One factors search engines use to determine what a page is about is the text used in the links to the page. This is the anchor text, in HTML terms. For example this link to Yahoo used the terms "this link" as the anchor text. If a lot of sites all linked to Yahoo using the same two words as anchor text for their links, Yahoo would move up in search engine rankings for that obscure and not particularly relevant term.

Some creative folks have figured out that anchor text can be used to manipulate the search rankings on other obscure terms, including "miserable failure," "awful announcer," and "waffles." Try searching for those terms on Google to see what pops up at the top of the results. This is called a Google Bomb, since it's designed to manipulate the search results on the popular search engine. To make things more interesting, Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" button automatically takes searchers to the top result for a search, reinforcing the significance of the Googlebomb.

It's commonly asked whether Google plays an editorial role in the results that appear for Googlebombs. They consistently say they do not, which seems very believable based on the wide variety of political persuasions expressing their opinions with results. And based on the terms chosen by Google Bombers. Let's face it. There isn't a lot of commercial competition for a term like "miserable failure" to any concerted effort to make a site rank high for the term will probably work.

Do Googlebombs work as a web marketing tactic? Yes. However, it's clearly much more difficult to influence the results for a search term that's commercially relevant. Using tactics more in your control such as optimizing the content on your site for relevant search terms, and building links regardless of the anchor text used both have a greater influence over your rankings than this quirky feature. However, it certainly doesn't hurt to use terms relevant to your site in the anchor text of inbound links you control or can influence.

Do you have a favorite Googlebomb? Feel free to share it in the comments. Also, where do you think anchor text ranks among search engine optimization factors?