SEO Blog

Search Engine Optimisation is polarised, both as an industry and a practice.  There are those that stick rigidly to the rules and look for new ways to develop sites without incurring the wrath of angry search engines – white hats. Then there are those who do the exact opposite – black hats.

In recent weeks this debate has stepped up a little. In fact just about everybody is having their say on which is right and which is wrong. The basic truth is that both work, however one is entirely safe whilst the other certainly is not.

Black hat largely relies on underhanded techniques designed to slip under the radar. These tactics are far from accidental and are in fact incredibly clever – and effective. Despite the huge risks, black hat SEO survives thanks to the huge potential rewards.
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SEO is far from black and white. There are so many nuances and subtle tweaks that can make all the difference. There are also those techniques that are slightly risqué; not black hat, but certainly not white hat either. In short, there is a lot to learn about SEO other than what is immediately on the surface.

Let’s look at reciprocal linking. It is frowned upon by search engines, especially when it is done with the passing of money or other benefits. A site owner with numerous domains should certainly think twice about linking them all together, especially if they are hosted on the same server, under the same name. Search engines aren’t stupid and this kind of activity will lead to penalties.

But what about where it is a little less cut and dry? Is it possible to gain from reciprocal linking? Well, as we know, links are the lifeblood of search engines. They need them to navigate the maze of websites and to effectively index each page they encounter. So we know that having a strong link from a relevant source will bring authority with it.
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