Search engine optimization professionals have probably heard of the expression known as blackhat SEO. Blackhat SEO embraces a collection of strategies used to boost a website's or page's ranking in search engine results, but done in ways that violate the search engines' terms of service.

Essentially, blackhat SEO is a shortcut that could get your site to the top of search engine rankings quickly. However, these tactics are often seen as manipulative, and search engines like Google can heavily penalize sites discovered using them.

A popular blackhat technique is keyword stuffing. This involves packing a webpage with keywords or numbers to manipulate a site's ranking in Google search rankings. They might come across in a list, group, out of context, or overlaid on the background.

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

Cloaking is an even riskier blackhat method. This involves different content is presented to search engines than to users, basically redirecting users to different pages without their consent.

Despite the risks, why do people use blackhat SEO? The straightforward answer is: to achieve quick results. These tactics give websites the illusion of relevance, boosting them up the search results rapiidly.

However, the gain is short-lived. Search engines now incorporate complex algorithms that identify these deceptive techniques. Once they're identified, penalties could include reduced rankings or even being deleted entirely from the search index.

As a claim, many websites are shifting to white hat SEO strategies. These are methods that aim to build a website's prominence in legitimate ways. Some here examples are creating relevant content that provides useful information to the reader, optimizing website tags, or creating a positive user interface.

In conclusion, while blackhat SEO may seem a quick way to boost your site's visibility, it's a risky game to play. It's smarter to focus whitehat SEO strategies, that improve your website through appropriate means, thus providing long-term success.