Say goodbye to blog commenting for backlinks?

[Mike Anthony]

This is a few months old but I hadn't noticed anyone post it

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Hard facts about comment spam


Would seem that google is about to drop the hammer on blog commenting for backlinks. I say "about to" because despite what Google says they are already doing I know of quite a few sites that are ranked well on blog commenting.

The article actually directs webmasters to go back and remove them as if theres some benefit to removing the links . Don't do blog commenting for backlinks myself but I know a few people who really depend on it. still a part of me believes this is just blowing smoke because the whole point of the nofollow tag is to leave it up to admins - but we'll see.

[KateD]

Hi...

No offense, but quality blog commenting can't hurt. I'm not talking about using a program to generate a huge list of blogs and then spam the crap out of them.

But if I have a blog on acne, and I make an informative and useful comment on a related acne blog (with a link back to my blog), that can only help in ranking better.

Again, I'm not talking about blog comment spam. However, you made a blanket statement about blog commenting in general, which I would have to disagree on, especially when you state yourself that:

"Don't do blog commenting for backlinks myself.

KateD

[GeorgR.]

Originally Posted by Mike Anthony

This is a few months old but I hadn't noticed anyone post it

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Hard facts about comment spam


Would seem that google is about to drop the hammer on blog commenting for backlinks. I say "about to" because despite what Google says they are already doing I know of quite a few sites that are ranked well on blog commenting.

The article actually directs webmasters to go back and remove them as if theres some benefit to removing the links . Don't do blog commenting for backlinks myself but I know a few people who really depend on it. still a part of me believes this is just blowing smoke because the whole point of the nofollow tag is to leave it up to admins - but we'll see.

Anthony, that's old and circulating on the forums since about 1870 AD

But..on a serious side-note..i just don't buy it with the penalty and de-indexing.
Although its obvious there is such a thing as "link quality", if someone places a link where there are already 300 others linking to viagra and cialis...clear that this link has not that much value (IMHO) as opposed to a relevant blog with only 5 outbound links.

[candacemevis23]

I follow you. Blog commenting on quality blogs/sites with pagerank is no harm at all.

[Mike Anthony]

KateD

I said I don't do blog commenting. thats not something you can disagree with its what I don't do. Never made any statement across the board just about what I haven't done (yet. I'm not opposed to it in all forms.)

as for it not even being possible for it to not help. Disagree. If Google wishes to discount say wordpress blog links its VERY easy to do. The software leaves some pretty easy to detect footprints. Thats probably something that should be left to admins IMHO though. However Google does CLAIM to discount the links. It does open the door that they may make good on it.

[niche finder]

KateD I couldn't agree more...add real value. That's the key. Blog commenting was not developed so we could get backlinks. It was developed to further the conversation so add something of value to the conversation.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by GeorgR.

Anthony, that's old and circulating on the forums since about 1870 AD

But..on a serious side-note..i just don't buy it with the penalty and de-indexing.

Hi george, Yeah I figured it would be but I couldn't find a discussion with a link to the post direct from Google's blog. So just in case

Yeah the penalty thing to me is just a scare tactic from Google. I hardly think there will ever be a penalty. What I won't rule out is that they can start discounting links. Thats not a very hard thing to do for say like wordpress software. The very way that people find followed commenting blogs to use is the same way Google can identifiy them.

Their claim in that blog that they are presently very good at discounting comment links is to me pure smoke as I know many sites that maintain good ranking on blog comment backlinks.

Although its obvious there is such a thing as "link quality", if someone places a link where there are already 300 others linking to viagra and cialis...clear that this link has not that much value (IMHO) as opposed to a relevant blog with only 5 outbound links.

Yes and thats why I don't do blog commenting. Its not a philosophical or moral issue to me (although I would have to make a real comment if I did it) but that its more appealing to you to get a backlink on a comment section BEFORE you understand anything about links. After you do understand you want either blogs that are not very well known to marketers at all or you can't be bothered because the effect is too diluted.

[KateD]

Mike,

Here's what I said:

Again, I'm not talking about blog comment spam. However, you made a blanket statement about blog commenting in general, which I would have to disagree on, especially when you state yourself that:

"Don't do blog commenting for backlinks myself."

Obviously I wasn't disagreeing with the fact that you don't do blog commenting. Come on. I was disagreeing with your blanket statement about blog commenting and backlinks. And you did make a blanket statement. Here's exact what you said:

Would seem that google is about to drop the hammer on blog commenting for backlinks.

Blanket statement, right? That's what I was disagreeing with.

What you probably meant to say was "would seem that google is about to drop the hammer on blog commenting spam for backlinks."

But leaving out that "spam" word made your statement imply that Google would have a problem with backlinks created from quality blog comments. And I just can't imagine that to be true.

Much Success,

KateD

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by KateD

Blanket statement, right? That's what I was disagreeing with.

What you probably meant to say was "would seem that google is about to drop the hammer on blog commenting spam for backlinks."

Actuall wrong.

Kate I stand by what I wrote. Perhaps you should read it a bit more carefully

"commenting for backlinks" (as in commenting to get a backlink)

Like it or not commenting for the sake of getting backlinsk IS what Google and ton loads of non imers considers spam.

Programmatically your are off as well. Google has no sufficiently competent AI (because it doesn't yet exist) to determine when a link is being dropped for spam and when the comment is actually of value. We are not at the point in search engines yet so changes to the algorithm would in fact affect some perfectly legitimate (by worthwile comment standards) links.

Incidentally I think it quite a stretch of the English language to claim that a sentence that says "seems like" is actually a "Blanket statement" but if thats how you read it then that how your read it not how I wrote it.

[Sosu]

Nobody likes spam. But blocking links is not going to work either.

[GeorgR.]

What I won't rule out is that they can start discounting links.

Google has an algorithm to determine "link quality", and as is my understanding they have that for a long time already.

PR plays a role and OBL.

If you have a comment on a spammy page with many OBL your link has simply no value. Maybe no value AT ALL. From that point of view he doesnt even need to "scare" people - but its rather common sense, IMO.

By the way the best way to check real "link value" is using linkdiagnosis.com, they got the algo halfway right. Other tools use wrong calculations, for example Seo Spyglass.

There might be OTHER factors (relevancy!!!) playing a role too...but we dont have hard numbers here...but it should be obvious also.

[halfpoint]

Meh, I'm pretty sure there were a couple of threads on this topic late last year.

Honestly, I don't read much into it at all. Blog commenting is clearly a very effective way of manipulating search engine rankings so obviously Google is going to tell you it's bad.

I don't really believe anything I hear from Google, unless I see it happening with my own eyes.

As I said the first time there was a thread about this article, I'll start taking notice when all of those "buy viagra" sites that spam the **** out blogs start losing their ranking.

It was November when that article came out and still, the blog spam commenting viagra sites remain ranking as strong as ever.

[ron.the.bull]

Kate has a valid point about quality blog commenting being valuable versus spammy comments. I think a lot of people underestimate Google's algorithms. I'm certain they can determine down to the individual comment and link if its of value or spam, and weight each outbound link on many factors. They have many pieces of information that should make that easy to do.

Post quality comments, adding to the conversation, and post a link to a relevent site and its a link worth having. Say "nice comment" or other BS and post a link to a non-relevant site, and your link will be discounted.

[ppcIcon]

The game is always changing. As Google makes changes, all the IM'ers look for a new way to game the system. It will always be this way. Adapt and survive

[ron.the.bull]

Originally Posted by ppcIcon

The game is always changing. As Google makes changes, all the IM'ers look for a new way to game the system. It will always be this way. Adapt and survive

Not all IMers try to game the system. I suspect most that rely on gaming the system will not prosper in the long run.

[KateD]

Mike,

I'm not going to give you an English lesson, but yes, you can still make a blanket statement, even if you use the words "seems like".

Let me give you example:

"It seems to me that all people who wear blue jeans smell like potatos."

It's a blanket statement. It's a false statement.

KateD

[yachi]

I think there should not be any harm in doing quality blog commenting...!! Just don't overdo..!!

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by KateD

Mike,

I'm not going to give you an English lesson,

KateD

Kate I'm sorry but you never could. Your example is off. English 101 (used to teach it in college) dictates that context determines meaning. If the statement is made in the first person then it is expresing their own definite view on a subject (because a person is always authoritative on what they themselves think). If it is made about what someone else states or feels then its a possible interpretation of how that third party thinks hence -

""It seems to me that people are about to discount people who wear blue jeans because they say blue jeans smell like potatos."

or the real equivalent ot this discussion

"It seems to me that Google is about to lower the hammer on commenting for the purpose of backlinking"

Is NOT a blanket statment and is a false statement only in your imagination no matter how many times you claim otherwise or fail to grasp the nuance of the context. I'll put my understanding of programming together with their stated intentions in that post and show why the "seem" is entirely rational (in another post).

Anyway The fact that I put a question mark in the title of the thread, claimed Google was blowing smoke and oh I don't know, the fact that it is posted in a discussion forum for the purpose of discussion in addition to using the word "seem" in a certain and definable English text book context is enough for me to stand by the OP without any apologies. No blanket statement in sight no matter how often it is begged for.


English argument/lesson over - back on topic.

[paulgl]

Yeah people should have seen the writing on the wall for a while
now. Blog commenting is either going to be devalued so low it
will not even matter, or it will be uncounted period.

They tried the "nofollow" thing and things just got worse.

I do not see the same trend for forum sig links.

I for one welcome the change, as I am tired of arguing over
blogs that are nonexistent "dofollow." Google has always chosen
to follow (or count, really) what they want to. Not using a
"nofollow" tag does nothing whatsoever, except not pass PR on.

Why should I lose out to someone who can make a bunch of blog
comments? Completely unrelated to what a makes a site worthy
of being high in the SERPs.

Paul

[TargetedTrafficSolutions]

This is nothing new, Blog commenting will not hurt or help you in 99% of the cases if you are doing things as an individual that is actually adding to the conversation.

What hurts you and your domain like ebola is starting a new domain abcdotcom and then proceeding to get a spam program like evo2 / seonuke or whatever your poison may be and going to town.

So you wonder why this kind of blog commenting hurts you ?

Its pretty simple, your velocity of backlinks, quality of backlinks, use of text, anchor text and lsi keyword pattern are the complete opposite of a natural linking pattern and link graph that has been accepted by google and the group as okay.

Unless your cnn, getting 1000 new links a day from 1000 different blogs that have absolutely nothing to do with your market / niche may just seem plain fishy and can even flag a manual review.

Google in particular has been able to identify these patterns for years upon years.

And moving forward the more people play around with these little amateur tricks the more they will be penalized for it.

On top of that the volume approach to bull**** still equals bull****, most blogs will not even post or approve your blog.

Many blogs will report your domain as spam, which will go directly to the engines and once your flagged, your domain is now burned and worthless to everyone. On top of that you have potentially hurt everyone that is sharing the server with you ( didn't know that one did you, there are lawyers that are actually looking at this as an opportunity now )...

If your personal registration information is public, just watch out, the engines may aggressively start delisting any site you own and that is in their index, they are not really all that interested in giving second chances any more, and when they do you better be prepared to wait a very long time.

But here is the kicker,

If you actually targeted the blogs in your market or niche and truly participated you would end up with a few important advantages.

You would start to be a valued member of the community, which would both increase site traffic and natural linking to your domain.

You would create a positive brand association with your client base

You would be much more likely to generate potential partners within your niche

Webmasters will adjust your account so that when you make a blog comment the Rel=NoFollow tag is stripped off your post and therefore you link is followed and passes page value.

The list goes on,

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by TargetedTrafficSolutions

But here is the kicker,

If you actually targeted the blogs in your market or niche and truly participated you would end up with a few important advantages.

You would start to be a valued member of the community, which would both increase site traffic and natural linking to your domain.

Bingo and at that point you are really no longer just commenting for backlinks but truly participating. I am gravitating more and more to sites that allow for real participation. Yes I still have sites I use where I can't do too much more than drop a few lines and a backlink but I am diversifying and looking for sites where I can create much more content.

Not opposed to commenting on blogs though just more time consuming to find followed blogs that are not spammed by lots of people and thats precisely the kind of pages Google may start dropping.

[Mike Anthony]

To all those offended -

I view SEO as a long term strategy. For that reason I do try to look ahead. I realize that people get a bit defensive when you claim that something they do or have been relying on could POSSIBLY change. I'm pretty clear that I don't think it has changed yet despite what google says (you can still see as some one said plenty of viagra sites that spam and rank) but yeah its my bread and butter and those who rely on me to look at possible forks in the road ahead and take it into consideration.

So lets be clear. Blog commenting presently DOES work as a backlinking strategy. I bring this up because most of us rely on Google and as a programmer I know how easily they could discount say a wordpress blog commenting section. When I see a post with them practically warning people to remove the links and then they go on to suggest 6 possible actions to webmasters over half of which involve totally discounting the links then its something I think about and just wanted to open to discussion here (note the question mark at the end of the OP title).

Opportunity (easy to do) plus intent = possibility. Thats all

Purpose? Warn of the possibilities. Discuss the issues. Personally I think it best to balance out whatever your backlink strategy is and more so if theres smoke being blown by Google about it. Why put all or most of your eggs in a basket that Google is suggesting it wants removed for many sites.

However if the very idea offends you - no bother - just ignore and move on to another thread. Chances are all will be well but bear in mind when Caffeine was brought out Google said that it was more a technical release that would allow them to make changes going forward. The status quo is bound to change as it always has.

[WareTime]

Originally Posted by paulgl

I do not see the same trend for forum sig links.

That's not my observation. I run a very niche forum and have wacked hundreds of casino, travel and pill punters that sign up with links in their sigs. If it's happening on my tiny insignificant forum, I'd bet it's pretty widespread.

[Mike Anthony]

great sig waretime

[tjcocker]

I don't see a bunch of webmasters that are getting spammed because they aren't updating/paying attention to their blogs doing anything about deleting spammy comments. So, that one problem might not be solved anyway. Plus, people are lazy, it's human nature. Also, nobody will delete all comments with links because some of the comments are truly on-topic and add to the conversation.

It will continue to work until all blogs everywhere have become completely irrelevant. Google is only successful as long as they provide relevant search results. If a blog is deemed relevant and is one of only a few authority sources of information, then it will, and should, give authority to the places it links to. That's how the internet works. Any changes Google makes to discount overtly spammy links will always spill over into the SEO world no matter what color hat you wear.

All I know is that when I spend 20% of my backlinking efforts on blog commenting my rankings come much faster and easier than without any. When that changes, I'll change with it.

[moneymoguls]

They said the same thing years ago about Web Directory links but I still use them and benefit from the link juice. I also use blog comments and social bookmarking and benefit from them also.

Some have alternative motives for starting discussions. I always use what works and not what others say.

[hommi_16]

While I agree with the fact the blog commenting (especially bulk spam commenting) is not as effective anymore, I don't think it will hurt.

You probably heard this a billion times but heck... I'll say it again.

I can take a competitors site and blog spam them like the sun don't shine just to hurt their rankings!!!!!

[paulgl]

Originally Posted by WareTime

That's not my observation. I run a very niche forum and have wacked hundreds of casino, travel and pill punters that sign up with links in their sigs. If it's happening on my tiny insignificant forum, I'd bet it's pretty widespread.

I don't mean it that way. I mean sig links are not being discounted by google like
blog comments are.

This has nothing to do with how webmasters run their sites. It's about google
discounting blog comments. Allow comments or not. Edit them, delete them
whatever. Does not matter to google. Google will devalue any blog comment link.

You people have taken blog commenting and ruined it. Who would have thought
there would be a paid service to blog comment? Come on people. Do you
really think that would hold water with google?

Since it is impossible to tell which is spam and which isn't, blog comments are
dying.

Finding a blog in your niche, making a post about it just to get a link, and making
it sound good, is still "spam."

A blog that allows links that are not "nofollow" is just another form of FFA.

I hear many people here say, "come on over! Post a link! I don't use nofollow!"

Paul

[MayaLocke]

It would be interesting to see if they weigh the amount of text in the comment to discern whether to weigh the link.

[xops]

Originally Posted by hommi_16

While I agree with the fact the blog commenting (especially bulk spam commenting) is not as effective anymore, I don't think it will hurt.

You probably heard this a billion times but heck... I'll say it again.

I can take a competitors site and blog spam them like the sun don't shine just to hurt their rankings!!!!!

I don't think it's a matter of hurting but more a matter of not helping. According to Duane Nickull, who now works for Adobe and has worked with Google, "Google does not follow links in blogger comments!"

You can read his comments about it here:
technoracle.blogspot.com/2009_04_12_archive.html

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by paulgl

You people have taken blog commenting and ruined it. Who would have thought
there would be a paid service to blog comment? Come on people. Do you
really think that would hold water with google?

There is some truth to that. I think the real culprit however is automated tools. We want everything to be push button and a real business just can't be run that way. I have two blogs at the moment. I am open to the idea of allowing people to leave backlinks but its set to moderated only and right now I have about 47 posts wating for approval on one blog and all by someone who is posting in an entirely different language. Things like that have made me just forget about allowing ANY backlinks on the sites.

Worse many people right here suffering from really bad ignorance post dofollow forums and blog lists. Really bad move. Want to share? Do it privately by PM or email. I have found old lists in searches and I can tell you give a list shared like that months and the webmaster throws up his hand and turns all the comment into nofollow.

[paulgl]

Originally Posted by Mike Anthony

There is some truth to that. I think the real culprit however is automated tools.

That's the truth right there and why the value will take a dive.

I have tried everything on my blogs. But since 99.9999% of all comments
I was getting were spam, I just made them no comment blogs.

I have no delusions of making the blogs some huge thing like some
news and entertainment blogs are. Most allow comments, but all
are "nofollow"

I have not noticed any drop in traffic to my blogs.

Paul

[keenstyle1]

If Blog commenting isn't going to work for link juice anymore, Then India's economy is about to CRASH!!

[tjcocker]

The problem I have with this logic is that everywhere is becoming overrun with links purely for marketing purposes.

Automation for blog comments wasn't originated there. There are automated linkbuilding tools of all kinds, backlinking services, paid links, link broker sites, link sharing sites, etc, etc. So why shouldn't ALL links become devalued into nothing?

[XFactor]

I have to agree with the opinions on the automated tools.

I've used every one under the sun. Nowadays the ones available
are just versions of the ones we used back in 2005.

Find quality blogs and actually post some information with a link
back to your site and you'll be fine.

- John

[MarkAse]

Nothing like spending 10 minutes a day commenting on a few select blogs while building a relationship with those bloggers. Those types of relationships pay off huge down the road.

[bannor32]

It is absolutely worth it to spend time commenting on blogs in your niche, providing you do so with the goal of building a relationship with your fellow bloggers (and their audience). I had a personal finance blog that absolutely took off just by making regular relevant comments on 5 or 6 other popular finance blogs. One comment and gone forever isn't a very effective strategy.

[KateD]

Originally Posted by Mike Anthony

Kate I'm sorry but you never could. Your example is off. English 101 (used to teach it in college) dictates that context determines meaning. If the statement is made in the first person then it is expresing their own definite view on a subject (because a person is always authoritative on what they themselves think). If it is made about what someone else states or feels then its a possible interpretation of how that third party thinks hence -

""It seems to me that people are about to discount people who wear blue jeans because they say blue jeans smell like potatos."

or the real equivalent ot this discussion

"It seems to me that Google is about to lower the hammer on commenting for the purpose of backlinking"

Is NOT a blanket statment and is a false statement only in your imagination no matter how many times you claim otherwise or fail to grasp the nuance of the context. I'll put my understanding of programming together with their stated intentions in that post and show why the "seem" is entirely rational (in another post).

Anyway The fact that I put a question mark in the title of the thread, claimed Google was blowing smoke and oh I don't know, the fact that it is posted in a discussion forum for the purpose of discussion in addition to using the word "seem" in a certain and definable English text book context is enough for me to stand by the OP without any apologies. No blanket statement in sight no matter how often it is begged for.


English argument/lesson over - back on topic.

From your post, I can pretty much guess that you didn't teach English in the U.S. or any other country whose citizens mainly speak English. So the fact that you honestly think that you are capable of giving me an English lesson is laughable.

Look, I know that I got off topic. But the fact is that you stated that you don't do blog commenting, so don't come across as the "expert" trying to warn us Warriors about what Google may or may not do.

Sure, go ahead and express your opinion. But the fact that you have no experience with blog commenting makes your opinions on it pretty useless.

I do use blog commenting as a form of creating quality backlinks. I know firsthand the positive effects that a well written blog comment can have.

So if you want to go ahead and scare people away from blog commenting for creating backlinks. By all means do so. The more people that are "convinced" by you (again, somone with no experience on this topic), the less competition there will be for me and other marketers that actually use blog comments for backlinks effectively.

Much Success,

KateD

P.S. I have a question for you: what's a better way of creating quality backlinks? You can rrefer to your sig if you want.


Not to mention the Matt Damon avatar.

[Kael41]

Bottom line is, blog commenting still works and works very well. It just depends on how well you target your comment to the subject matter of the blog. That will go a long way in determining whether your comment sticks or not.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by KateD

From your post, I can pretty much guess that you didn't teach English in the U.S.

Born a US citizen, taught in the US and learnt it from the people who invented it - The British. Pretty funny stuff to be waving the US flag on a language we didn't invent though but again please Kate - the topic not more sniping about teaching me English.

Yes I understand you were offended because you use comments for backlinks and why you would be but I didn't write the article on Google's blog. That comes from Google so feel free to head over there and accuse them of using scare tactics. I myself will probably use commenting at some point so I would hardly scare people completely away from it. I've said now several times it works and I am not against it entirely. Do I think Google is after it? Yeah I can read their suggestions to webmasters in that blog to remove them in one way or the other.

In regard to my sig that you brought up - Backlink packages have no restriction against blog commenting. I always try to have a good balance when I do link building and wouldn't rule any link out. Finding that post from Google has given me pause to ever make it central and now I never would. You took my reference to not doing blog commenting as a put down but I specified the word "yet" in my second post to this thread. Not opposed to it in all forms.

Ask any of the regulars. I post often on things coming out of Google. It was meant as an update from the big guns. Reacting by being all offended wasn't necessary. Got to run behind schedule.

[tommen]

In my opinion, blog commenting is OK if you write a comment that is relevant and helpful. Comments like "nice post" or "thanks for sharing" is not helping anyone.The problem with blog commenting is that you rarely can use a keyword instead of your name for the link back to your site.Having your name as the back link is no problem if you are well known online, but for "normal bloggers" who need to rank for their best keyword this is a problem.

Instead of blog commenting, I use track backs instead.There are a few good videos on YouTube on how to use track backs.

[chimeara27]

I do some blog commenting for two years now and i don't see anything bad happens to my blog. For me it helps my blog rank well on SERPs and getting a lot of backlinks as well.

[tjcocker]

Originally Posted by Mike Anthony

Ask any of the regulars. I post often on things...

How about just leave it at that, it's more accurate?

Most everyone here tries to give good advice, or bring up useful topics, but I know I don't always deliver either. That's fine. The older I get, the more I realize I need to say "I don't know" more often.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by tjcocker

How about just leave it at that, it's more accurate?

No comprende amigo. The post referred to was from Google and I have posted their stuff before. Thats all I was saying not that I don't comment on other things.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by tommen

In my opinion, blog commenting is OK if you write a comment that is relevant and helpful. Comments like "nice post" or "thanks for sharing" is not helping anyone.The problem with blog commenting is that you rarely can use a keyword instead of your name for the link back to your site.

Yeah so people resort to making their keywords their username and it looks spammy. Bigger problem for me is finding blogs that haven't been truly spammed to death.

I don't care what anyone says if you have a link in comments with hundreds of others the value of that link is close to zero. Thats just how the linking algorithm works.

[jazbo]

This was discussed in detail last year. The Google webmaster blog post is here:

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Hard facts about comment spam

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by jazbo

The Google webmaster blog post is here:

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Hard facts about comment spam

Yo Jaz. read the first OP. the Link has always been there. Still haven't found where this was discussed before so if I missed it so did others.

[tjcocker]

Originally Posted by jazbo

This was discussed in detail last year. The Google webmaster blog post is here:

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Hard facts about comment spam

That was pretty funny wasn't it?

Yes, now all blogs are magically spam free... cough. If anything, the problem has grown worse.

No_follow is the same kind of joke. Out of the 500 people posting spam on a single site, maybe 50 will actually bother to check for no_follow, and half of them will just go ahead and spam away anyway. I know it doesn't make sense, but until all links are devalued to zero there will be link spam. Closing off leaks here and there will just redirect the flow elsewhere. It's basic physics.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by tjcocker

That was pretty funny wasn't it?

Yes, now all blogs are magically spam free... cough. If anything, the problem has grown worse.

No_follow is the same kind of joke. Out of the 500 people posting spam on a single site, maybe 50 will actually bother to check for no_follow, and half of them will just go ahead and spam away anyway.

Alot of that goes back to automated tools too. I think I have like 80 comments to approve now on this one blog I have. Unless I know them they aren't going to be approved and yet with no backlinks in sight I have one guy that just keeps trying over and over. Clearly he just sends to every blog his software finds.

[Stevie B]

Blog spammer commenters crack me up!

I clearly state on my blogs that EVERY coment is checked by a human but I still get some muppets (or robots) adding the most ridiculous comments which haven't a chance in hell of being approved.

The ones that really give me a giggle are the very amateurish attempt at making a 'genuine' comment in the hope that, once approved, the commenter will have some sort of 'VIP pass' which will allow them to post anything. Usually these are written in such poor english you can guess they're being done by someone earning cents per day.

Guess it takes all sorts to make the world go round!