BMW.DE (which isn't Delaware)
I got a text message from my nephew and colleague Kevin Hudson (My dear friend Steve Forbes said nepotism is fine as long as you keep in the family!) while I was on my way back to Europe. The message was about how Google decided to ban BMW of Germany from its listings for trying to trick the system. Apparently they did a big SEO no-no by trying to show Google one thing and you or I something different. This article explained it all

Now every one of us would like nothing more than to appear first when typing our company into Google, gaming the system can have severe consequences. Google made its name by delivering the best search results of any search engine. When people try to trick Google into putting a site first that isn’t the most relevant, they are trying to exploit Google. It is in Google’s best interest to kick these sites out, just as they did for BMW.de.

To be at the top of Google for a specific term, your site needs to be viewed as the most relevant for that term. Not just by Google, but by other sites that Google respects. Search Engine Optimization isn’t a black art, but a dedicated effort to be viewed as the most relevant site for that search term.

When you are looking for ways to get to the top of the search rankings, be careful when these firms claim they know the tricks to put you at the top of Google. Ask BMW of Germany how their tricks worked.