Black hat SEO, better than paid links

Summary: JC Penny is being investigated by Google for gaming the search engine in order to have its Web site appear on top of Google’s search results for items such as dresses, bedding and skinny jeans. The article explores a secret industry that utilizes Google search algorithm’s  to improve a site’s organic search rank.

Image from http://blog.tigglobal.com

Apparently you can game Google’s algorithm if you have the time, or pay someone to do it. Vanessa Fox’s blog Nine by Blue links to a New York Time’s article about Google’s investigation into JC Penny’s Web site appearing on the top of Google’s search results on everything the store carries.

Without asserting that JC Penny actually engaged in the practice, it is easy to understand why it would be tempting. When conducting a web search, most people avoid the paid advertising link that appears on the top of the results. While “black-hat” optimization is not illegal, it is looked down upon by Google, and anyone caught doing so risks banishment from its search engine results.

BMW was caught by doing in 2006.

And how does one game Google? Simple, have as many Web sites link to you with the desired anchor as possible. You can do this by making a few hundred Web sites designed for that purpose, or pay a bunch of Web site owners to add it to their site.

Or you can just find a marketing company willing to do this for you.