Search has changed dramatically over the past decade. Gone are the days when stuffing a few extra keywords and hiring your 16-year-old nephew to produce content was all that was needed to propel a webpage to rank number one on Google. Today, search engine algorithms are "smarter" than ever, not only capable of understanding what a website is all about, but also at detecting questionable optimization techniques. If your site is found guilty of doing the latter, the penalties imposed can be devastating. The importance of search engine rankings helped launch the search engine optimization industry, along with a sub-culture of self-appointed "SEO experts" toting bags full of tricks such as hidden text, doorway pages, cloaking, duplicate content, link wheels, and more. Search engines continually upgrade their algorithms to fight dirty SEO tricks, punishing websites that bend the rules, while rewarding websites that make quality contributions through great content and value. Snake E-Oil: The SEO Swindle is written in plain English focusing on topics important to you, the website owner. Learn what's behind SEO and SEM How to avoid penalties and all the associated headaches Uncover "Google's First Page" myth Learn what works, and what doesn't How to deal with SEO "experts" What are on-page, off-page, and negative SEO And more If you own a website or a web store, this book is for you "