I like to get comments on my articles and like to leave comments on other blogs. It does two things, one is author feels appreciated with right and relevant comment and other readers get to know more about your site and gain you a minor back links too.

I always love to hear from my readers. I always write and rewrite my own articles and write about something that close to me and my life and at the same time useful to most of you. While, so far my few readers have been leaving thoughtful kind, related comments, I am getting much more unrelated comments and spams lately. Although I have a great plug-in that catches most of these Spams before it reaches me, there are still more are showing up on my comment queue waiting for approval and I rather spend time writing and connecting with real readers here instead of cleaning out SPAM Folder. Hence I thought of writing a small comment policy here, just so all of us are in same page about commenting here.

What is generally considered SPAM at Heart and Mind site. Please follow these general rules and truly share something valuable to me and other readers here.

1. No Unrelated comments
Unrelated comments are one that leaves unrelated subject to the post or website’s overall message. For example, if one comments about information about where to buy electronics such as Flip video or Digital camera on How to find values article, that would be unrelated and will be deleted.

Please write useful and related comment to what is written, not only here but other blogs too.

2. Commercial Links
You must use your real persona blog links, not non-personal commercial ONLY websites. It is okay, if your site or blog has advertisement, or you have product selling sites, however, selling drugs, sex, gambling, anything fishy sites will not be allowed or will be deleted.

3. Sneaky Comments
These are the comments that seems generic, nice on surface and they seem almost legitimate. They will say things like;

“I really like what you are doing here, keep up the great work.”
“I am going to tell, all my friends about your blog.”
“I have bookmarked your site on “some social media”.

At first, I was so proud that I am getting all appreciative comments for my hard work and showed it Zenguy. But almost all (95%) were nice sneaky SPAM comments linking to commercial and gambling websites. These might be true comments but they are generic enough to fit any post and any topic.

Remember, no related to post comment and generic comment, it will be considered SPAM. As much as I like to hear good things about my writing, these sneaky comments and fake appreciation comments will be deleted.

In other note, If you have some great article that you want me to link it here, please send it via contact page and if it is appropriate, I will share in my occasional “good reads” posts.

4. No to SPAMMY Keyword
Please use your name or nickname, like I use Zengirl myself. No keywords as name such a “Make Money” or “Ringtone” will be allowed for name. It is okay if you have website that talks about how to make money types, but if you are genuine commenter and do not abuse these policy, your comment will be approved. If it looks suspicious it will be deleted by SPAM catcher plug in, before even I can see it.

5. No hateful or foul language
It is okay to disagree with me or another commenter but no harsh or foul language will be tolerated. I have been lucky so far, as no such comments have appeared here, but thought of putting it out in commenting policy to make it complete policy case here.

6. No Paid comments or Robo comments
I did not know such a things existed however doing search on commenting policy, I found apparently these type of things are common, so I am writing it here as a part of policy.

Here what Comment SPAM article has to say about this.

“Comment spam robots are the worst of the comment spam criminals. These are software robots that crawl around the Internet looking for open comments. When they find them, they hook in and start leaving comments all over your site about whatever they are dishing out, usually drugs, medicines, male enhancements, vitamins, gambling, and porn. Their comment spam rarely arrives alone but hits multiple posts throughout your site with the same comment, or a slight variation on a theme.”

How do I know if it paid or Robo comments? I have no clue, but if it looks suspicious or does above things, it could very well be SPAM.

Conclusion:
Hope I have not scared most of my readers with this policy, as I feel I have been lucky mostly with my readers so far but lately with fury of  SPAM comments each day made me write this post.

I still encourage you to write helpful and genuine comments as I learn so much from your comments here. When I read other blogs, I usually read all comments too or subscribe to comments as it provides unique perspective on subject that author might not have thought of.

I truly believe, most people are genuine and nice and rest are or forced to market themselves in anyway they can to make a buck or get themselves visible. I believe we can be ethical and still make living, so let’s be respectful of each other and hope to hear from you.

If you are a blogger who have faced this situation, I would like to know your opinion on this topic? Anything I missed? Any suggestion. Thank you.

Zengirl

Image Source: Middle town Food blog