MENUMENU
  • Services
    • Services
      • Search Engine Optimization
      • International Search Marketing
      • Local Search Marketing
      • Pay Per Click Advertising
      • Social Media Marketing
      • Email Marketing
      • Conversion Rate Optimization
      • Public Relations
      • Website Design & Development
      • Reporting & Analytics
      • Amazon Marketing Services
      • Digital Marketing Strategy
      • Franchise Marketing
  • About Us
    • About Ignite Visibility
      • Careers
      • Clients
      • Our Values
      • Our Story
      • Our Team
      • Hiring Notice
      • UCSD Extension Courses
      • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Thought Leadership
      • Our Blog
      • Podcast
      • SEO: The Movie
      • Social Media Marketing: The Movie
      • Book: The Forecaster Method
      • Attend Our Next Digital Marketing Event
  • Contact
  • 619.752.1955
Home / Google / Google Granted Patent on Detecting Hidden Text and Links

Google Granted Patent on Detecting Hidden Text and Links

March 13, 2013 By Ignite Marketing Team

Are you a nasty spammer SEO person who hides links and text on your website? I sure hope not… Because Google was just awarded a new patent for their technology which detects hidden text and links on website.  So if you are one of those people who thought, “I’ll never get caught.” Think again… So let’s take a look at this hidden text and link detecting technology.

According to Search Engine Land, this is “A system detects hidden elements in a document that includes a group of elements. The system may identify each of the elements in the document and create a structural representation of the document. The structural representation may provide an interconnection of the group of elements in the document. The system may also determine whether one or more elements of the group of elements are hidden based at least in part on locations or other attributes or properties of the one or more elements in the structural representation.”

Google Hidden Text and Links Patent

Google Hidden Text and Links Patent

Most search engine optimization experts have known that Google takes measures against this kind of blasphemy for a while. But this patent really solidifies it. The patent actually goes as far as to provide an example of how hidden text can be found.

“In this example, server 120 may detect that the webmaster has overridden the value of the <h2> tag. Normally, the “h2″ tag is a heading size, in which H1 is very large, H2 is a little smaller, H3 is smaller still, etc. Here, the webmaster has used CSS to override the value of h2 to mean “for all text in the H2 section, make the text color almost completely black, and make the height of the font be about one pixel high.”

Google goes on to tell us what this means for a user.

“A viewer of this document would not see the text because it is so small, but a search engine may determine that the text is relatively important because of the H2 heading label. In this situation, server 120 may determine that the text in the H2 section is very small, which can indicate that the webmaster is attempting to hide the text in this section.”

Here we see Google recognizing a very common SEO strategy and taking measures to make sure people do now abuse it.

With all of the new Javascript and Ajax sites out there masking text and links left and right, you can bet that this technology will mean the downfall of a few key websites. Who knows, greater implementation of this guideline could be part of the big update everyone has been discussing. Read more on Google’s guidelines for hidden text.

What do you think of this new patent? Comment below!

About Ignite Marketing Team

This blog was produced by the Ignite Visibility expert marketing team. It is the result of insight from our agency service lead, research and input from John Lincoln. Learn more about Ignite Visibility

You may also like:


  • Rich In Results: Maximizing the Google Rich Results Test Tool

  • Maintain Your SEO Rankings: 17 Strategies to Stay on Top

  • How to Integrate Digital PR and SEO to Amplify Brand…

  • Multi-Location SEO: Reach New Customers & Boost Rankings

Search Here

NEWSLETTER // SIGN UP NOW

About Ignite Visibility

Ignite Visibility is a premier full-service digital marketing agency based in San Diego, CA. The Ignite Visibility mission is to provide the most effective digital marketing solutions in the industry, a high-touch customer experience, deliver results and use profits to reinvest in client success, employee success and the community. Ignite Visibility is one of the highest awarded digital marketing agencies in the industry, works with some of the biggest brands in the world and is a 6x Inc. 5000 company. Learn more about our services.

 

Contact Us. Let’s Chat!

  • Hidden

Marketing Guides

SEO In 2020: How To Prepare For Major Disruption

"SEO: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

"Social Media Marketing: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

Amazon Seller Central vs Vendor Central

Listen To The Podcast Featuring The Best Minds In Marketing

John Lincoln Interviews Global Director of Digital Marketing & Strategy at Qualcomm, Jessica Jensen

Check Out 227 Free Online Marketing Classes

The 2020 Guide To Dominating SEO With Advanced Schema

Learn More About Our Digital Marketing Agency

Learn More About Our SEO Services

Learn More About Our Paid Media Services

SELECT CATEGORY

Become A Contributor

Interested in writing for Ignite Visibility?

APPLY NOW

Services

  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click Management
  • Conversion Rate Optimization
  • Website Design & Development
  • Social Media Company
  • Public Relations
  • Amazon Marketing Services
  • Franchise Marketing
  • International Services
  • Digital Marketing Agency Services

About

  • Our Team
  • Our Values
  • Clients
  • Reviews
  • UCSD Extension Courses
  • Careers
  • Tools & Resources
  • Sitemap

Contact

4250 Executive Square, Suite 100
La Jolla, California 92037

619.752.1955

Join The Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest from Ignite Visibility.

google parther logo

©2023 Ignite Visibility. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy