How To Stop WordPress Comment Spam (Super Easy)

What is WordPress spam comments

WordPress spam comments are unwanted comments that are posted on WordPress websites with the intention of promoting a product or service, or for other malicious purposes. These comments are usually posted by automated bots, and can be identified by their generic and irrelevant content.

Spam comments can be harmful to your website in several ways. They can clutter your comment section, making it difficult for genuine users to find and engage with relevant comments. They can also harm your website’s reputation by associating it with spammy content.

In addition to being a nuisance, spam comments can also pose a security risk to your website. Some spam comments contain links to malicious websites that can infect your website with malware or steal sensitive information.

To protect your website from spam comments, it’s important to use anti-spam measures such as enabling comment moderation, using an anti-spam plugin, adding a captcha, and disabling comments on certain pages. By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your website remains free from spam and other unwanted content.

 

How to protect WordPress web site spam comments

There are several ways to protect your WordPress website from spam comments:

1. Enable comment moderation: This means that every comment will have to be approved by you before it’s visible on your website. To enable this, go to Settings > Discussion in your WordPress dashboard and check the box next to “Comment must be manually approved.”
2. Use an anti-spam plugin: There are many anti-spam plugins available for WordPress that can help you prevent spam comments. Some popular options include Akismet, WP-SpamShield, and Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.
3. Add a captcha: Captchas are a type of challenge-response test that can help you determine if a comment is being submitted by a human or a bot. You can add a captcha plugin to your WordPress website to help prevent spam comments.
4. Close comments on older posts: If you have older posts that are no longer generating much traffic, consider closing comments on those posts. This can help reduce the amount of spam comments you receive.
5. Disable comments on certain pages: If you have pages on your website that don’t require comments, such as your contact page or your about page, you can disable comments on those pages. To do this, go to the page editor in your WordPress dashboard and uncheck the box next to “Allow comments.”

 

Configure WP-SpamShield

WP-SpamShield is a popular anti-spam plugin for WordPress that can help you protect your website from spam comments. Here’s how to configure it:

1. Install and activate the plugin: You can find WP-SpamShield in the WordPress plugin repository. Install and activate it like any other plugin.
2. Enable comment spam protection: Once the plugin is activated, it will automatically enable comment spam protection for your website.
3. Configure plugin settings: WP-SpamShield comes with a variety of settings that you can configure to customize its functionality. To access the settings, go to WP-SpamShield > Settings in your WordPress dashboard.
4. Review the General settings: In the General settings, you can choose whether to display a notice to users who are blocked by the plugin, and whether to log blocked spam comments. You can also configure the plugin’s behavior for registered users.
5. Configure the Advanced settings: The Advanced settings allow you to further customize the plugin’s behavior. You can configure the plugin to block comments from specific IP addresses, block comments with certain keywords, and more.
6. Review the Whitelist/Blacklist settings: In the Whitelist/Blacklist settings, you can specify email addresses or IP addresses to whitelist or blacklist. Whitelisted addresses will always be allowed to comment, while blacklisted addresses will always be blocked.
7. Save your settings: Once you’ve configured the settings to your liking, be sure to click the Save Changes button to apply them.

By following these steps, you can configure WP-SpamShield to help protect your WordPress website from spam comments.

 

Configure Anti-Spam by CleanTalk

Anti-Spam by CleanTalk is another popular anti-spam plugin for WordPress that can help you protect your website from spam comments. Here’s how to configure it:

1. Install and activate the plugin: You can find Anti-Spam by CleanTalk in the WordPress plugin repository. Install and activate it like any other plugin.
2. Register your account: To use Anti-Spam by CleanTalk, you’ll need to register for an account on the CleanTalk website. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive an access key that you’ll need to enter in the plugin settings.
3. Enter your access key: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Anti-Spam by CleanTalk > Settings. Enter your access key in the appropriate field and click the Save Changes button.
4. Configure the plugin settings: Anti-Spam by CleanTalk comes with a variety of settings that you can configure to customize its functionality. To access the settings, go to Anti-Spam by CleanTalk > Settings in your WordPress dashboard.
5. Configure the spam protection options: In the Spam Protection section, you can configure the plugin to check comments against the CleanTalk database and/or use the plugin’s own algorithms to determine if a comment is spam.
6. Configure the firewall options: In the Firewall section, you can enable the plugin’s firewall to block spam bots and other malicious traffic.
7. Review the Email Notifications settings: In the Email Notifications section, you can configure the plugin to send you email notifications when spam comments are detected.
8. Save your settings: Once you’ve configured the settings to your liking, be sure to click the Save Changes button to apply them.

By following these steps, you can configure Anti-Spam by CleanTalk to help protect your WordPress website from spam comments.