Search engine optimization professionals have probably heard of the expression known as dubious SEO strategies. Blackhat SEO involves a collection of strategies deployed to boost a website's or page's ranking get more info in search engine results, but done in ways that violate the search engines' terms of service.
Essentially, blackhat SEO is a quickfire approach that could get your site to the forefront of search results quickly. However, these tactics are usually seen as unethical, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites caught using them.
One common blackhat technique is overusing keywords. This entails loading a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might come across in a list, pile, out of context or in a hidden div.
Link farming is another common method. Here, websites are tied together in a circular network to boost the rank of all the websites in the chain. However, if a site is linked to from numerous unrelated websites, it may also be penalized.
Cloaking is an even riskier blackhat method. This involves different content is presented to search engines than to users, basically redirecting users to separate pages aside from their permission.
Despite the potential penalties, why do people use blackhat SEO? The simple answer is: for instant success. These methods give websites the pretense of relevance, boosting them up the search results fast.
However, the advantage is fleeting. Search engines now incorporate advanced algorithms that identify these fraudulent techniques. Once they're identified, penalties may include lower rankings or even being deleted entirely from the search index.
As a consequence, many websites are moving towards white hat SEO strategies. These are techniques that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some examples are creating relevant content that provides useful information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user interface.
To sum up, while blackhat SEO may appear a fast way to improve your site's visibility, it's a dangerous game to play. It's more advisable to focus whitehat SEO methods, that improve your website through legitimate means, thus providing long-term success.