Every business owner should be aware of negative SEO and the threat it poses to their brand. It needs to be reinforced that negative SEO is a real threat, and the best way to deal with it is prevention.
Let's take a look at what negative SEO is and some preventative steps to secure your website and ensure your business is protected.
What is Negative SEO?
Negative SEO is when your search engine rankings are sabotaged through the use of unethical techniques. There is a wide range of methods that can be used to target your website, drive your rankings down and destroy your brand online. Here's a list of some of the more common methods (1):
- Building a large number of bad links to your website (e.g. adult and gambling sites)
- Malware and hacking attempts (adds spam content, modifies files, blocks Google)
- Copying your web content and reposting it repeatedly
- Removing your site's best backlinks
- Ruining your site's reputation using fake profiles and accounts
Dealing With Negative SEO
In 2012, Google launched their Disavow Tool to combat some of the unethical techniques mentioned above. It should be noted though that it can take anywhere from a couple weeks to a month for the fix to work.
It's no surprise then that the best way to secure your website and protect your SEO rankings is to focus on prevention. Let's take a look at some of the key preventative steps to dealing with negative SEO.
Google Webmaster Tools Email Alerts
Using this webmaster tool means Google will send you an email alert when your website is under attack. Email alerts can be related to penalties, malware or if you fail to properly index your pages.
Monitor Your Backlinks
One of the most popular negative SEO technique involves building bad links to your website. It's important for SEO professionals to keep track of who is linking or redirecting to their site.
A great resource for dealing with this kind of threat can be found at monitorbacklinks.com. Instead of manually checking your backlinks, all the required information will be sent directly to your inbox.
Website Security Is Key
Ensure your website is protected from malware and hacking attempts. Here a few ways to secure your website:
- Backup your database and files regularly
- Make sure you are using a strong password
- Install antivirus software to ensure uploaded files are malware free
Watch Out For Duplicate Content
Another common technique to sabotage your rankings is to post duplicate versions of your content throughout the web. Duplicated content will lead to penalties, and your search engine rankings will drop.
Free tools available online such as Copyscape allow you to search for copied content.
Avoid Making Online Enemies
The web is full of potential enemies. Many attackers are simply looking for fun, while others might be out for revenge.
Perhaps the most likely culprit will be your online competitors. Either way, be nice and don't give anyone an added reason to target your website or business.
Focus On Prevention and Quality Links
The preventative steps above can help you deal with negative SEO and increase your website security. Remember, prevention is the key. Another useful thing to bear in mind is that high-quality links on your site make any negative SEO attacker's job much more difficult (2).
- S. What are your experiences with negative SEO and do you have any other preventative steps to deal with the problem? We'd love to hear any thoughts or questions you might have.
