Online visibility experts have probably heard of the expression known as unscrupulous SEO techniques. Blackhat SEO involves a collection of strategies deployed to increase a website's or page's ranking in search engine results, 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 techniques are usually seen as unethical, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites caught using them.
One common blackhat technique is excessive keyword usage. This means filling a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in click here Google search results. They might be in a list, group, out of context or in a hidden div.
Link farming is another common tactic. Here, webpages are tied together in a circular network to increase the rank of all the websites in the circle. However, if a website is linked to from many irrelevant sites, it can also be penalized.
Cloaking is an even more extreme blackhat method. This is when different content is presented to search engines than to users, effectively redirecting users to separate pages aside from their knowledge.
Despite the risks, why do people use blackhat SEO? The simple answer is: to achieve quick results. These methods give websites the pretense of popularity, boosting them up the search results rapiidly.
However, the gain is temporary. Search engines now incorporate sophisticated algorithms which identify these fraudulent techniques. Once they're identified, penalties may include reduced 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 methods are creating quality content that provides valuable information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user journey.
So, while blackhat SEO may appear a rapid way to boost your site's visibility, it's a perilous game to play. It's more advisable to concentrate whitehat SEO techniques, which improve your website through appropriate means, consequently providing sustainable success.