How to Tell if a Comment is Spam (And What to Do About It)

Comments can be a double-edged sword for websites. On one hand, they sometimes provide valuable feedback, foster engagement, and give you a window into your audience’s thoughts and opinions.

On the other hand, spam comments can quickly turn that positive interaction into a frustrating nuisance.

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Spam comments come in many forms – from obvious self-promotional links to subtler attempts to game the system. As a content creator, it’s important to be able to identify these spam comments and handle them appropriately.

Not only does this protect the integrity of your site, but it also ensures your readers have a positive experience.

What is Spam?

Before we dive in, let’s start with a clear definition of what constitutes a spam comment. In the broadest sense, spam refers to any unsolicited or irrelevant message that is sent in bulk, typically for commercial purposes.

In the context of online comments, spam can take many forms, including:

• Promotional links: Comments that include links to unrelated websites, products, or services, often in an attempt to drive traffic or boost search rankings.
• Automated comments: Comments generated by bots or scripts rather than real people, often containing generic, meaningless text.
• Fake testimonials: Comments that appear to be positive reviews or endorsements, but are actually just attempts to boost credibility.
• Irrelevant or off-topic comments: Comments that have no real connection to the content of the post, usually made in the hopes of gaining visibility.
• Repetitive or duplicated comments: Comments that are identical or nearly identical, often posted multiple times across different posts or websites.

The common thread among all of these examples is that they provide little to no value for the reader and are primarily motivated by self-interest rather than a genuine desire to engage with the content.

A good rule of thumb: don’t allow comments that don’t improve your web page.

Identifying Spam Comments

Now that we have a clear understanding of what spam is, let’s dive into the specific signs and characteristics that can help you identify it in your own comment sections.

1. Suspicious Usernames or Profile Pictures

One of the first things to look for is the commenter’s username and profile picture (if applicable). Spam comments often use generic or suspicious-looking usernames that don’t seem to match a real person, such as “SEOExpert123” or “WinFreeStuff.”

Similarly, spam comments may use generic or stock profile pictures, rather than a personalized image. This can be a red flag that the commenter is not a real person, but rather a bot or automated account.

2. Lack of Relevance or Context

Genuine comments should be directly relevant to the content of the post and demonstrate that the commenter has actually read and engaged with the material. Spam comments, on the other hand, often show a complete lack of context or relevance.

For example, a comment that says “Great post! Check out my website at [link]” on a post about gardening tips is a clear indication of spam, as it has no actual connection to the topic at hand.

3. Grammatical Errors and Awkward Phrasing

Another telltale sign of spam is poor grammar, spelling, and phrasing. Legitimate comments from real people will typically have a natural, conversational tone and flow. Spam comments, on the other hand, often contain obvious grammatical mistakes, strange word choices, and a general lack of fluency.

This can be a result of automated translation, poor writing skills, or a lack of proofreading – all of which are common characteristics of spam.

4. Suspicious Timing and Repetition

The timing and frequency of comments can also be a giveaway for spam. If you notice a sudden influx of comments on an older post, or if the same comment appears across multiple posts, it’s a strong indication that the comments are automated or part of a larger spam campaign.

Genuine engagement tends to happen organically over time, whereas spam comments are often posted in bulk to maximize exposure and coverage.

5. Lack of Personalization

Authentic comments will typically include some level of personalization, whether it’s a reference to the specific content, a question or observation about the topic, or even a personal anecdote. Spam comments, on the other hand, often lack any real personalization and feel generic or impersonal.

If a comment seems like it could have been copied and pasted across multiple posts or websites, it’s a good sign that it’s spam.

Dealing with Spam Comments

Now that you know how to identify spam comments, the next step is to address them effectively. Here are some strategies for handling spam in your comment sections:

1. Moderate and Review Comments Regularly

The first line of defense against spam is to stay on top of your comment moderation. Make it a habit to review new comments on a regular basis, whether it’s daily, weekly, or as needed. This allows you to quickly identify and remove any suspicious or problematic comments before they have a chance to accumulate.

Many content management systems and blog platforms offer built-in comment moderation tools that can help streamline this process. Take advantage of these features to make your life easier.

With WordPress, I recommend either:

• Moderating all comments, if you have the time
• Moderating all first time commenters. Once someone’s proven themselves a genuine commenter, it lets through their future comments. If they turn into a troll, you can always ban them.

2. Use Spam-Filtering Tools

In addition to manual moderation, you can also leverage various spam-filtering tools and plugins to automatically detect and block spam comments. These tools use advanced algorithms and machine learning to identify common spam patterns and characteristics, making it much easier to keep your comment sections clean.

Some popular spam-filtering options include Akismet, Antispam Bee, and Disqus. Take some time to research and evaluate the different tools available to find the one that best fits your needs and workflow.

Akismet requires you to pay for a business subscription if you have a certain amount of volume. I also had false positives with it. I use Antispam Bee and have had no problems with it.

3. Set Clear Comment Guidelines

Another effective way to discourage spam is to establish and communicate clear guidelines for commenting on your site. This could include things like:

• Requiring commenters to provide a valid email address or social media profile
• Prohibiting certain types of content (e.g., promotional links, offensive language)
• Outlining consequences for violating the guidelines (e.g., comment deletion, account suspension)

By setting these expectations upfront, you make it clear to both legitimate and spam commenters that you take the integrity of your comment sections seriously. This can go a long way in deterring spam and maintaining a positive, constructive environment.

4. Respond Thoughtfully to Genuine Comments

While dealing with spam can be frustrating, it’s important to remember that not all comments are created equal. When you receive a genuine, thoughtful comment from a real person, take the time to respond in kind.

Engaging with your audience in a meaningful way not only fosters a sense of community, but it also helps to drown out the noise of spam comments. Plus, it shows your readers that you value their input and are committed to maintaining a high-quality, interactive space.

5. Consider Disabling Comments Altogether

In some cases, the volume of spam comments may become so overwhelming that it’s no longer feasible to moderate them effectively. If this happens, you may want to consider temporarily or permanently disabling the comment function on your site.

While this may seem like a drastic measure, it’s important to weigh the benefits of genuine engagement against the time and resources required to manage spam. If the spam is becoming a significant burden, it may be worth exploring alternative ways to collect feedback and foster discussion, such as social media or email newsletters.

I allow comments on this site because I often get thoughtful, useful ones. I have other sites where I was getting nothing but spam and very frivolous comments like, “I love this!” They didn’t add value to my sites, so considering the load time a comments section adds to a website, I chose to get rid of them.