Under-the-Radar Manipulation: Blackhat SEO Explained
Search engine optimization professionals have probably heard of the expression known as unscrupulous SEO techniques. Blackhat SEO embraces a collection of strategies used to increase a website's or page's ranking in search engine results, but by means that violate the search engines' terms of service.
Essentially, blackhat SEO is a shortcut that could get your site to the forefront of search results quickly. However, these strategies are typically seen as unethical, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites discovered using them.
One common blackhat technique is overusing keywords. This means loading a webpage with keywords or numbers with the intent of manipulating a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might be in a list, cluster, out of context or in a hidden div.
Creating link farms is another common tactic. Here, webpages are tied together in a circular network to boost the rank of all the sites in the chain. However, if a page is linked to from a high number of unrelated sites, it could also be penalized.
Cloaking is an here especially deceptive blackhat method. This involves different content is presented to search engines than to users, effectively redirecting users to different pages apart from their permission.
Despite the potential penalties, why do people use blackhat SEO? The simple answer is: to achieve quick results. These techniques give websites the appearance of popularity, boosting them up the search results quickly.
However, the gain is fleeting. Search engines now incorporate complex algorithms which identify these deceptive techniques. Once they're identified, penalties may include decreased rankings or even being deleted entirely from the search index.
As a consequence, many websites are embracing white hat SEO strategies. These are techniques that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some methods are creating quality content that provides valuable information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user interface.
So, while blackhat SEO may seem a fast way to increase your site's visibility, it's a risky game to play. It's more advisable to focus whitehat SEO methods, that improve your website through appropriate means, thus providing sustainable success.