A great person once said, “There’s a right way and wrong way to doing anything in life”. While can’t tell you who it was that said it, I can tell you that there is truth to this quote. The most beautiful thing about SEO is also the scariest; that determining rank factors are constantly changing. With that, old tactics are becoming obsolete as new ones take their place.
Let’s take a trip through time. Back in the day, there were certain Black Hat SEO Expert tactics that users would utilize in order to optimize their search ranking. Because the idea of search engine optimization was somewhat primitive, there were many unethical practices that search engines like Google would overlook. This included keyword stuffing, purchasing backlinks, and writing meaningless content.
Since then, Google has recognized these practices, appropriately labeling them “back hat tactics”, going so far as to punish websites that continue to utilize them. There are many black hat tactics out there and even more being developed, as what I call “SEO cheaters” attempt to stay one step ahead of the search engines. However, search engines have once again smartened up and developed something to combat black hat tactics.
It’s called RankBrain; an addition to the Google search ranking algorithm that determines where to list websites on the SERP. RankBrain uses artificial intelligence to adjust to user’s search trends and practices. By analyzing how a user searches for results, Google can adjust how they rank websites based on this and other determining factors.
A lot actually. RankBrain does not only analyze a user’s search patterns but your content as well. In order to rank your content based on a user’s search trends, Google needs to scan it from top to bottom. It is during this process that Google will keep a lookout for black hat tactics. One of the most popular is keyword stuffing, which involves incoherently adding keywords and phrases without any context or meaning.
If Google notices that the keywords in your content are being used out of context or that they are irrelevant to the overall topic, your search ranking will immediately drop. Search engines know it all and see it all, and they constantly learning more. Thinking about hiding some useless text to increase your word count by making the text and background color the same? Google is already miles ahead in this regard and can see what you’re trying to do. There’s no getting over on them.
With RankBrain actively learning and developing to provide the user with more accurate results, there is an even larger microscope being cast over websites. Another commonly used black hat tactic is using duplicate content. Bad idea, as it is RankBrain’s purpose to differentiate content, meaning that copycats will automatically be deleted from the SERP.
RankBrain is all about making the searching experience simpler for the user. That means pushing all of the SEO cheaters down the search results so that users are only provided with the most accurate, relevant, and highest quality of content. Another thing RankBrain is beginning to pay close attention to is link building. Think twice about purchasing links as Google can tell when they are not organic, dropping your search ranking.
I can’t stress enough how gradually Google ranking factors are changing, especially with the addition of RankBrain. There are many tactics that may have been ok to utilize several months ago that will now get you penalized. A decreased search ranking can severely harm your chances of users ever coming across your website. It is highly advised that overlook your SEO strategy to ensure that all of your practices are used within Google’s guidelines.
Once work on your SEO strategy begins, it doesn’t end as your performance should be monitored from month to month. It’s also important to have a specialist by your side that is well-versed in RankBrain as well as which practices are considered black hat tactics. A damaged search ranking is difficult to restore and requires an intense amount of work to rectify.
Remember to also think about what a low search ranking does to your page authority. Even if you create content that is unique, relevant, and of quality, it will be outranked by your competitors who chose to follow the rules. When it comes to enhancing your search ranking, playing within the confines of the rules is the only way to see results.
Google RankBrain has made it more difficult to utilize black hat SEO tactics so you’re better off not using them in the first place. Turn to an SEO specialist for assistance in executing an effective and ethical strategy. Keep in mind that Search Engines are always watching and that no matter what, they always win. Good luck!
Maqsood Rahman is the brain trust behind multiple digital marketing startups, and has become a thought-leader in the entrepreneurial space by providing wisdom and advice based on his decade of startup success. The digital age has opened the opportunity to everyone, and Maqsood Rahman is passionate about providing an opportunity for anyone willing to work both hard and smart. He also writes about his personal experience on SEO Audit Agency Website.