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Parasite SEO Most people haven't heard about this term. So, what is Parasite SEO? It's simply using the reputation of someone else's website to boost your own ranking through backlinks - what many call "link juice." Imagine this: A is a prominent blog publisher in tech, with solid authority on Google. B runs a tech company and wants to promote his blog on 'block chain trends.' So B approaches A to publish an article that includes a link to his blog, and pays a set amount to get it done. Once A publishes it, all that ranking authority flows straight to B's page, regardless of the blog’s quality, site structure, or user experience. Since Google sees authority as a major ranking factor, B pays to grab that authority through a backlink. But Google already made it crystal clear that this is an unethical practice. Why does Google say this is unethical? - Violates Guidelines: It breaches Google’s Webmaster Guidelines (for example, the clause against "ranking through manipulative link schemes"). - Exploitative: It takes advantage of the trust and resources of reputable sites for selfish gain, which can harm their reputation. - Degrades User Experience: It floods search results with low-quality content, undermining the overall integrity of the SERPs. Now, what disadvantages does B face? - Risk of Penalties: Google might deindex the content or penalise B’s site. - Unstable Results: The host site can remove the content or links at any time, wiping out SEO gains overnight. - Reputation Damage: Brands caught using Parasite SEO risk a public backlash and a hit to their credibility. - Short-Term Focus: This tactic is all about quick wins and doesn’t build sustainable organic growth. - Ethical and Legal Risks: It violates the host platform's terms of service, which can lead to legal trouble or bans. So, what one should do instead? - Create High-Quality, User-Focused Content: Write content that really addresses your audience's needs. Publish data-driven studies, surveys, or experiments to naturally earn backlinks. Also, refresh old posts to keep them relevant and accurate (Google loves freshness). - Build Genuine Partnerships with Industry Influencers: Connect with bloggers, journalists, or influencers in your niche. Write high-quality guest posts for reputable sites (without keyword stuffing or hidden links). Develop tools, infographics, or free templates that others will naturally want to share. There will definitely will be a quality difference between intentional post to gain authority and no intention for authority, rather sharing pure knowledge. Underrated method: Find broken links on authoritative sites and suggest your content as a replacement. - Build a Brand, Not Just Links: Encourage customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies. Share your content on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or YouTube to drive traffic and visibility. Get involved in forums (like Reddit or Quora) or niche communities to establish your authority. If you loved this post or have any feedbacks on my content, Comment below :).