A page dedicated to relevant keywords sounds like an SEO hack, right? The answer couldn’t be further from it – it may even result in your page losing its rankings, being reported as spam, or even being deindexed by Google! 

Let’s explore doorway pages and why they’re considered an SEO faux pas.

What is a doorway page?

A doorway page, also known as a gateway page, is a web page designed explicitly with keyword optimisation in mind to attempt to deceive Google and other search engines into ranking it highly on search engine results pages (SERPs), skipping the step of providing relevant, high-quality content.

The page is generally lacking in content and will redirect the user to another page, which may not even apply to their original search. 

These pages have no value to the user and offer a poor user experience (UX). Doorway pages are designed to manipulate search engine optimisation (SEO) tactics.

Google views these pages as a violation of its Search Essentials Policies and, for this reason, categorises them as spam, which can be detrimental to your SEO and your brand visibility. 

Examples of doorway pages

Doorway pages can be deliberately created to manipulate SEO rankings, but could also exist on your site without your knowledge. 

An example of an intent-driven doorway page is a redirect-based doorway page, which is designed solely to rank in search engines. These pages will have limited content and redirect users to another page that may not rank highly in search engine results.

These pages are intentionally designed to deceive search engines. 

Location pages are an example of doorway pages that can exist on your site without you realising their sinister intent. This type of page primarily exists to rank in those particular regions and often has limited content variation. 

Worse still, there are often no physical stores or offices in these locations. Without any location-specific content, these pages offer users little to no value. They typically redirect users to a generic page, which may not address their original query and can result in user frustration and potentially lost conversions.

Why are doorway pages bad for SEO?

Doorway pages are considered a form of ‘black-hat’ SEO, a manipulative technique used to artificially improve search results. Using such methods can lead to negative results for your rankings and, ultimately, a poor experience for the user for whom the page is built. 

A poor user experience can also lead to frustration among your audience, resulting in high bounce rates and negatively impacting how valuable Google perceives your site, which in turn can harm your rankings. 

Doorway pages can also lead to Google penalties, which, since 2015, have been more strictly enforced by Google. Penalties for using ‘black-hat’ SEO techniques include manual action penalties, resulting in lower rankings and/or site banning.

These pages, and potentially your entire website connected to them, can also be marked as spam by Google, which can result in them failing to rank at all. This outcome is incredibly damaging to your brand and its visibility.

Doorway pages vs landing pages – the difference

Doorway pages sound similar to landing pages. So, how do you make sure your landing pages aren’t seen as doorway pages by Google? 

Landing pages contain valuable information and content designed to convert a user who has ‘landed’ on their page through a paid advertisement. These pages are not viewed as doorway pages in Google’s eyes, as the page is designed with the user at the focus, resulting in a positive user experience (UX). Google values UX highly and generally considers this when determining SEO rankings.

If your site is designed with good UX in mind, it is more likely to rank higher in search engine results. 

Landing pages also provide users with relevant, high-quality content that answers their query, unlike doorway pages, which contain thin, low-quality content.

The page also often features a clear call to action, directing the user and showing the intent to convert consumers at each stage of the marketing funnel rather than attempting to beat the system and rank highly without completing the work. 

Can doorway pages get you banned from Google?

In short, yes. Doorway pages can result in your page, or even your entire site, being marked as spam, receiving reduced rankings, and potentially being deindexed altogether – banned from Google’s search results – as this violates their spam policies.

Once a user agent discovers your doorway page, the penalties can be catastrophic for your brand visibility. So, is it worth the risk?

What can you do differently?

If you’re unsure if your site contains doorway pages, ask yourself these three questions:

• Is the page designed for the user with a positive UX?
• Is it relevant to your audience and existing brand?
• Does it contain high-quality, unique content that is valuable to your audience?

Ready to grow your search visibility the right way?

Visit Marketing Labs’ SEO page to learn how we can help you boost rankings, build trust, and drive sustainable traffic – without cutting corners.