Thread: how to bring competitor down in SERP

In case you have a strong competitor which leads the SERP and your client want to bring him down, what you will do, which steps? ( this can be of course a real scenario)

What I would do is analyze his site and see what he do but I don't. I would rather try to pass him rather than bring him down. while I'm working on Negative seo on another competitor someone else can pass both of us.

Ok, but in case your client gives order to bring him down? Thats the job only.... than?

Hmm I have no idea. Taking that kind of projects are not so good IMHO. Maybe blasting thousands of xrummer back-links might work ? It's impossible to bring down Site which has Authority in that niche. Specially if it's a old site. Lets say it works and site gets a Google penalty. All it has to do is send Google a reconsider message with their reasons who it happened. Google would compare how its back-link profile has grown through years and find something trying to link-bomb them.

hmm ok,. In case this is the job, can the competitor find out that you was the one who bring him down and try to punish him? Any foodprints to see?

Don't try to harm your competitors cause they can do the same for you. Sometimes doing negative seo for a competing site might back fire
Keep working on your sites and try to rank higher instead, this is the most ethical way to go with.

Originally Posted by patricianian

Don't try to harm your competitors cause they can do the same for you. Sometimes doing negative seo for a competing site might back fire
Keep working on your sites and try to rank higher instead, this is the most ethical way to go with.

I agree completely. I've done it in the past and believe me, instead of beating him, my negative SEO made him stronger because his name appeared on too many sites. His site started appearing more in SERPs although with the negativity too, but in the long run, the fight ended in a draw and there was no winner and only losers. Trying to defame caused much harm to my site also because the competitor wouldn't lay off easily and would counter every move I made.

It is very unethical to try to hurt other sites. I would turn that client down. I would work to see what they are doing that I'm not. How would you feel if someone killed one of your sites that you have worked hard on and spent your hard earned cash on?

^ Agreed. Don't be a jackass, karma always comes back to bit you on the a$$. Be a knight and do it right! Use the time and finances to improve your clients site.

be perfect on your work, do all things as per googls rules then you can easily beat your compititors

I know its not good to hurt someone's site just for fun. But what do you do when you open your email and find a ping about your website being mentioned in a comment. You open the comment (review) only to learn that it has been posted by your competitor saying that I used their services and it was just like throwing your money down the drain and a load of other false accusations. What should you do to such negative reviews by the competitor?

James, people has the right to say whatever they want. As long as they are on page 2

That's called reputation management, build positive reviews and ask your previous clients to provide the same whenever you get a chance.
Then, build lots of links to the newly created positive reviews and make them out-rank the negative ones you had before.

Had to say, its a tedious process, but if you care about that brand, then its worth every seconds spent on it.
Otherwise, you know what to do to, start fresh with a different brand/domain name.

The question is if you are on 15th, will you perform negative SEO for 14 websites above you? But yes if you are somewhere on 2nd or 3rd then one should be prepared for this type of competition, because you don't know what your competitor will do to harm your business.

It's a dirty war out there. Ethics don't apply in many cases when you are fighting for those super keywords like Loans, credit cards, insurance etc. Companies SEO professionals who take thousands of dollars for get results and get results fast. And there are no code of honor or anything like that. It's an all out war using everything in their arsenals nukes to kitchen sinks.

I'm not a SEO service provider and I only go for small less competitive niches. So I like to focus on ranking up my sites and ranking down competitors sites. But this is not option for everything. Specially if you are a SEO service provider who dream about getting hired but big brands and names then you will have no choice. They pay you big bucked to get results they don't care about it's done by hook or crook as long as it won't harm their brand name or sites. This is the plain truth. Just you might not know it because you are not there yet but I'm sure even here all Big Guns in SEO know this even though they might not comment about it.

Just thought to share this because threads getting way too negative at OP. I don't blame him at all. If your client ask then you have very few options like try to convince him to go white hat, give up the client and loose money and reputation or do it. It's fine for small client who ask for $50 seo plan. But if it's a Big gun like Nike, BMW or Victoria secrets then you don't have much choice. Either you do it or you loose a client you will never get again. Anyone who has no stomach for like (Like my self) should stay small scale. Or stick with your own sites.

Agreed with the above. I know it happens, I just will not be a part of it. You have to make a moral decision.

For negative reviews found, I would answer that review and ask for order details, etc and try to work with them in the open. People will see that they are trolling and doing it in the open shows others you are willing to do what you can, even if it is not agreeing.

I was not being negative towards the OP, I just gave my thoughts because he asked.

I was not aiming to anyone. I had to post that because the topic was going totally off. OP's question was about technical site of negative SEO. I'm sure he knows the moral side of it. We all know it's something bad and ugly thing. I guess we can call this kind of things pure BackHat.

But knowing these things like how to do it can save your sites from this kind of negative seo attack. It's like Ying and Yang. There's little good in very bad thing too.

Discuss this problem with your client and tell him you will try to down your client competitors SERP after do best SEO Techniques for your client websites. I mean to say Check your client website all on page and off page factors, Google webmaster tool error solve, Check Google analytic.

After check all this things find high PR do follow links + good number of backlinks find and submit your client website to those high PR sites. If your want to get quick do follow links then create quality and unique content and publish it high pr do follow Web 2.0 sites like HubPage, Blogspot blog, Wordpress blog and submit to high pr social bookmarking sites 15-20 sites. Do follow blog commenting, forum posting helps to increase good number of traffic and backlinks within a short period of time.

Originally Posted by bluearrow

What I would do is analyze his site and see what he do but I don't. I would rather try to pass him rather than bring him down. while I'm working on Negative seo on another competitor someone else can pass both of us.

I agree If a client gave me an order like that I would tell him that is the same as getting on ripoff report and making up lies to bring someone down. As webmasters we have to remember just because we can do something, it does not mean we should. We all know how hard it is to constantly work at something. Regardless of age, sex, or religion we have to respect each other just based on the hard work of SEO. Although, that is a funny thought! Hitman SEO services... taking your competition down one at a time! LOL. (I'm joking)

There are those hit-men out there doing exactly what we are talking about here. There are niches where competition is ultra high where willing to throw whatever you can get your hands on at your competitor.

Originally Posted by bluearrow

There are those hit-men out there doing exactly what we are talking about here. There are niches where competition is ultra high where willing to throw whatever you can get your hands on at your competitor.

Just did a quick google search, they are all over the place. Can do it for a low $5 That is one of the reasons I stay away from very competitive keywords, well that and I don't have the money to compete.