Eight Minutes Old

I like to get comments on my articles. Probably every blogger does. Actually, I think most people like to get some kind of feedback to their ideas, thoughts and stories.

I very much appreciate critical comments, too. Not only, but also aimed at my photos. I use to describe what I like in a photo, but also tell my readers when I think something could be improved. I do not show my pictures to get all-positive comments. If you don’t like something, say it.

Now, what I dislike is spam. Obvious spam is filtered automatically. But there is this other form. Real people writing a comment that really has to do with the blog post. But then, they don’t call themselves Bob or Joe, but “Cheap Medicine Sale” or “Plastic Surgery”. And they link to obviously commercial sites. Sometimes, they even have normal names, but they still link to some commercial sites. For example, I had several commenters linking to sites selling esoteric stuff. They obviously were attracted by some key-phrases in the posts.

So, just for them to be theoretically able to know it, this is my policy regarding this kind of semi-spam (I know, spammers will not read this post and I will most probably just annoy my regular readers with this. Sorry guys.):

• If your comment lacks substance, your name is not a name and you link to a commercial site: Your comment will be banned as spam.
• If your comment makes kind of sense and might be of interest to others, but you still have no acceptable name and link to a commercial site: I will ban the comment or remove the link and change your name. That will depend on my mood
• If you post a good comment and have a name that you mother might had given you, but link to a commercial site: I will remove the link. One-time commenter links are non-follow anyway, they will not help you in your website’s search engine optimization.

For all my honest, regular commenters in contrast, there is a benefit: Links of commenters with several comments will be set to do-follow.

So, now nobody can tell my I did not tell them.

By the way: All this Search Engine Optimization (SEO) stuff out there makes me crazy. I mean, how many people think they can make money online by telling other people how to male money online by starting blogs about how to make money online. Even big media corporations don’t manage to make much money on the web. Give it up and don’t ruin my nerves and the internet with your junk.

PS: Anybody interested in the Shroud of Turin? I don’t really get the point of this comment by someone calling himself Anthony. Maybe he is willing to share the profit with me if I find a buyer?

Tags: Blog, blogger, search engine optimization, seo, spam, Blog Specific, Comments, Photoblogs