Search Engine Optimization—Black and White Hat Approaches

Abstract

Today the first stop for many people looking for information or to make a purchase online is one of the major search engines. So appearing toward the top of the search results has become increasingly important. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process that manipulates Web site characteristics and incoming links to improve a site's ranking in the search engines for particular search terms. This chapter provides a detailed discussion of the SEO process. SEO methods that stay within the guidelines laid out by the major search engines are generally termed “white hat,” while those that violate the guidelines are called “black hat.” Black hat sites may be penalized or banned by the search engines. However, many of the tools and techniques used by “black hat” optimizers may also be helpful in “white hat” SEO campaigns. Black hat SEO approaches are examined and compared with white hat methods.

Introduction

The past few years have seen a tremendous growth in the area of search engine marketing (SEM). SEM includes paid search engine advertising and search engine optimization (SEO). According to the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO), search engine marketers spent over $13.4 billion in 2008. In addition, this figure is expected to grow to over $26 billion by 2013. Of the $13.4 billion spent on SEM, about 10% ($1.4 billion) was spent on SEO [1].

Paid advertising are the small, usually text-based, ads that appear alongside the query results on search engine sites (see Fig. 1). Paid search engine advertising usually works on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis. SEO is a process that seeks to achieve a high ranking in the search engine results for certain search words or phrases. The main difference between SEO and PPC is that with PPC, the merchant pays for every click. With SEO each click is free (but the Web site owner may pay a considerable amount to achieve the high ranking). In addition, recent research has shown that users trust the SEO (called organic) results and are more likely to purchase from them [2].

Industry research indicates that most search engine users only clicked on sites that appeared on the first page of the search results—basically the top 10 results. Very few users clicked beyond the third page of search results [3]. These results confirm the research conducted by Granka et al. [4], in which they found that almost 80% of the clicks on a search engine results page came went to those sites listed in the first three spots.

SEO has become a very big business. Some of the top optimizers and SEO firms regularly charge $20,000 or more per month for ongoing optimization. It is not uncommon for firms with large clients to charge them $150,000 or more on a monthly basis [5].

Because of the importance of high search engine rankings and the profits involved, search engine optimizers look for tools, methods, and techniques that will help them achieve their goals. Some focus their efforts on methods aimed at fooling the search engines. These optimizers are considered “black hat,” while those that closely follow the search engine guidelines would be considered “white hat.” There are two main reasons why it is important to understand the methods employed by black hat optimizers. First, some black hats have proven successful in achieving high rankings. When these rankings are achieved, it means that white hat sites are pushed lower in the search results. However, in some cases these rankings might prove fleeting and there are mechanisms in place to report such sites to the search engines. Second, some of the tools and methods used by black hat optimizers can actually be used by white hat optimizers. In many cases, it is just a matter of scope and scale that separates black and white hat.

While there are some studies dealing with SEO, notably 6, 7, 8, 9, academic research in the area of SEO has been relatively scant given its importance in the online marketing field. This chapter combines the academic work with the extensive practitioner information. Much of that information comes in the form of blogs, forum discussions, anecdotes, and Web sites.

The remainder of this chapter proceeds as follows. Section 2 provides a background on search engines in general and basic SEO concepts. After that a detailed discussion on the SEO process including keyword research, indexing, on-site factors, and linking ensues. The section that follows focuses on black hat SEO techniques. Legal and ethical implications of SEO are then discussed. Finally, implications for management, conclusions, and future research directions are detailed.