Black hat SEO and other unethical techniques: evolution and current situation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3145/infonomy.23.008Keywords:
Search Engine Optimization, Black hat SEO, Search engines, Spam policies, Google, Backlinks, Keyword spamming, Rank and rent monetization, SEO affiliate marketingAbstract
Black hat SEO is almost as old as the discipline on which it acts. It is designed to im-prove the visibility of a website in search engine results by using unethical methods, by exploiting technical weaknesses or by exploiting its ranking factors. Black hat SEO has evolved at the same pace as search engine algorithms, reacting to the measures implemented by search engines to prevent it. Techniques such as keyword spam-ming, fraudulent link acquisition, content hiding or cloaking have become more so-phisticated in order to avoid penalties. In parallel, some websites take advantage of the limitations of search engines to detect certain unethical practices, positioning irrelevant, misleading, or low-quality content, to the detriment of users.References
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