With the growing demand for digital marketing and e-commerce, many business owners have chosen to advertise their products online.
The first step to popularize or gain customers for any website is to optimize it using SEO oriented keywords. Although many SEO companies provide affordable SEO packages for their customers, there is an unexplored and dark corner of using black hat SEO tactics to mislead users.
Why people use illegal SEO tactics?
- To improve rankings
You can easily dominate the search engines and gain a good rank by sending other top websites to the bottom line.
- To gain customers
Once you secure a good rank using black hat SEO tactics, it becomes easier to gain visitors for your website. You can easily drive the organic crowd to browse across your site frequently.
- To improve profit
Once you have a good organic traffic flow, it becomes simple for you to increase your profit margins in business without much hassle.
What are some of the common illegal SEO techniques?
- Illogical keywords
Using irrelevant keywords is one of the famous and common ways of gathering folks to visit your website.
- Using multiple headers
Search engines have declared using multiple headers in website title as illegal.
- Duplicate content
One of the most general ways of gaining visitors across business websites is to copy the content from internet.
- Irrelevant guest links
Few spammers simply post illogical blogs or posts and add their website links to it so that when a customer clicks on it, the link directs them to another website.
- Replica sites
Many spammers simply create mirror websites of the popular pages and sites to manipulate customers.
- Toxic links
These days’ lot websites display vulgar or illicit content over their website. Once a site owner clicks on those elements, the toxic link simply damages the website.
- Private network blogs
A website owner simply purchases domains and creates a blog with the intent to produce link juice through this process.
- Keyword stuffing
Website owners simply feed their sites and pages with excessive keywords to increase visibility.
- Comment spam
Many spammers simply post their comments or testimonials with their website link in it so that when a visitor reads it, he clicks on it and reaches the spammers’ website.
- Increased inbound links
Usually, a blog involves both inbound and outbound links, but this technique involves an excess of inbound links to entangle the reader within the website.
Read below the recent incident about how a former zoo owner applied illegal SEO tactics to publicize his business and gain profits.
Key highlights of the story:
- A former zoo owner manipulated the search engines by modifying his business name similar to his rival’s (sanctuary owner) business name.
- His key intentions were to mislead the customers and ensure that they booked services from him
- His rival admitted that she received calls from customers who thought her business to be in collaboration with that of the zoo owner.
- He copied his business address from his rival’s business address and used the same one for communication.
- Although he successfully lured and drove a lot of customers to his website, this process was short-lived.
The outcome of the story:
- The former zoo owner was convicted due to copyright violations
- He had to pay a settlement amount of 1 million dollars to his business rival.
What are the take ways from the above case?
- Never use illegal SEO techniques
Using illicit SEO techniques can land your business in complete garbage. No matter how much you invest or how much resources you gather to improve your business, it will not take much time for you to lose your rank if you try to copy the content or business strategy.
- Do not look for short term profits
Avoid using black hat SEO techniques as litmus tests for your business to perform well. Plan for long-term business and make sure you do not apply short cuts to gain more customer attention.
- Be aware of copyright claims before promoting your business
Before promoting your business online, make sure you have proper trademark certifications. Build a clear concept of patent and copyright claims.
- Be original and creative
Please focus on creating original content and optimizing it by using white hat SEO techniques.
- Improve user experience
Focus on improving user experience and securing their interests in the long run.
Conclusion
Although these illicit SEO techniques may seem a simple and easy path to follow in the short term, however, these tactics can tank your business in the end. Using apt SEO techniques to score a good rank and earn a high profit is the best way to channelize your business and meet your hustle goals.