Just looking for some clarification here, if I comment on a blog post that is relevant to my niche with a relevant comment but i use a keyword as my name is this classed as spam. If it is what is the outcome of this, is it simply ignored by G or are you marked down for it.

If you are marked down, what is to stop your competitors from posting on a load of blogs using your site, thus damaging your site.

It depends on the blog or blogger. There are a lot of blogs which allow keyword along with your name like name@keyword (you can see commentluv there), such blogs would be happy to give you a backlink provided you comment something relevant and meaningful. otherwise blogs don't generally allow keywords and they consider such comments as spam. Blogger can (as per his comment policy) filter spams with plug-ins like akismet and can even permanently block a spammer from commenting on his blog.

Ok thanks for sharing, but can a competitor harm your rankings by posting spammy comments using your url?

Hi jim

As a general rule, Google will not penalise people for backlinking just for the reason you have specified there, that a competator could post your link in places in a deliberate attempt to get your site hurt. Generally it would devalue or ignore links that look spammy.

I do not know of anyone personally who has had their site harmed for the backlinks they have created, however there are many people that say they have been penalised for this, so its difficlt for people to answer, as no one really knows for sure.

Woc

however there are many people that say they have been penalised for this,

Really? I assume they still have the emails from google stating this fact.

If your commenting on a blog then 9 times out of 10 the link will have a nofollow so it wont even really matter.

Originally Posted by jim25

Just looking for some clarification here, if I comment on a blog post that is relevant to my niche with a relevant comment but i use a keyword as my name is this classed as spam.

Of course that's spam!!!!

Blog comments are intended for visitors to discuss that blog post by contributing something valuable to the conversation. Simply posting "just to get your keyword link" is nothing but spam.

Really? I assume they still have the emails from google stating this fact.

lol no of course not, thats what i meant in my post, no one really knows for sure.

If you post something construtive and useful how is that spam ?? the fact someone takes advantage of adding a keyword in there name, doesnt make it spam ! Also i see how people can see it as spam too.

However defining spam is not always clear cut !

Most people no follow their blog comments anyway as someone above said, I do with my blogs, you do get too much spam otherwise lol

Woc

http://www.webmaster-talk.com/the-go...gh-causes.html

http://www.webmaster-talk.com/bloggi...ders-spam.html

Originally Posted by usearchme

If you post something construtive and useful how is that spam ?? the fact someone takes advantage of adding a keyword in there name, doesnt make it spam ! Also i see how people can see it as spam too.

The fact that you're aiming to include your "keywords" with a comment indicates your true motives.

Genuine people who add useful or constructive comments to blog are never concerned about "keywords".

Last thought - when you're at social event do you try to slip "keywords" into your conversations?

If you want to get approve then add something related to that post, atleast 6-7 lines and you will find yourself aproved

Originally Posted by blue-dreamer

The fact that you're aiming to include your "keywords" with a comment indicates your true motives.

Genuine people who add useful or constructive comments to blog are never concerned about "keywords".

Last thought - when you're at social event do you try to slip "keywords" into your conversations?

That example isnt relevant.

You could argue that im spamming with my signiture, in fact I just take advantage of the opportunity since im contributing to the site I choose to use my signiture to my advantage, that isnt the same thing.

As I said spamming is not always clear cut, which makes it a very difficult issue for search engines.

Woc

It is not a spam. But be careful to some webmasters because when they get jealous, especially if you are in the same niche and direct competitors, he (the blogger) will report you to Akismet as spam and goodbye...

no you wont get penalised for this kind of thing. Trust me.