Blackhat SEO: Advantages, Risks, and Alternatives
Search engine optimization professionals have probably heard of the term known as unscrupulous SEO techniques. Blackhat SEO embraces a collection of strategies used to boost a website's or page's ranking in search engine results, but done in ways that violate the search engines' terms of service.
Basically, blackhat SEO is a rapid route that may get your site to the top of search engine rankings quickly. However, these techniques are typically seen as unethical, and search engines like Google can heavily penalize sites discovered using them.
An infamous blackhat technique is excessive keyword usage. This means filling a webpage with key terms or numbers with the intent of manipulating a site's ranking in Google search results. They might be in a list, pile, here out of context, or hidden in the code.
Establishing link farms is another common method. Here, webpages are tied together in a circular network to increase the rank of all the websites in the network. However, if a site is linked to from numerous unrelated websites, it may also be penalized.
Cloaking is an even riskier blackhat method. It refers to different content is presented to search engines than to users, basically redirecting users to separate pages aside from their consent.
Despite the potential penalties, why do people use blackhat SEO? The simple answer is: for immediate results. These techniques give websites the illusion of relevance, boosting them up the search results quickly.
However, the benefit is fleeting. Search engines now incorporate advanced algorithms which identify these manipulative techniques. Once they're identified, penalties can include lower rankings or even being removed entirely from the search index.
As a result, many websites are moving towards white hat SEO strategies. These are approaches that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some examples are creating meaningful content that provides valuable information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user interface.
So, while blackhat SEO may appear a fast way to increase your site's visibility, it's a dangerous game to play. It's smarter to focus whitehat SEO strategies, that improve your website through legitimate means, thus providing enduring success.