How to Get a Good Google Ranking
How can I create a Google-friendly site?

Despite what you may have read, you cannot buy your way to a "guaranteed" top spot on Google. 

There are certain websites which guarantee a top position, rotating or not, and some of these are really well-known and popular and if you use these companies, you could have your site banned from Google. 

Now, that probably doesn't happen too often, or these companies wouldn't be as popular as they are.  But it does happen.  I was a wee bit surprised about what Google had to say about this. You see, I always thought that you had to beware of companies that whisper furtively to you, that boast about what they can do but don't have any big advertising partners and don't have link after link of PC magazines in which they've been featured.

But here's what Google has to say:

"Don't feel obligated to purchase a search engine optimization service. Some companies claim to "guarantee" high ranking for your site in Google's search results. While legitimate consulting firms can improve your site's flow and content, others employ deceptive tactics in an attempt to fool search engines. Be careful; if your domain is affiliated with one of these deceptive services, it could be banned from our index...Don't use unauthorized computer programs to submit pages, check rankings, etc. Such programs consume computing resources and violate our Terms of Service. Google does not recommend the use of products such as WebPosition Gold™ that send automatic or programmatic queries to Google."

Now, a search engine optimization service can be legit. Like they say, this could just be someone who can write your text with just the right amount of keywords and chose other keywords to use that you may not have thought of and check to make sure that your links are good and other such sensible stuff.

But what I read from that quote is that services like WebPosition Gold do not make a happy Google.  Why would you want to skeeve off Google?

I know that people are going to want to argue with me on this, so here is a better explanation of my take on it:

Google is secretive and they should be.  I like Google.  Actually, I love them and what I love about Google is that the search results that I get are honest, not-paid-for results that usually mean that the websites shown are quality sites.  I rarely need to look past the first page.  So, Google needs to be secret about their rules so that bad guys don't manipulate them.

Now, if there are things that would be good for me to know to optimize my website that Google is not telling me, how much more crucial, then, are the things that they are telling me? 

If Google gives a warning, I think you should listen.  But then,  I don't gamble. 

I think that Google knows that people will read that not-too-strongly-worded warning and think, "Ah, they're just saying that and lots of people do this with good results and I'm just one site and they won't notice that I'm doing the same thing" and go ahead and try to buy a good placement.  And those are exactly the people that Google wants to weed out.  So that us good guys trying our best, with our own wits and our late nights, get the good search engine results that we deserve.

And y'know, I could make money by recommending WebPosition Gold to you, but since I'm not sure that it's in your best interest, I'll stick with The Source:

How can I create a Google-friendly site?  and  Webmaster Guidelines.

If anyone has some convincing facts to show that it's beneficial to use WebPosition Gold or other such programs and that Google won't penalize you, please Email me.