How the "Black Hat World" Can Negatively Affect Your Business

Anyone who has been working on search engine optimization for a while will tell you that this industry is unfortunately filled with too many people whose anti-competitive approach to the industry leaves often involves unethical practices. There is an entire subset of SEO called the "black hat world," and it is comprised of bad actors who believe that they are on the same level as malicious hackers.

One of the most insidious strategies applied by those who operate in the black hat SEO world consists of posting fake reviews of local businesses on the Google Maps platform, which appears to be on track to overtake Yelp in terms of popularity. This is a problem that cannot be easily fixed, but many organizations think they need to take on these trolls. It can be overwhelming to learn of this industry's many anti-competitive practices, but it is a valuable trade-off. In the interest of being prepared, it is sometimes better to learn about the dark side than the light.

Here's one thing that can give you a glimpse into just how bad this situation has become: There are SEO agencies that focus on helping business owners reverse the damage done by scores of fake negative reviews. This trend is tangentially related to the reputation management field, but it is emerging as a cottage industry with significant potential for growth, and it could be the best option for local companies that are seeing their business decimated by false commentary.

The world of SEO has changed in the past 15 years, and it has also become more complicated. There are now an increasing number of search engines that don't know what they are doing. A search for your favorite restaurant, or even the name of your favorite restaurant, will often result in a search that finds your home address, phone number, and even the name of your daughter's babysitter; this is likely the work of black hat SEO players. There are ways for business owners to take on the arduous task of contacting Google in order to set the matter straight, but the agencies that are taking care of this now are trying to build working relationships with the search engine giant. For more information click here https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/nkd5os/fakegooglereviewshavedestroyedourbusiness/.