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In the sphere of SEO, we tend to differentiate between two types of SEOs / SEO techniques. White Hat SEO and Black Hat SEO. Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. One would be good, in accordance with Google's recommendations (in particular), the other would be bad and risky because it would play on the weaknesses of search engine algorithms.
White, gray or black hat seo: what is it?
White, gray and black hat SEO are three completely different ways to approach the natural referencing of a site. Why does black hat seo offer significantly faster results and how does it pose a danger to your site?
Definition of white hat seo
White hat seo is a set of natural referencing and optimization practices that respect the official recommendations of Google, the leader in internet search. These aim in particular to:
- improve the technical performance of the site, for example by having a consistent page architecture or by reducing the loading time on mobile
- enhance the user experience
- work on the quality of editorial content
White hat seo is therefore a set of processes considered “ethical” by search engines. These are in particular in line with Google, which constantly seeks to strengthen the relevance and quality of the results it offers. It is therefore clearly a long-term visibility strategy. If it requires a little time before offering results, these are on the other hand perennial.
Definition of black hat seo
Black hat seo is a set of processes and automations aimed at exploiting flaws in algorithms to manipulate the results in its favor. The results may therefore be surprising. Sites engaging in such practices can find themselves on the first page of Google, or even in first position, overnight.
With such results, it is obviously tempting. But any flaw is inevitably intended to be filled, Google constantly making more or less important updates to its algorithm. When the flaw is corrected, which never takes very long, all those who have used it to artificially climb the SERPS are then unmasked by Google and sanctioned. Depending on the importance of the questionable practices used, this ranges from decommissioning to the total disappearance of the site.
Definition of gray hat seo
Gray Hat SEO uses many techniques to try to improve the SEO of a site while respecting a certain ethics and a certain quality. In particular, it strives not to exceed the dangerous limits set by Google, such as the use of exact anchors in its backlinks or the duplication of content.
If we stick to Google's guidelines, any action aimed at optimizing its referencing, in addition to the technical optimization of its site and the creation of original content, is comparable to Black Hat SEO because it is then intended to influence the algorithm. Therefore, the slightest sponsored article or the slightest directory listing created would be enough to bring a site into the category of those using Black Hat SEO practices.
Fortunately, in practice Google is much more flexible on this subject, which is not the case of its employees who are responsible for manually analyzing sites that may be based on questionable practices.
Black hat seo: what are the risks for your site?
Since 2011 and the deployment of filters such as Penguin and then Panda, Google has clearly shown its desire to purge all poor quality sites from its results. This includes those who attempt to manipulate its algorithm through automatic or fraudulent seo practices.
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Examples of practices prohibited by Google
Black hat seo techniques are all banned by search engines. Some have been particularly sanctioned in recent years:
- cloacking, which consists of using scripts to display different content, depending on whether the visitor is a robot or a human. The indexed page is therefore different from the page seen by Internet users
- concealment of text and keywords in its pages: the editorial content of each page allows search engines to understand their theme. The richness of the lexical field used then makes it possible to appear on the most important expressions. It can therefore be tempting to add a long list of keywords to be sure of being well positioned, while hiding them behind an image or using a font color identical to that of the background
- “keyword stuffing” (literally, word stuffing) which consists of the excessive accumulation of keywords in a text or in Hn tags
- duplicating content from other sites by simply copying and pasting text from a competitor to display it on his own
- the use of bot to massively and automatically generate links in the comments of articles or blogs
- the massive generation of external links pointing to the same site
The special case of the massive generation of external links
Google's algorithm is based primarily on the number of external links pointing to the same site. At its beginnings, the engine considers that the more links you have, the more you are a reference in your field. Logically, you should therefore appear in the best search results.
Netlinking is a common practice that is an integral part of any good SEO strategy. On the other hand, its abuse which consists in massively generating hundreds or thousands of links to improve its positioning in the results is sanctioned by Google. Nothing could be more normal in itself since these poor quality and artificial links (directories, purchases of links or domains, etc.) have only one goal, to manipulate its algorithm.
In 2013, Interflora abruptly disappeared from the results, following a Google penalty. In question, the massive purchase by the brand of poor quality inbound links. Interflora then has no choice but to carry out a massive disavowal of all artificially acquired links.
What are the Google penalties?
The use of black hat techniques or techniques prohibited by Google is always very risky. Many renowned companies and brands have learned this the hard way. BMW, Ricoh or even Interflora are on the very long list of structures that have temporarily or completely disappeared from the results of the web giant.
Indeed, Google sanctions are essentially of two types:
- loss of positioning: the site moves back several pages. Downshifting results in complete loss of visibility
- blacklisting: this is the most severe sanction since it is neither more nor less than the removal of the offending site from the results. A Google penalty that is sometimes never lifted. For a company, this can mean considerable economic weakening
Is automation synonymous with dangerous practices?
Black Hat SEO is often associated with automation while White Hat SEO is presented as a technique that is not, implying that automation is necessarily bad for SEO.
In fact, a good SEO who respects the guidelines imposed by Google can completely automate certain tedious or repetitive tasks. This is the case, for example, for automatic redirections, 404 error detection, internal linking or the integration of Internet user requests into a section of its page, essential tasks that can be fully automated without risking infringing the Google guidelines.
It is understood that BlackHat techniques present risks for the medium and long term visibility of your site, and today very few companies will offer you this type of service.
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