White Hat (aka Organic or Natural) SEO versus Black Hat SEO
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It's really amazing how often I encounter good people using bad SEO. It's generally not their own faults, they simply are susceptible to a good deal and the promises offered. So let’s define the differences, and the impact which both can have on your rankings.
"Natural" or "Organic" SEO can also be called "White Hat SEO". Just like in the movies of old where the good guy wears a white hat and the bad guy wears a black hat. In this instance of SEO were talking about the good guys...at least as far as the search engines are concerned. So what makes white hats different? Organic SEO is a proven method of natural link- backs, website optimization for search engines, quality content, and reputation. If we were to chart the effects of Natural or Organic SEO, we would see a gradual increase in traffic over a period of time until you've achieved your goals. But let’s look at this a little deeper. Imagine that for whatever reason you decide to leave your natural SEO company or vice versa. What would the impact be on your page rank or SEO architecture? Much the same as your rise to fame, failure to continually manage Natural and Organic SEO would result in a gradual decrease of link popularity. This is due to lack of getting new quality link-backs to replace existing link-backs that have evaporated due to a variety of causes. As your popularity and link-backs falter, so does your rankings. This process, however, is not an overnight event and is not controlled by your former SEO company. White Hat SEO companies share a common ethical goal that involves looking out for the customer and doing right by their agreements.
So how do "Black Hat SEO" companies differ from White Hat ones? There are many differences, but for the focus of this article, typically when using a Black Hat SEO company you will see a massive thrust in your popularity based on the amount of money you are willing to give the SEO. Your company name and URL/URI gets placed into a database with many other companies. Then Black Hat SEO company owned domains pull dynamic content on those domains with link-backs to the companies who employ the SEO. These are known as link farms, and are considered an illicit practice by the search engines. Search engines then index the site, and pick up your link and adjust your link-back ratings accordingly. Many search engines will in fact blacklist these companies when they discover what they are doing. Unfortunately, if you are a participant in this type of SEO, your website too can be de-listed from the search engine entirely. Let us say for the sake of example that this fate wasn't yours, but you decided that the cost of using a Black Hat SEO was entirely too expensive for your ROI, and opt out of their service. What will happen with your link popularity? In short, it plummets down to that point where only your natural links remain. Since Black Hat SEO companies don't work from a natural or organic method of obtaining links, this can typically mean that you now have less real links than you had before you became listed with them. If you viewed this on a chart, you would see a natural rise until you hire the SEO, a huge jump in your link-backs and popularity once they start, then a tragic crash once you ended your relationship. Remember those link-backs are actually controlled by the Black hat SEO companies, so they can give you a flash of fame, or burn your site in the same flash. This is a terrible lesson to learn, but not nearly as terrible as having your website de-listed from the search engines entirely. We should probably note that this is only one method which Black Hat SEO companies use, so be cautious about who you use.
There are many morals here we can choose from, but let me give you a few of my own via my father’s words. "Slow and steady wins the race", "You reap what you sow" or perhaps "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
"Happy Optimizing! |
