Hiding the no-follow attribute

Perhaps with javascript?

[PublicSphere]

I have a large blog that gets a lot of visitors and a lot of comments. I have recently re-introduced the no-follow attribute on links in my comments. Since doing so I have had a minor backlash from some of my commenters!

I don't really care that they want me to remove the no-follow attribute, however for the sake of shutting them up I'd like to make it seem as though I've removed it without actually having removed it.

Does anyone know of a way of hiding the no-follow attribute in a link so that the link is not followed by spiders but the rel="no-follow" is not visible to uses examining the code?

Thanks in advance for any advice

[Fotiman]

no-follow is basically the standard for blog comments. It signifies that the link is not provided by you, the author of the page. I think your commenters are out of line. I would not try to cater them, as this is standard practice.

In addition, no, you could not hide the no-follow. If you tried to add it programmatically with JavaScript, then the spiders would not see it. In theory, you might be able to do some server side sniffing to try and determine if the visitor is a spider or a human and modify the links server side, but that can get you blacklisted with search engines.

[Philosopher]

I wouldn't say it would get you blacklisted. That's a bit of a stretch. The engines don't particularly like "cloaking" when it is used to deceive the engines. Using it only to present a nofollow to the engines would be highly unlikely to cause any issues with the engines. Now...it could cause some issues with your commentors if they figure it out which they could (google cache).

The easiest way is through user-agent sniffing. Looking for the user agents of the engines and, when found, serving the nofollow.

The above being said, I'm with Fotiman...it's your blog, they have no right to tell you how to run it.

[PublicSphere]

hmmm yes I see. I think I have a comprimise: I think you can install a plugin on Wordpress that removes the no-follow on comments from commenters who have commented x number of times already. That could fix the problem.

[D_Blackwell]

I don't really care that they want me to remove the no-follow attribute, however for the sake of shutting them up I'd like to make it seem as though I've removed it without actually having removed it.

Handle it how you choose, but consider doing so honestly; perhaps clear policies that you actually follow and not just use as window dressing, established standards of business and personal conduct.....

[Fotiman]

I think you can install a plugin on Wordpress that removes the no-follow on comments from commenters who have commented x number of times already.

That sounds like a very reasonable solution. :)

[PublicSphere]

Handle it how you choose, but consider doing so honestly; perhaps clear policies that you actually follow and not just use as window dressing, established standards of business and personal conduct.....

Visitors to my website who are their to build links via my articles are deceitful in the nature of their communication. Sometimes the best way to beat a liar is to let them think their lies have been believed.

[rocknbil]

<opinion>
Or, just be honest and straightforward.

"I have to pay for my inbound links and advertising. So should you. If you'd like to link to your site, I'll be happy to work out a financial arrangement with you."

People are trained to think the Internet=free ride. Never let the fear of losing customers/contacts/members govern decisions like this. It may hurt a little, but the users that respect you will recognize it as . . . quality control.
</opinion>

[swa66]

rel="nofollow" is for those links where you have no control over where it goes to.

Anybody disagreeing so much as to voice it out on your site: good riddance, they were in it for self promotional reasons.

Smart spammers would not bother to post their crap when you have rel="nofollow" all over the user contribute content parts, but unfortunately many aren't that smart.