Do “Spam” Bots Target Your WordPress Website?
The issue of website WordPress Referral Spam still upsets some businesses seeking to obtain positive SEO results. Consider implementing four helpful tips. These suggestions may help curtail the exploitation of your website by spammers!
Several Types of Spam
Many website owners associate the term “spam” with a high volume of unsolicited emails from untrustworthy sources in an in-box. This problem became so pervasive that a few years ago, legislation in many jurisdictions imposed fines on email spammers.
Yet other kinds of spam also impact a WordPress website. Some spammers engage in a practice called “referrer spam”. Frequently using automated means, they employ fake referrer URLs to inundate search engines with search requests for specific websites they hope to promote. This practice, sometimes called “spamdexing” posed a significant problem in the 1990s. It potentially results in inaccurate traffic statistics, and might suggest an artificially high level of site traffic seeking to access the spam-promoted URL.
A third type of spam proves more dangerous for WordPress websites. In some cases, spammers post malicious links in comments seeking to refer other customers to goods or services or websites. In the worst-case scenarios, these links direct site visitors to malware or phishing sites. These postings also pose a problem for website owners, since they tend to slow down web page loading times. They also do not reflect well on the quality of a website’s feedback.
Take Action Against Spam
Fortunately, WordPress website owners enjoy several way to prevent spam from causing problems for their websites. Consider using these tips:
1. Implement a Firewall
By setting up a firewall to protect your website (or using a web hosting service which provides a firewall), you’ll increase your ability to detect traffic. A firewall proves analogous to a gated checkpoint: it allows website administrators to review information about data transmissions sent to and from a website. Carefully reviewing firewall logs at intervals may allow you to identify automated traffic, for example. You’ll also want to check to determine whether your site receives a lot of traffic from domains known to conduct spamming activities.
2. Ask Site Visitors to Register
Asking your website visitors to register to gain full access to your website allows you to obtain some information about visitors. Consider verifying email addresses as a condition of registration, for example. This step may help reduce spam activity impacting your website. It makes it more difficult for spammers to harvest information from your site using automated means.
3. Enable Two Factor Authentication
Enabling two factor authentication for your WordPress website greatly increases the security of account holders. It also offers value in helping deter some types of automated hacking attacks.
4. Moderate Website Comments
Consider establishing a clear website policy for visitor posts. Request that posters refrain from posting off-topic links to other websites offering goods and services, for instance. Don’t allow visitors to post comments without allowing a moderator to review the remarks first. Taking this step enables your site administrator to remove any material containing malicious links. You’ll need to invest more time in site maintenance, of course. However, you’ll also ensure spam does not cause web pages to load slowly.
Eliminating Spam Benefits SEO
Obtaining WordPress monthly support may prove very helpful in preventing spam problems. Knowledgeable assistance helps website owners monitor site traffic, moderate posts, and perform other essential site maintenance.
