Black hat SEO relies on tricking Google’s algorithm to boost rankings, whereas white hat SEO focuses on enhancing the user experience.

Black hat tactics can range from keyword stuffing to link farming, and while they may offer short-term gains, they ultimately violate search engine guidelines and often result in getting a site penalised or even banned.

White hat SEO, on the other hand, utilises ethical strategies such as creating quality content, earning natural backlinks, and optimising the site for user experience.

A Google algorithm update refers to when Google updates or “tweaks” its algorithm to vary what the SERP displays. These updates enhance results and ensure that users are satisfied with the pages suggested.

As the leading search engine, Google must deliver the most relevant results possible to ensure that users are viewing the best content for their needs. It takes a variety of factors into account, such as user expectations and technology advancements.

As a business owner or marketer, it’s important to stay on top of these updates and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.

Here are 7 indicators to check that your SEO is working:

Impressions: Are your pages showing up frequently in search results?
Traffic: Check your website’s organic traffic.
Conversions: Are visitors taking desired actions on your site?
Amount of pages ranking: How many of your pages are ranking for keywords?
Quality backlinks pointing to your site: Backlinks are one of the most important Google ranking factors.
Referrals: Referrals increase trust.
Domain and page authority: This measures the credibility of your website.
SEO is an ongoing process, so you may not see results instantly.

Backlinks are an essential part of a successful SEO strategy since they demonstrate to the main search engine algorithms that your content is valuable and trustworthy.

It is important to note that not all backlinks are created equal. The more reputable and relevant the source, the better the SEO boost. Each quality backlink serves as a vote of confidence for your website.

If you receive a large number of backlinks from other websites, search engine rankings will prioritise your page, increasing its visibility.

SMEs should choose SEO over paid digital advertising channels when:

Timeframe: Paid advertising offers immediate visibility as ads start to appear in front of users as soon as they are published. This can be ideal for short-term campaigns or promotions that require quick visibility. In contrast, SEO takes time to build up authority and improve rankings. The results from SEO efforts generally become apparent over several months.

Scale: While paid advertising can deliver quick results, its scalability is directly tied to the advertising budget. To increase visibility and traffic through paid ads, you must proportionately increase your ad spending. On the other hand, SEO is inherently more scalable over the long term. As your site’s authority grows, you continue to attract more traffic without the need for a corresponding increase in budget. Over time, SEO can provide a higher return on investment as it builds a sustainable source of traffic.

SGE, or Search Generative Experience, is a Google search feature that enhances the traditional search experience by leveraging advanced AI algorithms to generate more accurate and contextually relevant search results. In essence, based on indexed results from your website and competitors, it answers users’ queries while citing its sources.

By websites with rich unique content, SGE helps to push your brand to a prominent place on Google Search. This increases both brand awareness and increases the chances of users clicking through to your website.

EEAT stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s a set of criteria used by search engines to evaluate the quality and credibility of a website.

Expertise: Marketers should highlight the expertise of their content creators, including author bios, credentials, and relevant experience. This builds trust with both users and search engines, making the content more likely to be viewed as authoritative.

Authoritativeness: Marketers can enhance their website’s authority by creating high-quality, well-researched content that earns backlinks from reputable sources.

Trustworthiness: Marketers should focus on building trust through transparent and accurate information. Trust signals such as customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies can also play a crucial role.