If you have a WordPress website, you’re bound to get unwanted comments that may harm your content or audience. To prevent that from happening, you’ll need to ensure you have spam protection. This article will introduce one of the best anti-spam plugins, Akismet Anti-Spam, WordPress plugin and explain how to do the free WordPress setup tutorial & guide.
What Exactly is Akismet WordPress Anti-Spam Plugin?
Once your WordPress site is live, you need an anti-spam plugin. The tool will remove spam and prevent it from showing up on your page. It filters all incoming messages and eliminates the ones that contain spammy words.
Many plugins can help you with the task, so which one should you go to? Out of all anti-spam tools, Akismet Anti-Spam is our top recommendation. Here’s why:
- Advanced Stats also provides data on your site’s spam activities. It will show spam charts from daily to annual, false positives, and missed spam.
- Reliable, the plugin has blocked more than 483 million spam comments up to this day. With such a vast database, it’s getting better at distinguishing which responses are spam.
- Jetpack and Contact Form 7 integration — Akismet WordPress plugin can further improve your site’s security and block spam from contact form submissions by combining these two platforms.
- Affordable price: At $5 for a single website and $50 for unlimited sites per month, Akismet offers excellent value for money. There’s even a free version that has decent spam protection.
Now that you understand how great Akismet is, it’s time to learn how to add it to your website.
Why You Need Akismet
Before we dive into the setup process, let’s explore why Akismet is essential for your WordPress site in this tutorial:
- Spam Protection: Akismet filters out spam comments, preventing them from appearing on your site.
- Time-Saving: By automatically handling spam, Akismet saves you the time and effort of manually reviewing comments.
- Improved Site Performance: Reducing spam comments can enhance your site’s performance by keeping your database clean.
- Enhanced User Experience: A spam-free comment section ensures a better experience for your visitors.
Prerequisites
To follow this tutorial, you need:
- A WordPress site
- Administrator access to your WordPress dashboard
Video Tutorial
First, visit the Akismet WordPress Setup tutorial Signup Page and select the first plan (Personal). Here, Akismet will ask you to pay some money to get started, but it’s not essential. You can set it to $0/year. Now enter your email address, name, and site URL and check the boxes. Then click on the ‘Continue With Personal Subscription’ button.
Akismet WordPress Setup tutorial will send you a confirmation code to your email address. Copy and paste the code. Click on the ‘Continue’ button. Akismet will send you an API key. Go to your email inbox and copy that code. Now go to WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Installed Plugins and click ‘Settings’ under the Akismet Anti-Spam.
Step 1: Install the Akismet Plugin: Tutorial
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard: Use your administrator credentials to log in.
- Navigate to Plugins: On the left-hand menu, hover over “Plugins” and click “Add New”.
- Search for Akismet: In the search bar, type “Akismet”. The Akismet Anti-Spam plugin should appear as one of the top results.
- Install the Plugin: Click the “Install Now” button next to the Akismet Anti-Spam plugin.
- Activate the Plugin: Once installed, click “Activate” to enable the plugin on your site.
Step 2: Set Up Your Akismet Account
- Access the Akismet Settings: After activation, you’ll see a notice at the top of your dashboard prompting you to set up your Plugin account. Click on the “Set up your Akismet account” button.
- Get an API Key: You’ll be redirected to the plugin website. Here, you’ll need to sign up for an API key. Click the “Get your API key” button.
- Choose a Plan: Akismet offers several plans, including a free option for personal blogs. Select the plan that best suits your needs. For this tutorial, we’ll proceed with the free plan.
- Create an Account: If you don’t already have an account, you’ll need to create one. Enter your email address, choose a username, and create a password. Click “Sign Up”.
- Obtain Your API Key: After signing up, you’ll receive an API key via email. Copy this key as you’ll need it for the next step.
Step 3: Configure Akismet in WordPress
- Enter Your API Key: Return to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Akismet settings page (Plugins > Installed Plugins > anti-spam plugin Settings). Paste your API key into the designated field and click “Connect with API key”.
- Configure Settings: Akismet offers a few configuration options:
- Automatically discard spam comments on posts older than a month: Enable this option to keep older posts free from spam.
- Show the number of approved comments beside each comment author: This can help you identify trusted commenters.
- Save Changes: Click the “Save Changes” button to apply your settings.
Step 4: Review and Manage Spam
- Review Comments: Akismet will automatically filter spam comments, moving them to your spam folder. You can review these comments by navigating to Comments > Spam in your WordPress dashboard.
- Bulk Actions: If you’re confident that all comments in the spam folder are indeed spam, you can use the bulk actions feature to delete them all at once.
- False Positives: Occasionally, the plugin may flag legitimate comments as spam. Regularly check your spam folder for false positives and mark them as “Not Spam” to improve Akismet’s accuracy.
Additional Tips for Using Akismet
- Stay Updated: Ensure that both WordPress and the plugin are always up to date. Updates often include important security and performance improvements.
- Monitor Performance: Regularly monitor your site’s performance and spam activity to ensure Akismet is effectively handling spam.
- Backup Your Site: Regularly back up your site to avoid losing important data, including legitimate comments, in case of any issues.
Conclusion
Setting up the Akismet WordPress plugin is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance your site’s security and user experience. By following this tutorial, you can easily install and configure the plugin for free, protecting your site from unwanted spam. Keep your comment section clean, save time, and improve your site’s performance with this anti spam.
For more WordPress tips and tutorials, stay tuned to our blog. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to leave a comment below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is Akismet free? A: Plugin offers a free plan for personal blogs and a range of paid plans for commercial sites. The free plan provides robust spam protection suitable for most personal blogs.
Q2: Can The plugin remove spam comments automatically? A: Yes, Akismet can automatically filter out spam comments and move them to the spam folder. You can also enable the option to discard spam comments on posts older than a month automatically.
Q3: What if Akismet flags a legitimate comment as spam? A: Occasionally, legitimate comments may be flagged as spam. Regularly check your spam folder for false positives and mark them as “Not Spam” to improve Akismet’s accuracy.
Q4: Do I need an API key for this plugin? A: Yes, to use Akismet, you need to sign up for an API key. The API key allows the santi spam plugin to communicate with your WordPress site and filter spam comments effectively.
By following these steps and best practices, you can ensure your WordPress site remains protected from spam, providing a better experience for both you and your visitors. Happy blogging!