What is a Gateway Page?
A gateway page is a webpage that appears in search results for a keyword but then redirects the visitor to a different content when clicked. Gateway pages are also called entry pages or doorway pages.
Malicious bloggers and marketers create and optimize gateway pages to rank highly on search results pages. However, visitors who click on these pages are redirected to entirely different content unrelated to what is displayed on the search results pages.
Google considers gateway pages webspam. They offer no value to visitors and are another attempt to manipulate search rankings. This is why it is best to avoid creating them, as they could result in a manual action penalty if discovered.
Why Gateway Pages Are Bad for SEO
Gateway pages are typically created to manipulate search engine rankings rather than provide genuine value to visitors. This makes them a deceptive practice that will cause search engines to penalize your site once uncovered.
In the case of Google, a human reviewer will review your site and issue you a manual action penalty once they uncover the gateway page. Once uncovered, your content will be demoted or deindexed on search results pages.
From the user experience perspective, gateway pages often fail to meet your visitor’s needs as they are usually thin content pages with unhelpful content. This will increase your bounce rate, frustrate your visitors, hurt their user experience, and diminish their trust in your blog.
Lastly, gateway pages can lead to technical SEO issues, such as duplicate content e keyword cannibalization. When multiple pages target the same keyword, they compete against each other. This reduces their ranking potential as search engines will struggle to determine which page is the most relevant.
What to Use in Place of Gateway Pages
Instead of relying on gateway pages, create high-quality, user-focused content that naturally attracts traffic. This approach aligns with search engine guidelines and ensures long-term SEO success for your blog. For more insights, refer to these guides on prospecting for links e building links to your content.