Wordpress blogs...allow readers' URLs in comments - how?

JennyP

I have 3 blogs and get quite a lot of readers but few comments.

I reckon one reason is that people can't put their URL as a link from their name. I often leave comments on other people's blogs and one reason I do is to get readers of blogs similar to my blog to come and visit me!

How do I enable wordpress so that people can do this please? Any ideas?

Jimibeee

Jenny,

I would really not recomend you allow people to put links in, basicly as its used for spam! If you did i would use akismet spam blocker as you will find 1000's of spam bots will keep posting stuff like:

Really interesting post, very thoughtfull

But their name goes to fake gucci . com or something slong those lines.

Also allowing people to post links will have a negative effect on your SEO as it causes link juice drainage.

JennyP

I use Akismet already and I do get spam. But lots of my favourite blogs allow comments that allow my name to link back to my site:

Here's an example: I have just posted on this blog (it's someone else's) and when you click my name (I'm the first one at the moment) it takes you to my website. So it's good for getting links! ignore the sugary post - I couldn't think what to put. I just wanted to post to illustrate what I meant.

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2011/10/i-remember-the-warm-feeling-of-relief-of-knowing-where-my-future-was.html#disqus_thread

I could install Discus on my site but it's complicated and there seem other ways of doing it!

JennyP

What's link use drainage? Sounds like something medical

steve1980

You just need to allow the comments but not allow them to go live until they have been checked by the account holder (you)

JennyP

I think it does that. When I log out and then post a fake comment on my own blog, it doesn't show till I log back in and approve it! Think I've sussed the link thing too.