In continuing with the SPAM theme from the post SPAM and Your Blog, I want to discuss how the spammers leave comments on blogs, specifically, your blog! I have seen many blogs that have comments that ‘look’ like comments, but in actuality are spam comments.
Take a look at these actual comments left for on my blog (you can click the picture to enlarge it):
So what’s the point? Why do people leave these comments? The truth is that they probably were not left by a person, rather, they were left by robots (or programs) that search our blogs where they can leave comments.
One of the reasons that people leave comments is so that they can get backlinks. As Wilkipedia states, “Search engines often use the number of backlinks that a website has as one of the most important factors for determining that website’s search engine ranking, popularity and importance. Google’s description of their PageRank system, for instance, notes that Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B.”
Since Google likes the links, spammers want to get them out there. One of the ‘easiest’ ways to get those links is by leaving ‘comments’ along with聽 the website they are ‘promoting’. As the spammers get more sophisticated, so do the comments as you can see above.
When comments do not relate to anything specifically in the content of the post, delete them. Delete them especially if the URL supplied is suspect.
I got fooled by these types of comments on my blog. Months later after one of our coaching calls with Sandi, I realized they weren’t real. I didn’t want Google to penalize me for liking to spam sites, so I went back thru all my old post and deleted all those spam comments.
@Jaime – I know! And the spammer are getting ‘better’ at leaving comments that really look real! As I wrote, if they are too generic, then I know to check the URL and 99% of the time, it is a fake comment just looking to get a backlink. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks Paul for the warning; I am going to check this a little closer. I still don;t know what a trackback is. So, every time when we make a comment we create a backlink? I am still so green in all these things and feel so behind. Want to learn it all!
@Olga – You are correct! For example, if you look at your name, you will see that it is a link back to your site! Google likes sites that a lot of people link back to. So actually, if you want to help increase your Google ranking, you can leave a lot of comments on other people’s blogs. Google will see all these links BACK to you site and think, “Wow! That must be a popular and relevant site – let me rank it higher and on the first page of the results!” (OK – I *know* that Google does not really *think*, but it was a good example!)
The spammers have robots or programs that automagically go out, find blogs, and leave these generic comments that *look* like a person left them. In fact, they just wanted to leave the link back to their site.
Hope this helps.
Thanks Paul,
I have been confused about back links.
it’s all general comments because most of the time to other people are waste of time to read a long blog. There is a secret there why they are doing that and i know it even sometimes you could not see the backlink in their comments, they are not robot they are real people.
Yes, Thomas – it is all about getting the backlinks. Sigh.
If the spam comment is one of the “Oh I love you blog ; I wish I could do as good a job as you”-type comments, I actually go through and edit out the spammers website address, but still post the comment! Make me feel good getting the positive feedback! LOL
I do the same, its great!
I am starting to see some spamming comments and so I am grateful for your advice. I would never have known what to watch for, or why they do it. Thanks. Paul, is it kosher to leave your website in the comment? I have seen a few like this, and personally I think it is spam, they are using my comments box to advertise their site. Your thoughts?
Hi Elvie – Thanks for stopping by! It is a personal preference whether or not you want to permit the website to be listed within the comment. Not only have I seen it both ways, I also do leave my site name sometimes. I think that there are times when it adds additional credibility, and other times it invites people to check out the site.
If you do not like the ‘leaving of the website’ in the comment, you can always edit the comment and remove it.
Paul, there might be many people who are confused about the spammers and get into trouble. Thanks for sharing this important information!
It’s taking me a while to wise up to the spam but other day 78 went off hubby’s site. I finally can detect better than before, but not perfect yet. Thanks Paul. Great info
So Paul, when I make a comnet like this on people’s sites, I make a backlink? What if I make a comment and there is no window to place my website; does it still work?
This is how I punish fake blog commentators by not being sincere:
1) I normally welcome spam and fake comments by re -editing it’s contents in my favor. I figure if they went to go to all this trouble just to kiss my ass so the rest of the world would take notice, I have no real problem with that. But it has to be under my terms and my terms only!
2) I will also collect, keep and archive all incoming email addresses but delete all unwanted URLs before posting. Sometimes I’ll delete their URL, retype and replcae in my own URL. Or, you cold put their incoming email address where their URL goes. You get back at them by hindering their privacy. Either way, this will prevent all backlinks and keep unwanted visitors from gaining free advertising on your site.
3) Also lookout for the biggest clue of all; broken sentences and paragraphs.
4) The most guaranteed way is to simply don’t accept it! That’s what the delete button is for…
In my study to combat fake blog comments, I’ve discovered that these fake comments are from a numbered list inwhich to choose from. At times they will forget to delete the number that goes before the comment choice. We all have our suspicions, but I believe webhosting knows more about this than anyone or anything.
But if I leave the comments there, is it hurting anything?
Bryan – I am not sure where you are referring to – do you mean on the spammers website?
Yes, sorry I should have been more specific. I just wanted to know that for the spammers, does it hurt anything to leave them up there. Most leave terrible messages that make no sense, but others are a little iffy, so I was just seeing if they are doing any harm.
It doesn’t hurt the spammer, it helps them to leave the comment – especially if you leave their website link!
I just make sure to watch all the comments and approve them as they roll in. I’ve gotten to the point where 90% of the comments I currently have are spam and dump them.
Just wanted to say thanks for your site. You have helped me in developing mine!
Hurrah! Finally I got a web site from where I know how to genuinely obtain helpful information concerning my study and knowledge.
What about the comments that don’t have a link in them and are left by “anonymous”? I have a blog through Business Catalyst, and we often get useless spam comments, but since all comments on there are are anonymous, and none of them have had links in them, I don’t know what they’re playing at. For a while, I thought it was something Business Catalyst was doing to make its customers feel like their product is working, but I can’t find any evidence for that.
Katrina – That is a great question! Let me answer it this way… Anonymous or not, if a comment does not provide value, I will usually not approve it. If the comment does not relate or identify to something specifically stated in the post, it gets deleted.
For example, a comment that reads, “Your post is very informative. I will send my friends here” is soooo generic, I know it is spam.
Here is another consideration. Most moderators will approve the first comment made by a new visitor. That comment can have no links in it (i.e., like the comments you are getting). However, once a visitor makes a comment that is approved, their comments no longer need approval (on most sites). Since the spammer got one message in, not the gates are open for more message to come in – and guess what?!?! – these comments WILL have links.
Hope this helps!
That helps quite a bit! Thanks! I knew about the spam comments with links in the name but not that they might be testing to see if the comments would get approved.
They are sneaky little buggers, Katrina! Beware!
Thanks for the post Paul, it’s eye opening. I’ll have to keep an eye out for any post that get approved without links and then subsequently send spam links.
As a general rule, Alex, it is good that you consistently check comments, even if they are auto approved. You want to try to reply to each and every comment that someone makes to help build a relationship with them! After all, don’t you feel a little better about me and this site seeing that I am responding specifically and individually to you? 馃檪
Thanks for the reply Paul, much appreciate your reply. And you’re right about the personal touch to comments.
Pretty good read, I remember when I first started out blogging I use to get all kinds of comments like this to spam sites that where pretty much junk sites.
I’ve notice in the last few years that once I turned off Trackbacks I don’t get comments like this anymore. In fact I haven’t seen one in almost a year now.
Makes me wonder if people still do this with the bots and everything or if WordPress Spam protection has gotten better in the last few years.
Richard – If you are using a plugin like Akismet or G.A.S.P, that could be the reason for the decline that you see.
Thanks for stopping by!
Askimet is a great wordpress feature but you cant beat a real user going through the comments removing link URL’s from comments and trashing the absolute rubbish.
I agree. But if you are getting hammered with spam and you have 100s of spam comments, it is nice to have Askimet weed them out so all you have to do is scan the list. You are correct – it is not 100% right all the time.
Thanks for the reply Paul, I have to say I have a lot of love for Askimet and on a whole all of the great products the Automatic team work on.
One way to fight spam is to use Disqus or add a captcha to fight these bots since I implemented this I have had any spam cause bits don’t know how to use Disqus
Yes indeed, Brittany!
I prefer NOT to use CAPTCHA (by the way, this is an acronym for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”) is that whenever I have to enter one, I myself can never read them!
This is quite helpful Paul. I want to ask a question. Does it improve SEO if there are more comments on blog?
Actually, real comments are beneficial on your website. The search engines see this as new content and see your site as being active and more up to date than a site that has not been updated in a while.
Hey Paul,
I do have a question about comments.
On the one hand I want comments on my website, but on the other hand I’m afraid of spammers.
What do you suggest usually? Its really annoying.
If you moderate your comments, it should not matter! You can easily delete the spam comments before they get published.
Thanks alot for the information Paul.
Really appreciate!
You are welcome.