6 Examples of Spammy SEO Tactics to Stay Away From
When it comes to SEO (search engine optimization), there’s a lot of information online. It can be overwhelming to research and hard to know what to believe and what sources are credible.
As someone who worked in the SEO industry for 2 years working on billion dollar global brand accounts and celebrity accounts, it’s upsetting when I see misinformation being spread online, especially by other “SEO gurus.”
First off, I want to explain what spammy SEO is. Basically, it’s black hat SEO that aims to trick Google in an attempt to increase ranking of website pages and blog posts.
Commonly, it’s in the form of keywords, which you’ll see in this post. This is when people add the keywords, and variations of those keywords, they want to rank for all over their website.
It’s not helpful to the user and Google is extremely smart, so it’s well aware of what you’re doing. The truth is that while you may see an uptick in the search results, it will be short lived.
The unfortunate part is that I know that many online business owners are blind to what they’re doing - it’s innocent because they see what others are doing and think that’s the right way to implement SEO.
Here’s what you need to know: The placement of your keywords throughout your blog post should look and sound natural.
How do you know if it sounds spammy?
Read it out loud. If it sounds off, then remove the keywords from that section of your blog post.
When writing your content, focus on the user. Write for humans, not for Google.
I’m hoping that by showing you actual examples of spammy SEO tactics, you’ll gain clarity around what not to do on your website and blog.
Here are 6 examples of spammy SEO you’ll want to stay far away from.
1. In your website copy
This example honestly has no excuse. As you can see, this person actually offers SEO services. If you see this on a website for an SEO consultant you want to hire, run.
Not only is this keyword stuffing, but it’s robotic from a reader standpoint.
It’s awful to read because no one speaks like that. Your content should sound conversational.
I was recently asked about whether or not you should bold keywords and here’s my thought…highlighting all your keywords in bold only makes it look more spammy. Instead, focus on clearly communicating to your website visitor what you do, and in your voice.
You know… so someone actually wants to read it, reach out, and ask to work with you? 😉
2. In your website footer
First off, I want to say that I absolutely love working with photographers. They’re super fun and creative people.
However, I see keyword stuffing in the footer commonly for photographers and quite a bit of spammy SEO on their sites in general.
I’m not sure who in the industry is spreading these SEO tactics, but I want you to understand why it’s not a best practice.
If you look at the footer in the black bar, you’ll see all the different types of photography laid out. It’s not natural to read, and it’s obvious that those are the different keyword variations that she wants her website to show up for in the Google search results.
If I were to trim it down, here’s what I would put: “Tampa Bay Corporate Photographer”
That’s it.
You might be wondering…do I need to have keywords in my footer?
No, but you can if you’d like. Just simply state your work, who you do it for, and a location if applicable - just like the example above.
3. Blog post titles
Blog post titles can become spammy when the keyword you want to rank for is used too many times and in the wrong context.
In the example below, you’ll notice how “wedding” is used twice. That’s not something you want to do - the more concise the blog post title, the better.
You’ll also notice how “[Location] Wedding Photographer” is used as well for every single blog post title.
This really irks me because the blog post includes photos, therefore the content is photography, not about how this person is a photographer. Others might disagree, but this is where I feel like the context is off.
Instead of… Michaela & Alex, Wedding Barn at Lakota’s Farm, Cambridge NY Wedding Photographer
It would be better optimized as… Cambridge, NY Barn Wedding Photography | Michaela & Alex
Do you see how that makes more sense?
Not only is it shorter (your blog post titles should be 60 characters or less), but it’s also more straightforward.
4. Blog post headings
Spammy SEO in blog post headings is when someone takes the main phrase or keywords from the blog post title and adds the to every single main subheading of the blog post, commonly as the Heading 2 tag.
Splitting your main blog post topics (or numbered tips, step, etc) using a H2 tag is highly recommended because it helps Google understand the main pieces of your content and how it’s structured.
However, the person reading your blog post already knows what the subject is and they understand that each tip you provide relates to the blog post title. That’s why you don’t need to copy and paste it into every single heading.
This type of keyword stuffing is the worst because it absolutely ruins the user experience. Especially looking at the first one - you wouldn’t want to read that because it’s over the top.
Similarly to the other screenshot about yoga teacher training - you already know that you’re going to learn that info, and it doesn’t need to be reiterated over and over again.
Would you want to read my blog post if every H2 said “Spammy SEO to Stay Away From” followed by the number. Ehh, probably not.
I hope this explanation demonstrated the logic behind this.
5. Blog post content
Keyword stuffing in blog post content is another common mistake I see business owners making.
While yes, it is important to optimize your blog posts for SEO and include the keywords you want to rank for, there is a point at which it’s being overdone and will appear spammy.
Even so, there is debate in the SEO industry about keyword density and how important it is. Some say 3% is good, meaning for every 100 words, you mention your keyword 3 times.
But the trick here to include it wherever it seems natural. I really can’t stress that enough.
Again, this showcases how important it is to write for humans, not Google. This section is very frustrating to read because the keyword stuffing is obvious.
6. Alt text
Alt text helps Google and people who are visually impaired understand what the image is.
It’s supposed to be written in plain words describing what the image is and in 125 characters or less.
Read more: How to add and write alt text for Squarespace images
Admittedly, this example was disappointing to see because it’s inside a blog post from someone else who offers Squarespace SEO services.
As you can see, not only is it keyword stuffing, but it doesn’t describe the image at all.
A more accurate description of this image would be:
“Tea, notebook and laptop on table”
If you really wanted to include the keywords you want to rank for, which is okay, it could look like this:
“Tea, notebook and laptop on table - Squarespace SEO checklist”
I really hope these examples gave you more clarity around what not to do. If you go through any of my blog posts, you’ll see how I structure them, how I use headings, and how I use keywords.
But if you have any questions at all, drop them below and I’ll be sure to get back to you :)
I’m passionate about helping my clients reach the top of the Google search results so they can explode their visibility, grow their leads on autopilot, and make more passive and 1:1 sales.
Let’s chat about how I can help you!
Looking for more Squarespace SEO tips? Check out these blog posts: