Let visitors leave a link to their website on comments

1. 91

   Lovelli Fuadposted 4 years ago

   I'm seeing many comments on my articles that include a link to a website/blog. I don't usually approve such comments if the link is unsafe or unrelated to the topic discussed in the hub, but I notice that on several websites the comment section would allow visitors to leave their web link.
   
   Is it possible to add a column for commenters to leave a link to their blog? It could be set to not be shown (for our eyes only). Maybe something like the following comment sections?
   
   
   
   
   
   Thanks a bunch!

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2. 99

   DrMark1961posted 4 years ago

   Hi Lovelli, I think most of those people who leave those links are spammers looking for free backlinks. If they had to leave their website, hidden, and not include it in the comment, I doubt that they would even bother. They do not want US to know.

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   1. 68

      OldRosesposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      I agree.  I delete any comments that have links in them.

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   2. 91

      Lovelli Fuadposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Dr Mark for the reply. I was just curious to see if this would attract the right commenters.

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3. 96

   PaulGoodman67posted 4 years ago

   That would be a recipe for increasing spam which would hurt hubbers and the site. Just delete comments with links, unless they are particularly pertinent. The vast majority aren't.

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   1. 90

      Sherry Hewinsposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      True, but I have had a few that were relevant and I thought added value rather than hurting it.

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      1. 91

         Lovelli Fuadposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         I am with you on this topic, Sherry. I'm okay with readers leaving relevant links on their comments if it adds value to the discussion. I also think generating traffic to their own website is one of our readers' intentions. If there's a space for them to leave their website link on purpose, wouldn't they be more compelled to think about whether or not it adds any value to what they're saying?

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         1. 96

            PaulGoodman67posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            All I can say is that it would be a nightmare for me. I have maybe 300 articles on here, some of them get a lot of comments. The only way to tell if a link is relevant is to follow the link and assess the webpage and website that's been linked to. That takes time to do, and to do that multiple times every day would be too much for me.
            
            Lovelli's idea that it would make people think about whether their link is relevant is not my experience. I have blogs where links are allowed and the spammy  links vastly outnumber any relevant ones, and even most of the "relevant" ones are still often people doing some form of self-advertising, even if it isn't blatant spam (the "I write more about X at my website" approach).

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      2. 85

         NateB11posted 4 years agoin reply to this

         Me too.

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4. 84

   FatFreddysCatposted 4 years ago

   If somebody leaves a link in their comment to my article I hit the "delete" button. No exceptions.

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5. 94

   melbelposted 4 years ago

   I would delete every comment that had a link in it.

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