Combating SPAM in your Inbox

Spam continues to inundate our email inboxes daily, despite various protection measures.

It is an irritating and pointless intrusion, and I highly doubt that anyone has ever been convinced to buy anything from spammers. Any business that resorts to spam-based advertising deserve no customers at all. However, with a few straightforward precautions, you can significantly minimize spam on your website.

In this article, we will present five practical tips that have proven effective for us at Tropical Coast Web Design.

Keep Your Frameworks and Plug-ins Updated:

For websites running on platforms like WordPress, regular updates are crucial. These updates resolve known issues and address security vulnerabilities. To update your components, locate the “UPDATES” button on your website’s main dashboard (similar options may be available in other systems) and apply any listed updates. It is advisable to back up your site before implementing any updates for added security.

Disguise Your Email Address on Pages:

Spammers employ automated bots to scour the internet for email addresses from business websites. To avoid your email address getting included in their databases, disguise it within your website’s code. Have your designer substitute the “@” symbol with its code equivalent “@”. This way, the address appears normal to visitors, but spambots will interpret it differently and disregard it entirely.

Employ a High-Quality Spam Filter in Your CMS:

Just as savvy email users utilize spam filters, you can install similar filters on your Content Management System (CMS) to prevent spam comments and emails from circulating through your site. Two excellent options for WordPress are Spam-Free WordPress and the widely used Akismet. While Akismet requires a monthly subscription for business sites, Spam-Free WordPress is a free and effective alternative.

Use ReCaptcha

ReCaptcha v3 is an intelligent Google solution that quietly detects and blocks spam and bots on websites, enhancing security without inconveniencing “human” users. Unlike its predecessors, ReCaptcha v3 works silently in the background, assessing user behaviour, and assigning a risk score to each interaction. This score helps your website systems differentiate between genuine users and bots attempting malicious activities.

Secure Your Website with the .htaccess File:

The .htaccess file is a server-loaded system file that governs some site configurations. It can be customized to help prevent spam and malicious attacks. However, changing this file should be left to a professional web developer due to its sensitive nature.

Spam is not only annoying but can also damage your business’s reputation if not addressed properly. By implementing the five tips above, you can significantly reduce spam on your website and enhance your online experience. While no system is entirely foolproof, taking these simple precautions can minimize spam-related issues and provide your visitors with a hassle-free browsing experience.