With the increasing popularity of the “I Follow Movement”, some have expressed concerns that announcing to the world that you have turned off the rel=”nofollow” code for links in comments will increase the amount of spam your receive. I have been sort of the poster child for I Follow, thanks to the little badge I designed, and I don’t really think it’s increased my spam. I’ve gotten the odd comment here and there, but they’re easy to delete. Mostly, I’ve seen an exponential increase in the number of comments and interactions since the whole thing started, and it’s been great. However, if there are some of you who are still concerned, there is a new plugin that is available at turkhitbox.com that turns off nofollow for trackbacks only. I have not tried this plugin of course, but I thought I’d mention it as an alternative to the Semilogic plugin. Anyone who gives it a try, let us know how it goes. I’m curious if it would increase trackbacks in any noticeable way.
Yea, I recently installed this, seems to be working fine. Let’s all join the I follow moment!
DoFollow turning evil?…
Are our favors on links being abused?
……
Interesting. I wonder what that will do for SEO and PR? A link which links directly back to where it came from, both dofollow. Hmmm….
I recently installed this pluggin. I think it’s a great idea. We provide computer services for businesses. The fact is our company reads a dozen blogs a day to keep up with what’s happening. If I’m a customer looking for IT services wouldn’t I want one that is the knowledgeable, the one appears at the top of the search engine ranks.
Does that make sense?
Jamie
@Armen – this is not new. The plugins that remove nofollow already remove it on trackbacks as well. This plugin just allows you to only remove nofollow on trackbacks and not on comments. Sites often contain reciprocal links, so I don’t see how this would be any different, or negative in any way.
You’ve done a sterling job with the I Follow badge, Randa.
It’s great to see it on so many blogs I visit.
I’m similar to you in that I don’t see too many spam comments as a result of the movement, and even then, first time commenters are placed in moderation so all spam is removed before it gets that link.
This is an interesting plugin, but I’ll stick with keeping all comments nofollow free.
The follow movement has been fun to watch. I run a few websites, and have completely turned off trackbacks, because I rarely get a non-spam trackback. Maybe it’s because of the industry I’m in, but it would surely have to be moderated to work.
Anyway, I’m seriously considering joining the follow movement. Great work!
Well it seems like a better idea not to remove nofollow from comments. Removing nofollow from trackbacks in fact encourages other bloggers to link to you…
Since installing the ’standard’ nofollow plugin, I really haven’t noticed any increase in Spam at all,
In fact, what I have found since starting the blog is that it is the same old group of clowns who send this dross out, day-in, day-out, and that is still the case.
if anything, I would say that the Spam count has gone down a little in the last few weeks, since I started following, but I believe that to be coincidence, rather than any connected event.
Only time will tell, I guess, but I’m okay with the way things are,
Steve
@Oyunlar- I don’t agree. I think we should also remove nofollow from comments as well. In my opinion, this plugin is for those who like the idea of following links in responses to posts, but for whatever reason are too concerned about following those in comments, but still want to reward those who are linking to them. The plugin I use follows links to trackbacks as well as comments.
Right now, I’m reading do follow blogs. The result is that if their post gives me an idea for a blog entry, I will be linking back. Also, if a blog falls in my niche, I’m likely to come back.
So, if other people are doing as I do, joining the do-follow should be help attract visitors. Is anyone else doing this?
@Armen
Many argue that PR is dead or dying. I imagine search engines (Google) will modify the way they rank sites to try and correct this.
What if they scored incoming and outgoing links? Say you have 1000 inbound links and 1500 outbound links. Your link score would be -500 and based on that, they reduce your rating!
Google is constantly modifying its algorithm.
Also, a certain number of reciprocal links are natural. Blaws link Blaws. Knitting blogs link knitting blogs. The algorithm will never entirely discount reciprocal links because the fact of the matter is they are “real” links by any method of measuring the importance of links.
The algorithm will also never be a simple matter of counting incoming links and outgoing links and subtracting. Some of my highest PR internal pages are full of links. Some links pages are resources; some are link farms. Google seems to have some method of telling which are which.
[...] Clay, the originator of the Do Follow icon in my sidebar, has a post that lightly touches on this and mentions a new plugin that removes nofollow from trackbacks, but not comments. Interesting [...]
I really like the Dofollow plugin and haven’t had any problems with spam. I think the Akismet filter and other optional ones that can be added do the trick nicely.
And I love the badges you made!
Interesting plugin that you mention, but I don’t think I will be using it.
I haven’t noticed any increase in spam since installing the dofollow plugin. There is the odd comment every now and then that needs deleted, but if they are a first time poster, they get held for moderation anyway.
With askimet and bad behavior plugins, I don’t think spam is really an issue (right now).
If it becomes and issue, this plugin may very well become useful.
Thanks for pointing it out.
See this makes a lot more sense then to remove the no follow link
When someone makes a post about your content they are making a link back to your site and should be rewarded.
When a user makes a comment (like this one) just so they can get a link back to there site from your comments it provides no value to you.
Thanks for the link, I have updated my post to include the Do follow for trackbacks.
Thanks again.
[...] While looking around for people to spam this post on I found a post by randaclay.com that talks about a plugin that only removes the no follow link for trackbacks. This is a much [...]
Comments that are empty, such as “great site” are deleted, or the link is removed. Any other comments that provide some substance to the discussion definitely are of value to me. Even if the person was motivated to leave a comment because of the promised link.
I’ve just installed this on my own blog. I’m really trying to get into the whole networking thing, especially after reading the latest blog post on income.com. I’ll be contacting other blog owners in my niche to tell them about this plugin and encourage them to post on my blog.
Networking will hopefully give quicker and better results than waiting for the search engines.
April
Interesting plug-in, but I am going to stick with the regular do-follow plug-in. I want to reward those who leave comments on my blog. Besides, it’s hard to imagine getting more spam than I already do. That’s what Akismet is for, right?
I haven’t seen an increase in spam since installing it. Although, I haven’t seen an increase in comments either.
Does the do follow comment plugin also cover trackbacks or do you have to install both of them if you want both?
The regular “do follow” plugin covers trackbacks as well as comments, so you’re covered. You’d only want to use this plugin if you only wanted to follow trackbacks and not comments.
[...] many bloggers who have installed the NoFollow Plugin I have seen an increase in traffic and comments. Which [...]
Thanks your message is delightful. I will definitely read your site.. ciao
It’s good to know that you, the poster child for I Follow, aren’t having much problems with spam. I just left a comment on your most recent post mentioning my intention to dofollow, and already got two comments on my blog from people who read my comment, and I’m wondering whether it’s because I dofollow now or because they find my rambling wildly fascinating.
I’m starting to reconsider. I’ll see how the next few days go.
Good idea that “nofollow for trackbacks only”. I should try it. At the time I’m using DoFollow in my blog. I like it. I got more good comments and more spammy ones also but they’re easy to remove.
I also like your “U Comment I Follow” logo. I use it in my blog too
I’m a bit new to this scene, having only discovered U Comment I Follow this week, it’s an interesting idea to only DoFollow trackbacks. If one of the points of DoFollow is to encourage comments, as seems to work here, then it would be logical that DoFollowing trackbacks would increase the number of blog links to your site too.
Would it be better to only DoFollow trackbacks though at the expense of the comments?
I’ll support the movement. I’m pretty sure I already comply, but I’ll be making sure. It really doesn’t matter what the big G thinks, and why should they. Free linking isn’t a hot topic. Paid is what is on the chopping block. The real issue is being aware how your site works and fixing it accordingly.
My $.02
John
Hi,
I am not very tech savvy in these things, but would the do follow allow or get more people to participate in your blogs, thus giving you more traffic.
Oh its one thing i will have to get around to setting up and thats a blog of my own.
thanks
steve
Yea, I recently installed this, seems to be working fine. Let’s all join the I follow moment! thanks
Thanks.
Its ironic that many bloggers talk about this but then they actually use no follow I have seen many blogs leeching off the dofollow movement claiming to be dofollow sites but actually use nofollow, they are worse than the comment spammers in my eyes.
En güzel oyunlar
Thanks for post, I will follow your blog.
How? Depending on the blog platform you’re on, you can install a plugin (like this one for WordPress), or disable it (see this post if you’re a Moveable Type user), or modify your template (check this site for Blogger tips).
I never really understood why people like the ‘nofollow’ tag? Can someone explain it?
Nofollow is an invention of google and we are googleized
Well it seems like a better idea not to remove nofollow from comments. Removing nofollow from trackbacks in fact encourages other bloggers to link to you…
dofollow is awesome. there is no reason to do nofollow
Thanks.
Its ironic that many bloggers talk about this but then they actually use no follow I have seen many blogs leeching off the dofollow movement claiming to be dofollow sites but actually use nofollow, they are worse than the comment spammers in my eyes.
En süper oyunlar