In doing routine server audits, I often notice that some posts on various websites are getting spammed. This usually means that a control on the post (when it was originally created) has the “Allow Comments” and/or “Allow Pings” left turned on. At that point I check a couple of scheduled posts and usually see that is the case.

Most of the time it appears all the “comments” are in mostly Russian or other languages or not pertinent at all to the website’s post they are attached to. At this point I don’t believe the individual managing the website intended to receive them.

How to Disallow Comments on Current and Scheduled Pages

Here is how you can use the bulk editor to disallow comments from your current/existing posts:

• • Navigate to your site’s Dashboard > Posts
  • Click on the first checkbox of the top row to select all the posts on the page
  • Click the Bulk actions pull down and choose Edit
  • Click on the Apply button – this will open a Bulk Edit dialogue box
  • In the pulldown after the word Comments choose Do not allow – this will turn off the ability to leave comments on all posts in the website (you can manage pages in the same manner)
  • In the pulldown after the word Pings choose Do not allow (works the same way as Comments above)
  • Click on the Update button
  • Repeat until all taken care of (only does the current page of them)

How to Remove the Existing Spam Comments

Unmanaged comments build up over time. I have seen websites that have accumulated thousands of spam comments. These can even slow the website down. They also waste your time when you have to go in and manage (usually delete) them. You can get rid of them by doing this:

• • Navigate to your site’s Dashboard > Comments
  • Click the checkbox next to Author to select all on the page
  • Click the Bulk actions pull down and choose Mark as spam
  • Click on the Apply button
  • Repeat until all taken care of (only does the current page of them)

Hopefully, these tips will help you make your website easier to manage overall.