Google changes SEO algorithm in light of DecorMyEyes case 

Monday, December 6 2010 by Catherine Ferguson

Search engine optimisation providers often work wonders to ensure that a business goes high up in Google's search engine rankings, though one New York businessman could be changing the way the website indexes organisations.

Vitaly Borker had a much more worrying approach to website promotion. As the owner of DecorMyEyes.com, which offers designer glasses at bargain prices, he ensured that many - if not most - of his customers would end up paying extortionate fees and not get the products they asked for. On top of this, he would be verbally threatening and sometimes, outright offensive.

As a result, Google has instituted a crash program that tweaks ranking algorithms to drop any retailers who annoy customers after giving poor service.

It follows a report from the New York Times regarding the case of Clarabelle Rodriguez, who did not receive the contact lenses she asked for, while the glasses she ordered were fake. To make matters worse, she was charged more than the site said she needed to pay.

She called Tony Russo - one of two aliases used by Mr Borker - to complain but only encountered abuse from the businessman that included what the newspaper described as threats of "sexual violence too graphic to describe in a newspaper".

This was due to an insight he had which went over and above the need for a search engine optimisation firm. In regards to his lack of caring following several annoyed customers, the New York Times said: "To his amazement, this seemed to better his standing in certain Google searches, which brought in more sales.

"Before this discovery, he'd hired a search optimisation company to burnish his site's reputation by writing positive things about DecorMyEyes online. Odious behaviour, he realised, worked much better and it didn't cost him a penny."

However, with Google's changes to the algorithm, the grievances that have been levelled at Mr Borker - if they do not land him in a serious court case - could result in his business take the legitimate and most successful legal route: hiring search engine optimisation providers once more.

Living Streams "Improving clients' profitability through better use of the internet".