# Hreflang spam + subdomains = $$$ (DO THIS NOW) Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43LT37YAISc Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/43LT37YAISc Generated: 2025-12-14T19:04:05.385+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The speaker confirms that the strategy involving Hreflang spam combined with subdomains, which previously yielded fast indexing and revenue for casino sites, is now largely ineffective because Google has taken action against it, resulting in zero indexing for six tested subdomains and the site owner being blocked from receiving partnership requests due to perceived spammy behavior. **Key Points:** - Six tested casino subdomains using the Hreflang spam technique failed to rank within 2-3 days, indicating the tactic is currently ineffective. - The speaker explicitly states they will not be citing the specific ranking casino page they analyzed, but confirmed it was a single-page site with no other ranking content. - The analyzed EU domain uses Hreflang tags to point to en-US and en-CA versions, while the main page is likely the en-EU version, showing an attempt at international targeting. - A commenter noted that Google penalizes duplicate content, and that subdomains do not pass full SEO value to the root domain, suggesting risks like domain splitting, traffic loss, and wasted crawl budget. - The speaker received feedback that their aggressive promotion of this method resulted in being perceived as 'dodge' and led to being blocked from partnership requests. - The speaker tested the Hreflang strategy on one of the sites using a canonical trick and found that even this approach failed to yield results. - The speaker promotes IndexChex, an indexing solution, offering 150 free credits upon signup, suggesting it as a tool for verifying indexing status. ![Screenshot at 0:05: The speaker is discussing how a casino site was using subdomains for SEO, setting the context for testing the effectiveness of this strategy.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/43LT37YAISc/00-00-05.png) **Context:** The video addresses a controversial Search Engine Optimization (SEO) technique involving the manipulation of Hreflang tags combined with the use of subdomains, often employed in competitive niches like online casinos, to achieve rapid indexing and ranking. The speaker, Jacky Chou (wearing a LocalRank hat), previously discussed how this method worked, but now presents updated findings based on recent tests and community feedback, particularly concerning whether Google has penalized or stopped recognizing this approach. ## Detailed Analysis The speaker opens by referencing a previous video where he detailed how a casino site ranked quickly using Hreflang spam on subdomains, which allowed them to rank in 2-3 days. He reports on a recent test where he applied this strategy to six subdomains, none of which ranked within the expected timeframe, concluding that the tactic has stopped working. He explicitly states that he will not reveal which casino site he tested, but confirms that the site was a single-page site and he checked its Hreflang implementation, which correctly pointed to en-US and en-CA versions from the main EU page. The speaker then reviews comments, including one user who warned about Google penalizing duplicate content and the inherent risks of using subdomains (domain splitting, traffic loss, crawl budget waste). Another commenter noted that the speaker's aggressive promotion of the technique made him seem 'dodge' when requesting partnerships. The speaker confirms that he tested the Hreflang approach using a canonical trick on one of the sites, but it still failed to index or rank. He concludes that this method is likely dead for ranking in competitive niches like Canada casino SEO, noting that aggressive tactics like this often lead to being blocked from legitimate opportunities. He briefly promotes his indexing tool, IndexChex, before wrapping up the segment. ### Initial Findings - Six tested casino subdomains using Hreflang spam failed to rank in 2-3 days - The tactic is confirmed ineffective based on tests - Speaker refuses to name the specific site tested ### Hreflang Implementation - The EU page pointed to en-US and en-CA versions using Hreflang tags - Speaker tested a canonical trick on one site, which also failed to index ### Community Feedback & Risks - Commenters warned about Google penalizing duplicate content and the risks of subdomain usage (domain splitting, crawl budget waste) - One user called the speaker 'dodge' after requesting a partnership, suggesting the aggressive promotion caused issues ### Conclusion & Promotion - The speaker concludes that this method is likely dead for local SEO in competitive niches - Promotes IndexChex, offering 150 free credits for URL indexing checks ![Screenshot at 0:00: The speaker addresses the audience directly while wearing a 'LOCALRANK' cap.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/43LT37YAISc/00-00-00.png) ![Screenshot at 0:24: The speaker emphasizes the need for honesty regarding the failure of the subdomain SEO test.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/43LT37YAISc/00-00-24.png) ![Screenshot at 1:32: The speaker consumes creatine powder directly from the scoop to transition to the next segment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/43LT37YAISc/00-01-32.png) ![Screenshot at 2:00: A slide appears titled 'Build in Public References' showing various past video topics and links, including a '65-Point Local SEO Checklist'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/43LT37YAISc/00-02-00.png) ![Screenshot at 4:56: The screen switches to the IndexChex website, promoting it as 'The Best Indexer & Index Checker' with an offer of 150 free credits.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/43LT37YAISc/00-04-56.png)