There was a time when people primarily preferred investing in Pay-Per-Click or PPC to make their sites rank better on Google SERPs. SEO came onto the scene and changed all that.
Data shows that 70% of marketers prefer SEO techniques over PPC. That’s because SEO is about far more than just gaining a top position on Google search results – it’s about optimizing user experience and showing them exactly what they want with just a few clicks.
SEO is often characterized into two distinct categories – White Hat SEO and Black Hat SEO.
Although a lot can be said to describe the difference between these two SEO categories – the main distinction will always lie in the manipulation of the ground rules set by Google itself.
White Hat SEO tends to follow Google’s set guidelines for site optimization, while Black Hat SEO is all about instantly boosting site ranking through various tricks, which often are unethical. Progress achieved through Black Hat SEO practices is usually short lived and may even turn negative in the long run.
In this article you will find everything you need to know about White Hat SEO and Black Hat SEO, how do they differentiate, and the strategies associated with each method.
1. White Hat SEO
As the name indicates, White Hat SEO is the practice of optimizing your site through ethical methods. White Hat SEO ethically approaches the Google algorithm, yields the benefits of link building services, and provides long-term positive results.
The following criteria differentiate White Hat SEO from its antagonist, the Black Hat SEO:
Following Webmaster Guidelines
White Hat SEO follows Google Webmaster guidelines to a T. These guidelines help Google index and rank a site.
Webmaster guidelines also provide extensive insight into the “right” way to approach site optimization, from surface-level practices to quality measures.
Going through the guide, you are most likely to spot one idea reiterated again and again from different angles: don’t use manipulative backchannels.
Any practice to manipulate the rankings or using backhanded tricks to boost traffic goes against the rules of White Hat SEO.
Optimizing The Site for Users
White Hat SEO has a human-centric approach when it comes to optimization. That means that it optimizes a site keeping human experience at its core.
Google prioritizes content that provides the most value to its users in terms of content or general site performance.
Optimization factors like engaging content, fast loading pages, and readability are the most common ways to hold a user’s interest – and White Hat SEO incorporates them all.
Taking A Long-Term Approach
No good thing comes easy – or quick for that matter. Seldom, white hat tactics will give you quick positive results as most white hat methods are all about investing in and generating value-added content, which takes time.
Optimizing your site according to Google’s guidelines is bound to take more time and effort than black hat methods.
But the benefits are also longer-lasting. As white hat tactics are more about optimizing the overall user experience through better site performance and presenting engaging content, the benefits, too, will keep on coming.
2. What is Black Hat SEO?
Black Hat SEO can be described as any practice to manipulate Google’s ranking algorithm and adopt unethical hacks to gain instant site traffic or ranking.
The following criteria, which is essentially the complete opposite of White Hat SEO, defines black hat tactics:
Disregarding Google Guidelines
Black hat methods go completely against the webmaster guidelines. Many black hat methods can be found in the Google guidelines as the practices one should always avoid while optimizing their site.
Manipulating Google Algorithm
As opposed to White Hat SEO which incorporates a human-centric approach, Black Hat SEO is all about manipulating the ranking algorithm to boost stats.
Most black hat methods manipulate Google into thinking that a site is doing a far better job at providing value to the users than it actually is.
Taking A Short-Term Approach
Black Hat SEO methods avoid the in-depth work required for ethical site optimization by exploiting the loopholes in Google’s algorithm to gain quick wins and cut corners.
Such “wins” go as quickly as they come since Google constantly optimizes its algorithm to provide the best value to its users and also to prevent any site that uses deceptive techniques from populating the top pages.
3. Difference between White Hat SEO and Black Hat SEO
The primary difference between White Hat SEO and Black Hat SEO is that White Hat SEO uses a human-centric approach to provide maximum value to site visitors according to the Google guidelines.
While Black Hat SEO uses deceptive techniques to exploit the loopholes in Google algorithm to gain a quick boost with no regard for the user base.
Key strategies in White Hat SEO:
- Write user-driven content
- Optimize pages for human users, not search engines
- Adopt ethical practices to make your site stand out and provide maximum value to the users
According to Google, the sites that avoid manipulative techniques and follow the ethical guidelines stated by Google will see far better rankings than the sites that disregard those points.
As long as user satisfaction remains your primary goal while optimizing a site, you can be sure that you are following white hat tactics.
Optimizing your site for maximum user satisfaction can translate into fast loading pages, high quality, unique content, page responsiveness, etc.
Key strategies in Black Hat SEO:
- Duplicate Or Plagiarized Content
- Content Automation
- Cloaking
- Hidden Links
- Keyword Stuffing
- Sneaky Link Schemes
- Doorway Pages
- Pages Including Malware
The above-mentioned techniques are only some of the most common black hat tactics – there are several more used in practice.
As long as the primary goal of your site remains to rank higher on SERPs through manipulative techniques, rather than providing maximum user satisfaction and value-driven content, you are most likely practicing black hat tactics.
Right vs Wrong
There is only one right way to achieve site optimization and that is White Hat SEO. While Black Hat SEO may seem tempting, as it promises instant results, it almost always backfires in the long run. Black Hat SEO can get your site canceled. Make the right choice and opt for White Hat SEO practices to gain long-lasting benefits and generate a user base that stays loyal to your content.
