Search engine optimization is so competitive that some resort to Black Hat SEO techniques to increase their ranking, a desperate, some say smart, but foolhardily risky practice that can get you banned from Google outright.

But there are still instances, usually due to a change in algorithms, where a site completely drops off even though they’re marketing techniques are innocently on the “white hat” side of the spectrum.

So What do You do if You Become a Google Dropping?

1. Wait a few days. – During an update, it is common that ranking drops, but in a matter of days, the site often crawls its way back to the top.

2. Diversify. Instead of making Google your principle traffic supplier, arrange it so that you expect 10-20% of hits will come from there. There are lots of other search engines that accept paid inclusion and paid placement. In addition, good old-fashioned marketing techniques in the real world can make a big difference.

3. Content continues to Reign Supreme. Most Google users view the web as a library rather than a shopping mall. Update your web page content every day, at least 200-300 words worth, making sure it is relevant and compelling. Remember that people aren’t searching for your content, they are searching for their own-a concept that changes with each user depending on their personal paradigms. So varied, updated content can help match up with some unpredictable keyword choices.

4. Avoid Duplicate Content. This is incredibly important if you’re running several websites at a time, or using “doorway” pages to your main site. Having pages with identical content is a surefire way for Google to drop your listing.

5. Site Design is the Stepchild of good online marketing. Though an algorithm is clueless about how nice your site looks, people viewing it do notice and this will increase your click-throughs. Sites heavy on HTML and light on text, however, are a bad idea, as search engine spiders pick up text mostly.

A good balance of design and simplicity coupled with easily read content is probably the best bet. Even better, have lots of breaks in text to accommodate the majority of net readers that scan pages, rather than read them in their entirety. It takes 25% longer to read from a computer screen than from paper.

6. Remember that there is a balance of keywords required. If your pages use the keywords excessively, red flags pop up all over the Google world and they might tag you for spamming. A good rule of thumb is to keep keyword density below 20% of content.

7. Linking in the Internet world is what networking is to the outside world. Always include links to other sites that relate to your subject matter and try to utilize link swapping as much as possible. Other people want their site recognized too, so most are more than happy to trade links with you. The more your site is referenced on other sites, the more it affects your page ranking.

8. Try to keep the gloves up. Don’t try to trick the algorithms with “black hat” techniques like hidden image links and burying the link inside the background. This will get you banned for sure. Avoid Java script redirection and IP cloaking.

9. It is impossible to create a page that pleases everybody. Try to think in terms of target users, who the typical viewer of your site is going to be. If you sell baby car seats, don’t have content about the Chinese socio-economic politics.

10. It’s so important I have to say it again. Content is the Most Important Element of Your Website.

Google’s sweeping changes confirm the search giant has launched a full out assault against artificial link inflation and declared war against search engine spam in a continuing effort to provide the best search service in the world… and if you thought you cracked the Google Code and had Google all figured out… guess again. Google has raised the bar against search engine spam and artificial link inflation to unrivaled heights with the filing of a United States Patent Application 20050071741 on March 31, 2005.

The filing unquestionable provides SEO’s with valuable insight into Google’s tightly guarded search intelligence and confirms that Google’s information retrieval is based on historical data.

What exactly do these changes mean to you? Your credibility and reputation on-line are going under the Googlescope! Google has defined their patent abstract as follows:

A system identifies a document and obtains one or more types of history data associated with the document. The system may generate a score for the document based, at least in part, on the one or more types of history data.

Google’s patent specification reveals a significant amount of information both old and new about the possible ways Google can (and likely does) use your web page updates to determine the ranking of your site in the SERPs.

Unfortunately, the patent filing does not prioritize or conclusively confirm any specific method one way or the other.

Here’s how Google scores your web pages.Sponsored Articles

In addition to evaluating and scoring web page content, the ranking of web pages are admittedly still influenced by the frequency of page or site updates. What’s new and interesting is what Google takes into account in determining the freshness of a web page.

For example, if a stale page continues to procure incoming links, it will still be considered fresh, even if the page header (Last-Modified: tells when the file was most recently modified) hasn’t changed and the content is not updated or ‘stale’.

According to their patent filing Google records and scores the following web page changes to determine freshness.

*The frequency of all web page changes
*The actual amount of the change itself… whether it is a substantial change redundant or superfluous
*Changes in keyword distribution or density
*The actual number of new web pages that link to a web page
*The change or update of anchor text (the text that is used to link to a web page)
*The numbers of new links to low trust web sites (for example, a domain may be considered low trust for having too many affiliate links on one web page).

Although there is no specific number of links indicated in the patent it might be advisable to limit affiliate links on new web pages. Caution should also be used in linking to pages with multiple affiliate links.

Developing your web page augments for page freshness.

Now I’m not suggesting that it’s always beneficial or advisable to change the content of your web pages regularly, but it is very important to keep your pages fresh regularly and that may not necessarily mean a content change.

Google states that decayed or stale results might be desirable for information that doesn’t necessarily need updating, while fresh content is good for results that require it.

How do you unravel that statement and differentiate between the two types of content?

An excellent example of this methodology is the roller coaster ride seasonal results might experience in Google’s SERPs based on the actual season of the year.

A page related to winter clothing may rank higher in the winter than the summer… and the geographical area the end user is searching from will now likely be considered and factored into the search results.

Likewise, specific vacation destinations might rank higher in the SERPs in certain geographic regions during specific seasons of the year. Google can monitor and score pages by recording click through rate changes by season.

Google is no stranger to fighting Spam and is taking serious new measures to crack down on offenders like never before.

Section 0128 of Googles patent filing claims that you shouldn’t change the focus of multiple pages at once.

Here’s a quote from their rationale:

“A significant change over time in the set of topics associated with a document may indicate that the document has changed owners and previous document indicators, such as score, anchor text, etc., are no longer reliable.

Similarly, a spike in the number of topics could indicate spam. For example, if a particular document is associated with a set of one or more topics over what may be considered a ’stable’ period of time and then a (sudden) spike occurs in the number of topics associated with the document, this may be an indication that the document has been taken over as a ‘doorway’ document.

Another indication may include the sudden disappearance of the original topics associated with the document. If one or more of these situations are detected, then [Google] may reduce the relative score of such documents and/or the links, anchor text, or other data associated the document.”

Unfortunately, this means that Google’s sandbox phenomenon and/or the aging delay may apply to your web site if you change too many of your web pages at once.

From the case studies I’ve conducted it’s more likely the rule and not the exception.

What does all this mean to you?

Keep your pages themed, relevant and most importantly consistent. You have to establish reliability! The days of spamming Google are drawing to an end.

If you require multi page content changes implement the changes in segments over time. Continue to use your original keywords on each page you change to maintain theme consistency.

You can easily make significant content changes by implementing lateral keywords to support and reinforce your vertical keyword(s) and phrases. This will also help eliminate keyword stuffing.

Make sure you determine if the keywords you’re using require static or fresh search results and update your web site content accordingly. On this point RSS feeds may play a more valuable and strategic role than ever before in keeping pages fresh and at the top of the SERPs.

The bottom line here is webmasters must look ahead, plan and mange their domains more tightly than ever before or risk plummeting in the SERPs.

Does Google use your domain name to determine the ranking of your site?

Google’s patent references specific types of ‘information relating to how a document is hosted within a computer network’ that can directly influence the ranking of a specific web site. This is Google’s way of determining the legitimacy of your domain name.

Therefore, the credibility of your host has never been more important to ranking well in Google’s SERP’s.

Google states they may check the information of a name server in multiple ways.

Bad name servers might host known spam sites, adult and/or doorway domains. If you’re hosted on a known bad name server your rankings will undoubtedly suffer… if you’re not blacklisted entirely.

What I found particularly interesting is the criteria that Google may consider in determining the value of a domain or identifying it as a spam domain; According to their patent, Google may now record the following information:

*The length of the domain registration… is it greater than one year or less than one year?

*The address of the web site owner. Possibly for returning higher relevancy local search results and attaching accountability to the domain.
*The admin and the technical contact info. This info is often changed several times or completely falsified on spam domains; again this check is for consistency!
*The stability of your host and their IP range… is your IP range associated with spam?

Google’s rationale for domain registration is based on the premise that valuable domains are often secured many years in advance while domains used for spam are rarely secured for more than a year.

If in doubt about a host’s integrity I recommend checking their mail server at www.dnsstuff.com to see if they’re in the spam database. Watch for red flags!

If your mail server is listed you may have a problem ranking well in Google!

Securing a reputable host can and will go a long way in promoting your web site to Google.

The simplest strategy may be registering your domain several years in advance with a reputable provider thereby demonstrating longevity and accountability to Google. Google wants to see that you’re serious about your site and not a flash in the pan spam shop.

http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1604302-10294265

Googles Aging Delay has teeth… and they’re taking a bite out of spam!

It’s no big secret that Google relies heavily on links when it comes to ranking web sites.

According to their patent filing, Google may record the discovery date of a link and link changes over time.

In addition to volume, quality & the anchor text of links, Google’s patent illustrates possible ways how Google might use historical information to further determine the value of links.

For example, the life span of a link and the speed at which a new web site gets links.

“Burst link growth may be a strong indicator of search engine spam”.

This is the first concrete evidence that Google may penalize sites for rapid link acquisition. Whether the “burst growth” rule applies to high trust/authorative sites and directory listings remains unknown. I personally haven’t experienced this phenomenon. What’s clear for certain though is the inevitable end to results orientated link farming.

I would point out here that regardless of whether burst link growth will be tolerated for authorative sites or authorative link acquisition, webmasters will have to get smarter and work harder to secure authorative links as their counterparts become reluctant to exchange links with low trust sites. Now Page Rank really has value!

Relevant content swaps may be a nice alternative to the standard link exchange and allow you some control of the link page elements.

So what else does Google consider in determining the aging delay?

*The anchor text and the discovery date of links are recorded, thus establishing the countdown period of the aging delay.
*Links with a long-term life span may be more valuable than links with a short life span.
*The appearance and disappearance of a links over time.
*Growth rates of links as well as the link growth of independent peer pages. Again, this suggests that rapid link acquisition and the quality of peer pages are monitored
*Anchor text over a given period of time for keyword consistency.
*Inbound links from fresh pages… might be considered more important than links from stale pages.
*Google doesn’t expect that new web sites have a large number of links so purchasing large numbers of brokered links will likely hurt you more than help you. Google indicates that it is better for link growth to remain constant and naturally paced. In addition, the anchor text should be varied as much as possible.
*New web sites should not acquire too many new links; it’ll be tolerated if the links are from trusted sites but it may be considered spam.

So how do you build your link popularity / Page Rank and avoid penalties?

When it comes to linking, you should clearly avoid the hocus pocus or magic bullet linking schemes. If you participate in quick fix link exchange scams, use automated link exchange software or buy hundreds of links at once, chances are Google will interpret your efforts as a spam attempt and act accordingly.

Don’t get caught in this trap… the recovery period could be substantial since your host and IP range are also considered!

When you exchange links with other web sites, do it slowly and consistently.

Develop a link management and maintenance program. Schedule regular times every week to build the links to your site and vary the anchor text that points to your site.

Obviously, the links to your site should utilize your keywords. To avoid repetition use lateral keywords and keyword phrases in the anchor text since Google wants to see varied anchor text!

Your sites click through rate may now monitored through bookmarks, cache, favorites, and temporary files.

It’s no big secret that Google has always been suspected of rewarding sites with higher click through rates (very similar to what Google does with their AdWords program) so it shouldn’t come as a great surprise that Google still considers site stickiness and CTR tracking in their criterion.

What’s interesting though is Google is interested in tracking the behavior of web surfers through bookmarks, cache, favorites, and temporary files (most likely with the Google toolbar and/or the Google desktop search tool). Google’s Patent filing indicates Google might track the following information:

*Click through rates are monitored for changes in seasonality, fast increases, or other spike traffic in addition to increase or decrease trends.
*The volume of searches over time is recorded and monitored for
increases.
*The information regarding a web page’s rankings are recorded and monitored for changes.
*Click through rates are monitored to find out if stale or fresh web pages are preferred for a search query.
*The traffic to a web page is recorded and monitored for changes… like Alexa.
*User behavior may be monitored through bookmarks, cache, favorites, and temporary files.
*Bookmarks and favorites could be monitored for both additions and deletions, and;
*The overall user behavior for trends and changes.

Since Google is capable of tracking the click-through rates to your web site, you should make sure that your web pages have attractive titles and utilize calls to action so that web surfers click on them in the search results.

It’s also important to keep your visitors there so make your web pages interesting enough so that web surfers stay some time on your web site. It might also help if your web site visitors added your web site to their bookmarks.

As you can see, Google’s new ranking criterion has evolved far beyond the reliance of criteria that can be readily or easily manipulated. One thing is for certain with Google, whatever direction search innovation is going; you can trust Google to be pioneering the way and setting new standards!

About the Author: Lawrence Deon

New incoming links are much sought after by every website owner and blogger. It’s generally agreed that having abundant relevant incoming links provide a boost to a site’s search rankings. Conventional search engine optimization wisdom, coupled with experience with incoming link power, would seem to bear out that fact.

Search engines, led by link obsessed Google, value incoming links very highly, at least so we think. Some search engine optimization experts have started to place some very important caveats on the incoming link power theory.

Instead of automatically assuming the more incoming links the better, other factors may have come into play. The constant evolution of search engine algorithms, they say, may have morphed past the value of incoming links.

The dissenters from the link power concept believe, as do most modern SEO professionals, that link relevance is very important. As a victory of quality over quantity, that idea makes good logical sense.

There are other ideas that have also cast some doubt on the value of links, including a dampening filter on new incoming links, as part of the latest Google algorithm and patent application.

The thought that Google may be employing a dampening filter on new incoming links is not new. The idea has been given serious consideration, especially as part of the “sandbox theory” discussions. Advocates of the new link filter theory believe that Google does not give immediate full credit for an incoming link.

The theory says that Google provides a partial immediate credit, by running new links through a dampening filter. Only as the link ages, and remains linked to the site for a given period of time, does the full value of the Google PageRank and the link popularity receive its complete credit level.

That total link value and PageRank credit, is also measured for link theme relevance, making the process of link building much more difficult than in the past.

What the theory contends, in short, is new links don’t provide immediate benefit to the receiving website. The link popularity and Google PageRank benefit is not passed in its entirety, from the date of discovery and indexing of a new link. In effect, the theory postulates the existence of a Sandbox for new links.

Much like the Google Sandbox theory itself, there is evidence in support of this dampening effect theory. Also like the sandbox theory, there is evidence that the phenomenon doesn’t exist, or is simply one of mistaken identity.

As with all potential filters, their possible existence must be taken seriously. If there is indeed a filter in place to dampen the value of new links, steps must be taken to reduce or eliminate its effect. If there is no such dampening filter, the same sound practices will provide additional benefits as part of a well designed link building program.

Evidence of a link value filter

The question must be considered as to whether or not a fresh link dampening filter has been established as an ongoing and permanent part of the Google algorithm. If such a filter exists longer term, it could have far reaching effects on the SEO efforts of most website owners. In fact, a loss of link value kicks out one of the most important legs of the optimization stool.

Since many SEO professionals consider links to be the most important factor in the Google algorithm, there is certainly a need to examine the evidence for or against a new link filter. Should such a link dampening filter exist, a radical rethinking of SEO strategy would have to take place. There is definitely much at stake.

Many website owners have added new incoming links to their sites, but have not received a corresponding boost in the search engine rankings as a result. Conventional SEO wisdom holds that additional incoming links will enhance the any site’s placement in the search engine results pages (SERPs) for the targeted keyword phrase.

Some webmasters and SEO experts no longer believe that link boost to be the normal course of events. In fact, some experts believe almost the opposite, that the new links are dampened by a filter, and could even cause a temporary drop or hold in the SERPs. Reports also are circulating that Google PageRank is not being fully passed along from new links either.

The question arises as to what would motivate Google to introduce a fresh link filter. It would appear to be a similar goal to the alleged sandbox filter for new websites. If a site adds many new links, in a very short period of time, it’s thought that Google might consider those links to be artificial.

The links might either be purchased, the result of cross linking several related sites, or perhaps part of a linking scheme such as a link farm. In other words, Google wants to make sure the links are natural, as opposed to existing only for the purposes of boosting PageRank and SERPs placements.

In order to prevent any artificial link popularity, the theory proposes that Google dampens the value of all new links until their relevance is determined.

Google’s possible purpose for filtering new links

While Google’s algorithm is not made public, it’s generally thought that Google intends to clamp down on link sales for PageRank and for ranking in the SERPs. Also on Google’s hit list are multiple interlinked sites, existing on the same ip c block, entirely for the purposes of link popularity and PageRank enhancement.

Purchased links tend to be added to a website in medium to large quantities, and often all at one time. Large quantities of incoming links, appearing all at once, might indeed trip a filter.

Google could suspect a high volume of links added at one time to be purchased, and therefore suspect. The possibility would be in keeping with Google’s strongly suspected policy of discouraging link sales. After all, Google’s guidelines point out that any type of linking schemes are against its policies.

The ip c block is the third series of numbers in the identity of an ISP. For example, in 123.123.xxx.12 the c block is denoted as xxx. Google is able to readily identify those links.

A dampening filter is not only used on such linking schemes, but a penalty filter as well. They are not the type of links that are part of the possible link dampening filter. The alleged link dampening filter is supposedly placing new incoming links in a version of the sandbox.

Google intends links to occur naturally, and with that in mind, their algorithm is apparently designed to reward natural relevant links. Google doesn’t consider purchased links, or interlinked sites to be natural, and has provided some indication that they are devaluing them. In the case of interlinked sites, Google is even penalizing sites in much the same way that link farms are given penalties.

By dampening the value of new incoming links, Google probably hopes to discourage link sales in particular. By lessening their value, and removing any immediate link boost, Google might reason that website owners will be less inclined to buy incoming links. The problem lies with the possibility that all incoming links, including natural and relevant ones, are being filtered along with the purchased and non-theme related links.

Google’s intention might be to similar to the alleged sandbox dampening filter for new websites. In both cases, the concern on the part of Google is non-natural links simply to boost PageRank and SERPs positioning. By filtering links, and determining their long term staying power, Google appears to doling out the link benefits over time.

Avoiding the filter, whether it exists or not

No one can say with any certainty that any new link dampening filter actually exists. The evidence for such a filter is based on information contained in the Google patent application, and may not reflect the overall Google search algorithm, or Google’s intentions, now or for the future.

There is a possibility that a new link dampening filter might not exist, ot might only affect certain site themes. As to its real motives, Google isn’t talking beyond what is already made public.

In any case, there are ways to prevent most new links from being dampened. Instead of worrying about new link filters, develop a sound linking policy, and any potential problems shouldn’t affect the vast majority of websites. A good linking program will bypass most, of not all possible filters, real or imagined.

A linking strategy should concentrate on developing natural incoming theme relevant links as its ultimate objective. While that goal is a bit idealistic for many website owners, it certainly has the potential to avoid any filters.

By providing precisely the type of link Google prefers, it is far less likely to trigger any dampeners, if at all. Because they are added gradually over time, relevant natural links are highly unlikely to be sandboxed.

To receive this type of natural incoming link, strong theme relevant content must be developed for the website. Good informative content for website visitors attracts links. The problem is that natural linking is a slow process, and the real world SERPs need faster attention.

Add one way directory links. Google’s spider crawls the major, and even minor directories, on a very frequent basis. Categorized directory links, especially from human edited directories, are very relevant and theme oriented.

As incoming links, they are far less likely to be filtered than links from other websites. It’s widely thought that a link from the Open Directory Project (DMOZ) provides an almost immediate boost to the indexed website.

Keep link exchange programs confined to theme relevant sites. Avoid exchanges with websites that have little to no topic relation to your site. Entirely non-relevant links are much more likely to be viewed with suspicion by Google, and possibly filtered. We already are quite certain, that Google passes along more PageRank and link popularity boost from theme relevant sites, than from topically unrelated sites.

When making link exchanges, space them out over a period of time. Instead of doing all of the link trades in one week, use a two to three month time frame instead. A longer time lag will give each link a full opportunity to be integrated into the Google system, and avoid being dampened.

If a link is going to be dampened, it may as well be delayed.

Conclusion

Many search engine optimization professionals believe that Google has implemented a dampening filter for new incoming links. The alleged filter is thought to depress the link popularity boost and the Google PageRank transfer of newly added links.

Not everyone in the SEO community supports the concept of a fresh link dampening filter. There is really no absolute way to determine whether it exists, one way or the other.

As with the controversial, and somewhat related Sandbox theory, there are techniques to avoid the filter’s impact, one way or the other. Fortunately, good SEO practices are the best route for a cautious website owner to use as prevention.

A good relevant theme oriented linking program is the best method to keep any filter to the absolute minimum.

A good linking plan is a great idea at any time; whether a filter on new links exists, or is simply a mirage.

About the Author: Wayne Hurlbert (http://www.blogbusinessworld.blogspot.com) provides insigtful information about marketing, promotions, search engine optimization and public relations for websites and business blogs on the popular Blog Business World.

Google’s AdSense programme is finally going to get some competition. What does Yahoo’s move into lower-traffic site advertising mean for the Web?

Yahoo is poised to launch an ad network for small Web publishers styled on a similar offering from Google, sources familiar with the plan told ZDNet UK sister site CNET News.com, a move that promises to sharpen competition between the search giants.

While Yahoo and Google already go head-to-head for major search advertising partners such as America Online, Google has largely enjoyed a monopoly serving its signature text-only ads to smaller Web sites, including blogs.

Now Yahoo plans to launch its own advertising option for small publishers, a source familiar with the plan said. Like Google’s service, Yahoo’s self-serve product will display text ads deemed relevant to the content of specific Web pages. Advertisers pay only when a reader clicks on their ad. Yahoo and publishers will split the fees.

UBS Warburg this week upgraded Yahoo on expectations that the company will enter this new arena. In a further sign that a launch may be imminent, text ads have recently been spotted on some Yahoo employee blogs.

Dan Boberg, director of business partnerships for Yahoo subsidiary Overture Services, confirmed in an interview last week that Yahoo is interested in the market, although he declined to discuss details. “We’re headed in that direction,” he said.

Yahoo’s push to expand its advertising reach comes as the market for search advertising is taking off, fuelling record revenue and profits at the Web portal. At the same time, Yahoo is busy looking for new revenue sources as it seeks to transform itself into an online media conglomerate and beat Google in the Web search game.

Tapping small publishers offers a promising growth path, given Google’s earlier efforts in this niche.

In June 2003, Google expanded its ad services for large publishers, dubbed AdSense, adding a self-serve, automated product specifically aimed at small sites. As opposed to search-related ads, which are triggered by keywords entered into its search engine query bar, AdSense ads are targeted to the content of a page and its meaning. For example, a news story about a soccer match might display a sponsored link for soccer gear.

Google does not break out AdSense sales but includes them in a broader category that encompasses all syndicated search revenue. Collectively, those businesses made up 48 percent of Google’s $3.1bn in revenue in 2004.

Bringing ads to small publishers would expand Yahoo’s current advertising portfolio, which caters to its search engine and larger Web sites.

Yahoo’s Overture subsidiary, which will be renamed Yahoo Search Marketing next month, has served ads to publisher Web pages since 2003, in a program called Content Match. The service is designed for large publishers, such as The Financial Times, and requires a vetting process to ensure quality when it comes to matching pages with ads.

Courting small publishers
Yahoo has shown increasing interest in courting small publishers of late. Speaking at the Search Engine Strategies show in New York last week, Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang hinted that the company would do more to cater to the small content owners. Yahoo also recently released Y!Q, code that analyzes the text of a Web page and shows search results based on its content. Publishers can add the code to their Web pages to automatically generate a list of related links.

Yahoo also recently launched a publisher alert service to notify publishers of new publishing and advertising tools.

Web publishers responded positively to news that Yahoo plans to compete with Google, given Google’s unchallenged pricing power to date. Many publishers and industry watchers have also criticised Google for its rigid partnership contracts, which prevent publishers from having visibility into the total money generated from AdSense on their sites and disallow customers from talking about their paychecks.

“Great! More competition should force AdSense and others to give the publishers a bigger piece of the pie,” one publisher wrote on the Webmasterworld.com forum.

Yahoo will face several sticky issues by entering the self-service, automated side of the business. Matching content-targeted ads can also be tricky, and by opening up the service more broadly in an automated fashion, Overture could run into problems.

Google’s AdSense, for example, in the past matched a Fox News article, “Deep Fried Turkey Can Be Dangerous,” with ads to buy a deep fryer at Amazon.com.

In another problem for the industry, fraudulent Web site operators have been known to erect phony sites to bilk money from Google’s self-service ad program a strategy known as click fraud. A click thief might create a Web site featuring legal information and tips, based on the fact that legal ads often fetch high fees per click. It would then sign up with Google’s self-service program to display legal ads, and then unleash an automated bot to click on the ads. If the fraud goes undetected, Google would send a check to the site owner.

Yahoo already employs algorithms and detection methods to fend off click fraud. The company is likely to use some oversight in allowing new publishing partners, according to a source.

Original article published on Entire newsletter March. 15, ISSUE #109.