If you own a website then we all know your worst fears. The fear of your website getting blacklisted by Search Engines will always be top on your list. Here are a few things that you should avoid to ensure that your website does not get blacklisted by Search Engines and what is it that you need to do to keep your website safe.
Cloaking: This is a technique where content packed with keywords is shown to search engines while at the same time a totally different piece of content is shown to the users. It’s like a cheat to rank higher on search engines but if you’re website gets caught in action; expect it to be blacklisted almost instantly.
Paid links: This was one of the stress-free ways to rank your website higher in search engines. But after the certain algorithm updates, this has become a hitch for most of the websites using this technique. In Fact there have been several reports of some popular websites being affected after search engines penalizing use of paid links.
Piracy: Search Engines have become extremely tough with regards to restricting piracy. If you put up any content that results in copyright infringement then you can have your website blacklisted. Take a look at the below screenshot for websites that have been taken off the Google Search pages due to complaints from DMCA[ Digital Millennium Copyright Act aims to criminalize unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content].
Keyword Stuffing: There is a difference between the right amount of keywords and too many keywords. If you fall into the second category then your website will be considered as spam and yes you can expect your website to be blacklisted. Search engine algorithms have become smart enough to identify this.
Duplicate/Low Quality content: Search engines are giving websites with relevant and high quality content higher preferences so that the search results are accurate and useful for the users. Other websites with duplicate and low quality content are either pushed to the back of the rankings or simply blacklisted. This is totally different from piracy as the content might not be copyright protected but it is still considered stealing someone else’s ideas.
Violating Adsense policies: A maximum of 3 ad standard units are allowed on one webpage. Exceeding the threshold limit could result in Google considering your website as spam and will not only blacklist your website but also restrict your Adsense account [No more money for you].
Automated content: There are many websites that rely on automated software and scripts to generate content. This type of technique is considered as spam by Search Engines and websites using this technique for content creation are generally blacklisted.
Backlinks from adult/spam content websites: Backlinks are very good for your website. Search Engines are however very particular about from where these backlinks are coming from. Trust worthy and Reputed websites are fine but backlinks from spammy and adult content driven website is surely going to get your website blacklisted.
Well after looking at all the points it is clear that the only way to top the search engine rankings is to simply do the right thing.
