Rick

Although it may be more time consuming...

why not remove their link and place another name in place of what they wrote? or remove the name altogether...

Personality sells if you show who you are people are much more likely to trust you, as you know trust is very important!

Annie

Potentially damaging keywords appearing on your blog could be a problem though.

YOU're the King of your blog !
YOU've to set the rules upfront: choose what you thinks is right and then put that rules above the comment section (like for example Tim Ferriss did on his blog).

What I do on my blog is to tollerate "Name @ My Site" or "Name - My Site" if the commenter really brings in value, otherwise I delete the whole comment or I edit the commenters name deleting the site name.

I don't tollerate when they put in only "My Site" and they get deleted in any case.

ciao
alexander

If the commment is using your site for Google juice and isn't contributing any value, it might as well be spam. Ditch it. If it's a good comment, perhaps they've earned their googlebomb, not that it's worth much with rel="nofollow" enabled.

I think like others have said, that there's a right way and a wrong way to go about things. I don't really focus on comment posts/SEO as a major traffic magnet so when I post, it's to actually join the conversation.

I've never just out & out posted with a blatant spam link back to my site, but I only just recently added my picture. I've always used my name. So for me it was just a small technical obstacle with gravatars.

I don't think banning them off the bat is right, but a warning to the offender and then banning after repeated offenses is absolutely just.

My .02 cents...

MikeR

No one ever got noticed doing the exact thing everyone else does and there's always someone ready to scream witch, oops I mean spam, at the top of his or her lungs after clocking out of the hourly paid job that he or she hates

Rick

I would look at those who dont understand anything about Business, who dont understand anything about promotion, who dont understand anything about traffic and backlinks. especially the ones who actually RESENT or despise those that DO have a Business and Do embrace SEO and promotion.
i would actually ban THOSE as the losers that do not actually add any value.
Regardless of how good intentioned or authentically posted , if they exhibit the kind of disdain for promotion that is needed to be one of the minority successful businesses, they dont really belong adding their negative views on a blog whose topic and relavency is "how to be successful online.
Jason Fladlien sent me a somewhat promotional, part inspirational email the other day that speaks of the "97% crowd" and descibes those who just DON't get it.
the People who actually self destructively resent and bring down Positive, proven and useful business building techniques bring down those who really Want to succeed.
He said "habits are more caught than taught. You usually pick up the habits of those that you most closely associate with. " 97% of people won't get it and shouldnt be allowed to poison the enthusiastic empowering entrepreneur

Now, I am not advocating spam in any way.

If the comment is just a spammy 'Atta boy great post, I agree" I ban it regardless of the url or keywords of the poster.

IF the reader automatically resents and dismisses those others whose posts prefer SEO or keywords over Name, while still adding resources, solutions and empowering education then I keep the entrepreneur and Ban the loser /hater.

"dont do that! I hate that! you Business promoters SUCK!" does not add any value but a post thats intended to provide a resource, be a solution while also being keyword savvy is a welcome addition of content and deserves a little "keywordluv plugin" link love for the value its added.

thanks and take care
Bryan Bliss