Have you ever heard of a “cloaking device”? In science fiction, it’s used to become invisible. In SEO, cloaking is a lot like that: it’s a way to try to gain an unfair advantage by hiding from search engines.
It’s a black-hat SEO technique that you should always avoid. In this article, I’ll tell you why you should steer clear and how to double-check that you’re not accidentally cloaking your own URLs.
Let’s dive in!
Cloaking is when a website gives a search engine one version of a page while giving a different, often unrelated, version to a human visitor. The purpose is to trick search engines into thinking a website is more valuable than it really is.
For example, a search engine might see a keyword-optimized, content-rich page. But when a real person clicks on that link, they see a page with very little content and a lot of ads.
Why would people do that? Because they know search engines value good, content-rich websites. If their real website is either deceptive or has poor content, they’ll exploit loopholes to get a high ranking.
How Cloaking Works: A Sneaky Tactic
There are many different ways people try to pull off this trick. It all comes down to figuring out if the visitor is a search engine or a person.
JavaScript Cloaking
When it’s set up correctly, JavaScript isn’t bad for SEO. But it can still give search engines a hard time. JavaScript cloaking happens when a website uses JavaScript to show one type of content to users but not to a search engine.
IP-Based Cloaking
In IP-based cloaking, a website looks at a visitor’s IP address and shows different content to different users. This can lead to visitors seeing inconsistent information. When a search engine’s IP address visits the site, the page might be perfectly optimized for better rankings.
User-Agent Cloaking
Your user-agent tells a website what browser or device you’re using. Some people use this information to create a misleading experience. For example, you might see completely different pages when you access a site from your phone versus your desktop.
Other Cloaking Tricks
Some websites will check where a visitor came from, like a search result page, and redirect them to a different, hidden page. Other websites will show different content based on a user’s language settings.
How to Spot a Cloaking Website
There are a few signs to watch out for when you’re trying to spot a cloaking website. These include:
- Unnecessary redirects to low-quality websites
- Keyword stuffing, which is the act of overusing keywords on a page
- Content that doesn’t match the page’s title or description in search results
- Poorly-written content that lacks relevance
- Too many pop-ups and sketchy ads
These are just signs, not proof! Avoid drawing conclusions from a single event.
SEO Risks Associated with Cloaking
Cloaking is a black-hat tactic. That alone should be a reason to stay away from it. But if you’re prone to ignoring red flags, here are a few ways it can destroy your website:
- Negative User Experience: Users who land on a page that isn’t what they expected won’t be happy. Cloaking creates an inconsistent experience that makes people lose trust in your website.
- Violation of Search Engine Guidelines: Cloaking is a clear violation of Google’s rules. In a 2023 discussion, a Google analyst confirmed that serving different content to search engines is considered cloaking and is a very risky practice that can lead to your site being de-indexed.
- Severe Penalties: Search engines are getting smarter every day. Sooner or later, they will find out you are using cloaking tactics, and they will apply a severe penalty. This can lead to your website being removed from the search index completely.
Instead of taking shortcuts, focus on building a great website that helps people. Our AI Rewording Tool can help you improve your existing content and make it more readable and engaging for both users and search engines.
A Note on “White-Hat Cloaking”
You might hear that some big websites get away with cloaking. For example, a news publisher with a paywall might show a different version of a page to Google to allow it to be indexed. But these cases are very specific and usually involve major, well-known brands. If you aren’t a big name, the risks are far too high.
Shady practices are not worth a severe penalty. Do your best to keep your website transparent for everyone. If you want to gain an advantage, earn it!
What is cloaking in SEO?
Cloaking is a deceptive tactic where a website shows different content to search engine crawlers than it does to human visitors. It is a form of manipulation that is meant to trick search rankings.
Is cloaking a black-hat SEO tactic?
Yes, cloaking is considered a black-hat SEO tactic. It is a direct violation of search engine guidelines and can lead to your website being penalized or removed from the search index.
Why is cloaking bad for SEO?
Cloaking is bad for SEO because it can lead to a terrible user experience, result in severe search engine penalties, and destroy your brand's reputation. Instead of cloaking, you should focus on creating great content that helps people.
