The line between black and white hat marketing strategy can be blurry, and while certain signals are fading in relevance, new ones are emerging that require investment. Black hat strategies may lead to popularity, but also carry the risk of being banned.
The manipulation of charts and ratings on sites like TripAdvisor and Reddit through black hat marketing techniques is not new, but it can have profound impacts on how consumers make decisions.
The corrupt side of bestseller lists involves figuring out the algorithm and manipulating the system, but engaging in such black hat marketing strategies can result in getting banned from the platform altogether.
The world is becoming more interconnected and diverse, and as a result, old signals need to be discarded and new ones embraced to create value. It's important to be culturally aware and willing to overinvest in honest signals that align with our values.