How do you avoid cloaking, sneaky redirects, and hidden text on your site?

1 What is cloaking and why is it bad?

Cloaking is the practice of showing different content or URLs to users and search engines based on their IP address, user-agent, or other criteria. For example, some sites may show a normal page to users, but a keyword-stuffed page to crawlers. This is bad because it violates the search engine guidelines and deceives users about the true nature of your site. It can also harm your site's reputation and ranking.

2 What are sneaky redirects and why are they bad?

Sneaky redirects are the practice of sending users to a different page or site than the one they requested or clicked on. For example, some sites may redirect users to a spammy or malicious site, or to an affiliate page that earns them commissions. This is bad because it violates the user's trust and expectation, and can expose them to security risks or unwanted content. It can also damage your site's credibility and ranking.

4 How to avoid cloaking on your site?

The best way to avoid cloaking on your site is to ensure that you show the same content and URLs to both users and search engines. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to check how your site appears to crawlers, and compare it with how it appears to users. You can also use tools like Fetch as Google or Bingbot to simulate how crawlers access your site. If you find any discrepancies, you should fix them as soon as possible.

5 How to avoid sneaky redirects on your site?

The best way to avoid sneaky redirects on your site is to ensure that you only use redirects for legitimate purposes, such as moving to a new domain, changing your site's structure, or fixing broken links. You should also use the appropriate redirect type, such as 301 for permanent redirects, or 302 for temporary redirects. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to monitor your site's redirects, and check for any errors or warnings. You can also use tools like Redirect Checker or Redirect Path to test your site's redirects.

6 How to avoid hidden text on your site?

The best way to avoid hidden text on your site is to ensure that you only use text and links that are relevant and useful for users and search engines. You should also follow the web design and accessibility standards, such as using proper font sizes, colors, and contrasts, and using alt attributes for images. You can use tools like Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools to check for any hidden text issues on your site, and fix them accordingly. You can also use tools like WAVE or WebAIM to evaluate your site's accessibility.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?