Keyword Stuffing and Why It Makes Your Website Look Like a Scam
A Discussion At The Marketing 2.0 Conference
Introduction
Are you struggling to get your website noticed? Perhaps you've resorted to "keyword stuffing" and are unsure if this technique is the right approach. This was the topic of discussion at the recent Marketing 2.0 Conference, which explored why keyword stuffing makes your website look like a scam.
What Is Keyword Stuffing?
As discussed at the Marketing 2.0 Conference, at its most basic level, keyword stuffing involves stuffing your webpages with an excessive amount of words, usually in a hidden format, that are used solely to boost rankings. Common techniques include hiding words or phrases at the bottom of web pages or adding random strings of keywords to web pages in an attempt to boost the search engine ranking.
Why Is Keyword Stuffing a Bad Idea?
As many webmasters have come to find out, keyword stuffing does not work and may even get your website in trouble. In fact, Google penalizes websites for this kind of "black hat" practice. Not only will keyword stuffing lower the quality of your content and make your website look unprofessional, it may even put your site at risk for being labeled a scam, as has been pointed out by experts at the Marketing 2.0 Conference.
At the Marketing 2.0 Conference, experts shared insights into why keyword stuffing can make your website look like a scam. Here's a look at their insights:
1. It Can Hurt Your Website's Credibility: Search engine algorithms can detect keyword stuffing. This practice will not only get your website demoted on search engine results pages, it will also harm the credibility of your website in the eyes of users. Keyword stuffing can make your website appear as though you're trying to scam people and hide behind keyword-filled content.
2. It Can Damage Your Reputation: Keyword stuffing can give users the wrong impression of your website, making it appear untrustworthy. In turn, this could negatively affect your website's reputation. If your website has a bad reputation, people may be hesitant to visit your site and interact with your content.
3. It Can Impact Your SEO Efforts: Since keyword stuffing can negatively affect search engine rankings, it's best to avoid the practice. Search engine algorithms are getting smarter and better at identifying content that has been manipulated through keyword stuffing. Not only will keyword stuffing reduce your SEO efforts, it could also lead to your website being flagged as spam by search engines.
