Automated queries
Black hat. Against Google’s spam policies. Risks a manual action or a ranking drop. White, grey and black hat SEO compared
What are automated queries?
Automated queries are searches or other requests sent to Google Search by software rather than people, without Google’s express permission. Google’s machine-generated traffic policy says this consumes resources and interferes with serving users, and names sending automated queries to Google and scraping results for rank-checking or other automated access as examples.
This is also behind CTR manipulation, where bots search a keyword and click a chosen result to fake user interest, and behind bots that inflate impressions for a site.
Why automated queries matter for SEO
Automated queries do not improve a site’s rankings, and they break both the spam policies and Google’s Terms of Service. They also distort the impressions and clicks data you rely on.
The white hat way to get data about your own site’s performance in Google is Google Search Console, including its API, which Google provides for this purpose.
Risks of automated queries
- Breach of Google’s machine-generated traffic policy and Terms of Service.
- IP blocks, CAPTCHAs and rate limiting from Google.
- Distorted impression and click data if bots trigger your results.
- Wasted infrastructure spend on traffic Google filters out.
How to avoid automated query problems
- Do not run scripts that search Google and click results.
- Get your own performance data from Search Console and its API.
- If Search Console shows sudden impressions with no clicks on odd queries, check whether bots may be triggering your results, and do not read too much into them.
- Ask any vendor that offers “user signals” or traffic boosts how it works, and avoid it if it relies on bots.
Automated queries FAQ
Is scraping Google against the rules?
Google’s machine-generated traffic policy names scraping results for rank-checking and other automated access without express permission, and its Terms of Service prohibit it.
Do bots affect my Search Console data?
They can show up as impressions. Google filters much automated traffic, but unusual spikes on odd queries are worth treating with caution.
Related SEO terms
CTR manipulationBlack hat
CTR manipulation is using bots or paid clickers to search for a keyword and click your result, to fake user signals. It breaks Google’s rules.
Google Search Console is Google’s free tool that shows how your site performs in Google Search and flags indexing, security and spam problems.
Impressions count how often a link to your site appeared in search results that someone viewed, whether or not they clicked it.
Google’s spam policies list the practices that can get a site demoted or removed from Google Search, from cloaking and link spam to scaled content abuse.
Black hat SEOBlack hat
Black hat SEO is the use of tactics that break search engines’ spam policies, such as paid links, cloaking or keyword stuffing, to rank faster.