How to Avoid Negative SEO

Jun 11, 2014 3 min read
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The SEO industry transformed a lot over the past few years and online marketers have to change their strategies. It is not as easy to get a high Google ranking as it was a couple of years ago. Today, we will explain how negative SEO can be used against you, and what you can do to protect your website from attacks.

 

What is negative SEO?

Negative SEO is the attempt to sabotage a competitor’s search engine ranking by using unethical techniques. There are several forms of Negative SEO, for example:

  • Hacking your page.

  • Stealing your content and spreading it.

  • Building spammy links right to your website.

  • Building links to your page using spam keywords like “earn $” or “Viagra”.

  • Faking social profiles and destroying your online reputation.

  • Removing good backlinks to your site.

Negative SEO is spreading all over the internet. People do it for fun, for money or to outrank competitors. Luckily, there are ways to defend your Website against it!

 

5 ways to work against negative SEO

 

1. Get E-Mail alerts from Google Webmaster tools:

If you do, Google will send an alert when you’re being attacked by malware. They will let you know when your sites aren’t indexed or if you have connectivity issues. You’ll also get an alert when you get a penalty by Google. Very useful!

2. Watch your backlinks profile:

This is one of the most important actions against spamming. Very often, spammers try to lower somebody’s ranking by building bad links to their pages. So be aware if someone is building any links to your website! A very helpful and easy to use page to do so is MonitorBacklinks.com. This tool sends you e-mail alerts whenever you increase or lose backlinks.

3. Protect your website against hackers and malware:

Safety first! You don’t want any spam on your website that you’re not even aware of. If you’re working with WordPress, you can set up the Google Authenticator Plugin and increase your password security. Your best bet is to implement a password with special characters and numbers. You should also regularly create backups of your databases and files. If it’s possible for users to upload files on your website, make sure to install antivirus software.

4. Watch out for duplicate content:

Another very common spamming technique is spreading your content all over the internet. If your content gets duplicated often, there’s a high risk of getting penalized and losing your search engine ranking. You can fight this easily by using Copyscape.com. Just enter your website or the body of your text, and it will tell you if someone published your work somewhere else.

5. Check where you’re mentioned:

Sometimes competitors and spammers will generate fake social media accounts using your website’s or businesses’ name. If they’re able to generate any followers and create a bad reputation, it can easily influence your search engine ranking in a negative way. On Mention.net, you can create an account and receive alerts when your brand’s name gets mentioned in social media or on any website.

In the competitive online landscape, businesses are constantly striving to outperform their competitors. In order to keep your online presence and reputation, negative SEO must be avoided.

Please contact our knowledgeable staff if you want more details on this subject or need help with the SEO of your website. As a trusted SEO agency and digital marketing agency, we are here to support your SEO needs and help your business thrive. Contact us today for expert guidance and solutions.