Warning: This WordPress Plugin Will Hurt Your Traffic And Irritate Your Readers

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I like to try new things

I am always looking for new and innovative ways to create traffic to my website and rank higher in the search engines.

I try many different methods and some work really well and some don’t. Those that work well I share with my readers on my blog.

SEO Super Comments

I’ve been doing some research on how to get traffic and I came across a WordPress plug-in called “SEO Super Comments” which basically takes each comment and makes a single page outs of it.

By increasing the number of pages you have you will supposedly rank higher in the search engines.

Side Effects

Unfortunately one of the side effects is that people don’t get back links to their sites for leaving a comment.  When you place a comment your name links to that single page with the comment instead of having your name link to your own website.

Giving people a link back to their website one they make a comment encourages people to participate in your blog, ask questions, and give you feedback.  These readers and their comments build your community.

Building a community is an important part of creating long-term traffic. Many people that discovered my blog weeks or months ago come back on a weekly basis to see what’s new. I have also found return visitors to be more likely to buy my products and click on advertising.

If you use this plug-in your readers will stop leaving comments.  One of my blog readers sent me the following:

Hi Nick

I am disturbed.

You are a proponent of building traffic and yet you shut down an avenue (that you say is good) for people right on your blog. I personally have always tried to give comments to your blog that would be beneficial to you and your other readers, in return, in the past, you would allow the link to my blog. Now you closed that and the links go only within your blog. Nice. I for one think I will not comment any longer.

I know just one of me doesn’t matter.

When I read this e-mail I  immediately turned off the plug-in because it was hurting my ability to build a community and generate long-term traffic. I also responded to the individual and explained the situation.

I know that for each angry e-mail I receive there are probably 10 people who were irritated by this but never sent me an e-mail. To those of you were bothered by this I apologize.

I’ve been testing this plug-in for a short time to evaluate its effectiveness.  I have concluded that any boost in SEO I may receive isn’t worth the cost of disappointed readers.

Tagged as: SEO