Digital marketing specialists have probably heard of the expression known as blackhat SEO. Blackhat SEO entails a collection of strategies deployed to improve a website's or page's ranking in search engine rankings, but through methods that violate here the search engines' terms of service.

Basically, blackhat SEO is a quickfire approach that may get your site to the forefront of search results quickly. However, these techniques are often seen as manipulative, and search engines like Google may severely penalize sites discovered using them.

A popular blackhat technique is overusing keywords. This entails loading a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might come across in a list, pile, out of context or in a hidden div.

Creating link farms is another common tactic. Here, websites are connected together in a circular network to boost the rank of all the sites in the chain. However, if a site is linked to from many irrelevant sites, it could also be penalized.

Cloaking is an even riskier blackhat method. This is when different content is presented to search engines than to users, basically redirecting users to different pages apart from their permission.

Despite the harsh consequences, why do people use blackhat SEO? The simple answer is: for instant success. These methods give websites the pretense of popularity, boosting them up the search results fast.

However, the benefit is temporary. Search engines now incorporate advanced algorithms that identify these deceptive techniques. Once they're identified, penalties could include reduced rankings or even being erased entirely from the search index.

As a claim, many websites are embracing white hat SEO strategies. These are approaches that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some examples are creating quality content that provides helpful information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user journey.

To sum up, while blackhat SEO may appear a rapid way to boost your site's visibility, it's a dangerous game to play. It's smarter to concentrate whitehat SEO strategies, that improve your website through appropriate means, thereby providing enduring success.