Say No to Comment Spam!

I think it is true to say that all bloggers like to receive comments. It helps to remind that there are people out there reading what we have to say and would like to add to the conversation. Likewise, leaving comments on other people's blogs is a good way of getting backlinks and forming relationships with other bloggers. However, within recent times there has been a rise in comment spam - by this I mean comments that are clearly automated or bear no relation to the post. As far as I am concerned this is pretty pointless - the comments on this blog (in common with most others) are moderated. So any comments that are clearly spam will be rejected.

My personal rule for leaving comments on other blogs is that I should contribute in some way to the discussion and say something meaningful about the post. Perhaps ask a question, or perhaps take issue with what the blogger has to say. At all cost avoid an unimaginative "nice post!" type comment. In turn, I expect commenters on my blogs to do the same. However, this blog (far more than my other blogs) seems to be particularly prone to comment spam - maybe it's something to do with being in a make money online niche.

Anyway, I have decided to bring in my own rules as to what I will publish and what I will reject. Therefore the following type of comments will be rejected:

1. Any comment that bears no relation to the content of the post.
2. Any comment that has hyperlinked text within the body of the comment - unless this actually contributes to the discussion. 

That about covers it I think. This is a dofollow blog, but only comments that are not blatantly self-promotional will be published.