SEO Glossary: Over-optimization

 

 

What is over-optimization?

SEOs and website owners are always looking to improve their website in the search engine results (SERPs) as high up as possible. While many work cleanly, others overdo it or use SEO measures that violate the rules and guidelines of a search engine.

 

This can be, for example, unnatural link growth or the excessive use of keywords (KEYWORD STUFFING).

 

Over-optimization is also known as an "over optimization penalty" and is penalized by the respective search engine when detected. This often results in a massive loss of ranking, causing traffic to plummet. If a particularly large over-optimization has been carried out, in the worst case it can even lead to the website being de-indexed.

 

 

When do we talk about over-optimization?

What can such over-optimization actually look like and what examples are there?

 

The following are some examples of when over-optimization occurs:

 

• Rapid link growth: While the link growth of a page used to be rather low, it suddenly increases dramatically. For Google and others, this is a clear sign that link growth is too fast and therefore unnatural. This is the case, for example, when SEOs buy links.
• Keyword stuffing: In order to increase the keyword density of content, many SEOs artificially insert search terms to increase the relevance of a keyword. This is also annoying and can lead to noticeable over-optimization.
• Hidden text: With this method, text with keywords is integrated at a specific position and then formatted to match the background color. It is therefore not visible to the user. The method originates from the black hat SEO area.
• Link exchange: A look at the webmaster guidelines shows that direct link exchange (by agreement between two website operators) is anything but welcome. If search engines recognize a clear link exchange structure here, they classify it as over-optimization.
• Keyword links: If links are set for internal and external linking, excessive use of keywords in the link text should be avoided. Otherwise you will be penalized. Here it can help to ensure sufficient variety and not to use keywords exclusively in the links.

 

How can over-optimization be avoided?

If webmasters want to optimize their project, it helps to take a look at Google's webmaster guidelines. They explain exactly how proper search engine optimization works and what needs to be taken into account.

 

But the same applies to content creation: quality over quantity. Rather than over-feeding a post with artificial keywords, it makes more sense to offer the user added value. In other words: posts are not primarily created for search engines, but for users.