SEOs have been robbing the blogging community for years, and very few people have written about it. They have kept silent and accepted SEO scams as standard SEO.
To make matters worse, many SEO apps have incorporated elements of these myths into their services. This practice leads to some SEOs innocently charging their clients for these false services.
These SEOs and programs charge a lot of money to perform tasks without value to SEO.
- Google has explicitly stated that these services do not contribute to SEO.
- SEO companies have invented these metrics to earn additional income even though they know it won’t help with SEO
- SEOs create fear in their clients, convincing them that their websites need these services to rank.
What Are SEO Scams?
SEO scams are fake services that promise to help websites rank on search engines. However, they do not play any role in the search engine optimization process.
Many search authorities, including Google, have debunked these services. Yet, this does not prevent SEOs from offering them at elaborate prices.
SEO scam services are usually related to three main aspects of SEO.
- Off-page SEO
- Website Analysis and Research
- Content Creation
Top SEO Scams that SEOs Use to Rob Bloggers
#3: Domain Authority
In 2004, MOZ developed a website ranking metric to help website admins understand the possibility of their website getting ranked. Since then, most SEOs have used it as an SEO metric. SEO apps such as Semrush, Ahrefs, and Mngools have added it as one of their core services.
(Semrush Authority Score, Ahrefs Domain Rank, etc.)
However, MOZ has clarified that domain authority is not a ranking factor.
“Domain Authority is not a direct ranking factor. Instead, it’s a comparative metric to evaluate your website’s search performance. Websites with a high DA typically have strong inbound links, robust off-page SEO strategies, and valuable web pages.”
Trending even now, it is being used by guest post websites to establish a price model for their websites. The higher the DA, the more they charge for a single link.
In addition to these websites, SEOs jump on the bandwagon and encourage their clients to purchase guest posts on these websites. They assure their clients that this will improve their ranking on search engines.
However, a few things must be made clear about Domain Authority.
- Google does not recognize or use this metric in any way -November 13, 2019, John Mueller.
- An SEO App service invented the metric.
- Buying guest posts on websites with high DA does not guarantee rankings.
Domain authority is nothing more than a fancy metric invented years ago. Unfortunately, it is being offered as an SEO element and is used to scam unaware bloggers.
Many SEOs have never used this metric and still outrank their competitors.
#2: Long-Form Content Ranks Better
Some SEOs teach that long-form articles will rank better than short-form pieces. This convenient theory allows them to earn more for longer content since they earn per word.
- There is no minimum word count for an SEO article.
- Long-form articles are not required for a website to get ranked.
- Not because an SEO app demands it, does not make it a requirement for optimization.
Many SEO apps, such as Surfer SEO, encourage long-form articles. However, they could not be more wrong.
According to Google, content length is not a ranking criterion. It is true that some topics may require more details, which a short-form copy just won’t deliver.
Yet, this does not mean that Google is demanding them. Unless your topics require long-form coverage, paying for them is unnecessary. You will still rank.
#3: Link Building SEO Scams
Off-page SEO is one of the most scammed SEO services. There are so many fake metrics that it is becoming difficult to filter. Many of them have been neatly included in SEO apps and are offered by SEOs as optimizing services.
- Fake SEOs declare that Link exchange should only be done with websites having similar DA.
- Every single SEO platform offers its own version of MOZ’s DA.
- They consider low DA sites to be worthless links.
What Does Google Look for in Link Building?
Contrary to what these apps and SEOs provide as services, Google does not require these metrics. Following these recommendations only makes SEO more complex, costly, and frustrating.
Google uses a ranking system that no one knows how it operates. It is commonly known as PageRank and is based on four key vectors. None of them is domain authority.
- Meaning: Google evaluates the keyword query, its language, its localization, and related current events.
- Relevance: Google states that “our systems analyze the content to assess whether it contains information that might be relevant to what you are looking for.”
- Quality of Content: According to Google, content quality is the next vector for ranking. “After identifying relevant content, our systems aim to prioritize those that seem most helpful. To do this, they identify signals that can help determine which content demonstrates expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.”
- User Experience: This may come as a surprise to SEOs, but technical SEO plays a vital role in page rankings. Google declares, “For example, our systems look at page experience aspects like mobile-friendly content that loads quickly, an important consideration for mobile users.”
Are Backlinks the Most Important Metric in Google Rankings?
Backlinks play a vital role in Google’s ranking system. However, it is not necessary to chase websites with high DAs. Each backlink from quality content becomes an upvote.
A website with enough quality-content votes becomes a candidate for inclusion in search engine results. However, the website must also meet the other three criteria.
Conclusions
Many SEOs sell search engine optimization services that do not help rank websites. They use SEO apps built on metrics that Google and other search engines have debunked.
Avoid these subtle scams and use Google SEO guides to rank your website.
About this Article
April Pad creates articles that help our users and visitors find answers to search engine optimization (SEO) issues. This post covers popular SEO scams used by SEOs. Some of our content demonstrates the implementation of SEO strategies and techniques.
Although we do not reject automation, we only use AI to edit and optimize our content. Users can always trust that our information is verified by experience, practice, and in-depth research.
Warner Williams is an SEO and content writer with over ten years of experience. He holds a BA in English and, in 2024, helped over 175 web admins rank on Google’s first page.
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