There is a popular saying: behind every success there is a crime! “Black hat” is a business crime with heavy consequences and a crime that will not lead to a company’s success. It is a type of Search Engine Optimization used for achieving top rankings through unethical ways. The main reason for businesses to undertake black hat is to get high indexation for their websites quickly and easily. A few typical characteristics of Black Hat are:

• Breaking rules and regulations of a particular search engine.
• Designing bad user-friendly interface due to the SEO specifications followed on the site.
• Using irrelevant content in different platform to increase the page ranking.
• Deliberately commenting on irrelevant websites to increase backlinks.

When you try to break the rules and regulations, there are few consequences you have to face when you get caught. Here are the methods and the costs you have to pay with Black Hat SEO:

Keyword Stuffing

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Keyword stuffing is a popular method in black hat. The article or the content will be on a particular subject, but the keywords used will be completely different. Too many keywords are stuffed into the article to increase ranking. White text popularly known as the invisible text is another common method of keyword stuffing. White keyword or text is used for drawing more search engine spiders to the website. This might get your website penalized sooner or later.

Fake Pages

Fake Pages, popularly known as doorway pages that can never be seen by users is another way of faking. Though this provides positive results instantly, your site will get blacklisted when found.  You might rank in the top ten one day and not be found in the ranking list the next day.

The Costs

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Different search engines have different ways in dealing with websites using Black Hat. The most common punishment is dropping the ranking of the particular business. This might be disastrous for companies thriving with frequent visitors to their website and sales falling drastically. This could greatly affect the future success of the business. The worst punishment is banning the website by the particular search engine. The chances of getting back to the search engine by a banned website are slim and can take a long time. At times, you may not be able to launch your website on the particular search engine again. Yet even with these risks, why do some still resort to such methods?

Huge Market

Online marketing has become one of the most influential forms of advertising. People use internet to check newly launched products, compare the various services offered, order products or services and read reviews. Online shopping is being preferred more for its convenience and price. It is becoming a huge market for buying and selling. A company’s level of profit is starting to depend on how efficiently and effectively they market online. Online advertising and marketing is becoming a separate industry with the demand increasing every day. One of the most popular online marketing is Search Engine Optimization. Eight in ten users hit the first link that pops-up when they search. So, it has become absolutely necessary for companies to rank in the first page of the search engine and SEO helps in doing that.

The Conclusion

Shady SEO is really tempting, it offers great results for a temporary period. These methods do fetch websites higher rankings until the websites get banned or blacklisted.

On the other side, White Hat SEO abides by the rules and regulations of the search engine and helps increasing traffic to your website. The results you get lasts for long period and there are no negative consequences. The Search Engine Optimization White Hat methods comprise of research, write relevant meta-tags, analysis, improved content and re-designing the website. It also helps in creating valid back links from genuine sources and ones that can be trusted.

Black Hat is not worth the effort when a company wishes to remain on top on a long haul. Though the results are not instant with White Hat SEO, you will not get penalized. Black Hat lasts only for a short time, the results you get from White Hat is long-lasting. White Hat SEO gets your website higher ranks with genuine content, appropriate keywords and ethical methods.

The Choice

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Do you want a short popularity for your business or do you wish to be in the market on a long run? Decide and choose between Black Hat SEO and White Hat SEO accordingly.

Written by Robin Mckenzie. Edited by Rahul Chowdhury.

This guest post has been brought to you by Robin Mckenzie of Buycenturylink.com, a site that offers savings and current information on consumers broadband internet and cable. Centurylink or you can go to this link to check for services in your area.

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