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| CSS SPAM - Out of Control! |
CSS SPAM - Out of Control!
Every newer technology has loopholes that draw multitudes of Spammers. The newest Spam technique on the scene is hiding text and URL gateways using CSS methods.
More frequently we are finding top listed sites owned by SEO and Web Development companies using this technique.
There are many ways to hide text and links using CSS and it is seems to be running completely unchecked by the major SEs at this time.
Most methods deploy a separate attached CSS file and use hide terms, such as:
keyword keyword
This morning I was doing a GOOGLE search for web development pricing and found a Site in top positions using a similar technique to hide hundreds of links to pseudo URLs with a full spectrum of web design, development and promotion key terms. Each page was the same gateway page.
Here is a small sample of their technique:
Web Site Programmers,
Web Site Programming,
Web Site Promotion,
Web Site Promotion Marketing,
Web Site Promotions,
Web Site Traffic,
Obviously, the links were hidden in microscopic detail, utilizing the smallest text possible and CSS color the same as the background. Of course this method required very little space at the bottom of the page after the layout table for hundreds of links.
The search engines thrive on relevance to maintain market share. Almost every algorithm shift targets Spam, filtering out anything irrelevant possible. Recent Search Engine history is replete with algorithm shifts that severely punish Sites and Site Owners that deploy these Black Hat and Gray Hat SEO techniques.
Why do so many flock to new Black Hat SEO techniques every time another one surfaces?
These practices are strictly forbidden in the top 3 SEs published Webmaster and Site Owner guidelines. It shouldnt be very difficult for the Search Engine developers to take in external CSS file considerations and incorporate them into algorithm changes to filter this garbage.
From the Florida update to the most recent Allegra update, major updates are denoted by a successive alphabetical naming scheme, similar to hurricanes and typhoons.
We expect that since these CSS Spamming techniques have caught on the way they have, that GOOGLE will lead the way in another correction very soon.
Lets name it since we are expecting. I would suggest the following names and meanings:
Balwin Bold Protector
Beaman Bee Keeper
Barth Protector
Barron Fighter
Bernard Steady
I kind of favor the name Bernard myself.
I would highly recommend that anyone that has deployed CSS techniques to SPAM, immediately desist. Site owners hold ultimate responsibility for what occurs on their Site. Checking with your Website Marketing or SEO company to make sure they are not deploying CSS Spam techniques on your Site would be a frugal thing to do, soon!
We support reporting Sites deploying Spam methods to:
Google @ http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html
MSN @ At the bottom of every SERP, select the Help us improve link.
Yahoo @ http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/ysearch/cgi_reportsearchspam
Excite @ http://mailit.excite.com/mailit/feedback_abuse.jsp
DMOZ @ staff@dmoz.org
Know your and your clients competition in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), and how they beat you.
Ken Webster
Mountain Eagle Marketing
Published 03/22/05
About the Author
Ken Webster is a published, award winning technical author, US Patent Holder and Moderator on a leading Internet Webmaster Forum. His experience as Engineering Manager led him into the Marketing Arena where he got lost in that abyss @ www.mountaineagleweb.com . |
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