Part of web development is ensuring that the website is properly indexed by search engines' spiders. There are many search engine optimisation (SEO) specialists and copywriters, and as Google and other search engines contunually update their algorithms, new skills are needed every day. However, search engine optimisation is one thing; 'unfairly' tricking search engiines another, and the search engines deal with it very severely. Google is will filter out and block those trying to manipulate the system unfairly. There are many ways you can get yourself banned Google.

Avoid the following:-

1. Cloaking

Cloaking is when you add text and links into the html of your web pages which is hidden from your human visitors, usually by making it the same colour as the background of your page. Hidden text tends to be stuffed with keywords in the hope that people searching for "sex", "britney spears" , "David Beckham" or any popular search phrase will stumble across their site.

2. Too many key words - remember 'less is more'

You know keywords are important. But filling a page with too many and irrelevant keywords will not help. Firstly, If the key words are not linked to the rest of the page, Google won't take much notice of it, and secondly, too many keywords is worse than too few: it can result in a blacklisting.

The best solution is to write good quality, unique, keyword-rich copy that your human visitors will be interested in.
Google is trying to find its human searchers the best, most relevant results for their query. It is trying to match human needs.

3. Duplicating Material

Google likes fresh, unique content on each page. It will notice if you repeat yourself, and your site will be penalised.

4. FFA (Free for all) Pages, Link Exchanges, Link Farms and Excessive Cross-Linking

Any scheme to provide you with 1000s of links to boost your ranking will not work. You will not be penalised for someone linking to your site. That is because it is outwith your control, but join a link farm and you may soon regret it.

5. Phishing

Phishing is an illegal activity whereby a site is set up which looks a lot like a secure legitimate site, such as a bank or credit card company login page. The site is then used to farm unsuspecting visitors' bank and contact details, fooling them into thinking they are simply logging in as usual or changing their password. Google bans phishing sites whenever it finds them.

6. Doorway Pages

A doorway page is a page made especially for search engines (and hence not for human visitors). It is designed in such a way that no human visitor will ever see it, and it contains keyword-rich copy, or even just a list of keywords. Some webmasters, knowing that different search engines have different algorithms, make separate doorway pages for each search engine. There is even software that can generate pages which the different search engines are supposed to like.

Generally speaking, doorway pages are a bad idea. Most search engines prohibit their use and will ban you if they find you out. The use of these pages is particularly unacceptable if the keywords you use in the doorway page are not related to the content of your site. What's more, these pages clutter up search engines with nonsense and make it harder for everyone to find what they're looking for. (See how Google banned BMW)

7. Repeatedly Submitting Your Site

Once you've submitted your site to search engines you don't need to do it again. Resubmitting might not get you banned, but it will certainly annoy the search engines, and it won't do you any good. In fact, some believe that submitting your site actually reduces your chances of a high page ranking.

8. Numerous Virtual Hostnames

A virtual hostname is an additional hostname that redirects to your site's actual hostname. Sometimes these can be used legitimately, as when you have a long URL that is difficult to remember, and so register a Domain Name which redirects to your site which is easier for your customers to remember and type. Having dozens of them, however, is misleading, and the search engines will not be impressed.

9. Illegal Material

Illegal pornography, and other illegal material, will be banned from Google and other search engines as soon as it is found, no questions asked.

How To Do It Right

Nefarious techniques for boosting search engine rankings are, in the long term, a waste of time: they may produce a fast result, but it won't last for long, and you might even find yourself banned, which can be devastating.

A few good tips:

Content is the key factor that search engines take into account. Good quality, unique, keyword-rich copy is your best bet. Not only will it attract the search engine spiders, but your real-life visitors will be more likely to return to read more.

Update regularly. Give your human and electronic visitors something to come back for; new content is attractive.

Links to your website are also important. Consider swapping links with complementary websites (such as businesses which offer a related service but which aren't direct competitors).

Don't link to sites that you wouldn't touch if search engines didn't exist. Forums and message boards are also valuable places to post links to your site, but don't spam them.