“Search Engine Optimization” (SEO) is a process of improving visibility on the first page of Google’s search engine with the help of relevant keywords or search phrases. When consumers look for a service or product, they are more likely to choose one of the first 10 results on a search engine.
In simple words, SEO helps to generate your business and site traffic naturally.
But it can be difficult to know where to start with search engine optimization, as most experts have an opinion about what works and what doesn’t.
You may get short-term positive and negative results when using SEO techniques, so one must first understand the difference between white, black, and gray hat SEO.
Different Kinds Of Search Engine Optimization
There are 3 kinds of SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, which help you to earn more visibility in search results and reach the target audience.
- White Hat SEO
- Black Hat SEO
- Gray Hat SEO
Your SEO strategy aligns very closely with Google guidelines, so it’s very important to know how it ultimately affects your SEO efforts.
The Difference Between The Three Techniques
White Hat SEO exposes all those vulnerabilities and affects the products of the company or vendor. But with the help of a blackhat, SEO exploits the weaknesses of the search engines.
Gray hat SEOs fall between white and blackhats on the ethical spectrum. Gray hats are preferred because they are more flexible about the rules under which they operate.
Here is the White, Black, and Grey Hat explained:
1. White Hat: Search Engine Optimization
White hat SEO techniques follow Google webmaster guidelines but usually take longer to implement and cost more. “White Hat” delivers lasting and complex value with very little risk and time, propelling you to the top of your search engine rankings on SERPs by regulating the integrity of your website with the search engine.
Examples of “White Hat SEO”
- It helps to write relevant content for your target audience to get what they need to do.
- Organize your site’s content to help people (and search engines) find what they’re looking for faster.
- By promoting your material on social media, you can gain links, and exposure, and encourage the acquisition of local business citations through data aggregators
2. Black Hat: Search Engine Optimization
Black-hat SEO exploits weaknesses in Google’s search algorithms, including spammy or paid link-building strategies, keyword stuffing, cloaking, and more, to rank higher in its search results.
These practices produce immediate results but can negatively affect your website if detected by Google. That’s why it is always advisable to avoid black hat SEO.
Examples of “Black Hat SEO”
- Keyword stuffing or word hiding (for example, white text in the same background).
- Plagiarism means copying someone’s content.
- Backlinks that are bought or exchanged for Earned Vs.
- Too many similar pages by adding only slightly different content.
- There is not enough content on the page to be helpful
- For private blog networks (where website owners agree to cross-link to one another for link building and to boost rankings).
3. Grey Hat: Search Engine Optimization
Gray-hat SEO is a more risky technique than white-hat SEO as the terms and conditions of this technique are vague and make them neither white-hat nor black-hat techniques.
On the other hand, using gray hat practices does not result in a site being banned from search engines. The content you publish after following Gray Hat SEO remains unclear. Gray hat SEO technical practices prevent your traffic from falling, so you must be aware of negative and positive impacts, which will help you to adopt ethical practices.
Examples of “Grey Hat SEO”
- The use of clickbait – is content that does not provide any value but is primarily intended to attract attention and get readers to click on a link to a specific web page.
- Upgrading or spinning old content
- Link Exchange
Remember This:
Non-SEO-friendly practices often focus on creating unnatural or undesirable content and bring you to a lower position in the search engine in comparison to a competitor’s website. Your SEO can be affected by stolen content, posting negative reviews, or hacking the site and modifying its content.