Many Web Publishers Are Wondering - Why is Google Penalizing So Many Websites?
By Wil Ford

In order to fully explore the consequences of manipulating Google’s Web search results, one must first understand the definition of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which means optimizing a site for high website rankings in Google’s unpaid search engine listings. According to the SEO industry, there are three primary SEO practices. There are white hat SEO (acceptable practices), gray hat SEO (some-what acceptable practices) and black hat SEO (unacceptable practices).

The lure of easy money has compelled many home-based affiliate marketers to hound Google, the major source of FREE Web traffic. Since Google’s inception, many home-based marketers have made a fortune online. Sadly, most of these marketers do not have enough or any money for Internet advertising. Today, white hat SEO is widely employed by many Internet marketers, all of whom are obsessed with the secret of search engine optimization.

Pay-per-click search engine (PPC or PPCSE) advertising has became increasingly more expensive and competitive for the average Internet marketer, each of whom would rather use “so-called” white hat search engine promotion to drive visitors to affiliate sites, from each of which he or she earns a commission for each referral that converts to a sale. Many motivated marketers realize that natural search engine optimization is the alternative to traditional ppc advertising.

Amazingly, many people don’t realize that Google hates the SEO practices of parasitic Internet marketers, most of whom who clutter Google’s search results with spammy listing. The Mountain View, California-based company hopes to improve the efficiency of their search algorithm to deter overly aggressive marketing efforts and the unfair manipulation of Google’s Web search engine results.

Most Googlers — who frequently use Google — are almost always researching for information, products and services, in which they are interested. Contrary to popular belief, many of the Googlers are not in the mood to buy at the moment as they search the Google listings. Any un-welcomed spammy listing in the search results will deter an annoyed Googler from visiting such spammy websites, resulting in lost sales for unethical Web publishers and affiliates. A Googler almost always never returns to an unethical website that tricks him or her into visiting it through the search results. Period!

While many Web publishers and affiliates are hard-working and honest marketers, others are parasitic Web publishers who mercilessly suck the life from Google’s superfast search engine. The rogue Web publishers often hire ruthless Search Engine Optimizers and firms, whose illicit marketing strategies and search engine manipulation drive traffic to the affiliate programs and websites which their clients are aggressively promoting.

According to the Google Information for Webmasters, Google deems ethical Search Engine Optimizers and SEO firms’ duties to include:

• Writing copy (not SEO copywriting) for a website.
• Giving advice on site architecture (not search engine optimization).
• Helping to find relevant directories and related Web pages to which a website can be submitted.
• Basic web design and development.

However, Google warns Webmasters to avoid Search Engine Optimizers and SEO firms who:

• Send prospective clients unsolicited email about search engine ranking or positioning.
• Perform any sort of SEO to manipulate search engine rankings.
• Guarantee prospective clients a #1 ranking on Google (which is for on obscure, long keyword phrases most of which Google will eventually give any indexed website FREE anyway).
• Are secretive or won’t clearly explain to their clients about their SEO practices.
• Secretly link their clients’ websites to their own corporate SEO website.
• Offers to sell keywords in the address bar.
• Own a network of shadow domains that are not Google-friendly.
• Secretly links their clients’ sites to their other clients on doorway pages.
• Don’t distinguish to their clients the between between actual search results and ads that appear in search results.
• Operate with falsified or anonymized WHOIS info or multiple aliases.
• Gets traffic from “fake” search engines, scumware, or spyware.
• Is not itself listed in Google or have had domains removed from Google’s index.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is actually Search Engine Poisoning (SEP). To prevent search engine complications, ethical Internet marketers must avoid Search Engine Optimizers and SEO firms who are not Google-friendly. In fact, Google deems any sort of optimizing to manipulate search engine rankings as unethical.

Web publishers and affiliate marketers are better off taking the time to learn basic Internet promotion or ppc advertising, as well as hiring a reputable and affordable Web developer who writes compelling copy for a website, develops a website’s architecture, and submit a website to relevant directories and related Web pages. Many honest and industrious Web publishers and affiliate marketers are glad they took the time to master the craft of affiliate marketing and ppc advertising.

Copyright (c) 2008 Wil Ford

Wil Ford is a Weblogger and Web developer. Visit Wil’s Domain, a human-edited and well-categorized Web and blog directory, where you can discover the best destinations online.

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