As you may already know, WordPress the rel=”nofollow” attribute in comments. That makes any comment with a link on it have no significance for Google when they ranks websites. Getting rid of the rel=”nofollow” attribute is one of the tactics that many WordPress bloggers follow to get more people comment on their blogs. And in my view, this is quite fair – comments add content to a certain blog, the blog pays them back with a link that will be counted by Google, will rise their pagerank and make their way up in Google searches. So, let’s begin.
There are two ways through which you can turn off rel=”nofollow” attribute in your blog:
1. Changing WordPress Core
Editing WordPress core might not be a good idea for bloggers who are not very familiar with coding. For others, like me, who can do any code editing, online through FTP or offline, this is something that they do everyday. That would save the time of downloading, installing and making work another plugin. However, keep in mind that you need to redo this action every time you do an upgrade.
There is only one file you need to edit and all you have to do is remove the word nofollow. This word is located at wp-includes/comment-template.php on line 148. It looks like this:
{code type=php}
$return = “$author“;
{/code}
All you have to do is remove the word nofollow only and save the file. This is it!
2. Employing a Plugin
If you do not feel comfortable with editing the WordPress core, you can employ a plugin to do that for you. Keep in mind that you will have the plugin too, when new versions are released. Below you will find a list of such plugins. Chose the one that is good for you and install it.
Time for publicity: By removing the nofollow attribute you are giving something away for free to your visitors, tell this to your visitors. You will motivate more people to comment for sure. Good luck!
PS: Don’t forget that WPlancer is a DoFollow blog and I love to hear what you think. Thanks!