SEO penalties can cause a lot of trouble for website owners, and can prove to be a big hindrance to marketing a website effectively.
Google has a very stringent method of checking websites, and if you wish to avoid penalties – the biggest penalty would be being blocked from Google’s search rankings entirely – there are a number of steps that you need to take. Getting a higher ranking on Google is not easy, and the rules change frequently, but there are a number of tips and tricks that will certainly be to your benefit.
Please note: If you are trying to take a shortcut or the ‘easy way out,’ your website is bound to suffer, which can have a direct and powerful negative impact on your business. Google will easily detect your actions. In the following paragraphs, you will learn about a few tips to help you avoid penalties. Read on to find out how to avoid SEO penalties today!
Optimize properly and prudently
One of the first things you need to do is optimize your page properly. Maintaining a balance is extremely important because Google keeps a stern check and will likely detect any website which is optimized by the help of computer software, as that is not considered proper optimization. Avoid any excessive usage of keywords on your page. Stuffing your page with keywords in an attempt to get more visitors and a higher ranking is a waste of time – because it will be obvious that the keyword disrupts the flow of text, making it unappealing to the readers. The result? Blacklisted.
Obey copyright
Making improper use of copyrighted images on your page can also cause Google to levy penalties on your website. Going to another website, downloading an image, and then using it on your website is considered illegal in the online world (and in the offline world too!), and search engines are perfectly liable to levy penalties on your page. Images that have been legally purchased or taken by you can be used, as well as those for which you have the express permission of the author.
Beware OOP
One of the most common SEO penalties is the OOP, also known as the over optimization penalty. As the name suggests, this type of SEO penalty hits pages that attempt to use positive on-page SEO tactics, but overdo it. Making use of excessive SEO factors on your page in order to improve the ranking can result in a negative penalty. For instance, if you use several H1 tags that contain the same keyword on the same page, it is bound to get noticed and a penalty might be on its way.
Other SEO don’ts
There are various other ways by which you can prevent your website from getting penalized by search engines. Adding a significant number of links to your website, from other websites containing the same anchor text can prove to be point against you. Linking your website with blacklisted or unethical websites can lower your overall score and result in a matter of mistrust between you and the search engines.
Another of the most popular causes of SEO penalties is that of duplicating content. If you copy the written words from another website and post them on yours, powerful plagiarism checkers from Google and other search engines will quickly detect the anomaly, and can go so far as to blacklist your page for it. Make sure everything posted on your website is your own creation, or if you have used the work of someone else, make sure that you have proper permission and that you provide due credit.
Find the best host
When choosing the hosting, make sure you do not choose hosts that have a questionable reputation or low standards, as that can also affect your overall score and cause a negative issue with the search engines.
That’s just a start! SEO is a skill that you’ll have to keep on top of to make the most of your online presence. Keep an eye on the research, and keep all of your content above-board, well written, and relevant. You’ll find you rank higher and attract the right visitors.