Online visibility experts have probably heard of the term known as blackhat SEO. Blackhat SEO entails a collection of strategies deployed to improve a website's or page's ranking in search engine results, but done in ways that violate the search engines' terms of service.

Fundamentally, blackhat SEO is a rapid route that can get your site to the top of search engine rankings quickly. However, these strategies are usually seen as unethical, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites caught using them.

One common blackhat technique is excessive keyword usage. This involves packing a webpage with search terms or numbers with the intent of manipulating a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might appear in a list, cluster, out of context or in a hidden div.

Establishing link farms is another common tactic. Here, webpages are tied together in a circular network to boost the rank of all the pages in the chain. However, if a website is linked to from numerous unrelated websites, it may also be penalized.

Cloaking is an even more extreme blackhat method. This is when different content is presented to search engines than to users, essentially redirecting users to alternate pages aside from their permission.

Despite the potential penalties, why do people use blackhat SEO? The evident answer is: to achieve read more quick results. These tactics give websites the illusion of authority, boosting them up the search results rapiidly.

However, the benefit is temporary. Search engines now incorporate advanced algorithms that identify these deceptive techniques. Once they're identified, penalties may include lower rankings or even being removed entirely from the search index.

As a consequence, many websites are moving towards white hat SEO strategies. These are approaches that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some methods are creating quality content that provides helpful information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user experience.

So, while blackhat SEO may come across as a quick way to increase your site's visibility, it's a dangerous game to play. It's smarter to direct attention on whitehat SEO strategies, that improve your website through appropriate means, consequently providing enduring success.