| #ffffff;" /> | | | | professional and knowledgeable. They can even |
| SEO Spam is anything that constitutes unethical | | | | afford to charge extremely high prices and get away |
| practice within search engine optimization. This | | | | with it as the price seem to add perceived value to |
| includes the manipulation of spiders and redirection of | | | | their service. What essentially separates legitimate |
| users to inappropriate contents. SEO companies work | | | | SEOs from the spam is the ethics followed by each |
| towards the attainment of high search engine ranking | | | | SEO company. |
| but are all their activities worth supporting? | | | | Ethics that relate to how an SEO company gets |
| What goes on behind SEO Companies? | | | | traffic is the core of the difference. Spamming used |
| Only a small percentage of businesses outsource SEO | | | | as a marketing tool is not deemed acceptable to the |
| to specialized SEO companies. This fact can be | | | | industry. An offer from an SEO company to the |
| attributed to either ignorance of the existence of | | | | effect that a site will be submitted to a thousand |
| such companies engaged in search engine optimization | | | | search engine is not at all beneficial to any site. Such |
| or because the company believes it has the available | | | | an offer is merely meant to impress since there are |
| skills within the organization. The problem with using | | | | only a handful of search engines that really matters. |
| in-house experts is that they may not know enough | | | | An SEO company who is not willing to explain its |
| to be effective. The search engine industry has | | | | method of getting traffic usually does not play within |
| ceased to be easily understandable due to the | | | | the rules. |
| extreme complexity and high degree of | | | | Exclusion from Google listing at least during this time |
| competitiveness involved. | | | | could be an indication that there is a need to check |
| Mistakes can be very costly to a site. A site can end | | | | further the SEO company in question. This is because |
| up being dropped from search engines or worse, be | | | | Google is considered highly trustworthy and as such, |
| permanently banned. This costs money in terms of | | | | sites that are included in the Google data base enjoy |
| lost sales. Availing the services of a professional SEO | | | | an assumption of legitimacy and authority. Of course |
| company may provide better results although the | | | | this is not always true. But at least a starting point |
| company may have to contend with a recurring | | | | has been provided in case there is an actual need to |
| expense as site optimization is definitely not a one | | | | further investigate the actual circumstances of an |
| time deal. A site should be optimized every time it | | | | SEO company. |
| undergoes significant changes. The wisdom on | | | | Practices that are considered SEO spam includes |
| whether SEO outsourcing is right for a company can | | | | hiding text or links on a page to attract spiders, |
| be gleaned from the rate of conversion of visitors to | | | | cloaking to underhandedly redirect users, sending |
| paying customers. Once a site is a sales getter, there | | | | automated queries, cramming pages with |
| is money that can be spent to pay for traffic. | | | | unnecessary text, creating near-duplicate pages, sub |
| Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the marketing | | | | domains or domains and creating too many |
| technique of enhancing a website and its content in | | | | “doorway pages” or similar strategies |
| order to increase the chances of achieving a high | | | | to attract search engines. Keyword stuffing should |
| rank on search engine results pages (SERP). Search | | | | be avoided. This is the practice of repeating |
| engines have their own criteria and ranking system | | | | keywords many times in a keyword Meta tag. |
| based on specific algorithms that are continuously | | | | Likewise, the use of a repetitive title constitutes a |
| updated and revised. These algorithms or the | | | | form of spamming. The use of popular words that |
| mathematical formulas used in determining which web | | | | are unrelated to the site is not a good practice either. |
| pages get to be displayed on search results are | | | | The use of Meta refresh tags has also been used by |
| confidential. This is to prevent webmasters and | | | | spammers to take the user to another web page. |
| search engine optimizers from succeeding in achieving | | | | The practice known as page-jacking is done by |
| higher rankings through manipulation and spamming. | | | | unethical webmasters who steal a high-ranking page |
| A legitimate optimizer’s job is to get that high | | | | from a high ranking site and waits for the copy to hit |
| rank through ways that are considered acceptable in | | | | the top spot in ranking to upload their own page in |
| the industry. A Search Engine Optimizer initially | | | | its place. This is a form of Internet scam that is |
| gathers all the pertinent information regarding the site | | | | often used with another bad practice of creating a |
| to be optimized. This forms the basis of all other | | | | page that would prohibit the user from using the |
| activities to be undertaken by an SEO. It can choose | | | | browser’s back button to return to search |
| to analyze SERPs and backward links to get a clearer | | | | engines. In effect, the user is trapped in a site of |
| idea of a search engine’s indexing criteria | | | | which he/she has no interest on. |
| since no one really knows the exact components of | | | | Spamming when caught, results to some penalty to |
| any search engine algorithm. | | | | the site. The most common penalty is a lowered |
| SEO companies can only make an educated guess | | | | ranking while the heaviest penalty is being banned by |
| about the ranking systems through research, trial and | | | | search engines. SEO spam companies are seen as |
| error and sometimes speculation. Its assistance to | | | | entities that do not want to do the real work of |
| websites may come in many forms. It can add | | | | customized search engine optimization services but |
| valuable and relevant content to a site and make | | | | would want to take advantage of the revenue |
| continuous updates to the websites. It can facilitate | | | | generated by being part of the industry. Most often, |
| link exchanges that are relevant or complimentary to | | | | they employ excessive and automated techniques to |
| the business. Building links should be done in a | | | | get what they want. |
| progressive manner, instead of adding 500 links at | | | | Many practices of SEO companies are categorized as |
| one time. It can recommend to have a site map | | | | spamming although there may be no legal impediment |
| included in a site for easy surfing by visitors as well | | | | existing for its use. Strategies and techniques are |
| as choose effective Meta Tags such as titles, | | | | continually being attempted to give webmasters and |
| keywords and description tags which are all relevant | | | | search engine optimizers' advantage over their |
| to search engines. It should also be able to provide | | | | competitors. The heats of competition sometimes |
| assistance on web design, keyword density and | | | | compel people to go beyond what is standard or |
| authoritative articles that pertain to the topic of the | | | | accepted. The question as to whether SEO spam |
| business. | | | | companies are worth supporting is best answered by |
| The SEO Spam | | | | the primary intent underlying such action. Any action |
| The Internet has made it possible for anyone to | | | | that intends to damage another website or company |
| learn almost anything. SEO seems to be a by-product | | | | is both unethical and illegal. |
| of this fact. SEO spam companies appear to look | | | | |