Last Updated on 31/10/2025
Nowadays, ranking on the first page of a Google search is a significant accomplishment that requires extensive keyword research, content creation, social strategy, campaign measurement, and on-site optimization.
Unfortunately, some people choose to refrain from investing the necessary time and resources to build their websites effectively. Instead, they use shortcuts and negative SEO tactics to undercut legitimate competitors and gain top rankings through deception.
Negative SEO has become a significant concern as search algorithms evolve and competition intensifies.
This tutorial will cover all you need to know about bad SEO. So without further ado, let us get started.
What is Negative SEO?
Negative SEO (also known as unfavorable SEO) is an intentional attempt to reduce a company’s visibility in search engine results, usually to steal keyword ranks and traffic.
The goal is to make it appear like the target website is utilizing SEO spam practices that violate search engine regulations. And therefore cause the search engine to conceal its results.
Alternatively, make the business appear awful to human users. So they do not click through.
Negative SEO is unethical and may be illegal in some circumstances.
It is also known to be ineffectual. Search engines are becoming more adept at identifying and ignoring negative SEO efforts.
For years, Google representatives have advised webmasters to disregard threats and attacks. Instead, focus on improving their website.
So, if you see a drop in keyword ranks or organic traffic, it’s doubtful that bad SEO is the cause.
Nevertheless, many marketers believe that assaults can negatively impact a company’s rankings and image. So you should understand the various varieties and how to cope with them.
Types of Negative SEO & How to Stay Safe!
Let us now analyze the many forms of negative SEO attacks and how to recover from them.
1. Spammy Link Building
Spammy link building is the process of creating a large number of low-quality or spammy backlinks that point to the target website. These links may originate from irrelevant sources and could result in search engine penalties, leading to a decline in the targeted site’s rankings.
Tools such as Google Search Console and Ahrefs can assist in identifying spammy or low-quality backlinks, which frequently come from unrelated or dubious sources.
Creating a disavow file is required for backlinks that cannot be manually deleted.
This file contains the URLs or domains of the remaining bad backlinks, which are subsequently uploaded to Google’s Disavow Links tool in Google Search Console, instructing Google to disregard these links when determining the site’s rating.
2. Content Scraping
Content scraping is the process of copying content from a target website and posting it on other websites without authorization. This can lead to duplicate content concerns, prompting search engines to devalue the original site’s content and perhaps punish it for plagiarism.
To address content scraping, first identify situations where your material has been scraped.
If you believe that some of your URLs have been damaged by content scraping, you may check their status in Google Search Console. Search for a Google-selected canonical. You can access it by pasting the URL into the Google Search Console address box.
You’ll want to view the Inspected URL. This indicates that Google considers the examined URL to be the most authoritative version of the item.
If you notice another internal URL there, you have a duplicate content problem. If you find an external URL there, it’s probably a symptom of bad SEO.
First, contact the website owner and suggest that they delete the duplicated information or provide correct attribution with a link back to your original source.
If contacting the website owner does not work, or if you are dealing with several instances of scraping, you can file a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request with the web host or search engines.
3. Hacking and Malware Injection
Hackers may try to get unauthorized access to the target website’s server or content management system (CMS). Once inside, they can insert malicious code, remove material, and make other modifications that have a severe impact on the site’s speed and security.
To determine if you have any security concerns, visit Google Search Console and select the ‘Security concerns’ option. If there are no security problems, you will get the following notice.
If any security vulnerabilities are identified, they must be addressed promptly.
Make sure that your website’s software, including CMS (e.g., WordPress, Joomla), and plugins, are up to date. Hackers frequently exploit weaknesses in outdated software, so regular updates help prevent future attacks.
4. Smear Campaigns
Smear campaigns are another form of negative SEO that involves disseminating false or damaging information about a company or individuals to tarnish their reputation and credibility.
These campaigns can take many forms, including writing negative reviews, spreading rumors, or creating fake social media pages to undermine the subject.
For example, in 2019, Spotify filed a complaint with the European Commission, accusing Apple of anti-competitive activity by unfairly pushing its own music streaming service, Apple Music, while blocking competitors such as Spotify.
Monitor your company or personal brand’s online mentions regularly across multiple platforms, including search engines, social media, and review websites. This will help you identify any misleading information or campaigns that may be targeting you.
If you encounter any content that violates the platform’s terms of service (for example, fraudulent reviews or harassment), please report it to the moderators or administrators. Many platforms have measures in place to address abusive or harmful content.
5. Unauthorized Hotlinking
Hotlinking, also known as inline linking or leeching, is a poor SEO strategy in which someone links directly to photos or other multimedia assets hosted on your website from their own website without your consent.
This can deplete your website’s bandwidth and resources, resulting in higher hosting charges and potentially slowing down performance.
You may avoid hotlinking by including the following code in your .htaccess file, which prevents external websites from linking to your photos.
Final Thoughts
Above, I discussed the most prevalent negative SEO methods and provided guidance on how to avoid them. However, this list is not complete; anything that might harm your site’s reputation has the potential to be used against you.
It’s critical to understand the numerous negative SEO strategies and their potential impact on search engine rankings, traffic, and reputation.
Furthermore, responding promptly and efficiently to any instances of poor SEO is crucial for maintaining a favorable online presence.
If you have any recommendations or additions to the list, please share them in the comments section below!
FAQs
Sudden decreases in rankings, unusual backlink profile changes, an increase in spamming traffic, unjustified Google penalties, and other questionable activities are all signs of poor SEO.
Yes, poor SEO can harm your website’s reputation by manipulating search engine rankings, disseminating misinformation, or publishing fake reviews.
If your website is being targeted by negative SEO, determine the source of the assault, record the facts, submit a disavow file to Google, file a reconsideration request if punished, and take legal action if required.
Recovery from poor SEO may vary depending on the severity of the attack and the effectiveness of recovery attempts. It may take weeks or months to fully heal.
