As many of you know, I’m a strict white hat SEO. In the SEO world, I see some people (who shall remain nameless) who use very gray hat methods… And guess what, sometimes it works. However, you have to believe that Google is keeping a record of what you’re up to, even if you haven’t gotten dinged yet.

Let’s think for a second about what “gray hat” even means. To me, a gray hat is just a black hat that has so far eluded detection. But just because Google hasn’t yet figured out how to automatically detect/punish a gray hat tactic, that doesn’t give you the green light to use it. In time, you can bet that Google will not only figure it out (since they have more money and resources than *insert favorite rich person/deity here*), they will probably be able to mine a historical record of your activities and then penalize you for past sins, even if you’ve since “come clean”. Think of it as Google’s “cold case” file, and DNA testing is about to be invented.

So what does this all mean? It means that you shouldn’t be out there using shady SEO tactics – even if you believe you can successfully “fly under the radar” for a period of time. Sure it can get you some quick rankings and traffic, but it won’t last. SEO should be a long term goal, not a short-sighted shady stroll in the SERPs.

Read my Search Engine Land article for more of my thoughts on this topic.