If an attack brings a website down (for instance, through a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack), the site's downtime can negatively impact its SEO. Search engines, particularly Google, prioritise the availability and reliability of websites. Extended downtime can lead to a drop in search rankings.
Slow Page Load Times: Some types of attacks can slow down a website's loading time. Since page speed is a ranking factor for search engines, slower loading times can result in lower rankings.
If a website is compromised and malware is injected, search engines can blacklist the site or display a warning message to users. This not only discourages visitors but also affects the site's trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines, leading to a drop in rankings.
Attackers may inject spammy content or links into a website. Search engines penalise sites that display spammy content or participate in suspicious link-building practices, which can severely damage the site’s SEO.
If a website is hacked and the content is altered, the relevancy and quality of the content might be compromised. This can negatively affect the site’s ranking for its target keywords.
If users notice that a site is compromised or not secure, they are less likely to engage with it. Lower user engagement metrics like reduced time on site or high bounce rates can indirectly impact SEO rankings.
In severe cases, if a website is deemed unsafe, it can be removed from search engine indices entirely until the issue is resolved.
In the aftermath of an attack, other websites might remove their links to the compromised site, which can lead to a loss of backlink strength, a crucial factor for SEO.
To mitigate these risks, it's important for website owners to invest in robust security measures, including regular updates, secure hosting, SSL certificates, strong passwords, and regular security audits. Additionally, quick response and recovery in the event of an attack are crucial to minimise the impact on SEO.
