New Comment Policy: No Keywords in Comments

I’m getting annoyed.

I don’t like it when people put keywords where their name goes in the comments. Aside from my personal preferences, it’s just not a good idea. Here’s why:

It makes it difficult for me to respond to you properly–how am I supposed to address you?
It makes you look like a cheap spammer. Don’t give me any shit about that your comment is well-written and that it contributes to the conversation. Nobody will ever know, because they will skip past your spammy keyword name and ignore your comment. You just wasted your own time. I know all the excuses, because I used to do this myself.
It makes me look cheap, because my blog is filled with comments that look like they were made by spammers. I don’t appreciate you doing that to me, and I have decided I will no longer allow it.
It simply isn’t appropriate: the comment name field is so that we can see who left the comment, not your website’s name or keywords in the anchor text of the link. It already links to your blog or site. Isn’t that enough? If your comment is good, people will click on that link. Like I already mentioned, a keyword-stuffed name field causes people to pass you by.

I don’t like doing this, but it’s my blog, and I need to maintain its quality in many different ways (I hear you snickering). Many of you who do this are my friends and people that I like and respect. If you consider yourself my friend, you will use only your name in the comments field here from now on.

Otherwise, I will delete your comment. Unlike Alister Cameron, I will not mark your comment as spam, causing you to be added to Akismet’s spammer list.

I’m not angry at anyone and nobody need apologize. I just will no longer allow it. And I suggest that you adopt a similar comment policy. Maybe we should start a movement, similar to “do-follow” and create our own little badge.

Remember: create content for people, not search engines.

Filed Under: Blogging

http://www.gospelrhys.co.uk/ Rhys

Good, I have had enough with keyword spammers. I’ve got 11 of the little sods in my moderation queue, waiting for a post, similar to “Humourous Phrases People Find My Blog With”, but linking to my own blog with their keyword phrase.
http://www.spinningsilkmultimedia.com linkerjpatrick

What about a “user name” that that is becoming ones own “personal brand?” Just want to know what’s the clear rule is.
http://bloggingcents.com Lori

I think it’s great to see something done about that. I haven’t had that problem too much yet but I’m sure I will eventually. Anyways, good for you for taking action!
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ Rhys and Lori – Thank you!

@ linkerjpatrick – You mean like “linkerjpatrick?” There is no clear rule, because it is always at my discretion. I don’t see your name as a keyword anchor text grab. “Mesothelioma Debt Consolidation” on the other hand…
http://www.tellinitlikeitis.net Lin

Hi Michael,

I’ve had the same thing happen a few times and I’m not liking it either.

I had seen this practice so many times on “A Lister” blog comments and it looked ridiculous.

I’m with you, I much prefer having a real person’s name so I can properly address them in comments.
Pingback: My 2 Cents 02/15/08 | Blogging with Cents
http://www.thewritersmanifesto.com/blog Monika Mundell

Hi Michael,

I believe this is my first comment on your blog, but I had to stop and say “you are right”. I was an offender myself until now.

Your post made me realize how annoying it really is from the moderators point of view.

I didn’t do it for keyword stuffing, but simply for others to link to me with my preferred keyword. Unfortunately they often link with something like (Monika from the writers manifesto) which doesn’t do jack for link juice in Google.

I always try to link to others using their preferred keyword and the only way I knew what this was is through the “keyword stuffed” comment name.

Once most bloggers are educated on linking the right way to do it right, then maybe we stop seeing those comments.

What do you think?
http://www.sciencetext.com David Bradley

Hear! Hear!

db
http://www.se7enize.com SE7EN

some people use keyword as their names, link to affiliate links, and moreover, it’s hidden link by short url service. that make me really sick.

I think the way in blogingtips.com – (Name) from (URL) is good too.
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ Monika – I’m only talking about the name field in the comment form.

The whole idea that spamming that field with keywords will give you link juice is totally false, for the simple fact that 99% of blogs are set at no-follow on those links. Those links are for one purpose only: traffic. You get traffic by writing great comments.

For in-post links, anchor text is not no-follow and is more important. I try to use correct, descriptive anchor text when linking out, but I’m a bit of a blog SEO, too.
http://www.wayneliew.com Wayne Liew

I really don’t understand why these “spammers” are doing this even though it is a known fact that Google will not follow links in WordPress blogs comment section by default.

Anyway, I guess it should not be a problem to have this policy as most of your commentators don’t come hear to squeeze link juices.
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ Wayne – On the web, your reputation travels with your name more so than your brand. Reputation is becoming far more important. Because of all the ways in which your content and words are taken out of context by aggregators, mobile stylesheets, etc., branding by necessity becomes less about the visual and more about what value is provided in association with your name.
http://www.lillieammann.com/blog Lillie Ammann

I haven’t established such a policy yet, but I may do so. I’m just as fed up as you are with comments by keywords instead of names.
http://www.adversityuniversityblog.com Stephen Hopson

Hi Michael:

I think you might have been referencing to comments that I have left in the past because I was leaving my name and my blog name in the name field like:

Stephen Hopson/Adversity University

If you were referring to me, then I’ll stop doing that while commenting on your blog. I was doing it only to help increase my brand awareness and connecting my name to the name of the blog. Not for keyword purposes. But since I’ve done that a few times in the past and nothing was said, I assumed it was okay.

But seeing your new comment policy, it’s making me take a hard look at it.
http://aplawrence.com Anthony Lawrence

Well, OK, but how is Ford Fairlane supposed to comment now?
http://seo2.0.onreact.com Tad Chef

I like the solution Tim Nash implemented on his blog: http://www.timnash.co.uk/
Best of both so to say.
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ Stephen – Not just you, my friend, but many others. It’s my belief that the content of your comment in association with your name creates the real brand awareness. If your comment gets people to click through to your site, you will have a strong brand impression. Our reputations are attached to our names, not our site names.

I have not had this policy in place until now, so it was acceptable (but barely tolerated by me) in the past. I’ve decided I will no longer allow it. Thank you for respecting my wishes.

@ Anthony –

@ Tad – That’s a great idea. Not sure how to implement such a thing myself (I suck at programming).
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

BTW, everyone: I have removed the no-follow attribute from trackbacks as well as comments. The best way for you to get good keyword anchor text links from me is to link to my posts or do something I feel like linking to in a post.
http://www.tellinitlikeitis.net Lin Burress

“The best way for you to get good keyword anchor text links from me is to link to my posts or do something I feel like linking to in a post.”

Michael, this is really the best solution for everyone and I do the same on my blog.
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

Hope I wasn’t an offender, as I usually put my name and the name of my site in the Name field. It’s just to let people know who I am and where I come from.

Like this: James Chartrand – Men with Pens

(Not that it actually fits in your name field, but I’m curious about whether this offends you or not.) Is that considered keyword spam? I always saw this as just being clear… but what I see isn’t always what others see.
http://www.biztrek.net Gil Gerretsen

I commend your decision. You are being fair in the implementation by allowing posts, just deleting the nasties! I am always surprised that people forget the First Rule of Business … People only do business with people they trust! If you violate their trust, they will ignore your existence. Unfortunately, in this situation, you have to take the time to clean up their mess.
http://www.adversityuniversityblog.com Stephen Hopson

Michael:

Ironically, moments after reading your new comment policy and corresponding privately with you, I got a comment that was waiting for approval from someone who only listed his blog name in the name field!

How ironic is that? It put me squarely in your shoes and made me aware of how it made me feel. Now I understand why you felt you had to do this. I am now considering the creation of a new comment policy, making it clear that I will not accept this going forward.

What’s funny is that up to this point, other than the blanant spammers who are caught by Askimet, I’ve never had an individual put his/her blog name in the name field. Most of the time people put their name in it – sometimes they did what I did which was to put my blog name next to my name, which I didn’t mind.

But now I’m reconsidering thanks to your post. You’ve made me aware of something I hadn’t thought about before.

Starting TODAY, I will not put my blog name next to my name in the name field. I will just leave my name and that’s it.
http://hirlpoo.com Derek Dysart

I was going to chime in that almost every WordPress theme renders links in comments as rel=”nofollow” making the practice fruitless, but you seemed to cover it. My question is why did you explicitly turn this off? Seems to make more work for you by having to spam every comment chock-a-bloc full of spam links.
Ed Erickson

Since it is people who have conversations, your policy of names only in the *name* field helps keep it real. Kudos for your stand.
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ Stephen – As your blog grows in popularity it will become worse unless you decide to disallow it.

@ James – Yes, I count you among the offenders. This isn’t personal at all, with anyone, so please don’t take it that way. I value your participation and I respect you. But I ask you to only use your name, please.

@ Ed – Exactly!
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

@ Michael – It’s all good. Never thought I’d be considered a spammer, though. Gotta admit that stings. But I’ll live.
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ James – I do not consider you a spammer. I don’t want to get all hung up on the nuances of words and feel forced to make judgments about what is spam, and appear to favor some people over others. The only way to be fair is to disallow it across the board by holding everyone to the highest possible standard.

I think this will be good for the blog in the long run, as the amount of posts and comments grows. The volume of high-quality comments and link text will help convey quality to readers, and also to Google.
http://www.adversityuniversityblog.com Stephen Hopson

Michael:

Well, I’m actually glad you brought this up, especially because of the so-called coincidential comment left by someone who put the name of his blog in the name field.

So, I think you’re right – the more popular my blog becomes, the more likely people will do this. I think it’s probably time for me to write up a comment policy for all to see. Hmmmm…..
http://www.theartofmarketingyou.com marti garaughty

Hi Michael, I see this topic generated a ton of comments/interest, I’m not surprised.

I think we’re all pretty fed up with spam(i.e. internet pollution) in any form and all penalties should be on the table, including Alister’s…

Some people only learn the hard way. Have a great weekend.
http://www.thewritersmanifesto.com/blog Monika Mundell

Hey Michael,

[@ Monika - Iâ€™m only talking about the name field in the comment form.

The whole idea that spamming that field with keywords will give you link juice is totally false, for the simple fact that 99% of blogs are set at no-follow on those links. Those links are for one purpose only: traffic. You get traffic by writing great comments.

For in-post links, anchor text is not no-follow and is more important. I try to use correct, descriptive anchor text when linking out, but Iâ€™m a bit of a blog SEO, too.]

You’re exactly right and judging by all the great comments already there seems to be a general consent in terms of comment policies on blogs.

Your post was certainly a wake up call for me too and since yesterday I’m only using my name now, nothing else.
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

Everyone: I know some of you weren’t doing it to spam. But some commenters were, and unfortunately, it looks the same to both people and to search engines. Most people and all search engines cannot tell the difference between motivation and result. You may not have the same motivations as a spammer does, but if what you’re doing produces the same result as a spammer, you put me in a difficult position.

This is not just me having a hissy fit or about some jerks ruining things for everybody. This stuff is a VERY slippery slope. In all the time I’ve spent online since the mid 90s, one thing has become very clear to me: taking the high road produces greater rewards in the long term. That’s really the thought at the heart of this.
Pingback: Comment Policy Additions — Full Time Blogger
http://www.sandbarstosunsets.com Cyndee Haydon

Michael – it’s a journey and I’ve come to the same point myself this past month. Some friends got quite annoyed with my new stance – it’s perfect timing for me – as always I enjoy your posts. Looks like lots of others do too.
http://www.wahwebmommy.com/ WAH(web)Mommy

This is a great point – something I’ve been pondering for myself as I gear up to launch my new business web site. I’ve been wondering if I should post blog comments as my (real) name, or as my business name. I guess my real name is the way to go.

Question is, though, about when responding to comments from my blog “profile”. You see, my blog is currently anonymous (until I’ve officially escaped life as a full time employee, to the “other side” as life as a full time Freelancer (I can’t wait!). LOL. But anyway, my blog must remain anonymous, so I post comments under my blog profile name, WAH(web)Mommy. Will something like that be banned?
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ webmommy – Next time, yes. You will have to figure something out. I feel for you on needing anonymity for now, but just make up pseudonym. Many writers do. There’s no problem with that.
http://www.wahwebmommy.com/ WAH(web)Mommy

@Michael – Thanks. That’s going to be tough, lol. I look forward to the day (hopefully sooner than later) when I can merge the true me and my alter-ego anonymous me, lol. Hopefully that’s less than a year away.

(As a note, for the time being I’d post things related to my field as myself – but things relating to blogging, motherhood, or anything specifically referencing making the jump from full time to freelance status need to be made under my blogging name.)
http://www.qm-consulting.co.uk Richard Morton

I quite agree. Providing a link to someones website through their name seems very generous to me. Trying to get more is just taking the Mickey.

It was a bit rough having to change my name from Mesothelioma though!
http://www.backfireblog.com Dave C.

Hmm, ok, well here this whole time I thought I was following the “new trend” because I was seeing it so often.

This is an interesting POV because it has the potential to disrupt a lot of people’s self promotion. I know that’s not your problem, Michael, but I was thinking about something Skellie said awhile back. I can’t remember the link now, but one thing she mentioned was always signing your name the same and always using the same avatar when possible. I totally agree with this.

So here’s James Chartrand with his notable signature. I read his comments almost immediately because I read him all over the place. He’s instantly recognizable based on how he signs his name. So now he’s at a crossroads. Does he change the way he writes his name on all blogs or does he just not comment on this blog because he wants to maintain his signature, but not offend you, Michael?

Also, does Michael have a certain responsiblity to his readership? If James has only signed his name “Men With Pens”, is it harmful of you to make him change his stance or not contribute based on your preferences, keeping in mind that this site is more than your writing, but a community, part of which people expect to see James and his comments.

Does that make any sense? I don’t know. I’m always good for tossing the in the monkey wrench. I’m not in opposition to you on this. I respect what you’re saying. I just like to ponder all questions.
http://www.backfireblog.com Dave C.

sorry, I was going back and forth between 1st person and 3rd person on that one. I’m all over the place. I hope that comment isn’t completely unintelligible.
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

@ Dave –

First of all, thank you for clicking through to our blog and being a reader.

Secondly, thank you for commenting and seeing my exact problem and issue.

I think that there’s a grey area in the middle, and this is where I lie. I’m not a spammer and don’t comment to spam. I don’t put my blog name WITH my name (this is important – my NAME is always in the name field) to specifically promote. Had I just put “Men with Pens” in the name field, Michael is right. That’s spam.

But I don’t. I put my full name and my blog to identify myself. It’s important for me and to other readers to clearly see that I’m not Joe Blow Schmoe from Kansas. I am a person, yes, but one that has credibility and reputation as being a value-for-reader provider. That means that people might consider that I do know what I’m talking about (sometimes; we hope).

Not having permission to put my name with my blog name attached can be a problem for me, yes.

However, this is Michael’s blog. He is the expert, he is the one promoting himself, and perhaps I have no business at all stating my blog and using that as a leverage for credibility with other readers.

Will it harm me? Yes. Being recognizeable on the Internet is extremely crucial to my branding and my business right now. You yourself have noticed the difference it makes to put a name or to put a name and an additional identification. It’s a problem.

But I consider Michael a friend, so I won’t leave or stop commenting. I can’t say I’m happy, but this isn’t my blog or my home, and as a guest, I have to play by Michael’s rules.

I hope what I wrote just makes sense – I haven’t had enough coffee.
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

Good lord, I do need coffee. If anyone can make sense of that comment, cheers. You deserve a medal.
http://www.backfireblog.com Dave C.

@ James – Made sense to me and I’m glad I wasn’t completely off base.

@ Michael – I’m really good at stirring the pot just to see what happens. One of my character flaws is using others as social experiments. That being said, I totally see how the spamming is a problem and the best way to eradicate it is to avoid the “gray” areas all together.
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

@ Dave – Naomi from IttyBiz once said that whatever everyone else was doing or saying, James would say the complete opposite. I’m peacemaker in war times and instigator when calm is the norm. But it’s a personality quirk – definitely not a social experiment lol
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine

@ Dave & James – From my own experience, not adding the name of my blog has not hurt me that I can see. Would it help significantly if I started doing it? I don’t know. Would I be branding myself and making myself recognizable on other blogs if I did that? Probably. If I did it as “Michael Martine – Remarkablogger” that would really reinforce the association.

What if I decided for branding purposes that I wanted to be known as “the business blog guy?” What if I said I was just adding my job title as “blog consultant?” Then when I commented it would say: “Michael Martine, blog consultant.” Hey, that’s just my job title, right? Surely, there’s nothing wrong with that?

I bet if I did that, I would get more traffic from comments and possibly even more business. This is just me thinking out loud, here, but perhaps I haven’t thought this through enough (it wouldn’t be the first time that’s ever happened).

But, if I went around commenting on others’ blogs like that, do you think they would be okay with that? Do you think they might not be happy with me for doing that? Should I care?
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

I don’t know, Michael. The only thing I can say is that it’s a question of testing what works, being responsible and fair about it, and finding a happy medium.

I can say that this is the first time that anyone has ever requested that I not brand myself or my blog in this way. It’s also the first time I’ve been called a spammer, but we’ve agreed that’s only because I fall in the grey area and that you’ve taken a hard stance on the extreme – with valid reason. Please understand that I’m not arguing with that.

If there was a huge wave of protest across the blogosphere about branding included with a name, I could understand your take on my personal case (and possibly the case of others who aren’t speaking out). I’m fully with following the unspoken rules of netiquette, and I do.

But there isn’t. This is the first time that branding a blog by including its name WITH my name for contact and identification purposes has been considered a bad thing.

To me, the more a person identifies himself or herself, the better. Transparency and clarity are the best goals to have, in business.

Too, there’s the issue that your blog was established sooner than mine – you haven’t had to fight tooth and nail for your position, in the same way that other older blogs didn’t. Timing was on your side and to your benefit – you leaped into the blogosphere early and elbowed out what little competition you had.

Now you’re there, you’re solid and you’re here to stay. Everyone else that follows now, though, has a MUCH harder time ahead of them, with the millions of blogs created each month. Branding is becoming critical, not just a nice thought.

Your thoughts?
http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine, Blog Consultant

@ James – I have an idea. Maybe it’s an evil idea, I don’t know!

I will rescind the ban on branding/titles, but not site names. Here’s the fun part: I’m going to start leaving my name in comment name fields as “Michael Martine, Blog Consultant.” I want to see if there are any discernible results from that. I want to see if there’s a benefit for me or if anyone complains because of it. Because if there is a benefit to me, and nobody minds that I do it (really I shouldn’t care but I guess I’m a nice guy), then I will advise others to do it, too!

How does that grab ya? Personally, I’m looking forward to it, just to see what happens.
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

Oh man, a challenge? If Harry were here, he’d be saying – NO! Michael, NO! Don’t challenge James! Don’t even suggest a dare!

This sounds like a fabulous idea, honestly, and if it doesn’t work, then I’ll graciously accept that your method is best and continue forth.

Track it, dude. You go. How long will you test it for?

(at this point, I’m wondering if I should volunteer to *not* brand my name?)
http://www.backfireblog.com Dave C.

I guess the way I see it, and this is a personal preference thing, if I had a more prominent blog and someone like you Michael, or James came by and wrote quality posts, I wouldn’t have any problem with you posting Michael Martine – Remarkablogger. After all, that is part of who you are, and I wouldn’t mind sharing the link juice to a respected contributor.

On a slightly less important note, I started doing this over at Naomi’s blog mostly because of Dave Navarro. We both signed our name as Dave, so to avoid confusion, I decided to set myself a part a bit by adding my last initial. Then I saw what James was doing and figured it wasn’t a half bad idea.

Long story short, it’s all James’ fault.
http://www.backfireblog.com Dave C.

Side note: I just noticed the trackback links do a good job of promoting where those links come from in the BY section. Not sure how you would apply the rules there, but if I was a real spammer, all I’d have to do is link to this site and instantly get my “Reproduction Watches Cheap” message across loud and clear.

For the record, I don’t sell watches, but I do have a 1992 Ford F-150 for sale if anyone’s interested.
http://www.menwithpens.ca James Chartrand

Oh, sure, blame the Canadian, eh?

What next? The fishing industry fallout? Global warming? Starving polar bears in northern Russia?

Good point, though, Dave – I never thought about that. And I should’ve. On Performancing, I was taken for another James Chartrand who also writes and lives in Canada. The name isn’t uncommon. (Except he lived in Ontario and I live in Quebec.)

Another benefit is that by writing comments announcing my blog name, other visitors – at a glance – get all excited. Hey!! James is there! Whoo hoo! Party time, let’s have some fun with the Canuck!

But that might fall into branding…