In the previous post, we took a look at gray hat SEO techniques in general. This time, let us take a closer look at these practices and be a bit more specific.

Cloaking
Cloaking is the practice wherein the web site owner provides information to the search engines which is different from what the site actually contains. Obviously, this is a practice that reeks of deception. However, there are certain cases when this practice can be deemed acceptable. For example, if the web site has content that is available only to members then it could be acceptable. Then again, this practice can very well be abused. That is the main reason cloaking is considered gray hat SEO.

Paid links
We all know how important links are for SEO. That is why it is quite understandable that the practice of buying links can become questionable. Purchasing links for advertising purposes is fine. However, if you purchase links solely because you want in link-popularity, then it could be considered shady. In fact, the suggestion is that you work on links to increase your traffic and just consider the increase in link-popularity as icing on top of the cake.

Duplicate content
Duplicate content can be considered legitimate in certain cases but rarely. For example, indexing and abstracting web sites may have duplicate content. In most cases, though, duplicate content is considered unacceptable.

Bottom line: when in doubt, be on the safe side.

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I’ve heard about black hat SEO and white hat SEO but have you ever encountered gray hat SEO? If you think about it, it does not really take a rocket scientist to figure out what gray hat SEO is all about. As in the real world, things are not always black and white, there will always be gray areas – those activities and ideologies which do not clearly conform to either extreme.

When it comes to SEO, the gray areas abound. However, in my point of view – as well as many others, I believe – gray hat SEO leans towards black hat more than white hat. This is because gray hat SEO simply employs techniques that are quite akin to spamming but not quite labeled by Google (and other authorities in the field) as black hat – as of yet.

Practicing gray hat SEO is much like trying to fly below the radar, trying not to get the attention of those who are in the lookout. However, the fact that you feel that you need to fly under the radar means that you are engaging in illegitimate activities or, at the very least, activities bordering on the illegitimate.

Why would anyone want to engage in gray hat SEO? If you are asking that question, then you may very well ask, “Why would anyone want to engage in black hat SEO?” The bottom line is the same – they want to achieve good search engine rankings the “easy” way. Somewhere along the road though, Google will catch up on these practitioners and penalize them – then, regret will be felt.

In the next post, let’s look at some gray hat SEO tactics.

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“Why can’t I be number 1?” “Why am I always behind (insert site here)?”

“How do they do it? Why can’t I do it?”

Sounds familiar? If you find yourself in a similar situation, it’s time to change tactics. So don your spy glasses and your trench coat as we embark on a journey called “competitive analysis.”

Competitive analysis is the process of discovering what makes other sites tick. Some call it spying but that’s such an ugly word. Let’s stick with competitive analysis shall we? The main idea behind competitive analysis is to find out what steps did the other camp do to reach a better ranking. Ready to walk on tip-toes? Then read on.

1) Check out the source – the source code of your competitor’s site may provide you with a plethora of information. From the metadata, to the actual content, careful scrutiny might just reveal what keywords they are targeting or software they are using

2) Bring out the tools of the trade – If you struck out with the source code, you can try using the different available programs around the Internet, like the Keyword Density Analysis tool to bring possible keyphrases that they are focusing on. There are also several free and paid SEO tools that help you analyze websites in-depth. This includes SEO Spyglass, WebCEO, etc. Use these tools to cross-examine the competition.

3) Know who they’re working with – Snoop around and see who are linking your competitor’s site. No need to be obvious about your activities, a simple search from Google or Yahoo can reveal this information.

If all goes well, after the stake out, you should have in your hands the information that you need. From keywords to possible backlinks, all you need to do now is to analyze and decide which are worth keeping. Applying them to your site is just one way of using the information gathered. Just remember, mum’s the word.

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Everybody’s buzzing about SEO. Like a lover it promises the earth, the sun, and the sky, which, for web masters, equates to higher ranking, higher exposure, and ultimately, higher profit. But here’s a general truth: not everyone likes to read, especially when it’s littered with technical jargon like SEO books are. If you’re the type who gets dizzy after reading the first page, I’m giving you an alternative: free online video tutorials. So get off your lazy ass and put that popcorn in the microwave. It’s time for some serious video marathon.

Eyeflow

If it’s basic you want, then it’s Eyeflow you must see. Eyeflow contains video tutorials that introduce what SEO is and what are the different basic elements involved in the SEO process. Explained by segments, it introduces the crucial players of SEO; keywords, links, and some dos and don’ts in the SEO arena.

SEOBOOK

Worthy of mention is another free video tutorial site named SEOBOOK. It features the basics of SEO as well as different topics that would help you in your quest for a higher rank. The main site itself shows only a few of the available tutorials by SEOBOOK. The bulk of the guides are housed under YouTube. Click on the YouTube profile link and view all 19 guides ranging from the most basic to the advanced techniques as well as reviews of tools to let you stay ahead in the SEO race.

GSINC

Another site with comprehensive tutorials available in the Net for free is GSINC. Here, SEO consultant Gareth Davies discusses search engine optimization basics, as well as tips and tricks to get you fast-tracked. He talks about most of the important topics dealing with SEO, from keywords to backlinks as well as search engine features, and how to use them to your own advantage.

Do you know of other SEO video tutorials that I haven’t listed? Please let me know via the comments to share them with the other readers.

(Unless you’re so secretive about your resources )

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