If you’re new to the world of search engine optimization, then you may have been confused when the terms black hat and white hat were used when talking about SEO. These terms are ubiquitous in the search engine ranking community as they apply to describe two very prominent, yet two very different schools of thought within the industry. If you’re wondering about what precisely white hat SEO means, then continue reading to find out everything you need to know.
Following the Rules of Algorithms
White hat SEO tactics are ranking tactics which don’t break any of the rules that have been outlined by search engines and their accompanying algorithms. You’ll notice that all major search engines will have a list of essential policies, practices, and criteria regarding how they rank websites and when they penalize sites. White hat policies will always conform to each and every one of these policies. Simply put, this type of SEO can be seen as the safest form of optimizing rankings as it will never lead to penalties and bans from search engine algorithms.
It’s worth noting that considering that algorithms are always changing, white hat strategies are also in constant evolution. This means that white hat SEO tactics that were used many years ago may no longer be considered white hat. Because of this, anyone looking to follow this safe search engine philosophy should always be aware of new updates to the search engines they are trying to rank for.
White Hat Prioritizes Organic Growth
Search engine algorithms recently are all about promoted organic growth towards websites which provide the most significant user experience for visitors, which means that all of the policies and regulations that are enforced by major search engines are centered on this point of view. Thus, white hat SEO policies will ultimately generate organic growth by providing the best possible experience to users of a given website.
Policies which don’t conform to white hat doctrines will likely lead to unnatural growth that may be distorted by spam and bots. Hence, we recommend that those that wish to grow a long-term online venture with real followers should consistently follow the most recent and most effective white hat policies.
Many of the world’s most influential blogs and websites are usually strictly using white hat methods. Many people that don’t conform to the rules of a given algorithm will likely sooner or later receive a penalty or a ban. For those that prioritize longevity, white hat is the way to go.
