Newbie question.

What is cloaking? Sure - Showing SE type1, showing visitors type2

[I Will Make It]

I've read plenty of times that cloaking is used to show different content to search engines vs real visitors.

But how? Are there several ways to do this?

Can I as an example make a small PHP code that checks the IP?

Like this:

if ($ip = "some ip in my SE-ip-list.txt") {
show SE optimized page
} else {
show VISITOR optimized page
}

What about the redirecting using javascript / php / head tag in html
is this considered cloaking?
What if I use redirecting in .htaccess?

Thank you in advance for any replies!

[volatilegx]

Can I as an example make a small PHP code that checks the IP?

Yes, your example would be cloaking.

What about the redirecting using javascript / php / head tag in html
is this considered cloaking?
What if I use redirecting in .htaccess?

Well, doing it with JavaScript isn't cloaking because both humans and search engine spiders receive the same content, it is just interpreted differently.

Otherwise, yes, you can cloak in .htaccess by using mod_rewrite to generate redirects for certain user agents and/or IP addresses.

[I Will Make It]

Thank you, I like it when things finally come clear :)

And by the way, I have to say you are doing a fantastic job being a moderator on this forum! I've read all the posts, at least 'till page 10 ;) - And you are the one posting answers almost all the time! So thank you again for this great job you're doing!

One questrion more.. The example I wrote in my last post, would this be considered black hat? Is there any ways to cloak in a white hat-way, but still showing the main page to visitors, but a SEO page to the spiders?

[volatilegx]

Thanks for the compliments, but as for answering all the questions, I'd really prefer more user involvement ;) That would make it more of a community than a "get Dan's opinion" board.

One questrion more.. The example I wrote in my last post, would this be considered black hat? Is there any ways to cloak in a white hat-way, but still showing the main page to visitors, but a SEO page to the spiders?

It's definitely black hat. Cloaking for the purposes of displaying optimized content to spiders is always black hat, no matter what technique is used to do it.

[1EightT]

definitely use ip cloaking vs user-agent cloaking. I use a script from simplifiedsec dot com that works pretty well.

[ska_demon]

Like this:

if ($ip = "some ip in my SE-ip-list.txt") {
show SE optimized page
} else {
show VISITOR optimized page
}

more like

if ($ip = "some ip in my SE-ip-list.txt") {
show SE OPTIMISED page
} else {
show VISITOR MONEY MAKING/REAL CONTENT page
}

I can vouch for the fact that redirects work for a short time only, and, if used for purely black hat reasons (ie rankings)the domain should (in my case anyway ;oP) be considered a throwaway.

Ska