If your website is performing well in Google, congratulations — but make no mistake: that visibility puts a target on your back.
Let me give it to you straight. There’s a dirty little secret in the world of digital marketing: Negative SEO is real, it’s vicious, and it’s being used by competitors who’d rather sabotage than compete.
While Google constantly updates its algorithms to clean up the mess, the truth is: if you’re not actively protecting your SEO, you’re leaving the front door wide open to a silent ambush that can tank your rankings overnight.
Here’s what every serious business owner, law firm, and entrepreneur needs to know:
What Is a Negative SEO Attack?
It’s when someone uses black hat tactics — spammy backlinks, content theft, fake link removals, or even hacking — to destroy your search visibility. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s happening right now, and your site could be next.
If you’re ranking well for competitive keywords, you’re exactly the kind of target these attackers go after. And guess what? Many of these attacks are invisible until the damage is already done.
Let’s break down the 4 most common attacks — and what to do about each one.
1. Spammy Link Bombs That Bury You in Trash
Thousands of spammy links pointed at your site — fast. You didn’t build them, you didn’t ask for them. But Google doesn’t know that… yet.
What to look for: Sudden, unexplained spikes in your backlink profile.
What to do: Use a tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush. If you see garbage links flooding in, disavow them ASAP using Google’s Disavow Tool. And yes — you MUST keep a regular eye on your link profile. Treat it like a credit score.
2. Your Hard-Earned Content — Stolen
You create valuable, well-optimized content. Then someone scrapes it, pastes it on their site, and Google might index theirs before yours. You lose credit. Your rankings drop. They win.
What to do: Use Copyscape to find plagiarists. Reach out and request removal. If they ghost you (and many will), report them to Google using the Copyright Removal Tool.
3. Fake Link Removal Requests That Sabotage You
This one’s sneaky. A bad actor creates a fake email pretending to be you and asks websites to remove high-quality backlinks you’ve earned. Sounds insane? It happens.
What to do: Run regular backlink audits. If a top link disappears, investigate. Rebuild the relationship, explain the situation, and secure your link again.
4. Hacking Your Site and Hiding Spam
Yes, some attacks go full black ops. They break into your site, drop hidden links, swap your content, or worse — de-index your site with one simple line in your robots.txt file.
What to do:
- Get SSL (HTTPS) if you haven’t already.
- Audit user access.
- Use secure passwords.
- Check your robots.txt file regularly.
- Perform regular security scans and updates.
The Real Solution? Get Proactive
If you’re not actively monitoring your SEO health, you’re playing defense after the damage is done.
Dan Kennedy always says, “You don’t get paid to be reactive. You get paid to be strategic.”
So act like it. Build a firewall around your digital property — because Google won’t hold your hand if things go south.
Want Help Securing Your SEO from Sabotage?
Let’s talk. We know how to fortify your site, run audits, disavow bad links, and keep your SEO strategy bulletproof — so your growth isn’t interrupted by shady tactics or silent killers.
Marilyn Jenkins, Founder
MJ Media Group, LLC | Law Marketing Zone
Marilyn Jenkins, a digital marketing expert with 16+ years of experience, helps businesses grow through paid advertising, social media management, and SEO, especially Google Business Profile optimization. Her clients have achieved significant growth, some exceeding $2 million in sales and experiencing 14x ROI. You can learn more about Marilyn at https://lawmarketingzone.com