Stop WordPress Spam in Its Tracks
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems used on the internet. However, its popularity also makes it a prime target for spammers. Spam is not only extremely annoying and time-consuming to deal with, but can also negatively impact your website.
Fortunately, there are various effective ways to combat WordPress spam. In this article, we will explore some of the most useful techniques you can use to prevent spam comments on your WordPress website.
Install an Anti-Spam Plugin
Installing an anti-spam plugin is one of the easiest and most effective ways to combat WordPress spam. Anti-spam plugins utilize different methods to detect and block spam comments, such as analyzing the commenter’s IP address and checking for known spam keywords. One of the most popular anti-spam plugins for WordPress is Akismet. Akismet is a robust anti-spam plugin for WordPress that uses artificial intelligence to detect and filter spam comments. The plugin automatically checks every comment against its global database of spam, scams, and malicious content, preventing your site from publishing any unwanted comments. In addition, Akismet also allows you to review the comments it identifies as spam before deleting them permanently.
Use CAPTCHA
Adding a CAPTCHA to your WordPress site is another effective way to prevent spam comments. CAPTCHA is a security feature that requires users to complete a task, such as typing in a series of letters or numbers, before they can submit a comment. This feature helps filter out spam bots from leaving comments on your site. One of the most popular CAPTCHA services is Google reCAPTCHA. Most form plugins will offer an integration and guide you through the configuration of Google reCAPTCHA. Keep in mind, adding a CAPTCHA to your form may also impact usability, accessibility, and potentially lead to fewer submissions. Be cautious when introducing additional work for your users on forms, and consider employing one of the other methods mentioned here before going this route.
Use Caution When Displaying Emails On Your Site
A common mistake website owners make is listing their employee emails on the website. This is practically an invitation to spam bots crawling your websites who will pick up on those emails and bombard them with spam. Consider instead using a contact form that routes to a specific employee or department email based on which department is selected by the user. To create forms with conditional routing, we recommend using Gravity Forms. Alternatively, you could use a tool like Email Address Encoder which runs a bit of javascript on your page to find and mask emails to would-be spammers.
Use Comment Moderation
Enabling comment moderation is an excellent way to prevent spam comments from appearing on your site. This feature allows you to review and approve comments before they are published on your site. To enable comment moderation in WordPress, navigate to Settings > Discussion and check the box next to “Comment must be manually approved.”
Disable Comments on Older Posts
Spammers are more likely to target older posts than newer ones. To minimize the amount of spam comments you receive, consider disabling comments on posts that are more than a few months old that may not have any active conversations going. You can disable comments by going to the post editor and unchecking the “Allow Comments” box. If you don’t need comments at all, it’s best to disable them completely by going to Setting > Discussion and unchecking the, “Allow people to submit comments on new posts” box.
Restrict Commenting to Registered Users
Limiting commenting to registered users is an effective way to prevent spam comments on your site. This technique works by requiring users to register and log in before they can leave a comment. To enable this feature in WordPress, navigate to Settings > Discussion and check the box next to “Users must be registered and logged in to comment.”
Conclusion
WordPress spam can be a significant issue for site owners, but with the right techniques, you can prevent most spam comments from ever appearing on your site. Using an anti-spam plugin such as Akismet, enabling comment moderation, disabling comments on older posts, using CAPTCHA, and restricting commenting to registered users are all effective ways to combat WordPress spam. By implementing these strategies, you can keep your site free of unwanted spam comments and focus on creating quality content for your audience.
Consider also choosing a managed WordPress host who can help you configure your website to protect against spam. At Hosterr, all of our plans include built-in DDoS and malware protection which can also help protect against common sources of spam.
