A short presentation on the two different approaches to Search Engine Optimisation: Black Hat and White Hat. Knowing the ways in which Google will like or penalise your website is a very important thing in on-line marketing. Failing to adhere to Google's guidelines can have negative effects on long term businesses. Also covers ways of learning from black hat techniques to develop a whiter SEO approach. This was a presentation that was created for Websquare IT Solutions ( http://www.websquare.co.uk ), a Web Design company based on Bradford, West Yorkshire, England

1. BLACK HAT
VS
WHITE HAT
SEO
www.websquare.co.uk

2. Search Engine Optimization

Increasing the visibility of a website on the
organic search engine results page (SERP)

Aim is for first page with top spot being ideal

Well optimized site leads to increased traffic
flow

Performed both on-site and off-site

Bigger impact from off-site SEO than from on-
site
www.websquare.co.uk

3. Black Hat SEO

Techniques that are in violation of the ToS of
search engine guidelines

Used to manipulate crawlers' view of web
pages

Focuses on getting front page/top spot rather
than providing for users

Obvious abuse of Black Hat results in penalties
and possible blacklisting from SERPs

Can have fast RoI but is high risk
www.websquare.co.uk

4. Black Hat SEO

Examples include:
− Hidden Content
− Keyword Stuffing
− Link Farms
− Doorways/Gateways
− Cloaking
− Link Purchasing/Renting

Deceptive tactics

Forces SERPs ranking
www.websquare.co.uk

5. White Hat SEO

Conforms with guidelines and standards

Focus is on bringing relevant, quality content
that visitors want

Also about making this content easily found by
crawlers and by extension users

Good websites can get the best white hat SEO
– natural sharing of content by users to others

Can also help increase marketing value outside
of SEO
www.websquare.co.uk

6. White Hat SEO

Examples:
− Unique, natural sounding content
− Good keyword research and effective keyword
use
− Link building in related areas

Inbound links are stronger than outbound links

Quality links to/from relevant websites
− Appropriate use of title tags and meta data

All about earning that spot
www.websquare.co.uk

7. Black vs White

Uses deception and 
Presents quality,
trick tactics to gain relevant content for
rank users

Often involves large 
Natural propagation
scale automated of website content
programs - unnatural 
Requires more time

Fast results, high risk to see effects but is

Short term only safer and more likely
to withstand changes

Long term benefits
www.websquare.co.uk

8. Turning Black into White

Requesting Link Quality content for links
Renting Real, quality social

Fake social media sites
sites CSS tabs to control

Hidden/Cloaked Text viewed content

Give & Receive

Reciprocal Links 
Content Syndication

Article Spinning
www.websquare.co.uk

9. Try Turning Black into White
Black Hat White Hat
Request Link Renting Offer Quality Content for Links
Fake social media Build real quality pages
pages
Use CSS tabs to control visible
Hidden/Cloaked Text
content
Inbound links via give and
Build reciprocal links receive testimonials
Article Spinning for Develop content syndication
content
www.websquare.co.uk

10. Ethics of SEO

White = “Ethical” / Black = “Unethical”

White or Black is about which side of the
guidelines you are on

Either are tactics for SEO purposes

Ethics involve disclosing any risks of chosen
tactics to the client

True white hat is rare – even “white” SEOs are
doing something to gain SERPs rank

Always ask for clarity on SEO techiniques
www.websquare.co.uk