Negative SEO and Keyword Bastardization
Have you ever heard any of the two phrases in my above title: Negative SEO and Keyword Bastardization? The first one is not really something new. It has been around the net for many months now but the phrase just popped into my head yesterday. The latter might just be of my own making. But tell me if there is a better term for it.
Negative SEO
…is simply an SEO technique that pushes a website out of the search engine rankings (or deep into limbo of Google SERP). How could that be? If it is unintentionally done and you are doing it for your site, it could be over-SEO. It happened to many of the over-eager SEO enthusiasts. And Google will penalize you for that. One day you’re on top, the next day you’re nowhere.
If you are doing it intentionally, linking like mad from hundreds of sites towards a competitor’s site on a particular keyword, and he gets penalized in the process, that is negative SEO. Many legitimate sites loses thousands (if not millions) of visitors and potential customers because of this. It’s money and opportunity loss. It is sabotage, and may even be an economic one. Is there currently a law that punishes offenders? That, I don’t know.
Keyword Bastardization
… is optimizing a keyword or phrase that your site is ranked high in SERP, but you are actually diminishing the meaning or importance of the keyword. It could also be used for a negative campaign or a parody.
The best example for this is the keyword : Filipina. Type that word in Google and tell me what you see. Or try Yahoo! or the latest search engine, Cuil. They all produce similar results, don’t they? It’s not new. It’s been around for years.
And why can’t anyone apply negative SEO on the bastards? Perhaps no one dares, or only competitors dare. And it can’t be easily done. Online dating is legitimate and a very lucrative business. But one way (and ethical way) to reclaim the term Filipina on the web is to help push the best contender to the top of SERP. Filipinaimages.com aims to do just that and we can actually help them achieve that goal. How? Simply by linking to them using “Filipina“as the anchor text. Or you may blog about it and optimize it to the max.
A Good Use
SEO is basically good. But some people can use it against someone else. A good tool in the hands of the unethical and the opportunist is a dangerous thing. I am not a SEO expert, and I’m not yet into the level of enthusiasm as some of my blogger friends have. But hey, may we all put in good use our collective SEO knowledge.
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Tags: Filipina, Filipina Images, SEO Posted in
Ceblogger is a CPA trapped in his cubicle while his mind wanders outside watching the world, and exploring possibilities his mind conceived.
July 31st, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Thanks for sharing. Search engine optimization is indeed one of the most crucial areas in Internet marketing, it is a perfect bridge between technology and business.
August 1st, 2008 at 12:54 am
I once signed up for an advertiser ads. After a week, I took it out. There was an ad that showed a text ad of a Filipina-Order-Bride of some sort. I felt insulted that I took it out the moment I saw it.
It’s by time that do something to clean the Filipina image.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:33 am
Yeah, I suggest that “Filipina” should link to bobang pinay…much better lol!
I’m just kidding of course…we Filipino bloggers have big responsibilities to clean Filipina image thru SEO..
Mabuhay ang bobang pinay! lol! But I think this Pinay Scandal SEO drive is guilty of both Negative SEO and Bastardization.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:01 am
Your welcome, Palapple! SEO is very crucial in online marketing.
cyril, the term Filipina is a very marketable term.
manilenya, are you referring to Marhgil’s project? I think they’re doing keyword hijacking. If the “pinay scandal” porno site comes on top when you search for “pinay”, then it’s bastardization.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:59 am
Damn…I am super noob with seo..
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
Negative SEO and Keyword Bastardization >> yeah……..
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
That’s quite a sad to know about the keyword Filipina. But this bit of information is very enlightening. Goes to show there are always two sides of the coin.
Btw, I got a little something for you at my site. It’s not much but I hope it’ll make you smile at least. Check it out here: http://faerydancing.blogspot.com/2008/08/lets-kick-some-ass.html
Have a nice day, Von!
August 4th, 2008 at 6:46 am
I’ll join this one pag di na ako busy.. Yeah, it’s responsibility we need to carry.. Let’s all aim for good Filipina Images..
August 5th, 2008 at 7:18 am
interesting, but why would you use Filipina & Filipina Images when writing about SEO? You are doing Keyword Bastardization and Negative SEO yourself. If your topic is to reclaim the term Filipina on the web, then use that as your title. The objective is not SEO, it is getting a proper use for the word Filipina.
August 5th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Thanks for your comment, Richard! It could be negative SEO if overdone with all the links coming from plenty of unrelated or link farm sites.
The original intention of the post is not about Filipina but of Negative SEO and keyword bastardization, in which the term is just used as an example. But I do agree that putting the keyword in the title (much more if on the domain or site title) will help in the optimization.
August 5th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
keyword bastardization. I love it! hijacking. I love it more! (in good faith ofcourse)
1st time on your site. great info here! keep it up!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Sometimes I hate those Adsense Ads taht say “Sexy Filipina.” Can I screen those sites from my Adsense?
August 8th, 2008 at 1:47 am
jayl, welcome in this parts! your Cebu SEO contest keyword is currently on the lead in SERP.
Glads, I am not sure if we can screen that. Got to research on it though.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:21 am
it is usually happened during the SEO Contest because they want to increase their rank. I don’t know why some people are doing that and why don’t they do good..!
August 14th, 2008 at 1:33 am
clawid, yeah tricks against contest opponents. or as the french team puts it, seo activists who’s like to ruin contests.