If you are using WordPress as your blog’s content management platform, there is a good chance that you are regularly bombarded with irritating spam comments. Spam comment is a very serious problem especially for very serious bloggers.
Thankfully, there are ways on how you can eliminate or (at least) reduce spam comments on your WordPress blog. Below are seven simple ways you could do this.
Use third party commenting like Disqus or even social networking sites
Third party commenting systems like Disqus and even commenting through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter is a good way to ensure that the comments you are getting are from real people and not from spam bots.
Install a ReCAPTCHA plug-in on your blog
Installing a ReCAPTCHA plug-in on your blog is another simple yet effective way of reducing spam comments. ReCAPTCHA is a type of challenge response in which a commenter is required to type a code known as CAPTCHA code before being allowed to post his comments.
Close the comment threads on old blog posts
Closing the comment threads on old blog posts, preferably blog posts that are over 100 days old, can also prevent the spread of spam comments on your blog. Needless to say, many spam robots these days opt to post spam comments in older threads, hoping that the blogger will look pass on it.
Use the spam-catching filter Akismet
Using a spam-catching filter like Akismet is a tried and tested method of preventing spam comments on a typical WordPress blog. Akismet basically filters the comments posted on your blog and track-back spam comments.
Download and install the Not a Spammer plug-in
Not a Spammer is a popular plug-in that can help bloggers in reducing and filtering out spam comments. It works like a CAPTCHA code – only simpler. Instead of typing a code, a commenter is asked to simply click on a check box to validate his comment.
Allow commenting only for registered blog visitors
Another thing that you can do to reduce spam comments is to allow commenting privileges only to registered blog visitors. Most popular private blog network communities use this type of technique to prevent spam comments so why not try it?
Comment moderation for the first time commenter
Comment moderation for the first time commenter or even for every comment posted on your blog is also an effective way of reducing spam comments. The only downside of this is that the conversations on your blog’s comment threads are somewhat derailed or halted.