Every website owner knows the importance of ranking for important keywords in Google. Everyone assumes that the results on the first page of any search are not only relevant, but also fair - that no one achieves an advantage by cheating the system.
Unfortunately it is quite clear that Google has some difficulty keeping the playing field level for all players.
Consider the case of SunglassesUK.com, one of the leading online sellers of sunglasses in the UK. For years the site was penalized in Google for a non-compliant implementation. The consequences of a Google penalty are severe. The site could not hold productive ranks, and any effort to push rank were futile, with the important searches completely buried deep in the SERPs or not present at all.
This situation was only corrected after great expense, involving outside consultants and the creation of a new implementation model that respected Google's website guidelines. Those guidelines include things like no redundant content, no hidden text or hidden links, and basically no practices that could be interpreted as deceptive.
Once the changes were in place the site immediately came back into the rankings, and everything seemed to be looking up. If you now search in Google.co.uk, the site now ranks very high for every important term and brand. Things now seemed to be as they should, except for one major problem.
SunglassesUK.com now ranks #2 - #4 for many valuable terms, including the brand names of the products carried in the store - some of the most important searches from a commerce perspective. When your site ranks this high for very important terms, like "sunglasses," you clearly want to look closely at the competitors holding the positions above you as you strategize your build.
The site that holds the #1 (and #2 position) for most of the same terms is sunglasses-shop.co.uk, which holds similar positions relative to SunglassesUK.com for most of the other terms targeted by both. But a close inspection of that enterprise reveals them to also be the owners of many other sites that are all competing in this same sunglasses marketplace. And many of these sites hold productive ranks. While many enterprises once used this multi-site technique, this runs clearly counter to Google's best practices guidelines, and owners of multiple sites have been penalized for doing exactly this - if they are caught.
Now this is not simply a question of wholesale/retail sites, where different markets or products are being served. This company has many, many sites all in the same competition. This one company has many horses running in the same race, when everyone else is limited to one.
Here is a list of the sites all owned by this one company, and anyone can clearly see that this is so simply by visiting these sites and clicking links:
Here is a list of the sites that can be readily seen to be controlled by one company:
www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk IP 213.171.219.62
www.tradesunglasses.com IP 213.171.218.35
www.sunglassesuk.net IP 213.171.218.34
www.girlssunglasses.co.uk IP 213.171.218.30
www.menssunglasses.co.uk IP 213.171.218.30
www.aviatorsunglasses.co.uk IP 213.171.218.32
www.celebritysunglasses.co.uk IP 213.171.218.30
www.whatsunglasses.com IP 213.171.218.66
www.mailordersunglasses.com IP 213.171.218.41
www.coolbutcheap.com IP 213.171.218.23
www.mailordersunglasses.co.uk IP 213.171.218.41
www.nueu.net IP 213.171.218.40
www.nueu.co.uk IP 213.171.218.40
www.optical-store.com ip 213.171.218.23 but which resolves to http://www.sxuc.com/
www.sxuc.com IP 213.171.193.75
www.sunglasseseyewear.com IP 213.171.218.64
- all sites have the same area code in the phone number 01702
- all the sunglass sites have the same layout and design
- all sites are totally related as they all promote each other and no one else
Ranks (in Google.co.uk on 26 November 2007):
"sunglasses"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/oakley-sunglasses.asp
14 tradesunglasses.com
"trade sunglasses"
1 tradesunglasses.com/
2 tradesunglasses.com/trade-sunglasses.html
"designer sunglasses"
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk
3 sunglasses-shop.co.uk
98 sunglassesshop.co.uk
"Nueu sunglasses"
1 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/nueu-sunglasses.asp -
3 www.nueu.net/
9 www.tradesunglasses.com/sunglasses/nueu-sunglasses.html
7 http://www.mailordersunglasses.com/Nueu-Sunglasses.asp
11 http://www.coolbutcheap.com/sunglasses/Nueu-Sunglasses/Nueu-Curved-Retro-Sunglasses/80.htm
14 www.sxuc.com/SunglassesChoices.asp?intCatalogID=10005
17 www.girlssunglasses.co.uk/girls-sunglasses-nueu.asp
19 http://www.menssunglasses.co.uk/mens-sunglasses/Nueu-Sunglasses/Nueu-Wayfarer-Sunglasses/81.htm
38 http://www.sunglasseseyewear.com/
51 nueu.co.uk/links.asp
60 http://www.whatsunglasses.com/want-to-be-a-model.asp
62 www.sunglassesshop.co.uk/sxuc-info.asp
65 www.sunglassesuk.net/wholesale-sunglasses.asp
76 http://www.effectpr.com/
77 www.celebritysunglasses.co.uk/wholesale-sunglasses.asp
88 mailordersunglasses.co.uk/sunglasses-online/Bolle-TNT-Polarised/55.htm
"Gucci sunglasses"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/gucci-sunglasses.asp
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/
"Police sunglasses"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/police-sunglasses.asp
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/designer-sunglasses/police.asp
"Armani sunglasses"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/emporio-armani-sunglasses.asp
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk
"wholesale sunglasses"
1 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/wholesale-sunglasses.asp
2 www.tradesunglasses.com/
50 www.sunglassesuk.net/wholesale-sunglasses.asp
60 www.aviatorsunglasses.co.uk/wholesale-sunglasses.asp
"Dior sunglasses"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/dior-sunglasses.asp
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/designer-sunglasses/dior.asp
"Prada sunglasses"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/prada-sunglasses.asp
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/prada-sport-sunglasses.asp
"Rayban sunglasses"
2 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/ray-ban-sunglasses.asp
3 sunglasses-shop.co.uk
"sunglasses shop"
1 sunglasses-shop.co.uk/sunglasses-shop.asp
2 sunglassesshop.co.uk
"Emporio Armani sunglasses"
2 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/emporio-armani-sunglasses.asp
"Giorgio Armani sunglasses"
3 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/giorgio-armani-sunglasses.asp
4 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/uk-sunglasses/Giorgio-Armani-Sunglasses/Giorgio-Armani-568-Gold/3184.htm
"Oakley goggles"
1 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/holidayshop/goggles.asp?Brand=Oakley
"polarized sunglasses"
1 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/sunglasses-information/Polarised-sunglasses.asp
14 www.tradesunglasses.com/sunglasses/polarised-sunglasses.html
"kids sunglasses"
1 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/kids-sunglasses.asp
69 www.sunglassesuk.net/sunglassesuk-sunglasses.asp?sunglassesukID=83
"aviator sunglasses"
1 www.aviatorsunglasses.co.uk/
2 www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk/aviator-sunglasses.asp
27 www.tradesunglasses.com/sunglasses/aviator-sunglasses.html
42 www.sunglassesshop.co.uk/
What is particularly troubling, is that Google has been notified numerous times about this issue, with specific data concerning both sites and ranks, yet Google has not enforced their own guidelines.
Are we to assume that the rules have changed, or are some sites given privileges not available to all? Since we never receive answers to these questions directly from Google, we can only assume that the rulebook is not being fairly applied.
By not enforcing uniform standards, Google is also encouraging this kind of bad behaviour - if it works and you don't get penalized, why would you stop?
We are aware that there are many business owners who may be in a similar situation and not even realize it. But certainly, when abuse is pointed out by a site owner directly impacted by the abuse, action should be expected to correct the abuse.
This is especially frustrating, since SunglassesUK.com was itself penalized for a much smaller level infraction, and has since made a significant effort to remain a good citizen.
I would be interested in hearing of other unfair competitors, as i am sure this happens in every industry, Maybe you have thoughts to share, do you think this is fair?
Jonny
