Online visibility experts have probably heard of the expression known as dubious SEO strategies. Blackhat SEO entails a collection of strategies deployed to boost a website's or page's ranking in search engine rankings, but by means that violate the search engines' terms of service.
Fundamentally, blackhat SEO is a shortcut that could get your site to the top of search engine rankings quickly. However, these strategies are often seen as manipulative, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites found using them.
A popular blackhat technique is excessive keyword usage. This involves packing a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might appear in a list, pile, out of context or in a hidden div.
Creating link farms is another common method. Here, websites are tied together in a circular network to increase the rank of all the pages in the circle. However, if a page is linked to from a high number of unrelated sites, it could also be penalized.
Cloaking is an even more extreme blackhat method. This is when different content is presented to search engines than to users, basically redirecting users to different 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 appearance of relevance, boosting them up the search results quickly.
However, the benefit is fleeting. Search engines now incorporate sophisticated algorithms which identify these manipulative techniques. Once they're identified, penalties may include decreased rankings or even being erased 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.
In conclusion, while blackhat SEO may appear a fast way to increase your site's visibility, it's a risky game to click here play. It's more advisable to direct attention on whitehat SEO strategies, which improve your website through legitimate means, consequently providing long-term success.