![\"Spammer](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/spam-800.jpg\")
\nIn the SEO world, it seems like we\u2019re always talking about what not to do when it comes to your website and your search engine optimization strategy. And for good reason: Spam can harm a website\u2019s ability to rank and drive traffic and revenue.<\/p>\n
Most website publishers aren\u2019t intentionally doing spam (and if they are, it\u2019s not a sustainable tactic). But many websites inadvertently get caught up in spam practices. They are surprised when they can\u2019t seem to rank or fall in the search rankings. Or worse, they might get a manual penalty or be removed from the search engine index.<\/p>\n
Google is always fighting to keep spam out of its search results. They even released an updated spam algorithm in June that they called a spam update<\/a>, putting some brand new technology and a lot of detection smarts in place. So to those inclined to spam, you cannot fly under the radar anymore.<\/p>\n Still, is it possible you could be doing webspam without meaning to? Today I\u2019ll share what spam is and what can happen if you do it as we discuss:<\/p>\n Webspam comes in many forms, and its defining quality is an intention to manipulate search engine rankings with deceptive practices. The rule of thumb for spam is: Did you earn your rankings? If not, then it\u2019s probably spam.<\/p>\n People engage in spam practices to boost their own websites (or the websites of their clients) or to negatively impact a competitor\u2019s website (referred to as negative SEO).<\/p>\n Spam has been a huge money maker for a lot of industries over the years (think casinos, porn, and pharmaceuticals). Search engines have long had a goal to eradicate these types of sites from their search results.<\/p>\n Google discusses spam further here<\/a>:<\/p>\n Ever since there have been search engines, there have been people dedicated to tricking their way to the top of the results page. This is bad for searchers because more relevant pages get buried under irrelevant results, and it’s bad for legitimate websites because these sites become harder to find. For these reasons, we’ve been working since the earliest days of Google to fight spammers, helping people find the answers they’re looking for, and helping legitimate websites get traffic from search. …<\/em><\/p>\n Our algorithms are extremely good at detecting spam, and in most cases we automatically discover it and remove it from our search results. However, to protect the quality of our index, we’re also willing to take manual action to remove spam from our search results.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This is where things like search engine guidelines come in \u2014 a sort of playbook for any website that wants to compete in the search results.<\/p>\n The quality guidelines within Google\u2019s Webmaster Guidelines<\/a> give clear instructions on how to avoid common spam tactics. Let\u2019s go through each of those next.<\/p>\n Affiliate programs can be tricky. Google says that \u201caffiliate websites do not provide additional value for web users, especially (but not only) if they are part of a program that distributes its content across a network of affiliates.\u201c Examples of affiliate websites<\/a> that would be considered spam include:<\/p>\n Google points out that \u201cnot every site that participates in an affiliate program is a thin affiliate. Good affiliates add value, for example, by offering original product reviews, ratings, navigation of products or categories, and product comparisons.\u201d<\/p>\n Automatically generated content<\/a> is content that is created programmatically with the intention of ranking and not providing value to a user. Google gives examples:<\/p>\n Cloaking <\/a>refers to the practice of serving different content or URLs to search engines vs. users. Cloaking itself is not bad and is used in some normal instances. But when you use it to be deceptive, it\u2019s spam \u2014 think: a webpage on baby blankets given to Google but a porn site given to users. This and other cloaking techniques, as illustrated by Google, are spam:<\/p>\n Doorway webpages<\/a> are those that are created solely for search engines and stuffed with keywords in an attempt to rank. When a person tries to access these pages, however, they are automatically redirected to another page. Google\u2019s examples include:<\/p>\n Do not hide text or links on a webpage. Hidden text or links<\/a> on a page are a form of spam. Google gives examples of this:<\/p>\n Here, Google is referring to \u201ckeyword stuffing<\/a>,\u201d where a website puts way too many keywords on a page in an unnatural way to attempt to manipulate rankings. Google gives examples:<\/p>\n There are a lot of ways that people try to be deceptive with links, so Google goes into great detail about link spam. Links to and from a site that are intended to manipulate rankings are considered link schemes<\/a>. Google gives examples:<\/p>\n Unnatural links also fall into the link scheme category of spam. Google gives examples:<\/p>\n Google explains that some paid links are OK<\/a>, but they should be clearly marked as such. After all, advertising is a normal part of the internet economy. Seeking to boost your site authority through followed links, however, should not be done through buying or selling \u2014 that\u2019s spam.<\/p>\n This is referring to any practice that attempts to harm the end user. Google gives examples of pages with malicious behavior<\/a>:<\/p>\n Taking content from other websites and putting it on your own site is considered spam. Google gives examples<\/a>:<\/p>\n This is not to be confused with duplicate content<\/a> that happens on your own website as a result of sharing the same or similar content between webpages.<\/p>\n Sneaky redirects direct a website visitor to a different URL than they had originally intended to visit. Google gives examples:<\/p>\n User-generated spam<\/a> can happen as a result of other people\u2019s actions against your site. Google\u2019s examples include:<\/p>\n In most cases, Google will not issue a manual action. But, it is up to the site owner to monitor and take care of it in case it does result in a penalty. Google gives ways to prevent comment spam here<\/a>.<\/p>\n From an SEO perspective, there are two possible negative consequences of spam:<\/p>\n In either case, engaging in spam can result in lost rankings and traffic. And, in some cases, a site can be removed from the index altogether (this consequence is reserved for manual actions).<\/p>\n What comes next is figuring out how to remedy your site. With manual actions, it can be a little easier because you will get a message from Google citing the problem. Even then, the message may not necessarily point you to the specific thing you need to fix.<\/p>\n (Related: What Is a Google Penalty and How Do I Avoid It?<\/a>)<\/p>\n Take this example of a manual action message I cited in an article I wrote on guest posting<\/a>:<\/p>\n If it\u2019s an algorithmic update where many changes are made at the same time, you have to really put your detective hat on.<\/p>\n Sure, we get notifications from Google sometimes when these updates happen (or you can use SEO tools to try and track these types of changes), but you still have work to do. What was it that caused a drop in rankings or traffic?<\/p>\n One thing you have to be aware of is not to make changes to the site too quickly in an algorithm situation. As Google rolls out changes to the algorithm, you might see traffic going up one day or week and down the next.<\/p>\n Instead, take a deep breath and let things shake out for a few days. Start researching online \u2014 what are people in the SEO industry saying about the update? What is your intuition about what needs to be changed on the site? Do your diligence and then get to work.<\/p>\n Legitimate websites are not spam, but they can get into spam without really knowing it. For example, if website owners hire a cheap SEO<\/a> service, they can get themselves into a lot of trouble \u2014 particularly when it comes to links.<\/p>\n Knowing what spam actually is in the SEO world will help you be better prepared to know what not to do, and to diagnose your site if you notice it has lost rankings or traffic.<\/p>\n If you suspect your site might be caught in spam, you may need expert help. We\u2019ve helped many companies in this situation recover. Contact us today<\/a> for a free quote and consultation.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n One of the most concerning trends in this realm is using SEO spam practices, a collection of manipulative tactics to boost website rankings artificially. These practices have various potential consequences that can significantly harm a website’s reputation, traffic, and overall digital presence.<\/p>\n Engaging in SEO spam practices can trigger various algorithmic and manual penalties. Search engines, led by Google, have sophisticated algorithms that can swiftly identify and penalize websites resorting to spammy tactics. Algorithmic penalties often result in a drop in rankings and visibility, negatively impacting organic traffic and undermining the website’s credibility. Manual penalties imposed by human reviewers can lead to severe consequences, including being removed from search engine indexes altogether.<\/p>\n Avoiding these dire consequences requires website owners to adhere to ethical and sustainable SEO strategies. Focus on creating high-quality, relevant, and user-friendly content that genuinely addresses the needs of your target audience. Avoid attempting to manipulate search engines through keyword stuffing, cloaking, or hidden text. Instead, build a strong online presence through genuine engagement, social media efforts, and link-building with authoritative websites.<\/p>\n When navigating the complex world of SEO, it’s essential to stay informed about algorithm updates and industry best practices. Continuously monitor your website’s performance, watching for any sudden drops in rankings or traffic that could indicate potential penalties. Seek insights from reputable sources, attend SEO conferences, and engage in community forums to stay current with the latest trends and guidelines.<\/p>\n The consequences of engaging in SEO spam practices are severe and can irreparably damage a website’s online reputation. To avoid these pitfalls, prioritize ethical SEO strategies, adhere to search engine guidelines, and invest in creating valuable content for your audience. By staying informed, proactive, and committed to maintaining high standards, website owners can secure their digital presence and establish themselves as trustworthy and authoritative players in the online landscape.<\/p>\n Step-by-Step Procedure: Navigating SEO Spam Practices and Avoiding Penalties<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether intentional or unintentional, spam can harm your website’s ability to rank and earn traffic. Learn what spam is, the different types of spam and what the consequences are.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":108846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1646,1645,1232,1110,1644],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/a>What Is Spam?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Types of Spam<\/h2>\n
Affiliate Programs<\/h3>\n
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Automatically Generated Content<\/h3>\n
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Cloaking<\/h3>\n
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Doorway Pages<\/h3>\n
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Hidden Text and Links<\/h3>\n
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Irrelevant Keywords<\/h3>\n
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\nWe sell custom cigar humidors. Our custom cigar humidors are handmade. If you’re thinking of buying a custom cigar humidor, please contact our custom cigar humidor specialists at custom.cigar.humidors@example.com.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\nLink Schemes<\/h3>\n
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\nExchanging money for links, or posts that contain links<\/em>
\nExchanging goods or services for links<\/em>
\nSending someone a “free” product in exchange for them writing it and including a link<\/em><\/li>\n\n
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\nThere are many wedding rings<\/a> on the market. If you want to have a wedding<\/a>, you will have to pick the best ring<\/a>. You will also need to buy flowers<\/a> and a wedding dress<\/a>.<\/em><\/li>\n
\nVisitors to this page: 1,472<\/em>
\ncar insurance<\/em><\/li>\n
\nThanks, that’s great info!<\/em>
\n– Paul<\/em>
\npaul’s pizza<\/span> san diego pizza<\/span> best pizza san diego<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\nPages with Malicious Behavior<\/h3>\n
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Scraped Content<\/h3>\n
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Sneaky Redirects<\/h3>\n
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User-Generated Spam<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>The Cost of Spam<\/h2>\n
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![\"Manual](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Google-manual-action-message.png\")
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n
<\/a>FAQ: What are the potential consequences of engaging in SEO spam practices, and how can website owners avoid them?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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