Keyword stuffing and search engine spamming are two common techniques that some people and companies attempt to gain higher Google ranking than their sites can achieve on merit and quality.The problem has become sufficiently acute that Google has taken pains to "embrace" those that will go overboard to try to trick its search spiders, holding an annual party called the Google Dance -- where the tricksters and Google techs sit down face to face.

Our industry loves a good conspiracy, so Google's ever-expanding influence -- including in the RSS realm and typified by the mere need for a Google Dance -- only plays into that thinking.

I'm in the same camp as search expert Shari Thurow, who labels those trying to fake out Google as "pathetic" and adds, "If you build a site for human beings, your site naturally gets search-engine traffic." Google has indeed become influential to the point it's a little scary. But having spent several years working on optimizing sites for maximum exposure through Google, I can say without hesitation that when you follow Google's general guidelines you can succeed with search engines -- without deception. My advice: skip the "dance" and focus on the basics of optimizing your site and its content.