Google Bombing

Google Bombing is one of the so-called "black hat" practices with which the Ranking of a single page or website is improved by exploiting loopholes in Google's algorithm. This involves artificially inflating the number of pages linking to a target page and over-optimizing the anchor texts for the links. This is a rather "dirty" method that is more amateurish than real SEO work. It goes without saying that we do not advocate this kind of SEO technique.

How does Google Bombing work?

Google's algorithmic calculation methods are closely guarded. However, the SEO community knows that it is the PageRank still exists, even if the Search Engine no longer announces it publicly, as was the case a few years ago. The robots take into account the popularity of the page that sets the link to determine the popularity of the target page. They also use link anchors, which are already an indication for Google about the content of the target page. So, if thousands of websites use the same anchor to indicate a page, for example, "restaurant in New York City," the Search Engine view the target page as a reference page for the search query "restaurant in New York City". In theory, this is quite simple. In practice, in 2021, robot behavior is different. Their development has the Google Bombing-effect is significantly reduced.

The most famous Google Bombing

If you've been interested in SEO for a few years, you may have heard of the "Miserable failure" search query. This is the most famous Google Bombingthat George Bush experienced in 2004. His biography, published on the official White House website, was the subject of thousands and thousands of links with the anchor "Miserable failure". Thus, the site was associated with this request.

But the first Google Bombing was started by Adam Mathes to make fun of his friend. He linked to his website with the phrase "talentless hack". Adam Mathes obviously had a pretty muddy sense of humor! Some time later, it was the movie and the query "Supersize Me" that became a reference to McDonald's, which was not exactly to the taste of the restaurant chain that was heavily criticized in this feature film. In France, it was Nicolas Sarkozy who won the prize for a Google Bombing paid, which was associated with the term "asshole of the Internet". Classy!

A notorious Google Bombing finally is related to the search query "Jew," which placed an anti-Semitic website in Google's top results.

At the time, it was a technique that could seriously damage a personality or a brand's image, and could even prove dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands.

The end of Google Bombing?

In 2007, Google put a stop to these practices with a significant algorithm update. It is said that the current robots are good enough to detect fake links that are intended to harm a website. These links are then considered "spam" and are no longer considered for the SERP-Ranking considered.

Conclusion

Google Bombing is an outdated black-hat practice that is not only unfair, but has become ineffective. If you still believe that you are a victim of Google Bombing you can tell the Search Engine report, which will follow up.