Google Removes Black Hat SEO Company

By Susanne Svette, IdeaStar Search Engine Specialist

Google is really starting to pay better attention to those SEO firms that practice techniques to deceive the search engines. They have recently removed a rather infamous "black hat" SEO firm and all of that firms clients from the Google index. Matt Cutts (Google employee) confirmed on his personal blog that Google removed the firm and those companies promoted by that firm because they violated Google's webmaster guidelines.

Can imagine being one of those clients? There is a lot of leg work in getting your site relisted in Google. Who do they trust?

What's the lesson?

• Know the practices of the SEO firm you hire. Do not risk your brand for immediate ranking. You want long term results.

Copyright © 2006 IdeaStar
All rights reserved.

Is it Natural or Sponsored?

By Susanne Svette, IdeaStar Search Engine Specialist

If you search in Google for NBC Olympics the first result is from Google Video. Did they pay for placement? I don't see the standard "Sponsored Listing" text that we have become so accustomed to but there is the blue background that is normally very evident for Google's paid search results. So how did nbcolympics.com get the honorable first place listing?

According to MediaPost Publications, "The placement was the result of a partnership that NBC announced with Google on Thursday, along with a host of other initiatives to promote the Torino Games. Under the agreement, NBC will provide Google Video with hundreds of pre-game previews and in-game 15-second previews of NBCOlympics.com that will link to NBCOlympics.com for full highlight clips, as well as post-Games clips and highlights of individual sports."

What is this going to mean for the rest of us? Can "we" partner with Google to receive the Gold Medal of search engine results?

Copyright © 2006 IdeaStar
All rights reserved.

BMW Germany's Big SEO Faux Pas

By Susanne Svette, IdeaStar Search Engine Specialist

Driving to work this morning I was surprised to hear on National Public Radio that BMW Germany had been blacklisted in Google! Blacklisted?! BMW?!

Here's what happens when you hire an overzealous Search Engine Optimization firm who uses unethical search techniques to improve rankings:
Matt Cutts gives insight on what BMW did to get banned

Good Luck BMW. I've never had a Web site get blacklisted and am very interested in seeing how this gets resolved. I will keep you updated.

Copyright © 2006 IdeaStar
All rights reserved.