Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Most of us in business are familiar with the basics of SEO, but do you know about the dark side of SEO that is rapidly growing? In the world of digital marketing, there are malicious tactics that can harm your brand and steal your SEO efforts. As a marketing executive, I recently encountered a situation where every company in an investment fund’s portfolio had a similar name and URL to a competitor, raising concerns about trademark and SEO infringement.
Brandjacking is a common tactic where a business creates a similar identity to confuse customers and redirect web traffic to their site. This can harm your SEO efforts and benefit your dark competitors. To protect your brand, it is important to continuously monitor URLs in your industry and take action against malicious intent. If you suspect trademark or SEO infringement, legal action may be necessary to protect your brand identity.
SEO heists are another threat where competitors steal traffic hits from your website using automated tools like AI. Monitoring your website traffic and taking note of any suspicious activity can help you detect SEO theft. Reporting any issues to Google can help shut down algorithms used for nefarious purposes.
Marketing technology has made ethical SEO practices easier to achieve, but it is important to stay vigilant against black hat tactics. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can protect your brand and SEO efforts from internet pirates. Utilizing AI tools for marketing and growth initiatives can be beneficial, but it is essential to ensure they are used ethically and legally to avoid long-term damage to your brand.
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