Hi everyone !! What is Gray Hat SEO ?
What is Gray Hat SEO ?
- Thread starter krishnanayak
- Start date
What Is Grey Hat SEO?
A Mississauga business recently contacted us asking for an estimate to do Grey Hat SEO for their website.
Of all the hats that you thought a search engine marketer could don, Grey Hat happens to be the most confusing one.
Because it lies in its ambiguous form, somewhere between ethical White Hat and Shady Black Hat.
But what most people do not realize is where one ends and the other begins.
The fact is that there is no fixed definition for Grey Hat SEO. It is a term devised by Internet Marketers to explain the use of certain tactics that are not clearly defined by search engines.
These techniques are not exactly what webmasters would like to boast about. But they are not downright underhand techniques either that’d get you a penalty in the blink of an eye. Faster results maybe, but with an obvious risk.
Let us explain.
Understanding Grey Hat
To better understand how Grey Hat works, it is important that you first understand what White hat SEO is.
Search Engines like Google have always been vocal about the factors that can affect ranking. Consequently, a set of best practices evolved which were considered to be ethical by Google. Creating quality content, ‘earning’ not ‘building’ links, using social media to interact and engage with the target audience and so on and so forth. These White hat techniques are the only way to optimize a website according to what Google considers ethical.
But due to the uncertain nature of search results, Google’s never ending algorithmic updates and the obvious prolonged time frame, difficulty and limitations to execute a White hat SEO strategy, another group of people created a different set of strategies like Link Cloaking, Keyword stuffing, doorway pages and Link injections which are clearly in violation of the terms and conditions of every search engine on the planet. These came to be known as Black Hat SEO or the bad guys.
Grey Hat SEO tries to find a middle path. It involves the use of certain tactics which are not White Hat. But which can get you results a lot sooner than conventional techniques with the risk of a penalty hitting you sooner or later.
So, the question to be asked is, ‘Should you be thinking about Grey Hat SEO’?
Some Grey Hat SEO techniques
Here are some of the popular Grey Hat SEO techniques used by internet marketers in recent times.
Like Black Hat SEO, Grey Hat SEO will only get you temporary gains if any. Eventually, Google will catch up and penalize the website. And a penalty, no matter how mild it may seem, is something that is best avoided.
So, if you are thinking about long term results for your Mississauga business, then Grey Hat is not the best choice for you.
A Mississauga business recently contacted us asking for an estimate to do Grey Hat SEO for their website.
Of all the hats that you thought a search engine marketer could don, Grey Hat happens to be the most confusing one.
Because it lies in its ambiguous form, somewhere between ethical White Hat and Shady Black Hat.
But what most people do not realize is where one ends and the other begins.
The fact is that there is no fixed definition for Grey Hat SEO. It is a term devised by Internet Marketers to explain the use of certain tactics that are not clearly defined by search engines.
These techniques are not exactly what webmasters would like to boast about. But they are not downright underhand techniques either that’d get you a penalty in the blink of an eye. Faster results maybe, but with an obvious risk.
Let us explain.
Understanding Grey Hat
To better understand how Grey Hat works, it is important that you first understand what White hat SEO is.
Search Engines like Google have always been vocal about the factors that can affect ranking. Consequently, a set of best practices evolved which were considered to be ethical by Google. Creating quality content, ‘earning’ not ‘building’ links, using social media to interact and engage with the target audience and so on and so forth. These White hat techniques are the only way to optimize a website according to what Google considers ethical.
But due to the uncertain nature of search results, Google’s never ending algorithmic updates and the obvious prolonged time frame, difficulty and limitations to execute a White hat SEO strategy, another group of people created a different set of strategies like Link Cloaking, Keyword stuffing, doorway pages and Link injections which are clearly in violation of the terms and conditions of every search engine on the planet. These came to be known as Black Hat SEO or the bad guys.
Grey Hat SEO tries to find a middle path. It involves the use of certain tactics which are not White Hat. But which can get you results a lot sooner than conventional techniques with the risk of a penalty hitting you sooner or later.
So, the question to be asked is, ‘Should you be thinking about Grey Hat SEO’?
Some Grey Hat SEO techniques
Here are some of the popular Grey Hat SEO techniques used by internet marketers in recent times.
- Buying Old Domains:
Rather than writing a top quality article, pitching it to multiple websites and waiting for weeks to see whether its accepted or not, why not buy an old expired domain with good statistics (PR, DA, PA) and get a back link from it in no time?
- Content Spinning:
Since Google emphasizes on the use of original content to acquire links, some internet marketers came up with Content Spinning software that scrapes articles from other websites, replaces the words with their synonyms and comes up with an original article that makes for a doltish reading experience.
- Buying Links:
There are many websites with good metrics which offer a link in exchange for a one time or a recurring fee. Buying links is frowned upon by search engines. But is one of the easiest ways to get a quality backlink in very little time.
- Automating Social Media:
Automated Social Media Bots can get you thousands of likes, follows and shares which would otherwise take years to get. While it may not be completely illegal, it is certainly considered as dishonest by Google.
Like Black Hat SEO, Grey Hat SEO will only get you temporary gains if any. Eventually, Google will catch up and penalize the website. And a penalty, no matter how mild it may seem, is something that is best avoided.
So, if you are thinking about long term results for your Mississauga business, then Grey Hat is not the best choice for you.
jessicajohansson
Member
I would like to say gray hat seo is combination of white hat & black hat seo.
Gray hat SEO refers means a Search Engine Optimization strategies that fall in between White Hat SEO & Black Hat SEO. Gray hat SEO techniques can be legitimate in some cases & illegitimate in others. Such techniques include Doorway Pages, Gateway Pages, Cloaking & duplicate content etc.
Whoa I thought SEO is just a piece of cake now, I have started and now I have realized that SEO is more deeper than a deep ocean :O
Grey Hat SEO is the practice of using technically legal methods to improve your site rankings, but which are ethically dubious, and could one day become black hat. Think of it like legal highs.
James.mao
Member
Perfect explanation
Google bans grey hat SEO
Jack Ramon
Member
Gray Hat SEO is a technoique in SEO which stands in the middle of White Hat SEO and Black Hat SEO. This SEO technique is the most effective and suitable for almost all types of websites, which can bring you good result without any harm. Though Gray Hat SEO technique are less effective then White Hat SEO, but can reduce the chances of penalization by any algorithm update to an extend, which are mostly in Black Hat.
Why don't you Google it?
Such a good information is this, thanks for sharing with us.
Grey hat techniques practice of using technical legal methods to improve site ranking.
Some Grey hat techniques are:
SEO squatting
Create social media account for your pets
Redesign your website at regular interval
Add a comments box to your site and invite anyone to comment
Use Facebook, google+, tweeter button
But all above techniques fall outside the scope of white hat techniques.
Some Grey hat techniques are:
SEO squatting
Create social media account for your pets
Redesign your website at regular interval
Add a comments box to your site and invite anyone to comment
Use Facebook, google+, tweeter button
But all above techniques fall outside the scope of white hat techniques.
Blackhat SEO, on the other hand, will definitely harms your ranking in Google. Sucks.
G
Guest Posting India
Guest
Thanks for this wonderful discussion about Gray Hat SEO
eluminousva
New Member
Grey hat SEO is combination of both black hat and white hat SEO.
Gray Hat SEO
A lot of SEO fall into the Gray Hat category, and there are many shades of gray. Some Gray Hat SEO tend to use more questionable tactics and take greater risks. Gray Hat SEO is all about risk versus reward. Some Gray Hat techniques may be frowned by the search engines, but are not necessarily against their rules, while other techniques may be riskier and should be used only after careful consideration.
What SEO hat should you wear ?
The hat that you decide to wear should be determined by your goals and objectives. I would never recommend anybody to use any black hat SEO strategies because these strategies are short-lived and will almost always get you banned in the search engines.
Everybody should strive to be a white hat SEO and focus on writing quality content. However, it may make sense for you in some instances to use Gray Hat SEO tactics to gain a competitive advantage. But when using Gray Hat SEO tactics it is very important, that you measure the risk and reward of each strategy, and determine for yourself, if some of these Gray Hat SEO strategies makes sense for your websites.
But it is important that you never take too big a risk with your most valuable websites, and here it is much more valuable, that you make a more safe and long term SEO strategy for these website
A lot of SEO fall into the Gray Hat category, and there are many shades of gray. Some Gray Hat SEO tend to use more questionable tactics and take greater risks. Gray Hat SEO is all about risk versus reward. Some Gray Hat techniques may be frowned by the search engines, but are not necessarily against their rules, while other techniques may be riskier and should be used only after careful consideration.
What SEO hat should you wear ?
The hat that you decide to wear should be determined by your goals and objectives. I would never recommend anybody to use any black hat SEO strategies because these strategies are short-lived and will almost always get you banned in the search engines.
Everybody should strive to be a white hat SEO and focus on writing quality content. However, it may make sense for you in some instances to use Gray Hat SEO tactics to gain a competitive advantage. But when using Gray Hat SEO tactics it is very important, that you measure the risk and reward of each strategy, and determine for yourself, if some of these Gray Hat SEO strategies makes sense for your websites.
But it is important that you never take too big a risk with your most valuable websites, and here it is much more valuable, that you make a more safe and long term SEO strategy for these website
