As we reported a couple of weeks ago, Google has changed its algorithm to punish black hat search engine optimization techniques.  Google did this in order to punish websites that would intentionally product keyword laden text articles for the sole purpose of manipulating Googles rankings in order to increase their ad revenues.  Now, these so called ‘web polluters’ that participate in black hat search engine optimization techniques will be punished by Google and watch their websites decrease rapidly in Google’s search engine rankings.

Black Hat Search Engine Optimization| What is it?

Black Hat search engine optimization is defined using techniques to get ranked higher in search engines through unethical ways. These black hat search engine optimization techniques usually include at least one of the following:

  • keyword stuffing- putting in more than the necessary amount of keywords simply for SEO rankings
  • invisible text- putting in keywords at the bottom of a page and changing the text color to match the background color solely for the purpose of fooling the Google bots
  • doorway pages- creating a fake page that the user will never see but the Google bots will

Black Hat search engine optimization is tempting to do because these tricks do actually work and they do end up getting websites ranked higher, but only until these same sites get banned for using unethical practices. A good example of a website that used black hat search engine optimization that went wrong was JC Penneys.

Black Hat Search Engine Optimization | JC Penneys example

JC Penneys was busted by Google for the practice of buying or placing links designed primarily to improve a site’s standing in Google search results.  Google frowns on paid links and similar practices as violations of its Webmaster Guidelines, and says that the practice “can negatively impact your site’s ranking in search results.” It demotes sites not only for placing purchased links, but also for “excessive reciprocal links or excessive link exchanging” and for “buying and selling links that pass PageRank.” In other words, you can lose Google Juice not only for buying the links, but for publishing them.

To illustrate a black hat search engine optimization technique using the JCPenney case: Penney’s consultants placed lots of tiny ads, consisting simply of the word “bedding” hyperlinked to a JCPenney bedding page. Ditto for “area rugs,” “dresses,” “skinny jeans,” and tons of other merchandise categories. As Google’s engine found these and indexed them, the JCPenney pages rose to the top of search results for those keywords. In other words, JCPenney bought its way to the top of the rankings.

Google doesn’t actually mind if you buy links like that as advertising, but it requires that in each case, the link includes what’s known as a “nofollow” tag that tells the search machinery not to index the link so it doesn’t influence the rankings. This simple bit of formatting, however, negates the whole purpose of placing the links, because as advertising, they’re not particularly effective. Typically the links are placed in a cluster at or near the bottom of the page, sometimes with a heading like “Sponsored Links” or “Links of interest.” Given how low clickthrough rates are even for prominent display ads, these unobtrusive link ads are designed primarily for SEO purposes, and only incidentally in the hope that someone will actually click on them and buy something.  http://www.niemanlab.org/2011/03/the-flip-side-of-black-hat-seo-if-your-news-site-publishes-paid-links-you-risk-googles-wrath/

Black Hat Search Engine Optimization | Conclusion

In conclusion, the lesson learned by the JC Penneys example is to either refuse  to accept paid links of any kind or use the rel=”nofollow’ tag. Staying away from paid links is probably simplest because they really aren’t lucrative, provide little value to your readers, and tend to interrupt the reader and detract from the quality and content of your site.  Black hat search engine optimization just isn’t worth the risk. Use efficient search engine optimization techniques to get your site ranked higher, and stay away from anything that even resembles black hat search engine optimization.

Image: Boaz Yiftach / FreeDigitalPhotos.net