Here are 12+ important tips and tools to combat comment spam in WordPress:
- Turn on comment moderation in WordPress. This will prevent all comments from being published immediately, and you can manually approve or delete them as you see fit.
- Activate Akismet spam protection. Akismet is a free service that uses a massive database of spam comments to identify and block them before they reach your website.
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- Use Sucuri to combat comment spam. Sucuri is a security plugin that can help protect your website from a variety of threats, including spam comments.
- Use a honeypot to catch spambots. A honeypot is a field that is hidden from human visitors but visible to bots. Spambots will often fill out this field, which you can then use to identify and block them.
- Add Google reCAPTCHA verification. Google reCAPTCHA is a free service that can help protect your website from spam and abuse. It requires visitors to complete a simple challenge before they can comment, which helps to prevent bots from posting spam.
- Require commenters to have a verified email address. This will help to reduce the number of spam comments, as bots will not be able to create accounts with fake email addresses.
- Use a CAPTCHA service. CAPTCHA services, such as Google reCAPTCHA, can help to prevent spam comments by requiring visitors to complete a challenge before they can post.
- Keep your WordPress software up to date. WordPress releases security updates regularly, and it is important to install them as soon as possible. This will help to protect your website from known security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bots.
- Use a strong password for your WordPress site. Your WordPress password should be strong and unique. This will help to prevent bots from guessing your password and gaining access to your site.
- Install a security plugin. There are a number of security plugins available for WordPress that can help to protect your site from a variety of threats, including comment spams.
- Be careful what information you publish on your website. Bots can use information that you publish on your website, such as your email address, to target you with spam. Be careful about what information you publish, and make sure that you do not publish any sensitive information.
- Monitor your website for spam comments. Even with the best security measures in place, it is still possible for spam comments to slip through the cracks. It is important to monitor your website for spam comments on a regular basis and remove them as soon as possible.
Following these tips and using the right tools can help you to significantly reduce the amount of comment spam that you receive on your WordPress website.
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