Search Engine Optimization is an always changing process due to
various reasons. The search engines frequently inform webmasters
that they should not worry about search engine optimization and
that the webmasters should simply focus on building a clean
coded website and ensure that original and quality content is
added to their website.

Certainly both items mentioned are important parts of the search
engine optimization process however it does not end there unlike
what the search engines might tell you.

Webmasters and search engine optimization specialists are
constantly changing their SEO strategies as the search engines
change the way they rank websites several times a year. It has
become a vital part of marketing online.

Black hat search engine optimization is one of the main reasons
why search engines change their algorithms. Black hat techniques
are tricks which webmasters and dodgy search engine optimization
firms perform to a website so that a search engine is tricked
into ranking that website higher in the SERPS.

Search engine algorithms are basically the formula which a
search engine like Google uses to rank a certain website in
comparison to others. This search engine algorithm is closely
guarded by a search engine as webmasters would abuse the
algorithm so that their own website would rank higher in a
search engine like Google or Yahoo.

A good example of black hat search engine optimization was when
webmasters stuffed their Meta tags with keywords so that their
website or a particular webpage would seem more relevant to a
certain keyword.

This was obviously not in the interest of the search engine user
as they ranking of that website or page merely on the merit of
the Meta tags led to many non relevant or bad quality sites to
rank high in the SERPS.

Another famous black hat href="http://www.explainsall.com/">SEO trick is to stiff a
white section on a web page with keywords using white letters.
This did work at one time and it was ideal for webmasters as the
reader could not see the unnecessary keywords stuffed together
on the webpage. However as always the search engines discovered
this black hat search engine optimization trick and put counter
measures in place.

Please note that any website caught by a search engine for using
these black hat optimization methods could be delisted by the
search engine. Google is known especially for finding these
black hat search engine optimization methods and have thrown out
many website from their engine. You can ask to be re-included
however that process can be lengthy and the website needs to
remove all its black hat methods.

Google took the lead and changed their algorithm in the first
example of black hat SEO (stuffing Meta tags) so that the Meta
tags would no longer play an important part in the way that a
website would be ranked. Most search engines have since followed
the same direction as Google did. Well if the Meta tags were
important before as a search engine optimization tool for
webmasters then what is important now?

That's exactly what all the big fuss and secrecy is about with
search engine optimization. Each time a SE (search engine)
changes their algorithm then website owners and website
marketing companies which include search engine optimization
firms will use their resources to discover what the algorithm is
so that they can change their site for better rankings.

You can read the other half of this Search Engine Optimization
article at the authors website. Please visit href="http://www.explainsall.com/search_engine_optimization.html"
>Search Engine Optimization for additional SEO advice.



About the author:
Jan is an experienced Search Engine Optimization specialist
having worked in this field in 4 continents.