In the world of SEO, it’s crucial to be cautious when dealing with firms or consultants that promise quick results or contact you out of the blue. While SEO services can be highly beneficial, unethical practices within the industry have created a negative reputation for some. If you’re not careful, engaging with an unethical SEO agency can harm your site’s ranking and even lead to its removal from Google’s index.

At Organical – The SEO Experts, we, too, receive unsolicited emails promising unrealistic results:

“Dear Alex, I visited your website and noticed that you are not listed in most of the major search engines and directories…”

Just as you would be skeptical of “burn fat at night” diet pills, you should approach unsolicited SEO offers with caution.

No One Can Guarantee a #1 Ranking on Google

Be wary of SEO agencies that claim they can guarantee top rankings on Google. There is no “priority submit” option for Google, and anyone who claims to have a special relationship with Google is misleading you. Google only allows site submissions through the URL Inspection Tool, Sitemap submissions, or the Google Indexing API. These are all tasks you can do yourself.

Precautions Against Unethical SEO Practices

Unethical SEOs often use aggressive marketing tactics and manipulative practices to trick search engines, violating Google’s spam policies. These actions can lead to a negative impact on your site’s ranking or even result in its removal from Google’s index.

When your SEO presents recommendations, ask them to back up their suggestions with trusted sources, such as Google Search Console help pages, Google Search Central blog posts, or Google-sanctioned advice from forums. This ensures that their methods comply with legitimate SEO practices and won’t harm your site.

Shadow Domains: A Common Scam

One of the most notorious SEO scams involves creating “shadow” domains, which are deceptive sites that funnel users through sneaky redirects. Often, the SEO owns these shadow domains, and if your business relationship deteriorates, they can redirect the domain to a competitor’s site. Essentially, you may end up paying to build a competing site, entirely controlled by the SEO.

The Deceptive Nature of Doorway Pages

Another shady practice is the use of “doorway” pages. These pages are stuffed with irrelevant keywords and falsely promise to make your website rank for more search queries. However, doorway pages rarely provide real value and may contain hidden links to the SEO’s other clients, diverting your site’s link popularity to questionable sites. This manipulation can drain your site’s performance, harming your search rankings, and even associating your site with unsavory content.

Link Schemes: A Risky Strategy

Avoid getting involved in link schemes, which typically involve buying links to artificially boost your rankings. This practice is against Google’s policies and can lead to a manual action against your site, resulting in severe penalties and loss of search visibility.

Transparency is Essential

If an SEO agency refuses to explain their methods or provides vague responses, it’s a warning sign. Any reputable SEO should be able to explain their techniques clearly and offer transparency regarding changes made to your site. If an SEO has FTP access, ensure they are upfront about all modifications.

Beware of Link Popularity Schemes

Avoid SEOs that promote link popularity schemes or claim they will submit your site to thousands of search engines. These tactics are often useless and may damage your ranking rather than improve it.

Do Your Research

Before committing to an SEO agency, take time to research the industry. Google provides a wealth of information, and although they don’t comment on individual SEO companies, they do provide guidelines on acceptable practices. Choose an agency that aligns with these guidelines and offers clear, ethical SEO services.

Understand Where Your Money Goes

Some SEO agencies will promise high rankings but will only place you in the paid advertising sections of search results. These practices are misleading, as paid ads are clearly labeled and separated from organic search results on Google. Ensure you understand what you’re paying for and ask whether fees are directed toward permanent search inclusion or temporary advertising.

Warning Signs of a Rogue SEO

Look out for these red flags, which may indicate you’re dealing with an unethical SEO:

• They own shadow domains.
• They place links to their other clients on your site’s pages without consent.
• They offer to sell you keywords for the address bar.
• They fail to differentiate between organic search results and paid ads.
• They guarantee rankings on obscure, long-tail keywords that would rank naturally.
• They use multiple aliases or provide false WHOIS information.
• They get traffic from fake search engines or questionable software like spyware.
• Their own domain is not listed in Google or has been removed.

Report Unethical SEOs

If you suspect you’ve been scammed by an SEO agency, report it to the proper authorities. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) addresses complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. You can file a complaint by visiting FTC.gov, calling 1-877-FTC-HELP, or writing to:

Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580

By staying informed and vigilant, you can protect your site from unethical SEO practices and ensure long-term success in search engine rankings.

If you’re ever unsure about the legitimacy of an SEO agency don’t hesitate to contact a reputable SEO company like Organical for guidance. They can provide a manual, honest review of your website, and help you avoid falling into costly SEO traps. Oh, and we will not charge a dime. 

Email us at info@organicalseo.com or call 201-836-1492 and ask for Alex.