Last Update: Tuesday, January 18, 2005.
In this article I discuss ten controversial search
engine optimization techniques that should be used with caution, or even
avoided altogether.
1. Duplicate Pages
In general, search engines ignore duplicate pages.
In extreme cases, they may ban a site.
2. Invisible Text
Search
engines consider the use of text that is the same color as the background color
as spam. So stay clear of using invisible text.
3. Keywords In Comment Tags
Hardly any, if any, of the major search engines
index comment tags, so don't waste time adding them for optimization purposes.
4. Keywords In Hidden Value Tags
Keywords in hidden value tags are considered spam
by all of the major search engines, so don't waste time with this practice.
5. Keywords In Style Tags
Very few search engines index the content of
<style> tags, so do not waste anytime on this technique.
6. Link Farms And Link Exchange Programs
Search engines consider link farms and link
exchange programs as spam, as they have only one purpose - to artificially
inflate a site's link popularity, by exchanging links with other participants.
Do not confuse link farms and link exchange
programs with reciprocal linking. Reciprocal linking is the exchange of links
with individual sites, and certainly an accepted technique for improving your
site's link popularity.
7. Links Only Pages
I recommend adding text descriptions to link pages
and site maps. Some search engines, such as AltaVista,
have been known to kick out links only pages.
8.
In general, meta refresh
tags set for under 30 seconds are considered as spam by search engines. As
such, most search engine optimizers use JavaScript redirects.
Having said that, I recently read an article that
said the Fast and Inktomi search
engines recommend using meta refresh tags, instead of
JavaScript redirects.
Are you confused? I certainly am!
So to be on the safe side, I suggest sticking with
JavaScript redirects, until there is conclusive proof that search engines
accept meta refresh tags.
9. Tiny Text
Many of the major search engines consider tiny
text (i.e. font size 1) as spam. Some use of tiny text is fine. Search engines
don't like web pages that use a lot of tiny text. The reason is because some
webmasters have used it to fool search engines by "hiding" dozens of
keywords in a web page.
10. Cloaking
Cloaking is the practice of serving search engine
optimized pages to search engine spiders, while at the same time serving
un-optimized pages to site visitors.
Cloaking is one of the most controversial
strategies in search engine optimization. Major search engines publicly state
that they consider all cloaking to be spam. However, many professional search
engine optimizers have been using cloaking for years, with much success.
Until there is conclusive proof that search
engines do indeed ban sites that use cloaking, I suggest you take care if you
decide to use cloaking.
If you want more in-depth information on these and
other search engine optimization strategies, read my search engine
optimization book.
Conclusion
There are many controversial search engine
optimization techniques. There are people who despise the use of certain
techniques, such as cloaking. But the fact of the matter is that there are no right or wrong ways to optimize a web page.
What might be considered as spam by one search
engine may be accepted by another. What works today may be banned tomorrow.
The art and science of marketing is about testing
to see what works and what doesn't. I recommend taking the same approach with
search engine optimization. After all, it is just another form of marketing.
You may also like to read my article, "Seven
Illegal Search Engine Optimization Techniques." In this article I
discuss seven illegal, or almost illegal, search engine optimization and
related techniques.
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About The Author: Michael Wong is a respected