Google’s webmaster guidelines are not legally binding. These guidelines are intended to prevent businesses from manipulating their system to gain an unfair advantage over competitors. While breaking these rules won’t land you in jail, your site could be entirely removed from Google’s index, which can be gravely damaging for a business given Google’s dominance in search.
Following Google’s Guidelines
In today’s digital landscape, adhering to Google’s official guidelines is a prudent choice. This becomes particularly relevant when onboarding a new client who may have been violating these guidelines, knowingly or unknowingly, often due to actions taken by a previous provider or even by the client themselves. So, what steps should you take in such situations?
Results From My Twitter Poll
I initiated a conversation on this topic within the Search Community using common scenarios as examples. Here are the results from a poll I conducted:
You get a new client. But their site has spammy SEO elements, like keyword stuffing in the GMB biz name and product review markup on incorrect pages. Do you:
— Brodie Clark (@brodieseo) April 16, 2019
The poll was active for 12 hours and collected 196 votes. Though I wish I had set it for a longer duration, the results were still insightful. Over half of the participants indicated they would remove the spammy elements immediately, while others proposed alternative actions.
Approaches to Handling Spam
The approaches can be categorized into:
- Keeping the spammy elements and explaining the associated risks to the client.
- Taking a customized approach based on the specific scenario.
This article aims to explore different strategies and provide a framework for dealing with spam on new clients’ sites.
Scenario 1: Keyword Stuffing in Google My Business Names
Keyword stuffing in Google My Business names is a common practice in local SEO spam and is easy to implement via the dashboard, often with minimal repercussions. However, Google’s algorithm heavily weighs keywords in business names.
Here are some strategies to consider:
Assessing Competition Behavior
Ari Finkelstein suggests that your decision should consider what your competition is doing. If all competitors are keyword stuffing, it might make sense to maintain the status quo.
Informing the Client and Letting Them Decide
Experts like Darren Shaw and Joy Hawkins note that removing keywords could lead to a drop in rankings. It’s crucial to have a thorough understanding of potential outcomes and share this knowledge with your client.
Changing the Business Name
Bob Hiler recommends a drastic but potentially effective measure: having the client change their business name to include the desired keywords legally.
Scenario 2: Incorrect Use of Product Review Markup
Misapplying product review markup is a common issue that frustrates the SEO community. There are strict criteria for using review markup, which frequently change.
Investigating Markup Usage
Determine whether the markup is added to specific pages or site-wide. If it’s on every page, it’s just a matter of time before the site gets penalized.
Assessing CTR Impact
Analyze the click-through rate (CTR) data pre and post the introduction of rich snippets using Google Search Console. This comparison can help evaluate the performance impact of removing incorrect markup.
Making Immediate Fixes
If you decide to correct the issues, it’s advisable to make all necessary changes at once rather than gradually, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention from Google’s spam team.
Key Takeaways from the Search Community
Based on the poll and insights from the search community, several important points emerged:
-
Feelings Are Not Ranking Factors
Decisions should be based on data, not emotions. -
Weigh the Risks and Consider the Industry
The level of risk associated with tactics like keyword stuffing varies by industry. - Act in the Client’s Best Interest
Your responsibility is to act prudently in the client’s best long-term interest.
Conclusion
Adhering to Google’s guidelines is essential but requires strategic thinking and a tailored approach. Being mindful in decision-making ensures that you handle clients who are breaking Google’s guidelines effectively.
Additional Resources
- Local SEO: The Definitive Guide to Improve Your Local Search Rankings
- How to Analyze the Cause of a Ranking Crash
- Structured Data Google Penalties – 5 Mistakes to Avoid
Image Credits
Featured Image: Created by author, April 2019
All screenshots taken by author, April 2019
