How a Website Hack Can Damage Your SEO Efforts
Website security has become increasingly critical to maintaining strong SEO performance.
As businesses rely more on digital marketing, the risks associated with website hacks have also grown, with estimates suggesting that over 50% of websites will be vulnerable to being hacked in 2024.
The implications of such security breaches go beyond just data loss or operational disruption—they can severely damage your website’s search engine rankings and SEO performance.
What do we mean by “SEO Performance”
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) refers to the practice of optimising your website to improve its visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results.
SEO performance is a measure of how well your site ranks for relevant keywords and how effectively it attracts and engages users from search engines like Google.
Good SEO performance means higher rankings in search results, which can lead to increased traffic, more leads, and better overall online visibility for your business
Website Hacking and Its Methods
Hacking refers to the unauthorised access to a website or network, typically with malicious intent.
Hackers may aim to steal sensitive information, hijack the site for their purposes, or redirect traffic to other websites.
The methods they use are varied and often sophisticated, making it crucial for businesses to understand the potential threats and take appropriate security measures.
Common Website Hacking Tools and Techniques
Website hacking involves a range of tools and techniques that can compromise the security and integrity of a site.
Automated bots and hackers often use these methods to gain unauthorised access, manipulate content, and exploit vulnerabilities.
Understanding the most common hacking techniques can help you better protect your website and mitigate the risks associated with these malicious activities.
Malware
Malware is malicious software designed to damage or disrupt a network.
Hackers often use malware to breach data or disable a website’s functionality.
The consequences of a malware attack can be severe, leading to significant financial losses and long-term damage to a site’s reputation.
Spamming
Website spamming involves inserting unauthorised links or content into a website.
These spammy links often redirect users to illegitimate sites, boosting the hacker’s SEO at the expense of the compromised website.
This not only diverts traffic away from the original site but can also result in penalties from search engines.
Redirects
One of the common techniques used by hackers is the implementation of unauthorised redirects on a website.
When a site is compromised, hackers may alter the site’s code to redirect visitors to malicious or spammy websites without their knowledge. These redirects can be highly damaging to both user trust and SEO.
From an SEO perspective, redirects can cause significant harm. When search engines crawl a site that has been hijacked with redirects, they may associate the site with harmful or irrelevant content, leading to penalties or even removal from search engine results.
Redirects are particularly insidious because they can be difficult to detect, often occurring only under certain conditions or for specific users.
Immediate Impacts of a Website Hack on SEO
When a website is hacked, the effects on its SEO performance can be both swift and severe.
The initial consequences often extend beyond just the technical issues, directly influencing the website’s search engine rankings, user experience, and overall online presence.
Loss of Trust and Credibility
One of the most immediate business consequences of a website hack is the loss of trust and credibility.
When users encounter a hacked website, they are less likely to trust it, leading to a drop in user engagement.
In 2021, nearly 60% of consumers reported that they would not trust a website after it had been hacked. This distrust can result in lower traffic and reduced conversions, directly impacting your site’s organic search performance.
Google Penalties and Blacklisting
Google plays a critical role in determining a website’s visibility. When a website is hacked, it often results in penalties or even blacklisting by Google.
According to a survey by Sucuri, 90% of hacked websites suffer penalties from Google. These penalties will usually reduce your search rankings, making it difficult for your site to attract organic traffic and be visible in Google search results.
In severe cases, Google may de-index your site entirely, removing it from search results until the issue is resolved.
You can check the blacklisting status of your website by using a free online tool such as MX Toolbox blacklist check.
Poor User Experience
A hacked website can significantly degrade the user experience. Issues such as slow loading times, broken links, and security warnings can frustrate users and drive them away from your site.
According to recent reports, 75% of users abandon a website if it takes longer than 5 seconds to load.
This decline in user experience metrics—such as time on site, pages viewed and lowered engagement rate is believed to send negative signals to search engines, further harming your SEO efforts.
Long-Term SEO Damage
Even after the site is cleaned and secured, the damage to search rankings, user trust, and overall site credibility can continue to impact your website’s performance for an extended period.
Impact on Organic Rankings and Traffic
The impact of a website hack on SEO is often long-lasting.
A significant drop in search rankings and organic traffic is common, with some websites experiencing decreases in traffic and conversions up to 80%.
Even after the site is restored, it may take considerable time to regain lost rankings, as search engines may still associate the site with spammy content or malware.
Negative Brand Reputation
Beyond technical SEO metrics, a hacked website can severely damage your brand’s image.
According to the Ponemon Institute, 67% of consumers would not purchase from a website that has been hacked.
This loss of customer trust can have long-term repercussions, affecting not only your SEO but also your overall business reputation.
Ongoing Penalties for Spammy Content
Hackers often leave behind spammy content or malicious code even after a site is restored.
Google can often detect this type of website hack easily. The good thing about this is that Google will warn you through Google search console, but the bad thing is that your site will be demoted in the search results until it is fixed.
These spammy remnants can result in ongoing penalties from search engines, as your site may continue to be indexed for irrelevant or harmful keywords.
Removing these penalties and cleaning up your SEO can be a time-consuming process, requiring site audits and professional expertise.
Steps to Recover and Protect Your SEO After a Hack
Immediate Actions After a Hack
Once a hack is detected, it’s essential to take immediate action. This includes removing any malicious code, restoring the site from backups, and securing the site to prevent further breaches.
Additionally, you should notify Google via the Search Console that the issue has been resolved to begin the process of lifting any penalties.
If your site has been hacked, you may need to seek out a professional developer for a website hack diagnosis and repair. Our team can help with this, please contact us for assistance and advice.
SEO Remediation Efforts
Recovering your SEO after a hack involves more than just fixing the immediate security issues.
Conducting a comprehensive SEO audit is crucial to identify and address any lingering effects of the hack, such as spammy outbound links, broken/missing pages, crawl errors, slow-loading pages and corrupted page metadata.
You may also need to disavow harmful backlinks that have been pointed to your site after it was hacked.
It is not advisable to discontinue SEO following a hack. Engage a reputable SEO agency and continue enhancing and optimising your website in order to have the highest chance of recovery.
Petitioning Google for Reinstatement
After securing your site and addressing any SEO issues, you should submit a reconsideration request to Google.
This request informs Google that your site is clean and ready to be re-indexed.
Typically, it takes about 72 hours for Google to review and reinstate a site, but full recovery of your search rankings may take longer.
Long-Term Security Measures
To prevent future hacks, it’s essential to implement robust security measures along with regular website maintenance.
That includes things like:
- Running regular software updates;
- Requiring site users to have strong passwords;
- Updating passwords regularly throughout the year;
- Running regular website malware scans;
- Setup of website security mechanisms.
Additionally, adopting HTTPS and choosing a high-quality web hosting provider are critical steps in safeguarding your site and maintaining your SEO performance.
Preventive Measures to Safeguard SEO
Regular Monitoring and Maintenance
Continuous monitoring of your website for suspicious activity is key to preventing future hacks.
Regular website audits, SEO audits and technical checks can help to identify security vulnerabilities and patch them before they are exploited.
Proactive Security Practices
Implementing proactive security measures can greatly reduce the risk of a hack, such as:
- Regular updating of website core software;
- Regular updating of website plugin software;
- Setting up a firewall;
- Maintaining a reliable website security plugin;
- Require administrative users to have strong passwords and use TwoFactor authentication.
- Regular off-server data backups.
- For local websites, blocking traffic from specific/irrelevant countries can be helpful.
Another way you can go about monitoring and maintaining your website on autopilot is to consider an affordable website maintenance plan.
Don’t Sleep on Website Security – It’s a Big Deal
Website security is not just an IT concern—it’s a fundamental aspect of SEO and digital marketing.
The consequences of a hack can be severe, affecting everything from search rankings to brand reputation. By taking proactive steps to secure your website and quickly addressing any breaches, you can protect your SEO efforts and ensure long-term success.
If you suspect your site may be vulnerable or have noticed a drop in your rankings, take action immediately.
Implementing strong security practices now can save you significant time, effort, and resources in the future.
