If you manage a WordPress blog, there are many WordPress plugins to stop spam. Spam is an annoying part of blogging, and if it isn’t managed properly, can turn a good, respectable blog into a trashy-looking blog. People have used many approaches to controlling spam, from captcha images to requiring registration on their blog.
Update:
I have since moved to using one plugin to stop spam from appearing on my blog. I now use the GrowMap Anti-Spambot Plugin to help eliminate spam.
I have also been bombarded with spam at times. While I have thought about measures to combat spam, I wanted to find methods that wouldn’t impact my visitors. About a week and a half ago I believe I have completed my spam-fighting arsenal, and have reduced the number of spam comments I see to zero. I list the three WordPress plugins to stop spam that I use on this blog.
The Three WordPress Plugins to Stop Spam Approach
There are many different plugins that you can download and install for WordPress that can be used to stop spam. The problem is, one size doesn’t fit all. A solution to such a problem is to look at more than one plugin – each one performing a certain task to combat spam. That is what I have done on Technically Easy.
Let’s look at the three plugins that I currently use to stop spam comments on Technically Easy.
- Bad Behavior. This plugin is the first-line of defense against spam and isn’t one of the traditional WordPress plugins to stop spam. Unlike traditional WordPress plugins to stop spam, this one analyzes the delivery method, and the software used by the spammer, and prevents them from even getting to my blog. According to the description of the plugin: “This keeps your site’s load down, makes your site logs cleaner, and can help prevent denial of service conditions caused by spammers.” I also use the blacklist from Project Honey Pot to prevent many of the well-known spammers from even accessing my blog.
- Akismet. This is probably the most popular spam-fighting plugin, and it is included with WordPress. You just need to activate the plugin and input your WordPress.com API key to use the plugin. This one does a good job at detecting spam comments and then redirecting them to the spam folder. While it does a good job, it may also redirect valid comments to the spam folder, on occasion. If you have hundreds of spam comments, then you may delete valid comments that were also stored in the spam folder. The next plugin can work with Akismet to weed out the actual spam comments from the real ones.
- Conditional CAPTCHA for WordPress. This plugin is the final piece of my spam-fighting puzzle. I heard about this one from Dragon Blogger, and it was what I was looking for. This plugin works with Akismet to help identify spam. When Akismet identifies a spam comment, this plugin will display a captcha box to the commenter to prove that they aren’t an automated bot. If the captcha is answered correctly, then the comment is moved into my spam folder for review. Spam comments that don’t pass the captcha, are automatically deleted. This plugin has reduced the number of spam comments I see down to zero. The best part is that my visitors aren’t bothered with a captcha when they leave a comment as the captcha is only displayed when Akismet flags the comments as spam.
The Process of Using Three WordPress Plugins to Stop Spam
So basically, Bad Behavior will monitor the delivery method and application used to write a comment of Technically Easy, stopping any request that doesn’t pass its analysis. The requests that do pass, must then be evaluated by Akismet. The comment requests that are flagged as spam, will then need to pass a captcha. If the captcha fails, then the comment is deleted.
My blog receives zero spam, and all without the need for registration to comment, or filling out a captcha each time a visitor wants to comment.
How do you stop spam on your blog? Which WordPress plugins to stop spam do you use?