SEO approaches are divided into two namely white hat and black hat SEO. White hatters are known to follow the stringent guidelines in driving potential visitors into web sites. They also abhor the methods used by black hatters and try to find more ways to avoid problems in searches and page rankings. White hat SEO can be very effective, even if you are not allowed to use some techniques. Here are some more details about the type.

Definition of White Hat

White hat SEO is known as the good or the hero in online marketing. It is also called ‘the good guy’ among webmasters. The individuals who practice white hat methods are penetration testers and ethical hackers who aim to maintain the security and protection among IT systems. The ethical hackers are generally computer security experts, who ensure that information systems of different sites and companies are kept safe.

They use testing methods and other penetration practices and drills to keep black hat practitioners away. The professionals may also be called sneakers. Groups of the individuals are referred to as red teams or tiger teams. The security specialists can use different methods to perform various tests, like social engineering tactics, attempts to avoid security and gain entry to protected areas and the use of hacking equipment and tools. Defensive teams are called blue teams, while red teams are the aggressor teams.

More on SEO

In SEO or search engine optimization, both white hat and black hat have been applied widely. Black hat SEO methods include spamdexing, wherein search results are redirected to different target pages. The approach is highly against the rules and stipulations of search engines. White hat methods strictly follow the rules and guidelines given by search engines to ensure that internet users are driven to the right content and pages that rank high in the search results page. White hats lead to results that you can continue to expect over a long period of time, compared to black hats that only find short term opportunities.

The Practice

If you are still deciding whether to use black hat or white hat SEO, you have to determine the main functions and goals of your business. What are your plans for the long term? White hat SEO is ideal for businesses and companies who expect to boost their reputation and maintain credibility for the longest period of time. Black hats only wait until search engines discover their methods and eliminate these. Your manipulation tactics may be limited but you get more quality customers and visits by ensuring that your site or page has good and sound content.

You should also incorporate all other important elements when trying white hat SEO. Find out how each approach works for you then determine which ones you should heavily invest in. You can rely on other webmasters and web site owners to help you find the best white hat SEO tools and methods that will sell your product or service better.

Boosting Reputation

Using white hat SEO provides you the benefit of having a solid reputation in the industry. People will start referring to your brand or company more as synonymous to quality and reliability. You get to gain your market’s trust thereby keeping your company secure for the long term.