But I also had the opposite once. There was a comment that looked very spammy because of the way it was written, but was actually a valid request for more information, there was no url in the comment or in the author’s website box.

(just kidding.)

I would delete repeat offenders like Ajith says, but a compliment here and there doesn’t hurt your company’s image. Right? Besides I believe in good backlink karma for those using comment luv and other tools to build targeted links. However, I would not let them run un-approved.

What I hate are the “screw you” comments from spammers like “why did you remove my….” or I’ve had worse. Guess that’s belligerent spam?

Bill

The real questions is: what is your definition of spam? (relating to comments)

@Sheryl: Yeh, the rotating IP’s are annoying. But every so often, I’ll get a spammer who just bombs me with dozens of messages from the same IP. So I have no problem banning those.

Thanks for linking to your article on spammers & queries. Maybe I should change my “leave a reply” to something else… I’m definitely going to look at the search phrases people use to find me.

@Ben: Haha. Clearly spam.

When I first started blogging, I’d get so excited to get that email telling me that a comment was on my blog. I log in as soon as possible to see what had been said, only to find that it was spam… usually something like that generic comment you quoted above…

Fortunately, now I get legitimate comments as well.

One funny thing went like a recent post telling my readers I am sick and the comment went like “Great post there! Thanks for sharing.”

Spam obviously!

I do get the ones that copy a sentence from your post and then just agree.

I try not to ever ban an IP because spammers use rotating IP’s and by the time you start blocking them you will have no one allowed at your blog.

Just think of all the energy that is wasted on placing spam & then we waste energy deleting it.

Psst, come closer (if I can’t think of a good comment, that makes a good comment) Ya get thanked for it too.

@stratos: Yes, mine come in groups as well. And I’ve noticed that some of the smart spam regularly use the same ‘alias’. That helps easily identify it as well.

@Kurt: I have to agree with you about the captcha. Sometimes, captchas are not worth the effort because they are frustratingly difficult or hard to read… (I believe stratos might have something to add to this discussion. He recently improved his captcha to make it more user-friendly.)

So now the huge 50 links spams are no more in the spam folder but i do get those smart spams. I normally delete them. As for trackbacks..it depends… I normally go and read what the person has really written and if i see that he did it jst for the sake of a trackback..i dnt publish it. Else if someone has genuinely link back then i allow him. Capcha..hmm i am not such a fan of it as it somehow push commentators who are a bit lazy away lol.. for example myself…i hate when I jst cannot understand the captcha code to type..

If its simple then ok..but there are many who you have to use a magnifying glass to guess it lol.