First It Was Rap Genius. Is Google Punishing Expedia Now, Too?

The big travel site isn't appearing as high in relevant search results as it has in the recent past. Questionable SEO tactics could be to blame.

learn more about Benjamin Kabin

By Benjamin Kabin

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It's fairly well known that Google punishes websites that try to game the system in order to get better search rankings, but that doesn't stop some from trying.

Today it appears as if Expedia may have earned the search giant's ire. Links to the $9 billion online travel company that normally appear near the top have been relegated to page three.

While what's causing the pushback is unclear, SEO site Search Engine Land says it appears that Expedia was "participating in paid linking schemes that eventually caught up with them." Google declined to comment on the issue. Expedia told the Wall Street Journal that it also had no comment.

Related: 5 SEO Trends Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know for 2014

Although that sounds like it could be dire, for Expedia it's not, and actually only represents a 1.5 percent drop off in year-over-year traffic and a drop in revenue of 1.1 percent.

Hip-hop startup Rap Genius, on the other hand, saw a massive dip in traffic after it garnered Google's scorn and was kicked from the top rankings last month. After making amends Google ended the punishment, as they've done with other companies in the past such as Overstock.com and J.C. Penney. Both of those companies were also accused of using unscrupulous tactics in order to boost their Google search ranking.

Google continuously evolves and upgrades its algorithms in order to return the most relevant results while filtering out spam and won't hesitate to manually deflate a site's rankings when it breaks the rules.

Related: Lyrics Site Rap Genius Returns to Google Search

Benjamin Kabin

Journalist

Benjamin Kabin is a Brooklyn-based technology journalist who specializes in security, startups, venture capital and social media.

Related Topics

Editor's Pick

Everyone Wants to Get Close to Their Favorite Artist. Here's the Technology Making It a Reality — But Better.
The Highest-Paid, Highest-Profile People in Every Field Know This Communication Strategy
After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.
Having Trouble Speaking Up in Meetings? Try This Strategy.
He Names Brands for Amazon, Meta and Forever 21, and Says This Is the Big Blank Space in the Naming Game
Business News

American Airlines Sued After Teen Dies of Heart Attack Onboard Flight to Miami

Kevin Greenridge was traveling from Honduras to Miami on June 4, 2022, on AA Flight 614 when he went into cardiac arrest and became unconscious mid-flight.

Leadership

How to Detect a Liar in Seconds Using Nonverbal Communication

There are many ways to understand if someone is not honest with you. The following signs do not even require words and are all nonverbal queues.

Marketing

After Early Rejection From Publishers, This Author Self-Published Her Book and Sold More Than 500,000 Copies. Here's How She Did It.

Author Karen Inglis breaks down the strategies and tactics you need to generate awareness and sales for your self-published book.

Business News

These Are the Most and Least Affordable Places to Retire in The U.S.

The Northeast and West Coast are the least affordable, while areas in the Mountain State region tend to be ideal for retirees on a budget.

Thought Leaders

5 Small Daily Habits Self-Made Millionaires Use to Grow Their Wealth

We've all seen what self-made millionaires look like on TV, but it's a lot more subtle than that. Brian Tracy researched what small daily habits these successful entrepreneurs adopted on their journey from rags to riches.

Business News

Jake Paul and Lindsay Lohan Fined $400,000 for 'Illegally Touting' Crypto

The SEC just disclosed that eight celebrities agreed to a massive settlement without admitting guilt.