Google can make your business go from invincible to invisible. Learn the rules so you can stay online and easy to find. 

Google is the king of online advertising. Like any king, Google has rules that all must follow if they want to stay in Google’s good graces. With just a few keystrokes, your business can go from invincible to invisible if you break them. How do you avoid doing this?

First, you need to understand why and how Google punishes websites. It is in Google’s interests to keep the quality of their services high. Activities that threaten quality are spelled out in their acceptable use policies. For instance, Google AdWords doesn’t allow any listings for explosives or a racist product. If you make a pay per click (PPC) ad for a site that sells these items, the domain or even the whole account can be banned from using the service. On the search engine optimization (SEO) side, if you’re caught using techniques that game Google’s algorithm and you’re caught, you’ll be banned from the listings. (Remember when Panda and Penguin first came out?)