Would you approve this blog comment?
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I just got an unusual comment on one of my blog posts on our real estate site. The article was about a particular street that is getting renamed after a historical figure. The comment is seven paragraphs of information about this person.
The comment is an obvious attempt to get a backlink in my opinion. The site that it is linking back to is an architect's site. So, this is probably the work of an SEO.
I've searched and can't find duplicate content online. I thought perhaps it was from wikipedia but there is no entry on this person and I've searched several phrases from the comment and it doesn't appear to be duplicated.
So, would you approve it? My gut instinct is "yes" because it would add to the content on my site...but there's this little thing in the back of my head that is saying "Don't do it!!!!"
EDIT: I just checked and the architect's site has 3 backlinks, none of which are blog comments. So, perhaps it is legit. Maybe someone is just fanatical about this historical figure.
EDIT AGAIN: Very cool. I just checked their about page and the owner of the business has the same last name as the historical figure. OK. I'll stop being super paranoid now. LOL!
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Unless it's spun content
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Sounds like a link weasel to me.
If it is really good content, relevant to your site, of interest to your visitors, that will stand without the link then I would include it but omit the link.
Keep in mind that link weasels often drop links pointed to bad bad neighborhoods.... also this comment might have been dropped by a linkbuilder who has about 100 other architect clients and you will get hit with a landslide of crap next week if you approve this one.
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Looks like I was just been paranoid.
I looked at the About Me page and the owner of the architect's business has the same last name as the historical figure.
I'll definitely publish the comment!
I definitely think that too many blog spammers have made me insanely paranoid! Thanks for the responses guys!
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If you cannot find duplicate content anywhere, then it sounds like great content. Allow the comment.
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If you cannot find duplicate content anywhere, then it sounds like great content. Allow the comment.
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It's possible your site would be considered the original.
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My thoughts exactly!
If I do find duplicate content a few weeks later though, I wonder if my site would be considered the original?
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Thanks Phoenix...that really makes sense. I think that little part in my head that says "don't do it" is the part that has been scammed a few times.
Do you remember when you got your first blog comment and it was something like, "I really enjoy your blogging! Keep writing more!" I was so freaking excited that someone wrote this on my blog. And then I found about about comment spam. LOL!
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If I am unsure about the site being linked to, I approve the comment and nofollow or remove the link.
Your situation sounds very intriguing. I, like you, would suspect that content had been copied from somewhere. But maybe not, if you can't find it anywhere online. Or maybe they copied it from a print book or ebook or something...
I would probably approve it, then check back in a week and see if you can find duplicate content then.
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If you are going to be allowing comments on the blog, why not allow it? Sure, it might be a move by an SEO, but if they are writing exceptional content that really does increase the worth of the page, what do you have to lose? I say approve it. The little part in your head that is saying "Don't do it" is the little thing in all of us that are greedy about our link juice. But, if it adds value to the page, that little bit of lost link juice--if any--is going to more than make up for it in creating conversation and ranking for other keywords in Google perhaps. That's my opinion, at least...
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