What is blackhat SEO? How does it work and why should it be avoided?
Nowadays, every company wants to stand out online and get as many customers as possible through its website. One way to increase visibility is to use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques or launch Google Ads campaigns. These can be divided into Whitehat, which are fully honest and accepted, and Blackhat which are dishonest methods that can potentially harm a site’s visibility and perception by search engines. In this article, we will discuss what these techniques are, how they work and why they should be avoided.
Techniques categorized as Blackhat:
- Keyword stuffing
This is one of the most common methods used by Blackhat SEO. It involves placing a large number of keywords on a page usually in the form of a list. This technique violates the principle that site content should be written for users, not for search engines. Read more about keyword staffing here: https://seofly.pl/blog/co-to-jest-keyword-stuffing-i-jak-sie-go-wystrzegac/
- Cloaking
Cloaking involves presenting different content to users and to search engine robots. A page may contain content related to a search phrase, but when the user clicks on it, they are taken to another page. Read more about cloacking here: https://seofly.pl/blog/czym-jest-cloaking-i-dlaczego-jest-szkodliwy/
- Farming link
Link farming is a technique that involves collecting links to a site through backlinks. These pages are often worthless and only serve to collect links. In search engines, these pages show up high in search results, but have no value to users.
How does Blackhat SEO work?
When keywords are hidden, they are used in excessive amounts, not necessarily related to the topic of the page. Often, these words are hidden in the background of the page or on a white background so that they are invisible to the user, but still noticed by search engine robots. In the cloaking technique, a page may contain keywords in the source code, but the user does not see them on the page. When the user clicks on the search result, they are directed to a page with different content than what was visible in the search results. This practice can lead to very high rejection rates and a drop in user engagement, which has a negative impact on a site’s SEO. Link farming is a practice that involves collecting links to a site via backlinks from other sites. High in the search results are sites that have a lot of backlinks, so link farming is often used by Blackhat SEO. However, these links often come from low-quality sites and are of no value to users, causing search engine algorithms to detect this practice and the penalty for using it can be very severe.
Why should Blackhat SEO be avoided?
Although Blackhat SEO can bring quick results in a short period of time, these practices should be avoided. High in search results are pages that are valuable and relevant to the query. Search engine algorithms are designed to return valuable results for users and protect them from spam and fraudulent practices. The use of unauthorized SEO techniques can lead to a site’s position in search results dropping, or even being excluded from search results altogether. In addition, those who use them violate ethical principles and values, which can lead to a loss of customer trust.
What are the effects of Blackhat SEO?
Through the use of Blackhat SEO, a site can be completely excluded from search results or even blocked. The consequences of using this technique can be disastrous for a site’s visibility and for the company itself. In addition, the use of unauthorized SEO techniques can lead to a loss of customer trust and exposure to negative online reviews. If customers discover that a site uses unfair practices, they may lose trust in the company and decide to use a competitor. In extreme cases, Blackhat SEO can lead to legal and criminal conflicts. In some countries, these practices are illegal and punishable by law.
Summary
Blackhat SEO is an unfair and immoral practice that violates search engine rules and can lead to many negative consequences. Using ethical and reliable SEO techniques, such as content marketing, keyword research and link building, can increase a site’s visibility in search results and attract more users. It’s worth remembering that SEO is a lengthy and labor-intensive process, but it’s worth the time and effort invested to achieve lasting and valuable results.
