Digital marketing specialists have probably heard of the term known as dubious SEO strategies. Blackhat SEO entails a collection of strategies used to increase a website's or page's ranking in search engine rankings, but through methods that violate the search engines' terms of service.
Essentially, blackhat SEO is a quickfire approach that could get your site to the top of search engine rankings quickly. However, these tactics are usually seen as dishonorable, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites discovered using them.
A popular blackhat technique is overusing keywords. This means packing a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might be in a list, group, out of context, or hidden in the code.
Creating link farms is another common technique. Here, sites are connected together in a circular network to boost the rank of all the sites in the circle. However, if a website is linked to from many irrelevant sites, it can also be penalized.
Cloaking is an even riskier blackhat method. This involves different content is presented to search engines than to users, essentially redirecting users to different pages apart from their consent.
Despite the harsh consequences, why do people use blackhat SEO? The evident answer is: for instant success. These methods give websites the illusion of authority, boosting them up the search results quickly.
However, the advantage is short-lived. Search engines now incorporate complex algorithms which identify these manipulative techniques. Once they're identified, penalties may include lower rankings or even being erased entirely from the search index.
As a consequence, read more many websites are embracing white hat SEO strategies. These are methods that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some methods are creating quality content that provides useful 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 perilous game to play. It's wiser to direct attention on whitehat SEO techniques, that improve your website through appropriate means, thereby providing sustainable success.