What is black hat SEO?

Have you heard the term “black hat SEO?”

Do you know what it means, and which SEO tactics are considered black hat?

In this Search Engine Optimization Frequently Asked Questions (SEO FAQs) video blog, I address the question, What is black hat SEO? and explain 4 black had SEO tactics to avoid.

(The article below is a summary of the video, but you’ll get more details and examples if you watch the video.)

What is “black hat” SEO?

Let’s dive into the world of SEO and uncover the dark side of it.

The term “black hat” harks back to the old Western movies where the good guys wore white hats and the bad guys sported black ones. This distinction made it easy to identify the heroes and villains.

In the late ’90s and early 2000s, the world of SEO was like the Wild West, and people were experimenting with various techniques – some ethical, and some not so ethical – to boost their search engine rankings. Those unethical tactics that search engines frowned upon became known as black hat SEO.

It’s important to understand the concept of black hat SEO because when you hire an SEO company, you want to make sure they’re not using these techniques. Black hat methods can lead to penalties and even the banning of your website from search engines. So, let’s dig deeper into

4 Black Hat SEO Techniques to Avoid

1. Keyword Stuffing

On-page optimization is essential for enhancing a webpage’s relevance for specific keywords. However, keyword stuffing takes this to an extreme, where keywords are used excessively throughout a page, often in awkward and unnatural ways.

Some people have gone so far as to not even try to even disguise their keyword stuffing and simply list dozens of keywords at the bottom of the page.

Keyword stuffing is no longer effective, as search engines can identify it. So, avoid this practice at all costs.

2. Cloaking

Cloaking is a practice where one version of a webpage is displayed to search engines, while a different version is shown to human visitors. The idea is to present an overly optimized version to search engines, sacrificing user-friendliness. This technique is explicitly banned and should be avoided.

3. Link Buying

Link building is a difficult, time-consuming aspect of SEO. It’s tough to convince other websites to link to your site. So, some SEO companies take the shortcut by buying links on other websites.

However, this practice is explicitly prohibited by search engines. If detected, these purchased links won’t help your site’s authority or rankings; in fact, they might lead to penalties. Avoid buying links at all costs.

4. Link Schemes

Since buying links is against the rules, some SEO companies have come up with other “creative” link-building schemes. The two most common are:

• Reciprocal linking – This is where two websites agree to each link to the other.
• Private blog networks (PBNs) – This is where multiple blogs are created for the specific purpose of interlinking with client sites.

It’s crucial to ensure that your SEO company is not using these questionable techniques. Ask them about their SEO link-building strategies so you can be sure they’re not using any black hat tactics.

The bottom line is…

Don’t come to the dark side of SEO… or Google will strangle your search traffic. -Paul Steinbrueck

Partner with an ethical SEO company

Of course, OurChurch.com is committed to using only legitimate, ethical, “white hat” SEO techniques to help our clients improve their search rankings, increase their website traffic, and live out their mission online.

If you’d like to discuss church SEO or Christian SEO for your business, school or ministry, with one of our SEO experts, fill out the consultation request form below (mobile) or to the right (desktop).

Comment and Discuss…

• What questions or comments do you have about black hat SEO?

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