Remove the Comments Website Field in WordPress functions.php

You might have considered removing the Comments Website or URL field in WordPress but have been unsure about its implications and potential benefits. Designed to enhance interactivity, this field lets users display their website URLs whenever they engage in your site’s discussion. Nevertheless, as we delve deeper into the digital world, we often face more complex Search Engine Optimization (SEO) choices.

The current article is "6.13. Remove the Website Field" of our Complete SEO Guide Box.
Previous Article: 6.12. Remove the Email Field. Next Article: 6.14. Remove All the Fields

Why Removing the Comments Website Field Is a Consideration

Combatting Spam

The primary motivation to remove this field stems from the constant battle against spam. It’s not unusual for this feature to be misused by some users and bots aiming to gain backlinks. These backlinks are often directed toward their sites, filled with spam comments that may not contribute to the dialogue. More alarmingly, they may negatively affect your website’s SEO if linked to low-quality or irrelevant sites.

Enhancing Comment Quality

Without the field, a noticeable enhancement in the quality of the comments can be observed. Contributors will likely comment solely to add value rather than post a link.

Simplified Comment Form

One advantage that follows the decision to remove the comments website field is the simplicity of the comment form. A decluttered and uncomplicated comment form is often more enticing, paving the way for genuine interactions.

Privacy Considerations

In the age of data breaches and privacy concerns, removing the Comments Website field from your WordPress can make a difference. By collecting less user data, you can mitigate privacy worries that might otherwise dissuade potential commenters.

The Recommendation is to Remove the WordPress Website Comment Field

As with articles, to remove the Name and Email fields from the comments section, the reasoning is the same – less clutter in the comments section, more effortless user commenting experience, and less spam.

How to Remove the Website Comments Field through functions.php of the WordPress Child Theme

We will add a function to the functions.php file of our Child Theme.

Find the end of the file with the “?>” string.
Before that string, make at least three empty lines and paste the code:

// Disable Email in comments. 60 is the priority of execution.
add_filter( 'comment_form_default_fields', 'remove_comment_fields', 60 );
function remove_comment_fields( $fields ) {
    if(isset($fields['url']))
       unset($fields['url']);
    return $fields;
}

This function checks if the ‘url’ field is set; if so, the function unsets (or removes) the field.

Click [Update File].
Clear all the caches in case you use them.

If someone left comments on your site, you must use Database Manager to delete their field data. Don’t forget to back up the databse.

Removing Name and Email Fields

You can also remove the other fields with our guides: How to Remove the Name Field from Comments Section in WordPress through functions.php, and How to Remove the Email Field from Comments Section in WordPress through functions.php.

There is also an option to remove all the input fields (Name, Email, and Website) from the Comments Section in WordPress with a single function using functions.php.

The current article is "6.13. Remove the Website Field" of our Complete SEO Guide Box.
Previous Article: 6.12. Remove the Email Field. Next Article: 6.14. Remove All the Fields

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