Step by Step Guide to SEO , Checklist # 4

Comments:

Visitor Contact A visitor-friendly site is one that offers your visitors the chance to interact with you. ALL websites should have is a contact form. Something that I highly recommend you also include is a comment form where visitors can comment on your content. This may not be applicable in all cases, but visitors do like to know there is a real person behind the site and often want to give their opinions as well. Not only does a comment form build trust, but it also creates social proof as new visitors can see that other people have left comments on your site.


General rule for approving comments Only approve comments if:

1. It is clear from the comment that the person has read the article.

2. The comment adds something to the article, like another point of view.

3. If you know that the person is real because you recognize their name (but only if the comment is also not spammy).




Fake Comments 

Fake comments are those that you or someone you asked (or hired) wrote.

1. Several comments posted within a very short time of one another and then nothing, at least for a while.

2. Groups of fake comments rarely have author images associated with the comment (Gravatars) which makes them stand out even more.

3. Comments are “bland” and don’t really add anything to the content.

4. Comments are copied from another website, e.g. Amazon. Spam Comments Spam comments are not always easy to spot. They are left with the sole intention of getting a valuable backlink.




Comment Checklist 

• Does your website have a comments section where visitors can leave comments, thoughts and questions?

• Does your website have a contact us form?

•If you have comments enabled, are you manually approving all comments? You should be.

•Check through all of the comments on your site and remove any fake or spam comments. In fact, remove any comment whose sole purpose is to get a backlink to a website.

•Make comment links nofollow. • Going forward, only approve legitimate comments where it is clear the visitor read your content and added to the conversation with their insight.


(article taken from SEO checklist from ANDY Williams)