If you use CommentLuv Premium on your blog you will probably have seen the discussions about the bad or broken links in the comments and their possible effect on your SEO.
Google scans your blog’s comment section and some users have removed the plugin for fear that the broken links could damage their ranking.
There is some controversy about that but broken links can affect your blog load time and Google takes that into account in it’s ranking algorithm.
A key part of SEO is making your site friendly to the spiders. If they can find their way around your site, they can index it, and then your site will get more page views.
Comments are never indexed by Google as WordPress prevents it. But if links are broken the spiders can’t follow them.
Search engines also take into account the usability of a website and a bunch of broken links does not make it very user friendly. Besides, who likes a blog where links don’t work? It makes it look uncared for.
Google won’t necessarily penalize your site just because you have some broken links but Google’s Webmaster Guidelines clearly states that you should check for broken links and correct HTML.
Broken Link Checkers
You can install a WordPress broken link checker plugin to check your blog for broken links but they are unable to check for broken links in comments if you have CommentLuv Premium plugin installed.
I heard that Andy Bailey, the creator of the plugin, was trying to solve the problem for his customers and I resisted uninstalling my plugin as I have heard that many bloggers who have done so have also lost a lot of traffic as a result.
Some were also uninstalling it as they were worried that if the comment section was DoFollow and they got some spam comments then the links would pass link juice to the spammy sites. Google might then think they were involved in spam sites.
This won’t or should not happen if you have CommentLuv Premium which prevents spam and if you moderate your comments.
CommentLuv Link Cleaner Plugin
I had no idea how long it would take Andy to come up with the solution for the broken links but he’s just released the CommentLuv Link Cleaner plugin.
It can scan every single one of your comments to see if the links are good or not. I’ve just installed it and it is simple to use and works a treat.
Here’s a quick video demo Andy made about it.
I only had 5 bad links so I doubt that my blog was suffering. If you have an older blog with a lot of traffic and comments then you could have many more.
CommentLuv Premium Benefits
If you have not got CommentLuv Premium yet then you are missing out big time.
It rewards commenters by adding a link of their choice from one of their lastest blog posts with the comment and helps them to generate more targeted free traffic to their blogs.
It’s worth getting to increase your traffic and encourages readers to share your content on Google +1, Twitter and Facebook.
It incorporates GASP (Growmap Anti-Spambot Plugin) which adds a checkbox to your comment form asking users to confirm that they are not a spammer. This helps to eliminate 99% of comments that spambots create.
If you aren’t sure if it’s for you then why not try it out? Check out all it can do for you Here
Do you check your blog for broken links? How often do you check and what tools do you use?
Hi Sandy,
I love commentluv. I have not heard of this cleanup pluging. How did you hear about it. Did you get an email? Please let me know.
Anyway Sandy, a really informative post. Most people who are not using or are not familiar with commentluv plugin are missing big.
Best regards,
Dita
Hi Dita,
I read about it on Adrienne Smith’s blog when I was doing a bit of blog hopping. I did not get an email from Andy or maybe I missed it but others apparently did.
There are many different opinions about CommentLuv but I am sticking with it.
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for the heads up about CommentLuv Premium Plugin. I love this plugin. I recommend it for every blogger who wants good traffic to their website. I just installed the CommentLuv-Link-Cleaner and I selected to check all comments for any broken link. I didn’t have any.
Just a question Sandy: After I do the check, do I need to deactivate the plug-in? As if I read that somewhere.
Yes, I got an email from Andy to download it and upload it into my blog. It looks like he sent it to all his list.
Thanks Sandy for sharing.
Be Blessed,
Neamat
Hi Neamat,
Great to hear that you didn’t have any broken links. It pays to checking from time to time though.
I guess it’s sensible to deactivate it after use and just activate it when you next want to use it.
Thanks for dropping by again.
Sandy
Sandy
I got an email from Andy as well. I think you had to like it on Facebook before you got access though.
Hi Jerry,
Yes, you are right. You have to like it to get it. A small gesture for a great gift.
Have a great week.
Sandy
The broken link checker is an awesome tool that any professional blogger should have in their toolbox. Thank you for sharing this unique post.
Regards
Hi,
Interesting post. I use Commentluv free version and I didn’t think about broken links. The idea behind Commentluv is great and it helps a lot of people, advanced or beginner users.
There is one point I want to make. We must not be so afraid and so easily moved about what we hear on internet. Example: I read somewhere that some people who use Commentluv had problems with some broken links.
Just search again on the internet and you will find other people who use the plugin and had no problems with broken links. The result? Those people who removed the plugin lost a lot of traffic. Serves them right.
If we react so quickly and so easily on any rumor we see, hear, read etc on the internet, soon or later our computer and our sites will become a mess and Chaos will rule. Resist those urges and do your research. Base your actions on logic and reason first and never hurry up. Inform yourself, evaluate, think and then act.
I believed in this beautiful plugin and I’m gone use it as long as the author is alive and takes care of it.
Thank you for the tip. I’ll check this link cleaner plugin.
Have a nice day.
Silviu
Hi Silviu,
What you say is very true. I know of one serious and respected blogger who decided to remove the CommentLuv plugin because of broken links and has lost a lot of traffic as a result.
I am sure she did plenty of research before she removed it because I read at one time on her blog that she was not going to remove it.
It can be hard sometimes to know what to do.
I read a lot about it but went with my gut feeling to keep it and then quite soon afterwards Andy came up with the link cleaner plugin.
Sandy