Search engine optimization (SEO), like any form of marketing, has “good” and “bad” ways of accomplishing its goals. Black hat SEO is the “bad,” and white hat SEO is the “good.”
Black hat SEO may have short-term positive effects for you business, but these effects may not last. Hidden content is the most popular form of black hat SEO. It involves including keywords within a website’s coding that is invisible to the site’s viewers. These keywords are hidden in comment and noscript tags if a website uses HTML. Websites that use CSS can have keywords hidden in extremely small text hidden in a website’s background, matching its color. This method of SEO can cause your website to be penalized or banned by major search engines.
Black hat SEO also uses meta keyword stuffing, which is putting keywords in meta tags, which should be used to accurately and concisely describe your website’s purpose. Another method is adding gateway pages to your website full of content optimized for keywords. These pages are specifically designed for search engines, and users never seem them because they automatically redirect to landing pages. However, search engines are becoming wise to these pages, and if detected on your site, you site may be penalized. Link farming is also utilized to increase the backlinks to your page. However, link farms are not reputable websites, and if your page is linked to on link farms, your page rank will be negatively affected.
White hat SEO has long-term positive effects for your website, which is what you should be after and is what will ultimately benefit your website and increase your traffic. SEO companies in London, recommend utilizing white hat SEO techniques rather than resorting to black hate SEO, especially for long term goals. The most popular form of white hat SEO is simple: having quality content on your website. Having interesting, unique, thorough, relevant content on your website is what will draw an audience in and keep them at your site. Using keywords in headings and content, separate from design elements, will optimize your website and tailor it to search engines, while keeping your website honest.
Another white hat technique is using appropriate page titles and meta tags. Meta tags are not heavily revered by search engines, but it is important to use them correctly. Titles are more important, in that they should give an accurate representation of what is on each page. A misleading title will put your website in the wrong searches. Keyword research is extremely important in white hat SEO, as well. Using keywords and phrases in your content that your target audience actually uses is a great way to present your website to the right people who actually have an interest in your product or service. Once you have pinpointed these keywords, use them in titles, meta descriptions and keywords, headings elements, H1, H2, text, alt tags, title tags and links.
It is also important to network with other webmasters and promote your website to reputable people. If you have quality backlinks on the Internet, your page rank will increase.
White hat SEO is the “ethical” method of SEO, and it has long-term results. Black hat SEO may cause your website to be penalized or even banned on search engines, though it may offer some positive short-term results. Be aware of the practices you are using, and choose your method of SEO wisely.
