Because of the value Google, Yahoo and other search engines place on backlinks, executing a linkbomb in order to position certain websites atop of the search results is not too difficult. Provided you have enough people taking part.
The way a linkbomb works is by getting a number of people to link to a particular site using a specific keyword. If enough people take part, once a search engine acknowledges these links, the target site should increase its search position in relation to the keyword being used.
For example: the most famous linkbomb has to do with our current President, George W. Bush. The original linkbomb targeting President Bush made use of the keywords “Google+Search”>miserable failure”. When these keywords are searched using Google+Search”>Google and Yahoo, the top organic search position points to the Biography of President George W. Bush.
President Bush is not the only one who’s been targeted by linkbombs. His distinguished competition in the 2004 election, John Kerry, was also the “victim” of linkbomb involving the keyword “waffles“. A search for this keyword yields the Kerry/Edwards web site in the top search position.
However, according to the SearchEngineWatch Blog, a new linkbomb targeting President Bush has been discovered. This time, instead of using the keywords “miserable failure,” the new linkbomb only uses the keyword “failure” (perhaps making it easier to show-off their linkbombing abilities?). When the “failure” query is entered in Google+Search”>Google and Yahoo, the top organic position points to President Bush’s biography page, just like the miserable failure linkbomb.
If recent history is any indication, expect the Republican supporters to initiate their own linkbomb targeting a Democrat of note.
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest search news.
