3 Reasons Not to Use Black Hat SEO

Search engine optimization is meant to make the Internet a happier place for everyone involved. When it’s done right, searchers see the best, most relevant results every time they type something in. However, there are a lot of greedy, unintelligent people out there who think cheating their way to the top of SERP’s will somehow help their business. 

Companies in Utah and elsewhere that understand the importance of user-friendly SEO know that black hat practices are a big fat no-no. Here are a few reasons to avoid these tactics like the plague.

It’s Tasteless

Plain and simple, black hat SEO leaves a bad taste in peoples’ mouths. If you want to become a company with terrible street cred, go ahead and try keyword stuffing or link buying. There’s no faster way to Google’s blacklist than by using cheap, unethical means to get to the top.

Users Notice—And Don’t Like It

Cloaking is one of the most popular black hat practices in which a website sends different information to Google than it does to searchers. For example, if a software company in Utah wanted more hits, it might target a random keyword set to get more “organic” traffic. 

So when you search “online bakery delivery” you might find a page that contains a similar promising title, and then be directed to a software blog full of nonsense. When users come across results like these, they will automatically begin to associate your brand with spam.

Google Really Hates it

Aside from ruining your credibility, black hat SEO can also get you banned from SERP’s entirely. As stated on Positionly, “Search engines prefer unique content, which is why content purposely duplicated across different domains is perceived as one of the worst…techniques.” If you’re up to no good, Google will notice and shut you down.

So whether you’re a small business in Utah or a big name brand, stay away from SEO shortcuts and scams.

Emily Culp writes for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. She writes for many other clients as well. Follow on Twitter.