Negative SEO Attacks
Negative SEO Attacks
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a formof Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites and apps by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). Techniques used by SEO practitioners who operate within the guidelines of the search engines are known as ‘white-hat”; in contrast “black-hat” techniques are designed to manipulate search rankings. Negative SEO is a relatively new phenomenon whereby a third party applies SEO techniques that seek to exploit vulnerabilities in search engine ranking algorithms to negatively affect the ranking of a target website. Few risk assessment models and frameworks exist to address this threat. In this paper, we define negative SEO and categorise common classes of techniques deployed in negative SEO. A risk assessment framework is proposed for negative SEO using a game theoretic approach. We propose a model to determine the ideal offensive and defensive strategies for players in a negative SEO game. We provide a model to compare risks of negative SEO behavior using a semi-quantitative approach and a case study using a payoff matrix. As a result marketers and other technical communicators can determine which defensive SEO strategies should be taken to avoid negative outcomes resulting from a negative SEO.Arudhra Innovations
In 2010, the value of the North American search engine marketing market was estimated at US$16.6bn [1].More recently, Deighton and Johnson [2] calculated that the search audience assembly sector contributes $19 billion to the US economy employing 82,000 employees. Search Engine Marketing is defined by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) as a:“...form of internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). SEM methods include: search engine optimization (SEO), paid placement, contextual advertising, digital asset optimization, and paid inclusion” [3]. SEO, a method used in SEM, is the process of positively affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's "natural" or un-paid ("organic") search results. While a large proportion of the focus on search engine optimization focuses on the two dominant search engines, Google® and Bing®, it should be noted that the landscape is extending as social networking sites integrate and expand the role of search functionality in their platforms, mobile penetration introduces new players, and international search engines such as Baidu® (China) and Yandex® (Russia) consolidate their positions in their respective markets. Techniques used by SEO practitioners (search engine optimizers) who operate within the guidelines of the search engines are known as ‘white-hat”; in contrast “black-hat” techniques are designed to manipulate search rankings [4]. Search engine providers apply penalties to websites that appear to be involved in behavior designed to manipulate search rankings. Given the rewards in terms of search engine traffic and resulting conversion associated with high search rankings, it is not surprising that many third parties offer “SEO services” which blur the lines of ethical practice. More recently, a new phenomenon has emerged, that of negative SEO. Negative SEO is where a third party applies SEO techniques that seek to exploit vulnerabilities in search engine ranking algorithms to negatively affect the ranking of a target website. Therefore a key contribution of our paper is that we define negative SEO and categorise common classes of negative SEO techniques. Game theory is not commonly used in marketing and no risk assessment models or frameworkswere identified that address this threat. As such, a second contribution of our paper is a proposed risk assessment framework for negative SEO using a game theoretic approach. We propose a model to determine the ideal offensive and defensive strategies for players in a negative SEO game. The model can be used by (i) marketers and other technical communicators, and (ii) those designing and operating search engines, todetermine which defensive SEO strategies should be taken to avoid adverse outcomes resulting from a negative SEO attack.
Marketers make use of a wide range of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to optimise the likelihood of high search rankings. Academic research in this area is limited due to the lack of transparency on the exact search engine ranking factors and associated weightings thereof, the rapidly evolving and fluid nature of changes to search engine algorithms, and the technical resources to undertake studies. SEO techniques can be categorised broadly as on-page and off-page. Table 1 provides a summary of commonly cited search engine optimization tactics. It should be noted that search engine ranking technology is in a constant flux with new signals being incorporated and relative weightings of factors modified in line with the state-of-the-art, the search engine provider’s specific policies, government policies and other commercial and technical factors. As such, some of the factors may not influence search rankings to a significant degree on one search engine but may influence others of lesser technical sophistication or with different policies. For example, recent research suggests that PageRank scores, the use of target keywords in URLs, and that the use of meta- description tag are dominating factors in Google’s ranking algorithm [5]. Su et al [5] also examine Bing (which has largely been adopted by Yahoo!). Similar to Google, the quality and quantity of inbound links are dominating factors in the Bing ranking algorithm but unlike Google, Bing gave greater weight to meta- keywords over meta-description tags. This research confirms that importance of keyword targeting and acquiring high quality inbound links to increase search rankings.https://arudhrainnovations.com/
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a formof Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites and apps by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). Techniques used by SEO practitioners who operate within the guidelines of the search engines are known as ‘white-hat”; in contrast “black-hat” techniques are designed to manipulate search rankings. Negative SEO is a relatively new phenomenon whereby a third party applies SEO techniques that seek to exploit vulnerabilities in search engine ranking algorithms to negatively affect the ranking of a target website. Few risk assessment models and frameworks exist to address this threat. In this paper, we define negative SEO and categorise common classes of techniques deployed in negative SEO. A risk assessment framework is proposed for negative SEO using a game theoretic approach. We propose a model to determine the ideal offensive and defensive strategies for players in a negative SEO game. We provide a model to compare risks of negative SEO behavior using a semi-quantitative approach and a case study using a payoff matrix. As a result marketers and other technical communicators can determine which defensive SEO strategies should be taken to avoid negative outcomes resulting from a negative SEO.Arudhra Innovations
In 2010, the value of the North American search engine marketing market was estimated at US$16.6bn [1].More recently, Deighton and Johnson [2] calculated that the search audience assembly sector contributes $19 billion to the US economy employing 82,000 employees. Search Engine Marketing is defined by the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) as a:“...form of internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). SEM methods include: search engine optimization (SEO), paid placement, contextual advertising, digital asset optimization, and paid inclusion” [3]. SEO, a method used in SEM, is the process of positively affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's "natural" or un-paid ("organic") search results. While a large proportion of the focus on search engine optimization focuses on the two dominant search engines, Google® and Bing®, it should be noted that the landscape is extending as social networking sites integrate and expand the role of search functionality in their platforms, mobile penetration introduces new players, and international search engines such as Baidu® (China) and Yandex® (Russia) consolidate their positions in their respective markets. Techniques used by SEO practitioners (search engine optimizers) who operate within the guidelines of the search engines are known as ‘white-hat”; in contrast “black-hat” techniques are designed to manipulate search rankings [4]. Search engine providers apply penalties to websites that appear to be involved in behavior designed to manipulate search rankings. Given the rewards in terms of search engine traffic and resulting conversion associated with high search rankings, it is not surprising that many third parties offer “SEO services” which blur the lines of ethical practice. More recently, a new phenomenon has emerged, that of negative SEO. Negative SEO is where a third party applies SEO techniques that seek to exploit vulnerabilities in search engine ranking algorithms to negatively affect the ranking of a target website. Therefore a key contribution of our paper is that we define negative SEO and categorise common classes of negative SEO techniques. Game theory is not commonly used in marketing and no risk assessment models or frameworkswere identified that address this threat. As such, a second contribution of our paper is a proposed risk assessment framework for negative SEO using a game theoretic approach. We propose a model to determine the ideal offensive and defensive strategies for players in a negative SEO game. The model can be used by (i) marketers and other technical communicators, and (ii) those designing and operating search engines, todetermine which defensive SEO strategies should be taken to avoid adverse outcomes resulting from a negative SEO attack.
Marketers make use of a wide range of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to optimise the likelihood of high search rankings. Academic research in this area is limited due to the lack of transparency on the exact search engine ranking factors and associated weightings thereof, the rapidly evolving and fluid nature of changes to search engine algorithms, and the technical resources to undertake studies. SEO techniques can be categorised broadly as on-page and off-page. Table 1 provides a summary of commonly cited search engine optimization tactics. It should be noted that search engine ranking technology is in a constant flux with new signals being incorporated and relative weightings of factors modified in line with the state-of-the-art, the search engine provider’s specific policies, government policies and other commercial and technical factors. As such, some of the factors may not influence search rankings to a significant degree on one search engine but may influence others of lesser technical sophistication or with different policies. For example, recent research suggests that PageRank scores, the use of target keywords in URLs, and that the use of meta- description tag are dominating factors in Google’s ranking algorithm [5]. Su et al [5] also examine Bing (which has largely been adopted by Yahoo!). Similar to Google, the quality and quantity of inbound links are dominating factors in the Bing ranking algorithm but unlike Google, Bing gave greater weight to meta- keywords over meta-description tags. This research confirms that importance of keyword targeting and acquiring high quality inbound links to increase search rankings.https://arudhrainnovations.com/
Comments
Post a Comment