Detect Google cloaking and website cloaking techniques online. Check for User-Agent, IP-based, Referrer, and JavaScript cloaking methods used by websites.
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Analyzing your website across multiple detection methods
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The following tests detected cloaking behavior on your website.
These tests did not detect any cloaking behavior.
Cloaking is a technique where different content is presented to search engines than to regular users. While sometimes used legitimately, it's often employed in black hat SEO to manipulate search rankings.
Shows different content to search engine bots vs browsers
Serves different content based on visitor location
Different content for mobile vs desktop users
Different content based on visitor session state and tracking cookies
Understanding the difference between legitimate SEO optimization and deceptive cloaking techniques is crucial. Our SEO cloaking checker helps you identify violations while recognizing acceptable practices.
✅ Same content, different layouts for mobile and desktop using CSS media queries
❌ Different content per device = device cloaking
✅ Testing design variations with real users while showing same content to search bots
❌ Optimized content only for bots = user agent cloaking
✅ Localized content (currency, language) with hreflang tags for compliance
❌ Hiding content from search IPs = IP cloaking
✅ Faster content delivery from local servers with identical content everywhere
❌ Different content by IP type = referrer cloaking
If the primary content and purpose remain identical for both search engines and users, it's legitimate optimization. If you're intentionally hiding, altering, or redirecting to manipulate rankings, it's cloaking and violates Google's guidelines.
Use our cloak checker regularly: Our user agent cloaking test and IP cloaking checker help detect unintentional violations before Google penalizes your site. Run a cloaking test after major site updates.
We send requests with different user-agents, IPs, and referrers
Compare responses to detect differences in content served
Calculate likelihood of cloaking based on multiple signals
Cloaking itself is not illegal, but it violates search engine guidelines. Google can penalize or ban sites using cloaking techniques.
We detect 6 major cloaking methods: User-Agent, Geographic, Referrer, JavaScript, Device, and Cookie-based cloaking. Some advanced fingerprinting techniques may still evade detection.
Some legitimate uses include A/B testing, personalization, or serving different content to different regions for legal reasons.
A/B testing shows different design variations to real users randomly for optimization, while keeping the same content for search engines. Cloaking intentionally serves different content to search bots versus users to manipulate rankings. Google allows A/B testing but bans cloaking.
Google's automated systems can detect and penalize cloaking within days. Manual reviews typically occur within 30 days of detection. Google issues approximately 750,000 manual penalties monthly for webspam including cloaking. Recovery can take 2-6 months after fixing the violation.
Yes. Common accidental cloaking happens through: aggressive bot blocking (blocking Googlebot), poorly configured CDNs serving different content, JavaScript that hides content from crawlers, mobile redirects to different URLs, or security plugins that block search engines. Always test your site with our cloaking checker.
1) Immediately remove all cloaking code, 2) Submit a reconsideration request in Google Search Console explaining what was removed, 3) Use our cloaking test to verify the site is clean, 4) Wait for Google's review (typically 2-6 months). Document all changes made for the reconsideration request.
No, CDNs (Content Delivery Networks) are not cloaking if they serve the same content from different geographic locations. Cloaking only occurs if the CDN intentionally serves different content to search engines versus regular users. Legitimate CDN use for performance optimization is allowed by Google.
Check after major site updates, theme changes, plugin installations, CDN configuration changes, or if you notice sudden ranking drops. We recommend quarterly checks for established sites, and monthly checks for sites frequently updated. Use our SEO cloaking checker for quick verification.
Geo-targeting shows localized content (currency, language, local regulations) based on user location but keeps core content identical. Cloaking manipulates rankings by showing completely different content to search engines. Legitimate geo-targeting uses hreflang tags and is transparent to Google.
Rarely, but possible. Aggressive caching, server-side rendering (SSR) issues, over-optimized JavaScript lazy loading, or security plugins blocking bots can trigger false positives. Our user agent cloaking test helps identify these issues before Google does. Always ensure Googlebot sees the same content as users.
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