I have seen some meme, “If you want to bury a dead body, do it on the third search result page of Google. No one visits it!” (not intended to offend) When we search on a search engine, say on Google, we will get most relevant results on the first page. Even there are numerous websites that have information related to search that is performed by the users, they are not displayed on the very first page of results. Why so? We will look in to the details.

The process of growing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to users of a web search engine is known as Search Engine Optimization, for short SEO. there are many ways to reach to the top. Some follow and some violate the rules. Let’s see the signal jumping.

Black Hat SEO

There are certain guidelines for search engine to get higher ranking in search results. Like hat hackers, they do not follow the rules, black hat is the technique of reaching to the top rank violating the guidelines of search engine. This is not a good tactic to follow and the website may end with penalty or the removal from the search engines. There are many ways of performing Black Hat SEO like

• Keyword stuffing: Using irrelevant data in the content of the page to get higher in search engine rankings. This may include repetition of a same word, using mobile numbers even of no use, etc.
• Backlinks: Redirecting to some external link from the actual link clicked on the search results. The actual link can be of paid from some other providers in exchange.
• Doorway pages: Having multiple pages that slightly differ with content.
• Cloaking: Showing different content to search engines and users who visit the site.
• Rich Snippets: Showing false data to the search engines. This might include rating a website with 5 stars from a fake review site, etc.
• Blog comment Spam: Adding a link to your website in others blog.
• Private Blog Networks (PBN): A group of website owners agree to cross-link to one another for the sole purpose of link building and boosting rankings.

White Hat SEO

Unlike black hats, it is the way of following the guidelines and getting ranked. Most of the famous companies follow white hat techniques in promoting their site. Some of the practices of White hat SEO includes:

• Keeping the content that is intended for a proper use from the users
• Using relevant data in the website.
• Organizing the content so that users can easily find what they are looking for,
• Promoting their website on different social media platforms for more exposure and link to the website.
• Making interactive site and navigation.

Grey Hat SEO

This fall somewhere between being black and white hat SEO. It is the process of using techniques that are legal but some or the other day turn out to be unethical.

• SEO squatting: Buying the expired domains and making the content relevant for yours.
• Spun: Using the same content with slight modifications.
• Keyword Association Manipulation: Associating two unrelated keywords together to try to fool bots into thinking that they are related or synonymous.
• Writing negative reviews

Here are quick references:

• Differentiating Hats
• More about SEO

Why all this? Because, you might be redirected to any links that you are not supposed to visit. Those links might have virus or malware that cause harm to your system. And also, an advise to make your work more reachable. That is all about SEO and how to make a website or blog more reachable. For more content and information, stay connected and updated! For queries and suggestions, doors are always kept opened! Have a happy and healthy learning.

Stay safe and Spread knowledge!