Parasite SEO is a technique where someone creates content on high-authority platforms like Medium, Quora, or other highly authoritative websites (NYT, Forbes, Business Insider) to rank for specific keywords.
The primary goal is to drive revenue through affiliate content or traffic to their own websites.
This tactic is broadly considered unethical because it takes advantage of the host platform’s high domain authority.
Example of parasite SEO in action – a Forbes’ article about nappies ranking number 1 for term “best nappies” (screenshot for Google.com, location US, May 2024 using U Search From):
Here’s another example, NYT ranking #1 for the term “best mattress for back pain” (screenshot from May 8, 2024):
It’s very questionable that Forbes is really a specialist in baby diapers
SEO community started complaining about parasite SEO, because big publications (especially newspapers) started arguably abusing their high domain authority and EEAT signals to create pages targeting high-ticket affiliate keywords.
Parasite SEO for YMYL keywords using LinkedIn Pulse:
Parasite SEO 🪲
— Mark Williams-Cook (@thetafferboy) March 21, 2024
In the US alone, spammy LinkedIn Pulse articles full of affiliate links are ranking in the top 3 in Google for payday loan terms with a combined 75,000+ searches per month (@ahrefs)
I wonder if "abusing authority" update in May will get these pages. pic.twitter.com/adW28dpqAH
Parasite SEO for adult (escort) keywords using Miami Herald:
Does anyone remember the Parasite SEO for "Things To Do in Puerto Rico" where they recommended local escort services in the @MiamiHerald ?
— Morgan Overholt | $600k Upworker (@MorganOMedia) May 5, 2024
Still organic position 4 in the Google SERPS but it looks like they finally manually removed the article. pic.twitter.com/UdHjuTAxwl
USA Today going after gambling keywords:
One of the funniest things ever to me about this whole parasite SEO situation is that the "helpful content" that USA Today is spamming out into gambling via GDC Group is using Canva featured image templates, and they are using the free version too 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/wgQz5B6ud3
— Charles Floate 📈 (@Charles_SEO) May 7, 2024