Is Black Hat SEO really a good thing? (Hint: It CAN be. Yes, it can!)

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White Hat SEO vs. Black Hat SEO – Which is better?

Recently, I’ve made a valuable realization.

Actually, BOTH White Hat and Black Hat SEO are really important!

See Also: Google SEO: It really ain’t that hard – Only 2 Main Questions to Ask

Nobody I know is willing to admit that Black Hat SEO can be a good thing.  In fact, they get insulted if I mention that they’re doing some Black Hat marketing stuff.

How is it that Black Hat SEO techniques are good—EVER?  First, let’s take a look at what White Hat SEO really is.

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Most companies say that they “want” White Hat SEO, but what does that really mean?

White Hat SEO – Another Way of Explaining It (in REAL Terms)

It means that they are either…

(a) actually doing the marketing work themselves,

(b) having that marketing reflect things that are truly happening or how they honestly feel,

(c) they are doing things that are so interesting to the public that they naturally attract news coverage, or

(d) they are so large and well-known—in advance of any marketing—that people follow them, whether or not they market.

Unless you or you represent a company that has “celebrity status,” have a lot of money to attract people, or already have a great network of people—that you know from OFFLINE activities—in advance, you can create great material all you want, but NOBODY WILL SEE IT!

Does that mean we should use Black Hat SEO techniques?

Well…Yes…and No.

There are plenty of companies that use Black Hat techniques—exclusively.  They hire someone on the cheap to create a bunch of junk, but they want to gain instant celebrity status, without really doing or being anything to deserve that celebrity status.

People will not care about you, unless you are someone worth caring about or are doing something worth caring about.

See Also: 3 Important Rules to Follow for Effective White Hat SEO Backlinking

So should you use Black Hat SEO techniques?

I only respond, “Yes” if you are doing things that would provide genuine value—according to OTHER people, not you—then you might want to use Black Hat SEO techniques to “insert yourself” into the conversation.

However, even if you’re in a crowded room and keep yelling an idea that is not worth any further discussion, people will ignore you.  It will not matter how many times you repeat it or how loudly you repeat it.

If you give people NO real reason to care about you (or your company), any momentary boost you get from using Black Hat SEO techniques will not lead to anyone sharing—or caring—about what you have to say.

When does it make sense to use Black Hat SEO?

The folks at Google will not like this, but my answer is legit…and will stand the test of time.

If you are an “unknown” but have tremendous work or ideas to share, then you need help getting that in front of eyeballs.  The more eyeballs that see your (honestly) good stuff, the better it is for anyone involved: you, the readers, and ultimately the Internet.

If you’re well-known, you might not even have to have wonderful material.  It might be, but it does not have to be.  There will be plenty of people who pay attention to you, because you are who you are, the Big Shot.

See Also: Key to Success: What award do you win?  (How are you memorable?)

However, for those of us who are NOT big shots but have big ideas that are truly worth sharing, I am putting in writing that you should use Black Hat SEO techniques to promote your awesomely White Hat SEO work that other people will agree is worth sharing…ONCE THEY SEE IT.  (Good Black Hat SEO marketing techniques will help you promote things other people should be seeing.)

Sometimes, people need to be interrupted from their daily routine to see something new and better.

When you represent that something new and better that provides value for them, I suggest that you use every White Hat and Black Hat SEO marketing technique you can find to help promote it.

When is Black Hat SEO a really bad thing?

Black Hat SEO can be really bad!

Black Hat SEO ranges somewhere between being useless and annoying when a person or company tries to BLAST things that are not helpful.  If you are being promotional or sharing unoriginal thoughts, people will not care, and you are wasting your money creating this junk.  If you decide to use Black Hat backlinking strategies to increase the chance that people will see this junk, you’re probably wasting even more money or effort.

My REAL Suggestion

Be the real thing, but use guerilla marketing techniques to make sure the world sees how great you are.

See Also: Good General Advice Applies to SEO Internet Marketing - Being Spectacular vs Being Consistent

Just make sure that you are evaluating it through the customer’s viewpoint, not your own selfish one (that wants money, recognition, etc.)

Simply put, find ways to “earn” a good reputation and publicity.  Use any (legal) means necessary to make sure other people receive that benefit.

Personally, I’ve learned that I really love creating White Hat SEO marketing material to share, especially when there is something valuable to promote.  “Good” Black Hat SEO simply promotes good White Hat SEO.

White Hat without Black Hat tends to be useless since (nearly) nobody sees it.

Black Hat without White Hat tends to be useless, because nobody will care.

So should you use White Hat SEO or Black Hat SEO marketing techniques?

Simple…Use both!

What are some things you do or create that people would love…if only they knew?

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