I either spam, delete or delink the comment depending on the abuse level.
Sire´s last blog ..Sire’s Tale Of Johann Herbig The Man Who Lived In A Tree
This really wasn’t planned, Sire. But I have no choice.
hey,
u had left a comment on my site, came here following the commentluv link in ur comment.
Thanks for this post btw, i was using the normal dofollow plugin. Switched over to this plugin. Working well. Wondering if I should set the number of comments needed to around 2-3.
Alfred´s last blog ..Facebook Instant Messenger (IM) – Use Facebook Chat outside Facebook
Hi Alfred,
I would recommend that you should set a number of comments before you lift the nofollow on your comments depending on what you are comfortable at. I have set mine at five to discourage drop by commentators especially those that are being paid to do so particularly links from businesses.
Thanks for leaving your first comment.
That’s always the way it is. A few people abuse something and ruin it for everyone. You would think folks would grow up…maybe one day. Good Post!
Note: Keywords are removed as per Comment Policy.
So, when you have for an “example” a good post and people just don’t what to add anymore and just want to thanks to you for the post what should they type in the comment form?
Joey´s last blog ..Best Home Businesses for People 50+
Hi Joey,
In that case, I’d always assume that people will use their common sense.
I’ve never heard of the keywordluv plugin, I got here from the commentluv site actually – I just signed up for that. I use spam karma 2 to spare me from the daily task of moderating dozens of spam comments.
Robert´s last blog ..How to Overcome a Mental Block
I think that this is a little bit harsh, If someone doesn’t know these rules and accidentally breaks them by putting a yahoo email or something they get their IP address banned for an honest mistake. I think that you should make there be different gradients you know, 1st time you email them, 2nd time you… I don’t know but banning them for a honest mistake is (in my opinion) going a bit to far.
Hi Chris,
Thank you for voicing out your opinion and I appreciate it. Actually, I’ve been approving Yahoo emails contrary to what I’ve said in this post. I find it cumbersome if I were to scan all emails for validity. I trust my readers as much as my commentators like you so I don’t mind whatever emails they use as long as the comments are genuine and thought-full.
I am starting to see more and more why keywordluv is no longer supported by many blogs as it is so easily abused by spammers. Though I agree with Chris ands it’s good to see you have reconsidered a ban against yahoo emails. Because it just isn’t a very common rule on most sites so many genuine posters will be unaware.
I do not approve any spam whatsoever on my blogs and none are spared I even write entries about how to comment on blogs so I see no reason to excuse spammers. The content of their posts and the name they choose should be the only factors used to judge them though.
Justin´s last blog ..One Way Links with Article Submission
I can see why many blogs don’t allow this. Seeing make money online or funny t shirts in the username is an eyesore. It’s like seeing a wart on the face of a girl that would be good looking other wise. These days it’s hard to get away from the fact that someone is always trying to sell you something. I can’t even watch the t.v when comes on at the gym anymore.
@Ryan,
You’ve hit my point. That’s one of the reasons why I just hate that plugin. Selfish people abuse the system thinking that they can just get away with it. Well, maybe not for some.
Yes, this happened to me too especially with the Top Commentator plug-in. I decided to remove the Top Commentator plug-in. Too much hassle and issues – not really worth over getting more comments, in my opinion
And that’s why I removed your “@yourkeywords” right beside your name. Sorry, but “no keywords” allowed.
Well, rules are there for a reason, but there’s just this tini tiny problem– I was kind of scared to comment.
I read your rules over and over before deciding to comment, and if I didn’t I would have done something wrong. I actually use inzoneinternet(at)yahoo.com for all my interactions, right now I placed my gmail in your comment box E-mail* field, but I don’t use that at all so you can’t expect me to answer from there. (Is this rule just outdated? I saw this post fresh from BlogEngage though even if this is a very old post).
I actually have a totally opposite view of spam. I use Keywordluv and I am very happy with it. I actually made a post about this (below), but in summary, I don’t hate spammers at all. My blog has a lot of these ‘spam viruses’ but it’s actually a sign of good health for me. I didn’t get much spam before and it was just sad. I know it’s better to get real commenters who are not just in there for a backlink, but hey, they gain a link from me, I gain traffic from them, so I’m not one to complain.
@Tini Martz
Glad to see you here. All I can say is, “to each his own.” You love spam more than I hate it. Just don’t spam my blog.
I agree, I recently did the same thing using the same DoFollow Plugin I get so much trash comments that I set mine to 10+ comments before they go DoFollow, just because someone abused it by comment on a bunch of post multiple times.
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