5 Ways to Prevent Negative SEO from Affecting Your Website
Negative SEO is a classic black hat SEO tactic that could result in a noticeable dip in online visibility. It’s essentially an assault from a competitor that involves things like directing bad links to your site and crashing your server by sending bogus requests your way. The way to fight negative SEO techniques is to be proactive. Here are five steps you can take to protect your site from negative SEO, brought to you by the experts at Saba SEO, a San Diego SEO company you can trust.
1. Don’t Purchase Backlinks
Unsafe practices can make your site more vulnerable to negative SEO issues, especially when you purchase backlinks. The potential problem is that some of those purchased links may have issues that reflect poorly on your site.
2. Sign Up for Email Alerts
Sign up to receive email alerts from Google Webmaster, and you’ll get a heads-up when you have a penalty or your site is being attacked by malware. Signing up for email alerts also allows you to respond quickly before your site’s ranking is seriously affected.
3. Make Sure Your Backlinks Are Healthy
One way to spot shady links suddenly being directed at your site is to get into the habit of checking your backlinks. Tools like Ahrefs Backlink Checker and SEO SpyGlass can be used to monitor your backlinks. Err on the side of caution and use Google’s Disavow Links tool to block suspicious or poor-quality backlinks.
4. Make Your Website Secure
Any lapses in your website’s security can make it easier for unscrupulous competitors to find their way in and do some serious damage. If you have a WordPress CMS, security plugins or extensions can secure your site. Further secure your website to discourage negative SEO tactics by: • Using free website security tools like Netsparker and SecurityHeaders.io • Switching to HTTPS and keeping software on your site up to date • Not permitting users to upload files • Validating your site from the browser and server side • Checking the security of your website’s passwords
5. Use Software to Check for Plagiarism/Duplicate Content
The purpose of using software like Copyscape is to make sure competitors aren’t duplicating your content in an attempt to devalue the content or get you penalized by Google. SEMRush also has a handy duplicate content tool you can use. On a related note, consider using tools to perform periodic site audits to spot other issues you may not be aware of. Websites susceptible to negative SEO tricks are usually ones in highly competitive fields or industries. Typically, this includes financial-based sites (e.g. insurance, payday loans, bail bonds). Even if you don’t have an especially competitive niche, there’s always the chance an overly-aggressive competitor could resort to negative SEO tactics. In addition to the tips already discussed, further boost your peace of mind by paying attention to your stats to look for any suspicious ranking dips. If you need help protecting your website from negative SEO tactics, turn to Saba SEO. We are one of the best marketing companies San Diego has to offer, with over ten years of experience in search engine optimization, website design, and content development. Our experts utilize a wide variety of white hat tactics to boost your online visibility. Even if your website has been hit with negative SEO, we can help you get back on the right track. To learn about our quality-assured services, give us a call at 858-277-1717 today.