5 common blackhat SEO tactics that will get your site banned
Ranking highly on search engines like Google and Bing is what every business wants and strives for. Being on page one, or even having the number one listing, is a sure way to get more clients and customers, increase exposure, and build your reputation. However, it is not easy to achieve this goal, so many people try to cheat the system by utilizing black hat SEO tactics to make it easier for them to get ranked. But the truth is, cheaters never win, and those who use these blackhat SEO tactics run the risk of having their site completely banned, putting them in a worse position than before!
What is blackhat SEO?
When you hear the term black hat SEO tactics, it is referring to strategies and tactics used that violate the guidelines of Google and other search engines in order to improve a website’s page ranking. While this SEO tactic can push your site up in the search engine results page (SERP), it also means your website won’t be written for your customers and audience, but rather for search engines themselves. This means that your highly ranking website pages won’t read properly and often sound forced and hard to follow. So, while you may be convincing Google that your website is valuable, the people that visit it won’t think so, dropping your credibility and chance for customers.
Search engines like Google and Bing want your website to have truly great content on your website that provides value to your audience. Blackhat SEO tactics don’t add this, so when the search engines catch on to those websites that are using a black hat approach, websites get banned and taken down.
5 blackhat SEO tactics you should not use
Hidden text and links
Search engines want your website to have lots of content that provides value to those who read it. However, creating valuable content like this often means hiring a copywriter and/or dedicating hours to each web page. To get around this, some companies put hidden text on their pages by changing the font size or color to blend it into the background. They will simply add hundreds of keywords to a web page over a white background and then change the font color to white or size to zero. This makes the spam content invisible to a reader, but shows up for the search engines. Doing this is frowned upon and will get your website banned. Other techniques similar to this that will lead to banning includes:
- Putting text behind an image
- Using CSS to position text off the screen
- Hiding links by only including the link in one small character, like a comma
Link schemes
Search engines find websites valuable if lots of other websites link to it. To a search engine, this means that the website has lots of valuable content that users find relevant. However, some blackhat SEO tactics involve scheming with others to provide links to websites, even if the content in not relevant or valuable. This includes schemes like:
- Link exchanges – promising to link another site if they link yours
- Using automated programs to create links
- Articles or guest posting with keyword stuffing and multiple backlinks
- Buying or selling links
Link schemes
Search engines find websites valuable if lots of other websites link to it. To a search engine, this means that the website has lots of valuable content that users find relevant. However, some SEO tactics involve scheming with others to provide links to websites, even if the content in not relevant or valuable. This includes schemes like:
- Link exchanges – promising to link another site if they link yours
- Using automated programs to create links
- Articles or guest posting with keyword stuffing and multiple backlinks
- Buying or selling links
Sneaky redirects
This blackhat tactic involves sending a visitor to a different URL than the one initially requested. An example of this would be telling a visitor that by clicking this link they will see a relevant blog post, but after they click it, the link directs them to a homepage. The only time this is acceptable is when you are moving a website URL to a new one or consolidating several pages to one.
Cloaking
Cloaking refers to the practice of presenting different content or URLs to both human users and search engines. This is similar to a sneaky redirect as you may promise the visitor to your website one thing, but Google thinks you are promising them something else. Essentially, it provides different results than a person expected.
Why should you avoid black hat SEO tactics
While it might seem beneficial to use some of these blackhat SEO tactics to get highly ranked on a search engine, the short term gains can have long term repercussions. Search engines often penalize websites that utilize black hat strategies, including being banned outright from search engines! Additionally, these tactics offer a bad user experience, making your website loose reputation, trust, and the customers of visitors you tried to attract in the first place.
Choose a trustworthy SEO firm for better success
If you are looking to increase your website’s presence on search engines, the best approach is to find a credible website developer. By going with a trustworthy and experienced website development company, like Ocon Creative, you can benefit from proven and effective SEO tactics. Whether you are in Tampa, FL or anywhere else around the country, Ocon Creative only utilizes trustworthy techniques that will help your website rank highly and attract more visitors and clients or customers.
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