JCPenney's Sneaky Search Tactics

Did you search for an item on Google in the past few months and find yourself directed to JCPenney? Was JCPenney the top returned retailer on just about everything you searched for on Google, even for things other retailers specialize in? You weren't alone; it seems JCPenney is apparently trying to best Google, shooting itself to the top of the search list.

It's a sneaky little practice that uses "search engine optimization" to skew results. Google uses incredibly complex and sophisticated methods to determine which sites get returned at the top of search rankings. One of the key measurements is how many websites use a key word and link out to another site. For example, if a blog, news site, or company specializing in say, luggage, mentions JCPenney, it rises in the rankings.