Negative SEO Attacks: Recovering from Black Hat SERP Sabotage

Last year, I got fired by an ecommerce client after tripling their revenue from organic search. A black hat SEO convinced them that investing in high-quality commerce content was a waste of time.

I’m an SEO consultant who always bought into what Google considers “ethical” search engine optimization. I’ve always advised my clients against trying to manipulate their search rankings artificially.

Over the last two decades, I’ve delivered live SEO training seminars to marketing, PR and public affairs staffers at the US Dept. of State, the United States Marine Corps, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, UCLA, Toyota, and others. More than 70,000 SEOs have taken my white hat online SEO training course.

After my client decided to cease publishing helpful content in exchange for black hat SEO, I was confident that Google would detect their skullduggery and demote them in search rankings.

But that’s not what happened. Their rankings continued to rise! 

So, after 20 years as a Google fanboy, I decided it was time to learn what black hat SEO is all about.

Over the last year, I took a walk on the dark side. I hired Black Hat SEO coaches, attended dozens of private Black Hat SEO trainings, and traveled to SEO conferences in three states.

I took copious notes and just finished this comprehensive report on black hat SEO techniques. 

SEO Organic Ranking Myth

My report details the strategies and tactics black hat SEOs use to manipulate search results. And here’s my big takeaway:

The whole notion of calling algorithmic search “organic” is Doublespeak. Google struggles to recognize organic behavior. Just as Midjourney remains trapped in the Uncanny Valley, Google’s algorithms cannot accurately adjust for imperfections. And organisms are inherently imperfect.

Negative SEO: Understanding Black Hat SERP Sabotage Techniques

The reality, it seems, is that Google is using math to rank search results, and math by itself cannot adequately explain natural science, where probability and outcome defy numerical logic.

The unfortunate truth is that not everyone plays fair online. Black Hat SEOs reliably manipulate search results without creating a stitch of worthwhile content and get away with it despite blatant violations of Google’s policies.

Google’s response to the US Attorney General’s antitrust claims is that they have more than 90% of the search market because of superior technology. Before I embarked on this study, I would have supported that claim. Now, I’m much more skeptical.

Defending Against Negative SEO Attacks

Just as the Frankenstein narrative is a cautionary tale rather than an endorsement of creating life from death, the insights in my white paper are not intended as an endorsement of unethical behavior. Instead, these revelations are documented to help you identify and thwart malicious activities against your digital presence.

Tread carefully and responsibly when applying this information. Some of the strategies highlighted illuminate hidden mechanisms that should not be utilized for nefarious purposes.

This special report’s author, contributors, and publisher assume no liability for any misinterpretation or misuse of the knowledge herein. Readers are advised to exercise discretion, consulting legal and ethical guidelines before implementing anything mentioned in this report.

Schwartzman & Associates, Inc. does not represent the companies or individuals mentioned in the Negative SEO: Understanding Black Hat SERP Sabotage Techniques report, provides no guarantees, and assumes no liability for any actions that may transpire from the release of this report, which is intended for informational purposes only.