White Hat vs Black Hat Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

There are many SEO techniques that exist for improving the search engine rankings of websites and the web pages within those sites. There are some SEO techniques that are considered positive and ethical and there are some techniques that are considered to be risky and more manipulative than ethical. The ethical techniques are known as White Hat SEO techniques and the manipulative techniques are known as Black Hat SEO techniques. An SEO marketer may use one or both of these strategies to achieve success. In the following text, we will discuss White Hat vs. Black Hat search engine optimization.

White Hat SEO techniques are those like optimizing META tags, placing keywords in URLs, submitting websites to directories, making site maps for websites, obtaining links to and from related websites and creating keyword optimized content throughout the web pages. The search engines are more friendly to the websites that use these sort of SEO techniques. These are the techniques that will help search engines locate the relevant pages that people are looking for in their search. Black Hat SEO techniques are those like the effort to redirect search engine "spiders" to different pages than the human visitor will see. Spam comments on blogs, forums and articles are another Black Hat SEO method as well as listing keywords at the end of each web page in a small font. These techniques actually work to reduce the quality of the search engine results, so you can imagine that websites that use these tactics are not well liked by the search engines.

When it comes to White Hat vs Black Hat SEO techniques, the safer techniques to use are the White Hat techniques. Black Hat SEO techniques are much easier to implement, but the websites that use these techniques run the risk of being banned from the search engines they submit to. Not to mention, Black Hat techniques become ineffective after a short period of time. White Hat SEO techniques are those that are preferred by most people and they prove to be the most effective for the longest period of time. There is no worry of being banned from a search engine for using these kinds of techniques.