With SEO, there’s always been an obsession with shortcuts or ways to “hack” to the top of search results. These tricks, often referred to as white or black hat SEO, deliver quick wins but can come with significant risks. As a refresher:
- White Hat: Legit strategies that grow your brand the right way.
- Black Hat: Unethical SEO tricks that might help in the short term, but put your business at risk.
If you’re abusing the latter, once search engines catch on (and they always do), they’ll penalize your search rankings or even de-index your site completely. Similarly, for answer engine optimization (AEO), it’s no surprise that people are trying their own hacks to reach the top of answers. As digital marketers, we had no other choice but to coin a new term for these modern-age answer engine cheats: Blue Hat AEO. So why blue? It represents intelligence, and it’s time we get smarter about AI and SEO!
Unrelated to this, but someone recently asked if we could “set up a Google Ads account on their behalf” to essentially do unethical advertising. We turned it down, of course. It reminds us that in today’s digital world, everyone is looking for an edge.
Anyways, let’s dive into “blue hat tricks” that absolutely won’t work in 2025 and beyond.
1. Pump and Dump Content
Are you publishing dozens or even hundreds of AI-generated articles every week? You’re not alone, and if you haven’t looked at a search console in a while, you’re in for a big surprise… So here’s the problem: AI content often converges to the same patterns, phrases, and sentence structures. Even if it sounds unique, algorithms can recognize when it resembles other AI-generated content in an oddly familiar way.
Answer and search engines are cracking down on what they now consider AI abuse. OpenAI/ChatGPT, Google, Bing, and other engines are updating their algorithms to specifically identify low-quality, mass-produced content.
If you rely on this AI hack to flood your business site with generic articles, expect your visibility to tank and be penalized. Our best advice is to use AI to “nudge” your content work, not replace it.
2. Link Spamming Scams
You’ve probably seen those emails: “Gain thousands of backlinks!” or “Guest posts on high-authority sites for cheap!” Yes, that’s another form of black hat SEO, and now it’s also a blue hat issue.
Modern search engines and AI-driven crawlers can instantly detect unnatural linking patterns. Participating in link farms, buying backlinks, or using automated link-building tools won’t just flop; it can severely damage your brand.
Ultimately, there’s no shortcut to backlinking. You must earn it through hard work and high-quality content, and it must originate from credible, reputable sources.
3. The “Skip SEO” Mindset
There’s no skipping the fundamentals. You can’t climb the rankings or “answer engines” without consistent SEO. Why? Because answer engines rely heavily on SEO indexing. In fact, ChatGPT and other answer engines built their answers from Bing search results pages.
Therefore, being more visible online means being everywhere your audience expects you to be:
- Local listings
- Community involvement
- Consistent content
- Updated Google Business profiles
Remember, SEO isn’t a one-and-done effort. It’s a long-term game that’s won by inches. In fact, businesses that succeed in SEO are those that periodically update their content to accommodate search algorithm updates, changes in search habits, and shifting demographics.
Looking for help with AEO/SEO? Please let us know below, and our team will be in touch with you shortly.
4. The Content Shotgun Approach
Publishing random content with no strategy is a big no-no and is the final blue hat trick. You can publish great articles, but if no one is searching for them, your efforts will be wasted. And if people don’t engage, your ranking on SERPs suffers. Instead of pumping out volume, focus on intent. Ask yourself:
- Are people searching for these topics?
- Does the content lead them to my services?
- Or am I just chasing keywords that will never convert?
The answers to these questions aren’t easily available and require some tools to uncover insights. Keep in mind that the best SEO hacks aren’t really hacks at all; they’re the result of clarity, consistency, and understanding your audience.
The Bottom Line
There are no shortcuts for SEO or in AEO. The digital world has gotten smarter, and so have the systems behind it.
With answer engine optimization, make sure it’s ethical, strategic, and aligned with your long-term goals. The same goes for SEO: focus on what works sustainably, not what promises instant gratification while putting your brand at risk.
So if you’re serious about answer ranks and want to avoid the pitfalls of quick hacks, we’re here to help! From AI-driven strategy to SEO programs, we’ll make sure your business gets found the right way.
Contact Uplancer today to optimize your digital and rank better on answer engines.
