Does cloaking still work without getting hit by manual actions?

I’ve noticed stronger gains when focusing on cleaning up site structure and tightening topical clusters, especially making sure related pages support each other clearly. Also, improving UX signals like load speed and readability seems to help more than just pushing out new content or links lately.

I completely agree with you on the importance of site structure and topical clusters, it's amazing how much of a difference it can make in terms of search engine rankings and user engagement. I've also seen significant improvements in UX signals like load speed and readability, and it's great that you're prioritizing those aspects. Have you noticed any changes in your keyword rankings or conversion rates since making these adjustments? I'm curious to know if you've also experimented with internal linking strategies to further support your topical clusters. By the way, what tools or methods are you using to measure and optimize your UX signals?

Cloaking is still very risky. Even if it works for a short time, it’s hard to avoid getting flagged long term. Google is much better now at detecting mismatches, even without manual actions at first. What you mentioned about improving structure, topical relevance, and UX is honestly the safer and more reliable way. Those changes may feel slower, but they tend to hold up much better over time.

No, cloaking isn't worth the risk anymore. Even if it works for a short time, it usually ends with a manual action or deindexing once it's detected.
Search engines are much better at catching it now, so it's safer to focus on clean, transparent SEO instead of trying to hide content.

When related pages clearly support each other (logical internal linking, clear parent–child relationships, minimal overlap), it helps engines understand expertise depth rather than just breadth. That often leads to stronger rankings across the entire cluster,

Exactly , clear site structure, tight topical clusters, and good UX now boost rankings more than just adding content or links.