Black Hat SEO Techniques and ways to avoid them

Every technique used in Digital Marketing has certain guidelines that have to be met to achieve desired results. However, in SEO, to increase search result rankings of a website for greater visibility, some SEO experts opt for the easy way out and apply strategies that are against the prescribed guidelines known as Black Hat SEO. Following such techniques can lead to penalties applied by search engines which can have severe consequences for the website and the SEO service provider. Hence it becomes essential to be aware of certain Black Hat SEO techniques which can help firms monitor the strategies applied by SEO experts to increase brand presence in the online market.

Search Engine Optimization is a vast minefield wherein several Search Engine guidelines have to be followed to ensure that various techniques used to increase search result rankings function as required, are adhered to. Certain techniques applied to increase rankings may have severe consequences on the entire strategy put in by SEO experts and such techniques can be classified under the term ‘Black hat SEO’. Carefully selecting the right online marketing agency in Mumbai can help you avoid the consequences.

Black hat SEO’s are techniques used to increase search result rankings through means that are against the prescribed guidelines specified for a search engine. The term ‘Black Hat’ originates from Western movies that indicate the difference between ‘bad guys’ and ‘good guys’ wherein good guys wore white hats and thus white hats in the SEO terminology is known as ‘White hat SEO’. In general, the techniques involving Black hat SEO are used to describe hackers, virus creators and individuals who perform unethical practices with computers.

As every platform in the digital world has certain prescribed methods, SEO have clearly framed policies that need to be followed. To ensure that the quality of a website is maintained, a high rank on search results is a must and to receive high rankings, SEO experts have to adhere to the current and changing trends as well as algorithm updates. However, there are instances where SEO experts try and manipulate prescribed guidelines to bring in organic traffic which may seem an easy way out in the short run but have severe consequences in the long run.

It is essential to identify certain unethical Black hat SEO practices to ensure that there is no harm caused in the ranking of a website and to understand the workings of SEO experts to prevent the malpractices that take place within Black hat SEO.

Buying links

Buying links is an easy technique to deliver the required rankings by the customer. Once a link is bought, the quality of the content is taken care of and the anchor text, an important criterion for high rankings on Google, is selected according to the customer’s preference. As this makes it easy to manipulate search result rankings, it is considered as a technique related to Black hat SEO.

Spam messages

There are instances where a content posted on the website receives a comment with a promotional link that is irrelevant to the content posted. Such comments are known as spam comments and are posted to create free backlinks. This technique to gain backlinks is pointless as it violates the purpose of SEO. This is a well-known technique in Black hat SEO which is undertaken through several tools available that post such comments directly on website content.

Cut, copy, paste content

Content picked up from another source and pasted is considered as one of the most demeaning techniques in Black Hat SEO. As search engines prefer content that is unique, to save time and cost, SEO experts use this technique for a website to gain a higher ranking on Search Results. When search results show similar content taken from other sources, it is tracked and treated as a violation to search engine guidelines. 

Cloaking 

Cloaking is another technique for Black Hat SEO wherein a different content or URL is presented to the user than to the search engine spider. This technique is used to derive the desired ranks for targeted keywords. Additionally, the content provided to the end user is insignificant, which goes against the terms and conditions of Google Webmaster Guidelines.

Doorway pages

Doorway pages, also known as jump pages or bridge pages are used to optimize keywords. Such pages are created to cheat search engines to divert the visitor from one search result to another irrelevant destination.

Consequences of Black hat SEO

Any illegal activity will have some severe consequences and similar is the case with Black hat SEO. Violating Search Engine Guidelines could lead to penalties that can last for weeks or several months until the matter is rectified. A key example of a Black hat SEO penalty is of a UK based florist called ‘Interflora’ who had to adhere a severe link related penalty in February 2013.

There have been cases wherein penalties had to be abolished manually if illegal activities were conducted due to buying links, irrelevant redirecting or cloaking. In such cases, the penalty can be lifted by Google after answering a series of questions such as, ‘What actions have been undertaken to solve the problem?’, ‘How such activity will never take place again?’ and a proof of the undertaken actions after which Google will decide whether to lift the penalty or not.

Apart from manual penalties, there can be algorithm penalties as well. This can take place if Google automatically finds a problem within the website such as cloaking, hidden text etc. and a penalty is applied which can be removed once the issue is rectified.

SEO Companies in Mumbai, India offer their SEO services to increase the online visibility of a firm and increase website rankings on Google which in turn can create a better name for the SEO service provider. Applying techniques that violate search engine guidelines leads to a negative impression for the firm as well as the SEO service provider. Hence identifying malpractices of SEO helps in avoiding unwanted consequences for the firm that aims to create a mark in the digital world and aid in selecting the digital marketing partner.  

Why Outsourcing SEO Help Businesses to Grow

What is SEO?

When a user types a query on a search engine and presses enter, a list of websites appears on the computer screen. Some of them rank on the top, while others stay at the bottom. Normally, visitors click on those websites that are on the top of the list assuming they are more trustworthy. But if you ever wondered that why do some websites rank better than the other, then you must know it is because of a powerful digital marketing technique called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

SEO is a technique which helps search engines to rank your website higher than the other millions of websites in response to a search query. It uses many methods, strategies and tactics to increase the number of visitors to your website that enable your website to rank higher. 

There are several components that search engines look for, including title tags, keywords, image tags, internal link structure and various other components. They also look at the site structure and visitor behavior, which decide how high your website will rank on search engine result pages. 

Why is SEO all that important? 

You might be aware that having an online presence is important, as it has a huge impact on the success of your business operation. But what you might not be aware of, is the role SEO plays in that process. Here are some key points which explain why SEO is all that important and why it acts as a base to increase your online presence:

Drive visitors to your website:

If users enter a search phrase that matches the products and services that you offer, then the chances of your website to be seen on the first page of search results increases. In addition, when you have a great SEO strategy working for your website, your website will show up on the top three results that attract a lot of visitors to your website. 

With SEO, design the right Meta Description and Title tags: 

In print media, what catches the eye of a customer is the main title of the headline. An attractive headline motivates a customer to stay and read through the content and understand what you have to offer. Similarly, the description you write to describe your website and title tags are important when it comes to SEO. Description and title tags are as crucial as the images and content of your web page. An SEO expert helps you to identify appropriate tags that increase the number of visitors to your website. 

Build Credibility: 

SEO will help you- gain attention, establish a rapport and earn credibility for your product with customers. With the right type of Search Engine Optimization which describes what your business is all about and why a customer should use your product, a potential buyer will try your product. If you deliver what you promise to your customers, then be rest assured your customers will stay with you for a long time. 

Compete with other brands through SEO:

Using the right keywords, the description of your product can be highlighted on the top of search results. Higher rankings would create a positive impression of your product before your competitors can do the same. This enables you to set a standard on which your competitors will be judged. Unless your competitor comes up with a better SEO Strategy, customers will return to your website and place an order. 

To highlight the importance of SEO a bit further, here are a few interesting facts about SEO:

• Google owns roughly 70% of the search engine market share 

• 70% of clicks on search engine result pages are on organic results

• 75% of users never view the second page of search results

• There are over 1.4 billion searches conducted every hour

Why outsourcing is a better option? 

To ensure a business excels in different parameters, outsourcing seems like a viable option. It helps a business become popular via online marketing and let go of traditional techniques that restrict a business to achieve new heights. In the last few years, outsourcing has gained a significant amount of importance as it is reliable and most importantly cost effective and affordable. There are a few more advantages to outsourcing, given below are a few:

Lower Cost: 

Outsourcing can help you achieve good quality work at a lower cost. This is due to the different wages charged in different countries. Moreover, trying to teach your staff regarding the tasks you want to outsource can take a lot of time. This can take a toll on the time expected to be spent on other tasks that generate revenue.  

Increase efficiency

Outsourcing your requirement to a company that specializes in a particular task helps in bringing their experience which enables your business to grow. Thus, the task can be completed with better efficiency and quality. 

Allows you to focus on other areas: 

Since a huge task is taken care by a proper SEO Company in Mumbai, you can shift your focus on more important matters, such as building your brand, research and development and other value added services. 

Flexible time zone: 

Along with cost, time zone is another advantage between your company and the outsourcing company. You can get your work done while you are done for the day and wake up next morning to find the task completed and delivered. Hence it gives you a round the clock advantage for your business operations. 

Benefits of outsourcing SEO 

For any company, a marketing strategy can be executed using three methods; doing it in-house, outsourcing it or collaboration. Depending on the requirement of the company, it can utilize its internal resources and use any of the three options. For instance, creating a sales collateral can be done through collaboration as the company may not have the adequate content and design for developing the product. For social media marketing, in-house marketing seems appropriate as it increases credibility of the product. However, for SEO, outsourcing is the best option.

Outsourcing SEO is the best option when you don’t have the time, resources and the skills to execute a successful search engine campaign. Some aspects of the internet world like search engine marketing can be done in-house, but this doesn’t apply to SEO. The reason being SEO is so complex that it is always better if it is handled by the experts as then SEO will be implemented properly. 

Here are some reasons as to why outsourcing SEO is a valuable option:

Complexity:

The complexity involved in SEO is something that cannot be handled by the in-house team. With time SEO keeps developing and it becomes necessary to keep up with the changing algorithms and search trends. Certain things currently working for your website today might be outdated or worse banned in the future. Hence its vital that SEO is handled by a team of experts.

Inadequate time:

After gaining a fair amount of knowledge of how SEO works, it may seem simple. But that does not change the fact that it can be extremely time consuming. As your business begins to grow, it gets more and more difficult to take out time for SEO. Adequate amount of time is required to keep up with weekly SEO blogs, discussions and the latest trends. Once you leave this in the hands of the outsourcing company, you will have enough time to focus on matters regarding the growth of your business. 

Keyword optimization:

Certain keywords are used only for certain pages. As keywords -change with time, it becomes necessary to be aware of the keywords that are currently in use. SEO professionals constantly evaluate these keywords and analyze how effective they are now and will be in the near future.

Wide range of skills:

SEO involves a wide range of skills. An effective SEO campaign requires specialists, web designers, copywriters, front-end and back-end developers. When you outsource SEO activities, all these can be done under one roof. 

Analyze your marketing strategy:

Outsourcing helps you analyze your progress as the outsourcing company generates a detailed report of all the SEO strategies applied. You can analyze several aspects such as page views, unique visitors, website clicks and a lot more. This gives you an overview of how much progress have you achieved over a period of time. Hence you can be rest assured with the services that an outsourcing company provides. 

How to hire the right SEO Company 

After you take a decision to outsource your SEO services, it’s essential that you take time to analyze and then make a final selection on the company you wish to outsource it to. So how do you make sure that the SEO company you have in mind will give you the assured return on investment? The answer to this question is given with the following points below:

Company vision:

It’s essential to ensure that the vision of your business is parallel with the outsourcing company. It is important to know the background and the principles on which the company believes and follows. 

Outsourcing projects:

Companies in order to increase their profit margin, outsource their projects. This enables them to cut cost and avoid hiring SEO experts that demand a higher price. It’s always better to gain clarity by asking a number of questions such as who will be handling the project and who will be the person of contact and other relevant questions.

Adapt to changing trends:

A company must be able to adjust to the changing trends as SEO keeps evolving constantly. New techniques should be incorporated as this will keep your business ahead of your competitors. 

Mutual Understanding:

An SEO company should identify what your business exactly caters to. It needs to work in sync with your ideas and techniques so that it can design relevant SEO campaigns to meet your desired results. A healthy relationship with your SEO company will help your business get the required results efficiently. 

Business Competitors:

Before selecting the company you want to work with, enquire about all the clients that they have earlier worked with. It may happen that they are working side by side with your competitors. If the company is a reputable one, they won’t be hesitant to reveal their clientele. 

Pricing:

When pricing of the project is concerned, an analysis of your requirements and the right promotional campaign has to be determined. A reputed SEO company in India, will give you a detailed estimate and the duration required for the entire project to be completed. 

SEO company in Redditch

With an overview on SEO outsourcing, it should be an easy task to select the right company that takes care of all your professional needs. One specific point to remember is the ability to identify a company that understands where you are coming from and what exactly your business is catering to and they should provide web design services as well. eTrack Media, a SEO Outsourcing Company in Redditch analyses your business in the most detailed manner and gives you an SEO service that is transparent and precise that helps you to achieve your business goals swiftly and efficiently.