Bots are AI or ML-powered software scripts that can affect a website’s speed and security.
All bots are not harmful, rather some bots can help brands enhance their marketing activities. But regularly monitoring website traffic, staying vigilant and updating plugins can help brands restrict access to malicious and harmful bots, that can negatively impact their website’s speed, user experience and security.
Check for log-in attempts from unknown sources, sudden surge in newsletter sign-ups, sudden spikes in bounce rates, excess comments with excessive linking and other “fishy” activities. Use Google Analytics to investigate website traffic, log-in attempts and suspicious traffic sources. Look for patterns or a series of repetitive IP addresses to identify bot activities.
Updating all plugins and software as well as blocking access from older browser versions can help businesses protect websites from malicious bot activities. Further, use CAPTCHA tools and bot blocker services.
[10 minute read]
